Why CAM?
CAM’s staff has over 50 years of combined experience in association management of non-profit organizations in the areas of construction, higher education, healthcare, technology, tourism, and sustainability. Our core competencies include membership retention and recruitment; strategic marketing & sales; certification and accreditation; publications; conference and meeting planning; new program development; financial management; and other services.
We invite you to meet the team of professionals that will work with your organization!
Anna Kosova, CAE
Principal
Anna graduated with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of West Florida and earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives. Anna communicates closely with clients on all matters of importance, including identification of emerging challenges and seeking opportunities for growth and advancement, and makes informed recommendations.
She oversees marketing and business development, event planning, membership recruitment and retention, and general operations. She develops long-lasting relationships with current & prospective members, sponsors and exhibitors, and strategic partners. Anna also oversees financial management, including preparation of budget and financial statements and assessing the current position of the association compared to the budget at any given moment.
Ray Bert
Vice President, Account Executive & Director of Accreditation
Ray holds a bachelor’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, with majors in both mechanical engineering and English. He has over 20 years of association experience including the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society for Engineering Education, in addition to his time with the Associated Air Balance Council, the AABC Commissioning Group, and the Energy Management Association.
Some of Ray’s core competencies include strategic planning to determine Board goals and implementation of Board-approved programs, clear and detailed communications with both certified members and others in the industry, and certification and accreditation matters.
Ray had oversight of clients’ successful pushes for ANSI accreditation and Department of Energy /Better Buildings recognition of their certification programs, including communication and implementation of new policies and Continuing Education requirements to members. As Director of Accreditation, he is responsible for ongoing maintenance of ANSI accreditation, including exam maintenance. Over his career, he has participated in all stages of development of four psychometrically validated certification exams for three different clients.
Sam Schwarz
Account Executive and Marketing & Social Media Director
Sam has a bachelor’s degree from Bard College. Sam has successfully used her divergent thinking to develop and implement association growth, as well as streamline clients’ operations and communications. She works closely with Board leadership to identify and execute strategic goals, as well as provide day-to-day Board support. She has been directly responsible for significantly improving overall organization revenue and surpassing new member target expectations.
Sam leads advocacy efforts, effectively changing written laws 18 times in municipal ordinances and twice in federal acts, resulting in a prestigious “Power of (A)dvocacy Award” from ASAE. She also manages social media, and has a proven record of success implementing creative campaigns such as pop quizzes to boost followers for young accounts.
Cynthia Graddy
Director of Events
Cynthia Graddy has an extensive association management background including domestic and international meetings and conferences, membership recruitment and retention, accreditation and credentialing, sponsorship development and revenue generation, and strategic planning. She holds the following credentials: Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Digital Event Specialist (DES), Healthcare Meetings Compliance Certificate (HMCC), and Sustainable Events Professional Certificate (SEPC).
Valerie Shuford
Membership & Certification Specialist
Valerie has over twenty years of experience as an Association Management Professional, including membership management, certification management, event coordination, and project management. She has a proven ability to work within established timelines and multi-task on projects. In her role as the Membership & Certification Specialist, she leads the membership renewal process, and handles member inquiries. She manages the membership and certification database and takes the lead on providing accurate records for the certification renewal processes, coordinating with accounting to ensure accurate invoicing, making all needed database updates, and tracking renewal numbers. Valerie takes primary responsibility for answering questions related to new applicants for membership and certification, processing applications, guiding them through the approval and examination process.
Duffy Austin
Editor, Publications Manager & Technology Expert
Duffy has nearly 10 years of experience in editing and publication for both print and the web. His experience includes writing and editing for the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and TAB Journal, where he worked with subject matter experts in a variety of fields to produce dozens of articles focused on scientific, medical, and engineering developments in the military community and testing, adjusting, and balancing, respectively. He’s quick to learn and master new principles and has keen attention to detail. Duffy is also responsible for the management of e-newsletters and updating clients’ websites powered by WordPress.
During unprecedented COVID-19 times, Duffy successfully took the lead on the technology solutions (Zoom and Digitell, Inc.) and virtualized the canceled conferences of clients into a series of live and on-demand webinars.
Simran S Maurya, CDMP, PCM
Digital Marketing Specialist
Simran is an accomplished professional with an impressive academic background. She holds a Bachelor’s, MBA, and MS degree in Marketing, specializing in Digital Marketing, which reflects her dedication to continuous learning and staying ahead in the industry.
With a wealth of expertise gained from managing international and national clients, Simran is a true asset to any team. Her previous roles involved overseeing clients’ social media platforms, conducting successful negotiations, implementing effective email marketing strategies, and building strong customer relations.
With her certifications as a Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM), she brings a high level of professionalism and expertise to her work. Passionate and always eager to learn, Simran tackles any situation with enthusiasm, making her a valuable and dynamic team member.
Tyra Yemer
Accountant
Tyra Yemer holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Morgan State University and earned a certificate of Accounting from Prince George’s Community College. She has over 7 years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping as well customer service. She began her career as a bookkeeper for a non-profit organization. Also worked as an CPA assistant managing multiple accounts. At CAM, she works closely with the membership department, hand-in-hand with an independent CPA firm and performs full charge bookkeeping services.
Independent Financial Support Services
CAM strongly believes in segregation of duties to provide additional oversight and prevent fraudulent activities. For this reason, we have hired Sikich LLP to oversee our accounting department and perform monthly general ledger reconciliation and monthly financial statements.
Ralitza Kamenova, Principal, Outsourced Accounting, will be our primary point of contact at Sikich. She has over 15 years of experience in providing any and all of the internal accounting department functions to an array of nonprofit clients.
She has been involved in the review and setup of improved accounting processes and preparation of accounting manuals, assistance in the preparation for audits and tax returns, and the preparation and review of monthly/quarterly financial statements and compilations. She is currently providing training and support as our QuickBooks Pro advisor. She has a Master’s in Business Strategy from the Norwegian School of Management and is a member of ASAE.
Why Choose AMC?
