Our Team
Our Team
SBI is made up of a talented and well-rounded team of subject matter experts who wear multiple hats. Our integrated team structure creates an environment of open collaboration, flexibility, and innovation to support the evolving needs of our association clients.
Our unique internal structure is comprised of five Centers of Excellence (COEs):
Specialists from each COE make up the various teams that support our association clients.
Our Executive Team
Alopé leads the day-to-day operations of SBI, working closely with SBI’s executive leadership team as well as managing the finance team. With more than two decades of experience at SBI, Alopé has extensive knowledge regarding SBI and its clients. She has served in numerous roles as the company has grown and designed many of the office procedures, client financial systems, and service standards that provide the strong operational infrastructure SBI’s client partners rely on. She also oversees client transitions and has proudly worked to achieve and maintain accreditation status for SBI from the AMC Institute. She likes that each day at SBI is different, and champions a culture that allows staff to have a lot of fun while doing great work.
Louise joined the SBI team in July 2008 from Association Management Center (AMC) in Chicago, where she served as Executive Director of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses for more than six years, and the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing for eight years. For two years Louise served as Treasurer of the American Board of Nursing Specialties.
She began her association career with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, as national coordinator of the Think First: National Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program. She also served as Administrator of Postdoctoral Training and Certification for the American Osteopathic Association, and as Manager of Certification and Instructional Services for the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association. Louise has more than 30 years of association experience. She earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2005, a certification held by only 5% of association professionals. Louise earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Bachelor’s Degree from Pomona College in Claremont, CA.
At SBI Louise serves as Executive Director for the Washington State Society of Anesthesiologists (WSSA), the Chief Operating Officer of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF), and Managing Director of the International Ombuds Association (IOA). Her expertise includes strategic planning and governance, fiscal management and budgeting, educational program development, credentialing and association best practices.
In addition to her direct client work, Louise assists all SBI staff to ensure the success and satisfaction of all of our clients. One area of particular success has been transitioning in new clients from being stand-alone (e.g., managed by a single staff person, a small staff, or entirely volunteer-managed) to an organization partnering with a management company. ADRP, for example, has experienced significant membership growth and increased reserves since coming to SBI.
A Little Something Extra
Louise loves travel, music, humor, and activism. A devoted dog lover, she enjoys life with her Boxer puppy and believes pets bring people together. When interviewing new clients and staff, she always asks about their dogs.
Megan is Vice President of Business Development and the Director of Events, with more than 10 years of experience in the event industry. Having spent the last 3 years managing our Events Department, she has built a reputation for growing revenue and increasing attendance at our client’s events and trainings. One of her favorite things about working at SBI is that everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.
Executive Services
Tiffany Hanzo Martin | Director of Member Services, Association Executive
Joined the Team: May 2016
Works from: Everett, WA
Tiffany has been with SBI since 2016 and has grown from the member services ranks to becoming our Director of Member Services, while also serving as Executive Director of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and Washington Recreation and Park Association. Prior to working with SBI, Tiffany worked in management roles with Boys and Girls Clubs, supporting event planning, managing teen programming, and executing club-wide correspondence. Building relationships with her clients and colleagues is what she enjoys the most about her job. When she’s not working, you can catch her going out to sing karaoke.
Adam Carranza, CMP | Association Executive
Joined the Team: September 2021
Works from: Henrico, VA
Adam loves developing events to give organizations an innovative and engaging platform to connect with their members. He enjoys being a part of a hardworking team and looks forward to continuing the successful growth of SBI and its clients. Coming from a background in nonprofit and event management, he is excited about continuing his professional growth in a premier association management company. In his spare time, he can be found exploring the outdoors or trying out a new recipe or restaurant.
Louise Miller, MA, CAE | Senior Vice President, Association Executive
Joined the Team: 2008
Works from: Renton, WA
Louise joined the SBI team in July 2008 from Association Management Center (AMC) in Chicago, where she served as Executive Director of the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses for more than six years, and the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing for eight years. For two years Louise served as Treasurer of the American Board of Nursing Specialties.
Pam Sefrino | Association Executive
Joined the Team: June 2023
Works from: Swansea, MA
Pam has spent 25 years in the association industry, first as a chamber of commerce executive for nearly 10 years, and then in the AMS tech space serving associations as a senior account executive and client success manager. Pam believes communicating early and often is the key to building successful relationships with both clients and team members. Understanding a client’s goals and developing deep connections are her priorities. Her passion is being with family wherever they are. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, has two sons in their early 20s, and a standard poodle named Troy. Whether at the beach, on the golf course, or exploring a new restaurant, if they’re all together, Pam is her happiest.
