GOAT Awards: Advancing Association Business
Celebrate the 5th Annual PAR GOAT Awards—Greatest of All Twenty Twenty-Five! This year, every honored GOAT represents a powerhouse of insight and innovation driving associations forward. From remarkable content generation, to sales leadership and intentional networking mastery, this year’s GOATs live and breathe association business. We’re not naming just one winner; instead, we’re celebrating a collective of visionary leaders shaping the future of association business and mission.
Join us to hear directly from these remarkable GOAT Honorees as they share must-have strategies, bold ideas, and practical wisdom that you can use to elevate your association’s impact and growth. This inspiring dialogue is your chance to gain fresh perspectives, actionable takeaways, and connect with the very best minds advancing the practice of association business.
Sean Soth
Founder & Leadership Advisory Board Chair
Sean Soth is the Leadership Advisory Board Chair of Professionals for Association Revenue, a member organization focused on improving association revenue health through community and resources. As a recognized business development expert, Sean has led multiple sales portfolios in a variety of industries including: life sciences, legal, government contracting, association management, training and development, and healthcare. In these relationships, Sean’s teams surpass budget objectives, while launching new program and product development for thousands of clients per year.
In addition to his role with PAR, Sean is owner of Hi-Fidelity Group, Inc. a managed sales and marketing firm focused on exhibit and sponsorship sales and a Co-Founder of Webvent, a digital platform for webcast management and online directories for associations.
Sean is a regular speaker at industry conferences speaking about the value of audience, business development, and marketing best practices
Jen Smith
Executive Director
Jen Smith brings a wealth of association leadership experience, along with a strong expertise in program management, revenue strategies, and member engagement. Known for her strategic approach, Jen is focused on helping PAR advance its mission by combining best practices in association management with innovative business development. Jen’s proven leadership and collaborative spirit drive her commitment to increasing PAR’s value for members and the broader association industry.
Dan Cole
Sr. Director, Exposition Sales
With over 35 years of professional sales and leadership experience, Dan Cole is a renowned executive, writer, and speaker known for his expertise in sales fundamentals and team success.
Formerly Senior Vice President of Strategic Relationships at the International SPY Museum, Dan has transitioned to new endeavors, now serving as Head of Sales at AVIXA’s InfoComm show. His previous roles include executive positions at Hargrove, Inc. and over 16 years at the helm of business development for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and its parent organization.
Dan’s career journey began in sales at Lanier Worldwide, leading him through notable roles at National Trade Productions, Advanstar, and Yellowbrix. He has earned prestigious awards such as IAEE’s Most Outstanding Sales and Marketing Executive and the International Business Awards Most Outstanding Sales Executive. In 2024, he was nominated for PAR’s (Professionals for Association Revenue) GOAT award. He serves on the Center for Exhibition Industry Research’s (CEIR’s) Research Council and leads the PARS Business Development Accelerator Group. His dedication to excellence continues to shape the industry landscape, making him a sought-after figure in sales and leadership. Dan remains an established top authority in sales and leadership, sought after throughout the industry.
Krystle Kopacz
CEO
Krystle is the founder and CEO of Revmade, an award-winning research and content strategy company that applies an audience-driven approach to content creation and channel distribution. Krystle has led content strategy development for startups, non-profits, associations, and Fortune 5 companies, helping them find the way to authentically connect with their audiences to advance their business goals. Revmade has been recognized with more than 50 industry awards for its work in its 7 years of existence. Prior to starting Revmade, Krystle was COO at Atlantic Media, running content, product and audience strategy, and worked in a venture-backed healthcare startup.
Speaker Experience: Krystle has spoken at dozens of conferences, including the RevUP Summit, Mid Atlantic Marketing Summit, Future Leaders in Travel, Professional Women in Advocacy Conference, Association Media & Publishing, the Software & Information Industry Association Conference, Super Niche, the Folio:Show and the Business Information and Media Summit.
Carrie McIntyre
Principal
Carrie McIntyre founded Navigate, a sales and customer experience consultancy that helps associations reach their revenue destinations. She’s known for helping association staff feel confident wearing their sales hat and turning association industry partners into enthusiastic advocates through exceptional customer experiences. With a 30-year career that began in association membership and marketing, Carrie transitioned to sales and customer success roles at several for-profit companies serving associations before starting Navigate in 2023. She’s an active member and content contributor for ASAE, TSAE, and PAR.
Brittany Shoul
SVP, Revenue Strategy & Operations
Brittany Shoul serves as SVP, Revenue Strategy & Operations for MCI USA. She leads the full-service sales team that partners with associations to deliver outsourced media, advertising, sponsorship, and exhibit sales. Brittany oversees transition management for incoming association relationships, training and development of sales talents, and sales management for full-service sales clients. During her time with MCI, Brittany has worked with more than 50 associations to help them maximize their non-dues revenue. Her approach to sales operations drives success for each client relationship. Brittany earned a double major in Mass Communications and Communication Studies with a minor Psychology from Towson University and is a member of ASAE and PAR.
RESOURCES
LEARN
Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) is a CAE Approved Provider.
Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) is a CAE Registered Provider. The program(s) linked below meet the requirements for fulfilling the professional development requirements to earn or maintain the Certified Association Executive credential. Every program that we offer that has been approved for CAE credit will clearly identify the number of CAE credits granted for full participation. We will maintain records of your participation in accordance with CAE policies. For more information about the CAE credential or Registered Provider program, please visit www.asaecenter.org/cae.