Leadership

Kay Whalen

President

Kay Whalen, MBA, CAE is the President of Executive Director, Inc. (EDI). Since she and her original partner purchased the company in 1993, the firm has more than quadrupled in size.

Kay began her career at EDI in support services, working in accounting and management information systems. In 1995, she began serving clients in the capacity of executive director. Kay now serves as the executive director of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM). She also serves as consulting partner to 12 other professional organizations.

Kay has worked in the association management field since 1986. She has a degree in accounting, a master’s degree in business administration, and received her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in 1999. She remains active within ASAE, serving on the ASAE AMC Key Committee. Kay was awarded the Industry Advocate Award from the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE) in 2006 and the AAAAI Distinguished Layperson Award in 2010.

Tara Withington

Vice President

Tara Withington, CAE is a principal and Vice President of EDI.

After serving many nonprofit organizations at the grassroots, local, state, and regional levels, Tara joined EDI in 1998 and became an EDI principal in 2003. She serves as a consulting partner or executive director to multiple healthcare related clients of EDI. Tara also leads EDI’s Preferred Provider Network and co-leads EDI’s Communities of Practice. Tara has assisted associations in broadening and enhancing organizational missions and services, reducing expenses, increasing fundraising and developing strategic plans. She takes special interest in improving organizational processes, including bylaw clarification and infrastructure improvement.

Tara holds a degree in Business Management, as well as the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation.

Outside of EDI, Tara is a member of the Board of Directors for the AMCi and is a member in good standing in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), as well as state and local management groups.

Daniel Nemec

Vice President of Financial Operations

Dan Nemec, MBA, CAE is Vice President of Finance and principal of EDI.

Dan began his career at EDI in 1994 serving as an accounting coordinator for all of EDI’s clients. Currently, he oversees the accounting and information services teams and serves as the chief financial officer for all of EDI’s clients in addition to co-leading EDI’s Communities of Practice. He became a principal of EDI in 2000.

Dan received his BBA in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and his MBA from the Keller Graduate School of Management. In 2012, he achieved the CAE designation from the American Society of Association Executives, where he is also a past member of the Association Management Company Section.

Celeste Rom

Vice President of Corporate and Human Resources

Celeste Rom, MSHR is Vice President of Corporate and Human Resources at EDI.

Celeste began her career with EDI in 2006 working in the human resources department where she has most recently served as the director of the department since 2012. Currently, she oversees several support services teams, including creative, information, human resources, technology and web services.

Celeste received her BBA in Human Resources from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and her MSHR from Marquette University. While in graduate school she was awarded the T.R. Martin Award for excellence in graduate education from Marquette University’s graduate school of management.