Megan Miller, CMP, VEMM | Vice President of Business Development, Director of Events, Association Executive
Joined the Team: May 2018
Works from: Spanaway, WA
Megan is the Vice President of Business Development and the Director of Events, with over 10 years of experience in the event industry. Having spent the last 3 years managing our Events Department, she has built a reputation for growing revenue and increasing attendance at our client’s events and trainings. One of her favorite things about working at SBI is that everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.
Michael Majdalany, CAE | Association Executive
Joined the Team: February 2022
Works from: San Francisco, CA
With 24 years of experience in association management, 15 years in the Silicon Valley high-tech sector, and a background in rocket science, Michael has extensive international experience and has been recognized for his team leadership and management abilities. Michael loves working with associations because of the people he gets to meet! He’s a fan of anything that moves quickly like cars, planes and trains. He has even taught ballroom dancing as a hobby – how cool is that?!.
Member Services
Tiffany Hanzo Martin | Director of Member Services, Association Executive
Joined the Team: May 2016
Works from: Everett, WA
Tiffany has been with SBI since 2016 and has grown from the member services ranks to becoming our Director of Member Services, while also serving as Executive Director of the National Association of Environmental Professionals and Washington Recreation and Park Association. Prior to working with SBI, Tiffany worked in management roles with Boys and Girls Clubs, supporting event planning, managing teen programming, and executing club-wide correspondence. Building relationships with her clients and colleagues is what she enjoys the most about her job. When she’s not working, you can catch her going out to sing karaoke.
Dina Tassell | Senior Member Services Coordinator
Joined the Team: February 2022
Works from: Stockton, CA
Dina Tassell brings over 15 years experience in administration, with more than 5 years of experience supervising administrative personnel for Arthur Anderson, in the areas of report processing, budget preparation, workflow management, with extensive experience in records and file management. Tassell’s role includes member records management (both physical files and database systems), application processing, membership renewals, and termination processing.
Kelsi Brisebois | Senior Member Services Manager, Association Executive
Joined the Team: September 2018
Works from: Arlington, WA
Kelsi has spent 7 of the last 8 years in Association Management focusing on membership relationships while managing small events for various clients. She supports her clients by managing databases, registration forms, website updates, marketing, and acting as a staff liaison on committees. Her efficiency and process orientation make her a great fit at SBI. Outside of work, her passions are her family, Disney, and minimalism. She’s part of a minimalist program and has been lucky enough to create friends in the Disney community that has included local Disney meet-ups and meeting her favorite podcast hosts in Disneyland!
Amara Foster | CERF C-COAST Program Coordinator
Joined the Team: June 2023
Works from: Germantown, MD
Amara has a background in research, science communications, and program management. Before working with SBI, Amara co-managed a STEM scholarship program where she mentored undergraduate students, planned professional development, led recruitment efforts, and did all the other things involving herding undergraduate cats. Amara brings her passion for mission-driven work and infectious positivity to any role she takes on, and working with a company that loves what they do. In her free time, she loves doing anything outside – gardening, foraging for plants, hiking, camping, or walking her 90-lb Schnoodle puppy.
Kat Thornton | Member Services Coordinator
Joined the Team: June 2023
Works from: Arlington, WA
Kat is new to the association management world, joining SBI with a background in Elementary Education and opening a small home bakery. Her background as a teacher and a small business owner gives her the ability to take on new challenges, create personal connections with others, and bring joy to others. As a part of the SBI Member Services Team, she is eager to build relationships with others and help others succeed! In her downtime, Kat is normally spending time with family or reading the Harry Potter series for the millionth time.
Sadie Countryman | Member Services Coordinator
Joined the Team: February 2020
Works from: Everett, WA
Sadie was born and raised in the Great Pacific Northwest and loves the rain, thank you very much! She has a varied background in customer service ranging from retail to college life (housing) and admissions. Sadie comes to us from the Central Washington University – Lynnwood Center campus, where she wore many hats both as a first-generation college student and as a student leader. She enjoys taking on new and varied challenges and tasks and finds satisfaction in being an essential part of the team and supporting others to succeed. Sadie is an avid subscriber of Webster’s “word of the day” and when she’s not knee-deep in to-dos she can be found in a big comfy chair with a book or daydreaming about her next side project. One day she plans to drive from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic… and back again.
Meetings & Events
Megan Miller, CMP, VEMM | Vice President of Business Development, Director of Events, Association Executive
Joined the Team: May 2018
Works from: Spanaway, WA
Megan is currently the Director of Events, with over 10 years of experience in the event industry. Having spent the last 3 years managing our Events Department, she has built a reputation for growing revenue and increasing attendance at our client’s events and trainings. One of her favorite things about working at SBI is that everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.
