Hello everyone, I am glad to have found this community. I am Toni Diones, Executive Office Manager and strategic partner to the CEO at the American Society of Anesthesiologists. I have spent more than two decades supporting executives at the highest level, and I am passionate about the work and about elevating how our profession is understood and valued.
A few things I care deeply about. Building genuine partnerships with the leaders we support. Bringing forward thinking and strategic value to the role rather than staying purely task focused. And embracing new tools, including AI, in ways that make us more effective without losing the human judgment that defines this work.
Now to my question for the group. Is anyone here pursuing or has anyone earned the CAE designation?
I am currently working toward mine, and I have been curious how common it is among administrative professionals in the association space. Most CAE holders I know are executives or department heads, and I would love to hear from others in support and office management roles who have gone down this path.
If you have earned it or are studying for it, I would welcome any insight. What made you decide to pursue it? How did you balance studying with the demands of supporting your leadership? And has it changed how you are seen or the value you bring in your organization?
I would genuinely value learning from anyone who has walked this road.
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Antonia Diones
Executive Office Manager
American Society of Anesthesiologists
Schaumburg IL
(847) 825-5586
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