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ASAE Announces 2025 Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership
David “DJ” Johnson
KiKi L’Italien
Wendy-Jo Toyama
By Todd McElwee
Recognizing a trio of association professionals for their exemplary support of ASAE and continued contributions to the sector, ASAE announced the 2025 recipients of the Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership on May 15.
The 2025 honorees include Wendy-Jo Toyama, FASAE, CAE, CEO, American Epilepsy Society, who is this year’s Key Award honoree; David “DJ” Johnson, FASAE, CAE, Chief Membership and Engagement Officer, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who is the Professional Performance Award honoree; and KiKi L’Italien, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement, Big Red M, who is the Academy of Leaders Award honoree.
“Each year, the Individual Honors Committee is inspired by the sheer number of exceptional candidates who are nominated for ASAE’s highest individual recognitions,” said Clayonia Colbert-Dorsey, U.S. Director and Secretary of the Board, World Eye Cancer Hope, and Chair of the ASAE Individual Honors Committee. “The depth of experience, leadership and service represented in this year’s pool of applicants made our deliberations both challenging and deeply rewarding. Collectively, this year’s recipients exemplify the spirit of service, innovation and values-driven leadership that ASAE strives to celebrate through these awards.”
Toyama is the 80th recipient of the Key Award, which is presented to chief staff executives of associations who demonstrate exceptional qualities of leadership and a deep commitment to voluntary membership organizations.
In addition to her leadership at AES, Toyama is the co-founder and 2025 chair of ASAE’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Association Community, which aims to increase AANHPI participation and advancement in the association profession. Toyama received the 2024 Association Forum Woman of Influence Award.
“I’m incredibly honored to receive the Key Award, and I stand on the shoulders of the many giants who have come before me,” Toyama told USAE. “It’s especially meaningful to be recognized during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as the first Asian woman to receive this award, and knowing I won’t be the last. Service has always been one of my core values and I’ve been fortunate to spend my career giving back to the community while doing what I love. I look forward to continuing this work and making meaningful change.”
Johnson is the 51st recipient of the Professional Performance Award, which recognizes important contributions made by association executives who are at the top level in their organizations but do not serve in the role of CEO.
Johnson served as Vice Chair (2019-2020) and Chair (2020-2021) of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) Commission and is an alumnus of ASAE’s Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP). He was previously an executive at the American Society of Interior Designers – ASID and Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).
L’Italien is the 38th recipient of the Academy of Leaders Award, which is presented to consultants or industry partners who have demonstrated exemplary support of ASAE and the association community.
At Big Red M, L’Italien helps associations increase revenue and relevance through strategy, branding, and community-driven marketing. She’s also Editor-in-Chief of Association Chat, a media platform that includes a digital and print quarterly magazine, podcast, newsletter, online community, and live events. She is a recipient of the 2024 AWTC Technology Champion Award.
“For years, I’ve watched people I admire receive this award and never imagined I might be among them,” L’Italien told USAE. “To be recognized in this way feels incredibly meaningful. I’m deeply grateful to the mentors, collaborators, and friends who’ve supported and inspired me along the way. This honor is as much about them as it is about me and I’m truly thankful.”
The Individual Honors for Exceptional Leadership will be presented during the 2025 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, which will be held from August 9–12 in Los Angeles.