Hanna Twiss-Brooks, VEMM | Event Logistics Coordinator
Joined the Team: April 2018
Works from: Mountlake Terrace, WA
Prior to joining the team at SBI, Hanna worked as a camp counselor and barista. In addition, they also volunteered with nonprofit associations in a variety of roles, including office manager and board member. They bring calm chaos-coordination and excellent customer service to SBI, along with a great sense of humor. The fast pace and variety are Hanna’s favorite things about SBI, getting to work with a range of clients on their membership initiatives, events, and communications. Outside of work, Hanna loves camping with friends, baking, and practicing medieval fencing (with a real sword!) and archery.
Sarah Getsinger | Trade Show and Sponsorship Manager
Joined the Team: July 2023
Works from: Raleigh, NC
Sarah has a diverse background in events ranging from corporate luncheons to Christmas parades. She is extremely organized and enjoys being a part of the action at events. As a new member of the team, Sarah says she loves the culture and people at SBI the most. She is an avid traveler and loves the outdoors. Some of her favorite places that she has been include Norway, South Africa, Vietnam, and New Zealand.
Jeannette McMillan | Event Manager
Joined the Team: November 2022
Works from: San Diego, CA
Jeannette first began working in events during college and continued to grow her knowledge and passion for the industry as an event planner for a catering company. She believes that with enough coffee and a positive attitude, she can accomplish any task. Her ability to stay organized and flexible under pressure doesn’t hurt either. Jeannette enjoys working with a variety of clients and seeing projects she’s worked hard on come together to create memorable, unique experiences. In her spare time, you can find Jeannette hiking, paddle boarding, or relaxing with a good book.
Marketing & Communications
Greer Gates | Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Joined the Team: June 2023
Works from: Poulsbo, WA
Greer is new to association management but has experience in fundraising and marketing within the nonprofit sector. She brings an eagerness to help and loves the opportunity to learn daily about changes in marketing, the industries client’s associations represent, and how the two fit together for the best reach. Greer loves spending time with her dog in her free time, cooking for friends and family, and watching bad reality tv.
Andra Kendall | Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Joined the Team: January 2023
Works from: Santa Ana, CA
Andra brings a wealth of experience in communications, marketing, writing, and copy editing to SBI, and is excited to put her meticulous attention to detail to work with associations. She values the opportunity to learn something new each day, whether a new technology or a new industry. Time with family, her dogs, traveling, or working in her garden is always time well spent.
Tayton Hewitt | Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Joined the Team: August 2022
Works from: Bowling Green, KY
Tayton graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Prior to joining SBI in August of 2022, she was employed by the famous National Corvette Museum in her hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky. She is recognized for her communication skills, meticulousness, and knack for making people laugh. When she’s not working, she loves spending quality time with her family, indulging in new TV shows, and snuggling with her adorable cat Mochi.
Maykel Landaverde | Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Joined the Team: April 2022
Works from: Santa Ana, CA
Maykel graduated from Concordia University Irvine with her B.A. in Marketing. Before working at SBI, she was a Social Media/Marketing Coordinator and had previously worked for a few non-profit organizations. She enjoys getting to know her clients and can easily adapt to just about any change in the workplace. Outside of work, you can find her spending time with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and going to DISNEYLAND!
Finance, Administration & Operations
Steven Burger | Director of Banking Services
Joined the Team: April 2010
Works from: Seattle, WA
Before coming to SBI, Steven spent 7 years as a financial account executive acting as a liaison between banks and his previous employer. He is known to be very detail-oriented, which is needed for his finance position here at SBI. Some fun facts about Steven are he was born in Seoul South Korea and is an absolute sports fanatic.
Teresa Massingham | Bookkeeper
Joined the Team: August 2023
Works from: Auburn, WA
Teresa comes with a strong background in office management, including HR administration and bookkeeping. She is very detail-oriented, personable, and very dependable. Teresa likes that each day at SBI is different and has a lot of growth. Teresa loves to travel and explore new places.
Diana Vengrovski | Accountant
Joined the Team: June 2007
Works from: Lynnwood, WA
Diana, who joined SBI in 2007 as a bookkeeper, worked for several years as office branch manager for an international technical equipment company in Lithuania. While there, she maintained customer relations, ensuring the growth of sales and efficient customer service. Diana also participated in financial planning, budgeting and helping customers to obtain financing for their projects.
Amy DuBeau | HR Manager
Joined the Team: June 2023
Works from: Lake Stevens, WA
Amy comes from the public sector as a paralegal in criminal prosecution for 15 years. She made the transition to HR in the private sector 7 years ago and loved how the two careers seem to go hand in hand. Amy enjoys streamlining processes and making the overall workflow of the workplace more efficient. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
