Tim Hopkins, CAE

A true innovator at heart, Tim excels at helping associations find unique solutions to tough problems while setting clear and realistic goals to measure and celebrate progress.

As a practice director on McKinley’s Organizational Excellence team, Tim partners with associations to support their challenges and opportunities related to people and structures: governance and leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and organizational effectiveness.

Tim joined McKinley in early 2020 under unique circumstances. One month after he started, the office closed due to COVID-19 and he continued his official on-boarding from home. This unexpected turn gave us the opportunity to see first-hand two of Tim’s greatest strengths: adaptability and the ability to build connection under any circumstance.

Tim has over 16 years of experience leading initiatives that transform mission-driven organizations. He is a highly skilled strategist, focusing on culture, change management, inclusiveness and world-class user experiences. His accomplishments include supporting and enabling organizational efficiencies, revenue growth and member engagement. 

Prior to joining the McKinley team, Tim launched and led the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Diversity Executive Leadership Program (iDELP). The program aimed to foster diversity and inclusion across the Fire-EMS service, as well as IAFC’s national and association leadership. Tim is passionate about giving voice to underrepresented leaders and celebrating the strengths of every individual. In fact, he believes that this dynamic distinguishes good from great organizations.

Tim is highly engaged in the association community. He is the Vice Chair of the ASAE Diversity and Inclusion Committee. He also serves on the ASAE Technology Professionals Advisory Council and the Diversity + Inclusion Committee, as well as on several conference proposal review boards. Tim co-leads the DEI Practitioner Social Hour, where association professionals network with peers and share ideas for implementing and growing DEI programs. A frequent speaker and facilitator at national and local events, Tim is also known for the audience favorite Fail Fest at the ASAE Technology Exploration Conference.

Tim has a bachelor’s degree in Information Science from Christopher Newport University. In 2021, he earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, the highest professional credential in the association industry. Outside the office, you can find him playing with his young son, watching sports and cheering on the Liverpool Football Club, or traveling the globe. Some of his favorite places include Sarajevo, Bosnia; Cape Town, South Africa; and Barcelona, Spain.

Read Tim's latest posts on the McKinley Insights Blog

• How Do You Leverage Volunteers in the Product Development Process?
• Driving Strategic Plans Forward with OKRs
• Lessons Learned from Launching a DEI Program