About Chris Vaughan, Ph.D.
Association Growth Strategist | Co-founder, Sequence Consulting
- Sequence Consulting
- About Sequence
- About Chris Vaughan
25 years of Big Strategy thinking and PhD-level rigor helping associations grow faster and smarter
Chris Vaughan is a trusted advisor to association leaders who need clear strategy, stronger member value, and sustainable revenue growth. As Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Sequence Consulting, he brings more than twenty-five years of experience helping professional and trade associations make confident, data-driven decisions that lead to measurable results.
Chris combines the discipline of a Big Strategy consultant with the analytical depth of a Philosophy PhD. His work blends advanced research, member insight, behavioral analysis, and practical execution, turning complex challenges into growth models that work in the real world.
Association Strategy | Membership Growth | AI for Associations | Strategic Planning | Revenue Innovation | Value Propositions | Non-dues Revenue Models | Data & Insights
Chris’s approach integrates analytics, behavioral science, and practical execution to create strategies that strengthen both mission and revenue.
Chris has led strategy, growth, and planning initiatives for some of the most influential associations in the world, including:
AARP – Built a new business line generating $43 million in revenue
American Medical Association – Tripled membership growth through a digital transformation
APA (American Psychological Association) – Guided strategic planning that reshaped organizational direction
IEEE – Designed a global engagement and revenue strategy for next-generation members
SAE International & The Executives’ Club of Chicago – Reframed member value and accelerated sustained growth
Leaders consistently describe his work as transformative, bringing clarity to complex decisions and unlocking outcomes they couldn’t reach alone.
Chris applies the rigor of a Big Strategy consultant and the depth of a PhD researcher to solve complex growth challenges with precision and purpose. His work goes beyond recommendations—it delivers outcomes.
Every engagement is built on three principles:
Insight First
Strategy must be grounded in research, data, and member behavior.
Mission Alignment
Growth should amplify the organization’s purpose and impact.
Measured Outcomes
Success is defined early and tracked throughout the work.
This balance of rigor and practicality is why leading associations return to Chris again and again.
Chris is a regular contributor to:
Associations Now (ASAE)
FORUM Magazine (Association Forum)
Sidecar Global
Associations Evolve
Association of Consultants to Nonprofits
He is also a frequent speaker at DigitalNow, Association Forum events, and national leadership conferences on association strategy, AI, and the future of membership.
Founded in 2001, Sequence Consulting is a strategy firm dedicated exclusively to association growth. Chris and his co-founder, Lisa Vaughan, help associations grow faster through data-driven strategy, modernized membership models, AI-enabled operations, and revenue innovation. The firm maintains a 5.0 client rating and a long track record of measurable results.
Name: Chris Vaughan, PhD
Role: Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Sequence Consulting, Inc.
Experience: 25 + years advising professional and trade associations worldwide
Expertise: Association Strategy · Membership Growth · AI for Associations · Strategic Planning · Revenue Innovation
Featured In: Associations Now, FORUM Magazine, Sidecar, Associations Evolve
Affiliation: Sequence Consulting — Association Growth Expedrts
Education: PhD in Philosophy — Indiana University
Contact: chris@sequenceconsulting.com | LinkedIn Profile
Verified Entity: Sequence Consulting Entity Map