Committee Mission
The SAME Membership Committee develops and communicates to all Posts the strategies, best practices, and tools that are most effective for them to grow their membership, to foster greater member engagement and leadership, and to enhance their members’ experience with SAME, further enabling each Post to support the current Strategic Plan of the Society.
Join the SAME Engage Membership NetworkOverview
As one of the “operational” Communities of Interest (vs. “technical” COIs), the Membership Committee serves as an extension of the national office staff to assist all Post leaders, especially Posts’ Membership Chairs/POCs, with the tools, resources and connections necessary to help enhance their members’ society experience through their locally relevant Posts. Between our COI members and the post membership chairs/POCs, invited to our calls and sponsored webinars, we are over 140 people strong across SAME.
SAME’s Membership Committee is open to any SAME member to participate. Unlike many of our other COIs that focus in on special professional and technical interest areas important to SAME members, the Membership COI provides participants with a broad-ranging opportunity to become involved at the national level. Our forum has the potential to positively impact the experience of every current and future member of the society as it pursues its strategic goals.
COI Objectives
- Provide opportunities to foster connections with other Post leaders across all sizes and post geographies
- Engage with best practices employed at other Posts by their leaders and members
- Share creative tools and resources aimed at improving post level retention and recruitment successes
Committee Chair
Organization Structure
Vice Chair, Tools & Resources: Dick Kochanek
Chair-Elect, Strategic Direction: Lee Ann Zelesnikar
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:
- Shante Fields – Mead &Hunt
- Lalitha Benjaram – Mead & Hunt
Staff Liaison: Jill Murphy
Webinar: Understanding the New Membership Structure
Military Membership – What’s in it for You?
Upcoming National Webinars
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- Webinar
How NAOC Powers and Facilitates the Next Era of Munitions Response
This webinar introduces attendees to the National Association of Ordnance Contractors (NAOC)—a nationally recognized organization representing companies engaged in all aspects of military munitions response. NAOC advocates for efficient, high quality project execution and promotes safety for both the workforce and the public, while serving as a central forum for government–industry collaboration across the munitions response community. -
- Webinar
Brave New World: Bid Protests in 2026 and Beyond
Any industry insider can tell you that bid protests have become – for good or for ill – an inevitable feature of many procurements. For that reason, successful contractors know how to both successfully assert a protest challenging a competitor’s improper award, and successfully defend against baseless protests brought by their own disgruntled competitors. -
- Webinar
Progressive Design Build: A New Delivery Method Now Available
Progressive Design Build – New NDAA language. This webinar will help explain the fundamental shift in federal construction delivery and clarify the meaning and application of qualifications-based selection processes for construction. Our expert presenters will address what this model means to acquisition teams and how industry evaluates and responds to these opportunities.
Related TME Articles – Membership
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From Obligation Pressures to Mission Readiness: Rethinking Project Delivery in Defense Programs
Looking Forward presented by Procore. The next evolution in project delivery is the expansion from a system of record to a system of intelligence and collaboration where the value of centralized data is amplified through near real-time visibility and connected workflows. Leaders can move beyond static reporting and begin to understand what is happening across the portfolio as it unfolds. -
Leveraging SBIR/STTR in San Antonio, and Beyond
A dormitory maintenance solution created for Joint Base San Antonio demonstrates how projects developed through the unique federal funding mechanisms of Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer can accelerate innovation across the military enterprise. -
Finding Common Ground: Military Planning Across Europe
A cross-country assessment of European military installations in support of U.S. Army Europe and Africa highlights how addressing gaps in master planning, cultural norms, and certifications can improve NATO’s ability to deliver interoperable infrastructure at increasing scale. -
Accelerating Mission Readiness Through Coastal Resiliency
Throughout the Pacific, coastal science and engineering are being applied to strengthen shoreline resilience, sustain critical infrastructure, and accelerate mission readiness.
