The International iMIS Users Group executive director shares how iMIS has ignited her passion to bring together the global iMIS user community.
As Executive Director of NiUG International, it excites me to share that I’ve been an iMIS user for most of my non-profit career. I was an early adopter back in the 1990’s, using iMIS LAN, one of the earliest versions of iMIS, in my role at a medium-sized trade association that held a large annual educational conference with exposition. We soon realized our annual dues billing and billing structure were a bear! And only iMIS could handle it – even back then before special pricing was part of the product.
My early experience with iMIS might be like others, I relied heavily on my Authorized iMIS Solution Provider (AiSP) to support our system, for I was fearful of clicking the wrong button and mistakenly billing members for the wrong amount. I knew there had to be a way for me to learn how to do many of these seemingly simple support tasks on my own. I soon discovered that a group of local iMIS users had formed, and I was introduced to the Northeast iMIS Users Group, aka NiUG. This group was made up of iMIS users who hailed from the New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York areas. In the beginning, there were about 50 of us who regularly attended meetings.
Finding the iMIS users group was one of the best things to happen to me in my early iMIS career, I was instantly connected to a network of people (made up of other iMIS users and AiSPs) and relished their thought-leadership, perspectives and insights. I learned so much from them…I’m pretty sure we met or chatted almost daily, way before the days of iMessage. This new NiUG connection helped to steer my 25+ year career trajectory and catapult my knowledge of iMIS.
While my iMIS skillset has matured over the years, I’m fully aware that iMIS has added so much breadth and depth to the platform over the years, that I would be lost without my trusty AiSP. Between understanding existing and new features and functionality, there is always something new to learn in iMIS. I continue to rely on my AiSP to provide guidance on how to best implement new features to support my organization’s goals and mission, and to continue to propel us forward.
My passion for iMIS kept growing until where you find me today, the Executive Director of NiUG International, yes that small local northeast group grew up too and went international! I’m proud to share that our mission is to support and empower those who use iMIS and its supplementary products, which in turn enables us to connect iMIS users, share our knowledge and advocate on behalf of the users. We provide ample networking experiences and educational tools to help grow our community’s iMIS knowledge. While NiUG International is based in the United States, we have local chapters in Canada and Asia-Pacific, find out how more about access to your local chapter today.
What’s next for NiUG? NiUG International is excited to host our annual iMIS Users Conference this August in Chicago, where we’ll provide iMIS colleagues with the ability to learn with a hands-on, how-to approach on a variety of topics. There are also several networking opportunities so you can develop your own go-to group of iMIS users. Learn more about our annual conference in Chicago and register today.
Located in the Asia Pacific region? Join the NiUG Asia Pacific Chapter for the 2023 Discovery Conference in Melbourne.
In addition to our annual conference, NiUG International has a variety of resources available to you to help you connect and learn with the community:
My career has brought me full circle, and I’m so honored to lead the iMIS Users Group, where the users of iMIS empower each other. Whether you’re a seasoned iMIS user or a newbie, I’d love to connect with you so we can grow our iMIS careers and experience together.
If you are not currently a member of NiUG International, please consider joining today to connect with our community of iMIS users, partners, thought leaders and more.
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