Since 1975, the USENIX Association has brought together the community of engineers, system administrators, scientists, and technicians working on the cutting edge of the computing world.SAGE, a sub-organization of USENIX for system administrators, http://www.sage.org
Membership grants access to papers on current IT management practices. There are events, discussion forums, and listserv to network with fellow IT persons. The organization also keeps you up to date on all kinds of changing technology that is applicable in IT. There are other smaller benefits that are of less consequence and too numerous to list.
AWC is a not-for-profit, professional organization for individuals with an interest in information technology. AWC is dedicated to the advancement of women in the computing fields, in business, industry, science, education, government, and the military.