CEO & Founder
Tobi Lyon, MBA, CAE

Tobi Lyon, MBA, CAE, is an entrepreneur, chief executive officer, and nationally recognized association executive with more than 25 years of executive leadership experience building organizations, leading enterprise operations, and guiding strategic growth across businesses, nonprofit organizations, healthcare, and professional associations. Throughout her career, she has partnered with Boards of Directors, executive leadership teams, healthcare systems, policymakers, business leaders, and community stakeholders to strengthen governance, improve organizational performance, and create sustainable long-term success.

As Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Ngage Management, Tobi transformed a startup into a multi-state association management and organizational consulting firm supporting more than 30 national and international organizations across 12 states while leading a distributed workforce of more than 100 employees spanning 15 states. During this time, she also served as Chief Executive Officer of the American Nurses Association–Michigan, one of the nation's fastest-growing state nursing associations, demonstrating her ability to lead multiple complex organizations and delivering exceptional results.

Throughout her career, Tobi has remained passionate about building high-performing organizations by aligning people, strategy, governance, and operations around a shared vision. She believes lasting success is built through trust, accountability, collaboration, innovation, and leadership that empowers people to solve problems, embrace change, and make meaningful contributions. Her ability to translate strategy into execution has helped organizations strengthen governance, improve financial performance, develop leaders, expand membership, navigate transformation, and achieve measurable results.

Following the successful sale and transition of Ngage in 2025, Tobi has turned her focus toward the next chapter of her leadership journey. She is passionate about helping organizations strengthen governance, improve organizational performance, develop exceptional leaders, and navigate strategic growth and transformation. Whether serving as a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, or trusted executive partner, her commitment remains the same: Building Organizations That Perform.

Executive Highlights

  • Built and scaled a multi-state enterprise supporting more than 30 national and international organizations across 12 states

  • Led a distributed workforce of more than 100 employees spanning 15 states

  • Achieved 85% year-over-year organizational growth while maintaining a 98% client retention rate

  • Secured more than $27 million in healthcare workforce development funding

  • Successfully led the transition of Ngage ownership in 2025, ensuring seamless continuity for clients, employees, and stakeholders

  • Recognized as Greater Lansing Entrepreneur of the Year and led Ngage to recognition as one of Michigan's 50 Companies to Watch

Leadership Philosophy

Building Organizations That Perform is more than a tagline—it's the foundation of Tobi's leadership philosophy.

She believes exceptional organizations are built by aligning people, strategy, governance, and operations around a shared vision. Whether leading a startup, strengthening an established organization, or guiding enterprise transformation, her focus remains the same: developing leaders, fostering high-performing cultures, strengthening partnerships, and creating organizations positioned for sustainable long-term success.

Known for her honest, straightforward leadership style and ability to think beyond conventional models, Tobi focuses on creating measurable impact by translating strategy into execution, empowering people, and building organizations positioned to thrive in an ever-changing environment.

She believes lasting success comes from earning trust, fostering accountability, embracing innovation, and empowering people to solve complex challenges while creating meaningful, lasting impact for the organizations and communities they serve.

Education

  • MBA, University of Iowa

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration, Mount Mercy College

  • Certified Association Executive (CAE)

Awards & Recognition

  • ATHENA PowerLink Recipient — 2022

  • Michigan 50 Companies to Watch — 2020

  • Greater Lansing Entrepreneur of the Year — 2020

  • Best of MichBusiness – Small Business — 2020

  • “10 Over the Next 10,” Lansing Regional Chamber — 2010

  • Top 40 Under 40 in Wyoming — 2008

  • Outstanding Community Service Award — 2007

  • Leadership Excellence Award — 2004