< Back to session list
Stephen Acheson
Senior Instructional Designer
John Deere
Stephen Acheson is a senior instructional designer with the John Deere Power
Systems Worldwide Training Department. In this position, he works with
diverse teams to design and develop training modules for a worldwide
audience. Steve has led several cross-divisional teams designing and
developing company-wide training on a wide range of subjects, including a
recent two-year overhaul of the complete technical engine curriculum. Steve
received his BA in education from Warner University and his MA in
performance and training from the University of Northern Iowa. He has over
36 years of experience in the field of education and training.
Presenting
312 | Reaching More Learners with Virtual Instructor-Led Training
Tara Aiken
Senior Manager, L&D Strategy and Operations
Target
Tara Aiken is the senior manager of L&D strategy and operations for Target. Tara, who was previously in charge of instructional design and media at Life Time Fitness and instructional design for C.H. Robinson, has developed and implemented strategies for instructional technologies and design for experienced design teams and teams of subject matter expert instructional designers.
Presenting
Mike Alcock
Global Sales Director
Instilled
Michael Alcock, global sales director for Instilled and Gomo, is responsible for
the company's strategy for UK and worldwide sales, product development,
and global marketing. Prior to Gomo, Mike founded Atlantic Link Limited,
where he invented the world's first cloud-based authoring tool.
Presenting
SDD203 | How Global Organizations Create and Deliver eLearning at Scale
Jon Aleckson
CEO
Web Courseworks
Jon Aleckson is the CEO of Web Courseworks. He is an educational leader and a consultant in learning technologies and eLearning, who works with an extensive list of clients on LMS implementation and development, platform alignment and integration, and online curriculum development. This gives him a holistic view of business models, operational practices, and educational approaches in eLearning.
Presenting
Saif Altalib
Sr. Instructional Designer
Amazon Web Services
Saif Altalib, MEd and MBA, has 17+ years of experience in designing
innovative performance improvement and instructional solutions. Saif won an
Atlanta ATD Award for best software learning program in 2010 and has
presented multiple times at Learning Guild conferences.
Anthony Altieri
IDIoT in Chief/xAPI Evangelist
Omnes Solutions
Anthony Altieri is the IDIoT in Chief (instructional developer for the Internet of
Things) and founder of Omnes Solutions, as well as an xAPI evangelist,
authoring a course on xAPI Foundations for LinkedIn Learning. Anthony has
worked on multiple projects implementing global LMS systems. He is a
maker, focusing on user analytics and bringing the virtual learning world and
the real world together through the use of Bluetooth beacons and other IoT
devices using xAPI. Anthony has lectured to audiences on topics ranging from
the spread of HIV to network security, content development, why it’s
important to learn to code, and, of course, xAPI.
Presenting
Platon Antoniou
Photographer
The New Yorker
Platon is an award-winning photographer at The New Yorker. He has shot
portraits for a range of international publications, including Rolling Stone,
the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, and over 20 covers for Time
magazine; his 2007 photograph of Vladimir Putin for Time’s Person of the
Year cover won first prize at the World Press Photo Contest. In 2011,
Platon received a Peabody Award for collaboration on “Russia’s Civil
Society” with The New Yorker and Human Rights Watch. He has published
four books of his work: Platon’s Republic, Power, China: Through the
Looking Glass, and Service. In 2013, he founded a nonprofit, The People’s
Portfolio, to support human rights around the world. Platon currently
serves as creative director at large for the Center for Civil and Human
Rights; as a board member for arts and culture at the World Economic
Forum; and as a steward for the Economic Growth and Social Inclusion
Initiative.
Katrina Baker
Firmwide IS Learning & Development Manager
Cooley LLP
Katrina Baker is the firmwide IS learning and development manager for
Cooley LLP. Her publications include LMS Success!, The LMS Selection
Checklist, and her newest book, Corporate Training Tips & Tricks. Katrina previously worked in global training capacities for Latham & Watkins and Whole Foods Market, whose L&D program was recognized by Fortune. Past clients include Verizon, Xerox, and the US government. Katrina is a former vice president of finance and director of technology with the Los Angeles chapter of the Association for Talent Development, where she served as the organizer of the L.A. Learn Tech Conference and as an assigned mentor to members in a variety of industries.
