Getting involved with a Houston professional association is an excellent way to launch or build your career. Many people who haven’t experienced the power of participation in a professional association don’t realize how beneficial the sense of community can be with others in your industry or field. Members tell each other about job openings, keep each other informed about occupational best practices, and support each other to be as successful as possible. Plus, they have fun. If you know any Houston professional associations that should be added here, please contact me at fgoerges@gmail.com .

Accounting, Banking, and Financial

American Payroll Association, Houston
Financial Executives International, Houston
Financial Planning Association of Houston (FPA)
Houston CPA Society
National Association of Credit Management, Southwest
Texas Bankers Association
Women’s Finance Exchange of Houston

Advertising, Communications, Journalism, Marketing, and Public Relations

American Advertising Federation (AAF), Houston
American Marketing Association (AMA), Houston
Editorial Freelancers Association, Houston
Houston Interactive Marketing Association
Houston Writers Guild
International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Houston
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Houston
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Houston
Society for Technical Communication (STC), Houston

Alumni Groups

Reveille Club of Houston (Texas A&M Alumni)
Rice Alumni Association
Southern Methodist University Alumni Association, Houston
Texas Exes Houston Chapter (UT Austin Alumni)
University of Houston Alumni Association

Arts, Music, Museums, and Photography

American Society of Media Photographers, Houston
Houston Civic Arts Association
Houston Professional Musicians’ Association
Society for the Performing Arts
Texas Association of Museums
Watercolor Art Society

Association Management

Houston Society of Association Executives

Building, Construction, and Real Estate

Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA)
Houston Apartment Association
Houston Association of Realtors (HAR)
Houston Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
The Realty Investment Club of Houston

Business (General)

After Hours Network
American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Houston Area Council
Federation of Houston Professional Women
Greater Houston Partnership
Houston Business Cabinet
International Institute of Business Analysis, Houston
National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA)
National Business Development Association (NBDA)
Texas Association of Business

Computers, Information, and Records Management

AITP Houston
Association for Information and Image Management, Southwest Chapter
Association for Records Management and Administration, Houston
Association for Women in Computing (AWC)
Association of Software Professionals
Association for Women in Computing (AWC)
Houston Area Apple Users Group
Houston HDI
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Houston Chapter
Texas Library Association

Counseling, Psychiatry, Psychology, and Social Work

American Rehabilitation Counseling Association
Houston Area Consortium of Career Centers
Houston Counseling Association
Houston Licensed Professional Counselors Association
Houston Neuropsychological Society
International Employee Assistance Professionals (EAP) Association, Houston Area
National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Houston Branch
Texas Counseling Association
Texas Psychological Association

Diversity and International

Asian Chamber of Commerce, Houston
German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern US, Houston
Houston Association of Black Journalists (HABJ)
Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Indo-American Chamber of Commerce
Irish Network Houston
Italy-America Chamber of Commerce
NAACP Houston
National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), Houston
National Black MBA Association, Houston

Earth Sciences

American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Gulf Coast
Houston Gem and Mineral Society
Houston Geological Society (HGS)

Education and Childcare

Houston Association of School Administrators (HASA)
Houston Federation of Teachers (HFT)
Texas Association of College and University Student Personnel Administrators
Texas Association of School Personnel Administrators

Engineering and Science Except Energy / Oil & Gas

American Chemical Society, Greater Houston Section (ACS-GHS)
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), South Texas
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Houston
American Society of Mechanical Engineers, South Texas
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Houston
Society of Plastics Engineers
Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT)
Texas Society of Professional Engineers

Energy / Oil & Gas

American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), Houston
Association of Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN)
Houston Association of Professional Landmen
Marine Technology Society, Houston
Pink Petro | Experience Energy | Lean In Energy
Society of Petroleum Engineers, Gulf Coast Section
Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers, Houston
Society of Professional Women in Petroleum
Women’s Energy Network

Entrepreneurship / Tech Startups / Self-Employed / Venture Capital

Houston Angel Network
Houston Entrepreneurs’ Forum – Site marked unsafe by Google.
Houston Inventors Association
Houston Technology Center, The Entrepreneurial Capital
MIT Enterprise Forum of Texas
National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), Houston
Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
Startup Grind Houston
Station Houston

Fundraising, Grant Writing, and General Nonprofit Organizations

Association of Fundraising Professionals, Houston Chapter
Grant Professionals Association, Southeast Chapter
Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations

Healthcare Except Healthcare HR and Recruiting

Houston Area Association for Hospital Engineering
Texas Association of Community Health Centers
Texas Nurses Association
Texas Occupational Therapy Association
Texas Physical Therapy Association

Hospitality

Houston Area Restaurant Vendors Association (HARVA)

Human Resource Management, Recruiting, and Training

American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Houston
Bay Area Human Resources Association
Houston Area Recruiter’s Network
HR Houston
Texas Association of Healthcare Recruitment

Legal

Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), Houston
Houston Bar Association (HBA)
Houston Court Reporters Association
Houston Trial Lawyers Association

Management Consulting

Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMCUSA), Houston

Manufacturing

Greater Houston Manufacturers Association (GHMA)
Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Houston (SME Houston)

Organization and Project Management

National Organization of Professional Organizers (NAPO), Houston
Project Management Institute (PMI) Houston

Parking and Transportation

Transportation Club of Houston
Houston Transportation Professionals Association
Texas Parking and Transportation Association

Police, Firefighters, and Private Investigation

Houston Police Officers Union
Houston Professional Firefighters
Texas Association of Licensed Investigators

Regional

Brazoria Chamber of Commerce
Conroe / Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce
Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Houston
Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce
Greater Heights Chamber of Commerce
Houston Intercontinental Chamber of Commerce
Houston Metropolitan Chamber (focusing on Southwest Houston)
Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce
Houston West Chamber of Commerce
Midtown Business Network
West Houston Association

Supply Chain / Operations Management

APICS Houston
Institute for Supply Management, Houston

Travel

Texas Business Travel Association, Houston Metropolitan Area