Interview with Sophie Tothill, Senior Engagement Lead, CIPD

Chair of Stream 2: Digital for Member Engagement & Value, Digital Excellence May 2026

Many of you will already recognise Sophie Tothill — usually in a red MemberWise t-shirt, clipboard in hand, generously supporting the team over the past few years. This year, we’re delighted that Sophie has stepped forward in a more formal capacity as Chair of Stream 2: Digital for Member Engagement & Value. As Senior Engagement Lead at the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), Sophie brings hands-on experience of connecting large, diverse member and volunteer communities through smarter digital engagement. In this interview, she shares more about her role, the challenges associations face right now, and why she’s especially looking forward to shaping the conversation at Digital Excellence 2026.

Please can you tell us a bit about CIPD and your role there?

I work for the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development. We’re focused on championing better work and working lives, supporting over 165,000 members with professional standards, learning, insights and a strong sense of community.

I lead the UK Engagement Team, which means I’m responsible for how we connect with members, volunteers and stakeholders across the UK Nations and Regions. A big part of my role is supporting our network of brilliant volunteer‑led branches (51 across the UK Nations and Regions, with over 750 volunteers) — helping them create meaningful, engaging experiences for our members, strengthening local communities, and making sure they have the tools and support they need to thrive.

I also oversee our growing programme of professional networks, which bring members together either by level of seniority or by specialist area of practice.  Alongside this, I work closely with colleagues across the organisation to make sure our engagement activity aligns with our wider strategic goals.

Why did you decide to step into a chair role for Digital Excellence 2026?

 Digital engagement is such a critical part of how modern membership organisations operate, and it’s an area where I spend a lot of time, both strategically and practically. At CIPD, we’ve been working hard to simplify processes, modernise our systems and elevate the digital experience for members and volunteers. So, when the opportunity came up to chair Digital Excellence 2026, it felt like a great fit.

I wanted to bring a practitioner’s perspective, someone who works day‑to‑day with volunteers, members, digital platforms and internal teams, and help shape a conversation that’s grounded in real, lived experience. And I also know how valuable it is when associations share openly about what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’ve learned along the way. Being part of something that accelerates that kind of collective learning felt like the right thing to do.

What do you see as the key challenges for associations with digital/engagement for the next year or so?

 I think the landscape is shifting in a few really noticeable ways:

  • Members now benchmark us against the best digital experiences they have in their personal lives — not other associations. That means we have to be more user‑centred than ever, and far more intentional about design and accessibility.
  • Many organisations are still sitting on years of disconnected or under‑utilised data. Turning that into meaningful insight, and using it to drive decisions, is going to be a huge differentiator.
  • People want connection, but not necessarily through traditional formats. There’s a growing divide between those who love digital communities and those who feel overwhelmed by them. Getting that balance right is tricky.
  • Engagement depends heavily on passionate volunteers, but if we don’t streamline processes and provide intuitive tools, we risk burning people out.
  • The challenge now is not producing content, but helping members find what’s relevant to them at the right moment.

Associations that can simplify, personalise and stay genuinely member‑led will be the ones that thrive.

What are you looking forward to at Digital Excellence 2026?

For me, it’s the chance to hear from organisations who are right in the middle of transforming their digital and engagement strategies – and those who’ve already taken big steps and can speak honestly about the realities. I’m always particularly interested in anything related to community building, volunteer experience, and how digital teams work with the rest of the organisation to avoid silos.

I’m also really looking forward to seeing how others are approaching user‑centred design and operational simplicity – two things that are front and centre for us at CIPD right now. And of course, connecting with other membership professionals who are navigating similar challenges is always one of the best parts of events like this.

Why do you feel it’s important for association and membership professionals to attend Digital Excellence 2026?

Because digital engagement is no longer a “nice to have” – it’s the backbone of how our members connect, learn and stay part of our communities. Events like this give people the space to step back, reflect, and hear what’s actually working across the sector. They also help us build relationships with peers facing similar challenges, which is invaluable.

For CIPD specifically, several colleagues will be attending, because we see this as a real opportunity to learn from others, share our own journey and gather ideas that can help us strengthen our member and volunteer experience even further.