Pat Baker
Associate Manager Claims—Knowledge Management
Allstate
Pat Baker is the associate manager of claims—knowledge management for Allstate. For the past eight years, Pat has led various training and knowledge management teams within the company. She now runs the claims knowledge management team, which maintains the Inkling knowledge management system, known internally as the Knowledge Library. Pat holds a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration and is president of the Allstate African-American Working Network.
Presenting
109 | Say Goodbye to Content Mayhem: Lessons Learned by Allstate
Jeff Batt
Founder
Learning Dojo
Jeff Batt has 15+ years of experience in the digital learning and media industry. Currently, Jeff Batt is a Learning Experience Designer for Amazon. He is the founder and trainer at Learning Dojo, a company dedicated to training you to become a software ninja in various eLearning, web, and mobile-related software applications. He was also the program manager of DevLearn for The Learning Guild. Jeff often speaks on developmental technologies such as xAPI, HTML5, augmented reality, mobile development, eLearning development tools, and more.
Bianca Baumann
VP, Learning Solutions & Innovation
Ardent Learning
Bianca Baumann is VP, learning solutions & innovation at Ardent Learning. Over time, she has developed processes and methodologies to help organizations meet their growth targets with the help of innovative L&D approaches including digital transformations, onboarding, and reskilling programs. She has spearheaded multiple projects in the marketing, automotive, financial, and events industries, creating award-winning programs along the way. She shares her expertise in her blog and at global conferences. She teaches learning experience design at OISE and published the eBook, The Little Black Book of Marketing and L&D, a practical guide that helps integrate proven marketing techniques into L&D.
Presenting
Cammy Bean
Senior Solutions Consultant
Kineo
Cammy Bean started in the industry as a junior instructional designer in
1996 and has since collaborated with hundreds of organizations to design
and deliver training programs. She’s worked at small startups, mid-sized
training companies, boutique eLearning shops, and as a freelance
instructional designer. An English and German studies major in college,
Cammy found an affinity for writing and making complex ideas and
concepts clear to an audience.
In 2009, she helped start up US operations for Kineo, a global provider of
learning solutions. Originally Kineo’s VP of learning design, Cammy is
currently a senior solutions consultant. In this role she leads the North
American sales team, supports clients through the initial discovery process,
and manages Kineo’s portfolio of custom client accounts to help
organizations meet their strategic business objectives through better
learning solutions. She is the author of The Accidental Instructional
Designer: Learning Design for the Digital Age – second edition (ATD
Press, 2023).
Presenting
503 | Architecting for Results
MB13 | Instructional Designers: Moving from Accidental to Intentional
Rose Benedicks
VP, Operations
ttcInnovations
Rose Benedicks is a renowned learning design expert and VP of Operations at ttcInnovations. She is a leader in the industry and holds multiple awards from Brandon Hall, ATD, and the Learning Guild, including several for game-based learning solutions. Rose is recognized for her approach to workplace challenges. She excels in aligning learning with business needs and providing the ROI of well-designed learning experience. She holds a masters in instructional systems technology from Indiana University, is a leading presenter in the industry, and taught graduate-level instructional technology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Presenting
SMM105 | The Learning Revolution: 6 Trends That Will Change Behaviors
Joshua Berkstresser
Director of Instructional Design
PsychArmor Institute
Joshua Berkstresser, a director of instructional design for PsychArmor
Institute, is a learning and development professional with 10 years of
experience and a master’s of science in instructional and educational
technology and design. While working for Apple Retail, he trained staff in the
opening of four stores in the US and UK with audiences of over 180. Josh then
entered the nonprofit sector as 2-1-1 San Diego’s manager of learning and
development. While there, he brought in a learning management system and
facilitated the development of their first eLearning curriculum and blended
learning solution.
