Jacqualine Price Osafo Appointed SAA Executive Director

June 9, 2021—Jacqualine Price Osafo, MBA, CAE, vice president of membership for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), has been selected as the new executive director of the Society of American Archivists and will officially assume the post July 15, 2021. She brings thirty years of association management experience at multiple individual membership and trade company organizations in key areas such as membership, education programs, products, budget, and staffing.

“We are delighted to have Jackie joining and leading our staff at SAA,” said Rachel Vagts, SAA president and chair of the search committee. “Her broad experience in association management will be a critical asset to continuing the good work of the organization. Her enthusiasm for her work was evident from the first moment we met her.”

Osafo, a Certified Association Executive with a master of business administration in entrepreneurship and strategic innovation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). She currently serves as chair of the Black Indigenous People of Color Advisory Task Force for Association Forum (an association management professional organization).

Osafo’s work experience reflects her commitment to DEI and strong membership growth. At AHIMA, which has a membership of 83,000 and a budget of $8.8 million, Osafo sits on a DEI committee focused on staff strategies. Among her notable accomplishments are developing strategies to support organizational transformation in collaboration with other executives, exceeding projected membership revenue by 13% in 2020, launching an online community engagement platform, and transforming the membership and certification experience.

Prior to AHIMA, Osafo served as director of membership and development for five years at the Water Quality Association, working with approximately 2,500 member companies and managing a budget of $3 million. She was also responsible for non-dues revenue, educational content for conventions, and sponsorships.

In addition, Osafo served as director of membership services and customer care at the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy for thirteen years, where she led diversity initiatives with membership, volunteer leadership, and staff to bridge “huge gaps in underrepresentation in ethnic, race, and gender groups.” Her allied organization partnership experience included working with international societies in fifteen countries in education program delivery.

Osafo, who is from Chicago and earned a bachelor of arts in early childhood education from DePaul University, is active in association management professional organizations, both at the regional and national levels. She has served as chair and co-chair of numerous committees and has presented at many events. Among her honors, Osafo was selected in 2018 by the American Society of Association Executives as a Diversity Executive Leadership Scholar and in 2017 received the Association Forum’s Professional Achievement Award.

“I’m driven by and love data information—one of the things that attracted me to SAA was the opportunity to work for information professionals!” said Osafo. “It’s an honor and privilege to have been selected to serve as SAA’s executive director. I look forward to fulfilling current strategies and future initiatives with SAA’s Council, Foundation Board, membership, and staff. Thank you, Nancy Beaumont, for your leadership and the invaluable impact you have made on the profession.”   

Osafo will succeed Beaumont, who is retiring this summer after eighteen years as the executive director of SAA.