AREMA Staff

Elizabeth Caruso, IOM, CAE

Executive Director/CEO

Beth joined AREMA in May 1999 and held various roles throughout her career at AREMA. In 2015, she was appointed as AREMA's Executive Director and CEO. She works closely with AREMA’s Leadership, Members and Supporters and manages AREMA's Operations at Headquarters. She is responsible for carrying out the mission and objectives of the organization in accordance with policies, procedures and strategic direction as established by the Board of Governors. Beth has a BA degree in English with a concentration in Media Communications from High Point University and an MA in Executive Leadership from Liberty University. She is a member of the League of Railway Women (LRW) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Beth earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation through the American Society of Association Executives and is an IOM graduate through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Manager Program after completing a comprehensive course of study in nonprofit management. She received the "2019 Women in Rail Award" which recognizes vision, ability, and leadership.

Stacy Spaulding, IOM, CAE

Vice President, Executive and Board Operations

Stacy joined AREMA in July 1999 and brought considerable association and membership management experience to her role at AREMA through other organization positions. She is responsible for the coordination of the association Executive office and administration functions as well as support to the Executive Office. She also oversees the Committee & Technical Services Department, as well as the Membership Department. She started her career at AREMA as the Director of Committees and Technical Services, responsible for coordinating and supporting the work of all AREMA Committees and the pre-publication aspects of all AREMA Manuals and other publications. Stacy graduated with honors from Frostburg State University with a BA in Psychology. She has been a member the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) since 1997 and earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2007. Stacy is an IOM graduate through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Manager Program after completing a comprehensive course of study in nonprofit management in 2024. Stacy has also been a member of the League of Railway Women (LRW) since 2016.

Vickie Fisher, CAE

Chief Operating Officer

Vickie Fisher, Chief Operating Officer is an accomplished finance and human resource professional with extensive experience in the public and private sector. Having been a member of the AREMA management team since 2001, she provides support to the Executive Director/CEO and is responsible for financial, human resource, and exposition oversight. Prior to joining AREMA, Vickie worked within the legal profession at several DC area law firms. She has a B.S. degree in Business Accounting, Certified Association Executive designation (CAE) and a Notary Public in and for the State of Maryland. She is an active member of the League of Railway Women (LRW), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Janice L. Clements

Senior Director, Database Management Systems

Janice joined AREMA in January 2000 and has over twenty-five years of experience managing database information systems and membership services. She is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the association management software system, related integrations, reporting needs, and other duties that require database support. She previously served as AREMA’s Director of Membership and Information systems for over 20 years. Janice graduated with honors from Bowie State University and has a BS degree in Business Management. She is a member of iMIS Users Group, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Lindsay McNicholas, MBA, CEM

Senior Director, Marketing and Communications

Lindsay joined AREMA in early January 2014 and brought many years of marketing and customer service experience to AREMA. She is responsible for designing, coordinating, and implementing all integrated marketing and communications campaigns and interacting with all departments to ensure the reflection of AREMA is represented. Lindsay has BS and MBA degrees in Marketing from York College of Pennsylvania and has a Certified Exhibit Management designation (CEM) from the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the League of Railway Women (LRW), and the American Marketing Association (AMA).

Skip Gmeiner

Director, Information Technology

Skip joined AREMA in April 2016 as Director, Information Technology Services. He is responsible for the overall planning, organizing and execution of all AREMA IT functions. This includes directing the association’s IT operations to meet staff and customer requirements, as well as the strategy for its information technology infrastructure, including hardware, software, cabling, website, telephone services, and networks. Skip has more than 20 years of experience in IT Operations for Associations, Government Agencies and most recently as an IT Consultant for various companies in the Washington, DC Metro Area. He has a BA degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has been certified in multiple Microsoft Operating Systems and Server Applications. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Lin Guba, CED, CMM, CMP

Director, Education and Events

Lin serves as the Director, Education and Events for AREMA where she handles the logistics and planning strategies for all educational opportunities. Lin is responsible for hands-on management which includes development, planning, and implementation of AREMA’s Annual Conference and Expo, Webinars, Seminars, Leadership Meetings, and Symposiums. Lin works with all stakeholders to explore, recommend, and develop new educational opportunities. She has considerable experience handling strategic meetings management/event facilitation by working at various associations and meeting planning consulting firms over the course of her career. Lin holds a BS degree from Purdue University in Management/Marketing. She has earned her Certificate in Meetings Management (CMM) and is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). She is a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), Senior Planner Industry Network (SPIN), American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Brandi Teel

Director, Membership

Brandi serves as Director, Membership. She oversees the development, planning and management of AREMA’s membership initiatives, including the application process and membership recruitment/retention efforts. Her responsibilities touch each department as she ensures engagement and that member needs are met. She has a BA degree from Hampton University and a Master of Business Administration – Management. She has previous association experience, having served in various roles/departments. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Christy Thomas, CEM

Associate Director, Exhibit Sales & Show Management

Christy serves as the Associate Director, Exhibit Sales and Show Management. Christy manages the AREMA Expo, including marketing, sales, and logistics. She’s held a variety of positions at AREMA prior to this appointment. Among her significant previous career positions, Christy worked with a major exhibition service contractor where she served in the services and operations division. Christy holds a BS degree from Salisbury University in Business Management and a Certified Exhibit Management designation (CEM) from International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE). She is an active member of IAEE, American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Morgan Bruins, DES

Associate Director, Education and Services

Morgan joined AREMA in July 2015. She works within the Education and Meeting Department on various projects, including the Annual Conference, Symposium and Seminar/Webinar Programs. Additionally, Morgan manages the Corporate Publication License Agreements and publication sales. She has a BS degree from Liberty University. She is a member of the Professional Convention Meeting Association (PCMA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Alayne Bell

Associate Director, Committees and Technical Services

Alayne joined AREMA in February 2016. She brings over 10 years of association experience to AREMA, including substantial committee and publications support. She is responsible for coordinating the work of all AREMA Committees and the pre-publication aspects of all AREMA Manuals and other publications. In addition, she supports the AREMA Student Chapters and the Educational Foundation Scholarship Program. She has a BA degree in Literature from American University. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).

Heather Foster

Manager, Administration & Publication Services

Heather serves as Manager, Administration & Publication Services. She provides administrative support for the various departments and manages corporate publication agreements and publication sales fulfillment. She has a BA degree in English from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She has served in various customer services roles throughout her career. She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and the League of Railway Women (LRW).