Megan Cruz brings a deep background in association leadership and a talent for guiding organizations through moments of strategic clarity and transformation. As a practice director at McKinley Advisors, she helps associations chart bold paths forward by facilitating complex insight generation and consensus-building.

In her strategic planning work, Megan partners with boards and executive teams to define success, focus organizational priorities, and build plans rooted in maximizing mission-aligned impact. She has led planning engagements across a wide range of sectors, helping organizations align vision, voice, and value in a rapidly changing environment. Her facilitation style is inclusive and outcomes-oriented, ensuring clear strategic direction and actionable next steps.

Megan also serves as a lead facilitator and advisor in mergers and affiliation explorations, supporting organizations through high-stakes decision-making with transparency, trust, and rigor. She helps clients assess fit, clarify goals, and build consensus among stakeholders while preserving mission integrity and advancing long-term impact.

Before joining McKinley, Megan spent 14 years in association leadership, including serving as Executive Director for four associations and leading a member services team as Senior Vice President at a Washington, DC–based association management company. She began her career at ASAE, fostering international partnerships to connect association professionals around the globe. Megan earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2017 and holds a BS in Business Administration from Georgetown University.