Presenting
506 | Building Your Own LMS Using WordPress and Google Analytics
John Blackmon
CTO and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer
ELB Learning
As CTO/Chief AI Officer for ELB Learning, John Blackmon is responsible for the
development and strategy of company products. Prior to ELB Learning, John
was co-founder/CEO of Trivantis, where he created the flagship products,
Lectora and CenarioVR. John was also co-founder/lead engineer at BocaSoft,
which created various software utilities for the OS/2 operating system. His
career started at Electronic Data Systems where he designed automatic
identification systems for applications at General Motors, followed by time at
IBM where he was awarded a patent for seamlessly running Windows
applications under OS/2. He also has a patent pending for Responsive Course
Design work.
Presenting
SDD205 | Creating Virtual Reality Training Using Interactive 360-Degree Videos and Images
Luc Blanchette
Techno-pedagogical Advisor
Universitv© de l'Ontario Franvßais
Dr. Luc Blanchette is a seasoned learning and development professional.
During his 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, he worked as a training
development officer in a variety of positions and training establishments. He
has advised various organizations on how to implement modern training
solutions. He has been involved in a variety of aspects of training
modernization such as online learning, blended learning, driver simulation,
online assessment, instructor development, alternate training delivery and
change management. He holds an undergraduate degree in adult education, a
master's in distance education, and a doctorate in education with a
specialization in instructional design.
Presenting
208 | Making Evidence-Based Recommendations to Your Organization
Jane Bozarth
Director of Research
The Learning Guild
Jane Bozarth, the director of research for the Learning Guild, is a veteran classroom trainer who transitioned to eLearning in the late 1990s and has never looked back. In her previous job as leader of the State of North Carolina's award-winning eLearning program, Jane specialized in finding low-cost ways of providing online training solutions. She is the author of several books, including eLearning Solutions on a Shoestring, Social Media for Trainers, and Show Your Work: The Payoffs and How-To's of Working Out Loud. Jane holds a doctorate in training and development and was awarded the Guild Master Award in 2013 for her accomplishments and contributions to the eLearning community.
Bill Brandon
Editor, Learning Solutions
The Learning Guild
Bill Brandon is the editor of Learning Solutions. He has
designed,
managed, and delivered instruction since 1968, and has been an e-
Learning practitioner since 1984. Before becoming the editor in 2002,
Bill
held instructor and management positions in the United States Navy,
Texas
Utilities, Atmos Energy, TGI Friday's, and The Sales Consultancy. The co-
author of eight books and the author of dozens of articles on technical
topics, he has also developed programs for major conferences and
owned a
consulting business. He is a past president of the Texas Chapter (now
the
Dallas Chapter) of ISPI, and for 10 years led the Learning Technology
SIG
of the Dallas Chapter of ASTD. Bill is a graduate of the University of
Texas
at Austin and now lives near Dallas, Texas.
Presenting
Mark Britz
Director of Event Programming
Learning Guild
Mark Britz is the director of event programming at The Learning Guild. Previously he worked for more than 15 years designing and managing learning solutions with organizations such as Smartforce, Pearson Digital Learning, the SUNY Research Foundation, Aspen Dental Management, and Systems Made Simple. Mark is also an organizational social designer, helping businesses achieve the benefits of becoming more connected and collaborative to improve learning and engagement. Mark is the author of Social By Design: How to create and scale a collaborative company, and regularly presents and writes about the use of social media for learning, collaborative networks, and organizational design.
Presenting
Glenn Bull
CEO & Founder
Skilitics
Glenn Bull is the founder and CEO of Skilitics, which is the creator of an
enterprise training development platform designed for integrated learning
measurement. The Skilitics platform is fast gaining attention globally for its
disruptive and innovative approach to training design and measurement.
Glenn is the visionary behind this cloud-based solution and spearheads the
company’s global strategy. He is also the editor of TheNewID.com training
comic, contributed to by many of the industry’s key thought leaders. Glenn is
one of six members of The eLearning Guild Academy’s Advisory Council.
