CMSS has been honored with a 2026 ASAE Power of Associations Silver Award by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in recognition of our collaborative program Navigating the Rocky Shores of Global Expansion: Business Intelligence on International Physician Engagement with US Medical Societies, an initiative that demonstrates the powerful role associations play in solving challenges, strengthening industries and professions, and improving communities.
The ASAE Power of Associations Awards recognize associations that leverage their unique ability to convene stakeholders, inspire collaboration, and drive meaningful change. Through innovative programs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts, award recipients exemplify how associations create lasting impact that extends well beyond the members they serve.
“ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the very best of what our community can accomplish,” said ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE, AAiP. “This recognition honors organizations that don’t simply advance their own missions – they bring people together to solve complex challenges, strengthen industries and professions, and create lasting benefits for society.”
US medical societies increasingly serve physicians outside the United States through education, scientific exchange, clinical guidance, conferences, research collaboration, and professional networking. Yet many societies lack reliable data on how internationally based physicians engage with them, what those physicians value, and what barriers limit deeper participation.
This study of over 4,000 international physicians moved participating societies from anecdote to evidence — through a partnership between CMSS, Global Navigators, and nine US medical societies, the program created a shared foundation for more sustainable, mission-aligned, and globally responsive international engagement strategies. The collaborative model allowed societies to scale research across a shared audience of international physicians with similar professional interests, behaviors, and engagement patterns.
“This study gives us something specialty societies have needed for a long time: a clearpicture of how international physicians actually engage with US organizations,” said Helen Burstin, MD, CMSS CEO. “By engaging our member community and partners in a collaborative, co-designed program, we have been able to bring new evidence-based insights to support our societies’ global strategies.”
Explore the links below to learn more about the study and put these insights to work for your society.
About the Council of Medical Specialty Societies
As a coalition of more than 50 organizations representing nearly 1 million physicians, CMSS the unique role of medical specialty societies. We advance the expertise and collective voice of specialty societies and the patients they serve to drive meaningful change in the future of healthcare. Learn more about CMSS.
About Global Navigators
Global Navigators is a management consulting firm supporting organizations with a range of management services, with a primary focus on research, strategy, and growth. Learn more about Global Navigators.
About The Power of Associations Awards
ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the association community’s economic and societal contributions locally, nationally and globally. ASAE will celebrate The Power of Associations Award recipients during its annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 22, 2026, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.