Saima K. Hedrick
Herndon
Summary
Strategic association executive with more than 19 years of experience leading membership organizations through critical phases of growth, recovery, and transformation. Known for stepping into moments of uncertainty and building the systems, culture, and leadership alignment that enable organizations to move forward with clarity and strength. Saima brings a rare combination of operational discipline, governance fluency, and human-centered leadership-advancing mission through structure, trust, and purpose. She has served as Executive Director for multiple national associations, where she led full-scale digital and operational overhauls, launched first-of-their-kind business models, and positioned organizations for long-term sustainability. Whether guiding board strategy, preparing for executive succession, or stabilizing staff culture during times of change, she is known as a steady and strategic hand who delivers visible results. Her leadership strengthens institutions from the inside out. A Certified Association Executive (CAE) and proud alumna of ASAE's Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP), Saima is recognized across the sector as a values-driven, impact-oriented leader. Her approach is grounded in transparency, equity, and strategic foresight-making her a trusted partner to boards, scientific leaders, and high-performing teams. With deep experience in scientific integrity, public health advocacy, and global member engagement, she is uniquely positioned to lead organizations that sit at the intersection of evidence, access, and institutional resilience.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Fractional Governance Consultant
Vista Cova, LLC & Council for Exceptional Children
01.2025 - Current
- Providing governance-focused advisory services to national and international associations seeking to enhance board performance, chapter engagement, and leadership alignment. Consulting engagements center on modernizing governance frameworks, strengthening leadership pipelines, and aligning organizational design with mission and growth strategy.
- Conducted executive-level stakeholder interviews and organizational diagnostics to support a governance redesign strategy focused on accountability, board communications, and role clarity.
- Guided five state and regional chapters through governance revitalization, facilitated board development workshops, and created a strategic leadership communications plan to support volunteer leader alignment.
- Developed modular governance recommendations applicable across chapters and national structures, ensuring sustainability and adaptability.
- Served as a thought partner to senior leadership teams, bringing a DEI-informed lens to governance, chapter engagement, and board training initiatives.
Executive Director
Society for Research in Child Development
Washington
04.2021 - 12.2024
- Hired as a turnaround executive to stabilize post-pandemic operations, modernize infrastructure, and prepare the organization for long-term scientific succession. Partnered closely with the board to lead digital transformation, drive strategic clarity, and introduce operational systems that strengthened trust and transparency. Designed a planned leadership handoff to the Science Director, executed in alignment with governance timelines when a personal family caregiving need arose.
- Led a full organizational modernization, including enterprise-wide tech systems, automated reporting, and member engagement platforms.
- Replaced ad hoc budgeting and grants strategy with data-driven financial modeling, generating $165K+ in indirect cost recovery.
- Sunset low-value programs and redirected investment into strategic growth initiatives aligned with membership trends and scientific priorities.
- Piloted new board communication protocols and dashboard reporting to support informed, high-trust decision-making.
- Directed a top-to-bottom review of publication operations to align with open science norms and better position SRCD for future sustainability.
- Piloted SRCD's first 'Summit' during the off year between biennial meetings, attracting 550+ attendees with a plan to scale to 2,000.
- Partnered with the membership committee to introduce salary-based, equity-informed dues model, significantly boosting affordability and access.
- A global, multidisciplinary 501(c)(3) organization of 4,000+ psychologists, sociologists, and developmental scientists focused on advancing the developmental sciences.
Executive Director
Society for the Study of Reproduction
Remote
10.2017 - 03.2021
- Appointed to reposition SSR for growth and relevance by innovating membership strategy, diversifying revenue, and modernizing global engagement. Reported directly to the board, stewarded partner relationships, and introduced multiple first-ever programs that expanded visibility and impact. Recruited and retained early-career scientists through new platforms and accessible membership models.
- Secured Gates Foundation funding to launch SSR's first international 'road show,' expanding reach and equity in scientific access.
- Designed and monetized a new online mentoring platform for early-career scientists (Training Mentor Roundtable), increasing engagement and retention.
- Increased the number and dollar value of travel awards and created new pathways for underrepresented professionals to participate in SSR governance.
- A multidisciplinary 501(c)(3) organization of 1,500+ reproductive researchers advancing knowledge in reproductive biology.
Education
Master of Public Health -
George Mason University
Bachelor of Science - Biology
George Mason University
Certified Association Executive -
ASAE
Diversity Executive Leadership Program - Scholar
ASAE
Skills
- Governance Strategy & Board Engagement
- Global Member & Chapter Development
- Scientific Program & Policy Integration
- Organizational Transformation
- Crisis Communication & Executive Visibility
- Equity-Centered Leadership
- Strategic Partnerships & Revenue Diversification
Selected Presentations Publications
- The Ethics Playbook: Turning Dilemmas into Solutions, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting, 2025
- Call 9-1-1: Associations in Crisis, ASAE Marketing, Membership, Communications & Technology Conference, 2025
- Ethics Live!: Roleplay in Responding to Real Violations, ASAE Annual Meeting, 2024
- Unravel the Complexities of Going Global, ASAE Annual Meeting, 2022
- Connecting Science to Policy, Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences, 2021
- Decoding the Dress Code, ASAE Great Ideas Conference, 2015
- Appropriate Use Criteria for Amyloid PET, Alzheimer's & Dementia, Johnson, K.A., Hedrick, S., 2013
Sector Leadership Affiliations
- Ethics Committee Member, American Society of Association Executives, 2025-2026
- Professional Conduct Committee Member, ASAE, 2024-2025
- Chair, Nominations Committee, Coalition of Social Science Associations, 2023-2024
- Board of Directors, Coalition of Social Science Associations, 2021-2024
- International Associations Advisory Council, ASAE, 2021-2023
- Executive Management Advisory Council, ASAE, 2018-2021
- Executive Officers Advisory Committee, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, 2017-2021
- Healthcare Community Committee, ASAE, 2016-2018
- Site Selection Committee, Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives, 2021
Timeline
Fractional Governance Consultant
Vista Cova, LLC & Council for Exceptional Children
01.2025 - Current
Executive Director
Society for Research in Child Development
04.2021 - 12.2024
Executive Director
Society for the Study of Reproduction
10.2017 - 03.2021
Master of Public Health -
George Mason University
Bachelor of Science - Biology
George Mason University
Certified Association Executive -
ASAE
Diversity Executive Leadership Program - Scholar
ASAE