Jeffrey Cufaude, Principal, Idea Architects. Jeffrey is an architect of ideas, working to build communities of ideas and idealists through his writing, facilitation, consulting, and speaking. His areas of work include strategic thinking and planning sessions; content design for leadership conferences; volunteer and staff development workshops and retreats; and major keynote presentations. Because his work is known for being engaging and for reflecting the core principles of adult learning, he frequently is asked to teach presentation design and facilitation skills to others.

In addition to his work with Idea Architects, he serves as the Curriculum Development Specialist for LeaderShape, Inc., an organization committed to developing young adults who lead with integrity. His past experience as executive director of two national associations and as a student affairs staff member at two large public universities informs much of his work today. He graduated cum laude with a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Communication Theory from Northern Illinois University.

Very active professionally, Cufaude contributes in a variety of capacities to ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) & The Center for Association Leadership. He designed and facilitated ASAE & The Center's Future Leaders Conference, one of their flagship initiatives, from 1998-2007.

He regularly contributes feature articles on a variety on organizational leadership issues and program design and facilitation to national association publications, and he writes monthly about enhancing community and learning in workshops and conferences as a Contributing Columnist for the Professional Convention Management Association's (PCMA) Convene magazine. PCMA named him one of its 2006 Thought Leaders.