Annalisa Burke
Digital Content Specialist
The Morton Arboretum
Annalisa Burke is a digital content specialist at the Morton Arboretum. With
nearly 20 years’ experience in the field of education, she has worked as an
instructor, project manager, and curriculum developer in corporate, higher ed,
and nonprofit settings. She has learned to appreciate the importance of
incorporating a diversity of perspectives into projects, and she’s led various
cross-departmental evaluation projects designed to enhance the learner
experience. Annalisa has an MEd in educational policy from the University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MA in romance languages and literatures
from the University of Chicago.
Presenting
SDD202 | Usability Testing: Answering the Design Questions You Never Knew You Had
Jason Butler
eLearning Developer and Games Evangelist
Sponge UK
Jason Butler is an eLearning developer and games evangelist for Sponge UK,
and previously a creator of indie games. User experience is central to his
vision of what digital learning can and should be. Jason works with global
businesses to develop eLearning solutions that deliver tangible business
results while delighting learners. The first-ever recipient of the Learning Developer of the Year at the Learning Technologies Awards, Jason regularly speaks on eLearning games at key learning conferences in the UK.
Presenting
Josh Cavalier
Founder
JoshCavalier.ai
Josh Cavalier has been creating learning solutions for corporations, government agencies, and
secondary education institutions for nearly 30 years. He is an expert in the field of learning &
development and has applied his industry experience to the application of ChatGPT and other
Generative AI frameworks for business and life skills. Josh is passionate about sharing his
knowledge and has a popular YouTube channel that shares tips and tricks on Generative AI. He
is a seasoned speaker, presenting at conferences like DevLearn, Learning Solutions, ATD ICE,
TechKnowledge, NAB, and Adobe MAX.
Presenting
Michael Cerantola
Integration Manager
Knowledge One
Michael Cerantola is an integration manager at Knowledge One. He began working in the eLearning world while Flash still reigned supreme. With the gradual demise of Flash over recent years (and its inevitable phase-out), Mike has spent years converting legacy content to display in HTML5 browsers. Working through custom designs, rapid authoring tools, and audio/visual, Mike has faced challenges including browser display inconsistencies and optimization for mobile data plans, all while keeping the source document editable for clients. It became clear to him that PowerPoint plus a rapid authoring tool was the arsenal of choice to keep production costs low while staying profitable.
Kuljit Chadha
Co-Founder and COO
Disprz
Kuljit Chadha, the co-founder and COO of Disprz, is a serial entrepreneur who relishes taking nascent technology products to new markets. He has a track record of taking at least three products that were category-defining across media, formal education, and enterprise learning to both emerging and developed markets across the world. In his latest stint as co-founder of Disprz, a knowledge-tech startup (which was adjudged the mobile learning company of the year in 2017), Kuljit has interacted with over 100 L&D heads globally and has assimilated a treasure trove of best practices. He holds an MBA from a top-ranked business school in India.
Presenting
Melissa Chambers
Online Instructional Specialist
MSC Consulting
Melissa Chambers is an online instructional specialist at MSC Consulting and a
contract speaker coach/host for The Learning Guild's Online Forums and Guild
Academy. Melissa has over 20 years' experience in creative media production,
project and change management, online instructional design, and eLearning
strategy development, and has been designing, producing, and coaching for
synchronous online programs since 2002. She holds a master's degree in
instructional design for online learning, and has spearheaded award-winning
programs in eLearning, process improvement, and strategic development.
Melissa has a passion for lifelong learning, technology, cultivating creativity,
and having fun while working.
Presenting
P06 | BYOD: Instructional Design for Virtual Classroom Events
MB01 | Conference Orientation and Daily Docent Kickoff
MB12 | Daily Docent Kickoff
MB22 | Daily Docent Kickoff
Hal Christensen
President
QuickCompetence
Hal Christensen, President at QuickCompetence, has been providing
organizations with strategic guidance and solutions to improve employee
performance for three decades. An early pioneer of the performance support
movement, he has successfully introduced performance support solutions into
many organizations in the financial, healthcare, telecommunications, and
energy industries. Hal chairs the ATD NY Performance Support SIG and also
teaches an online course, Creating Effective Performance Support Solutions.
Samantha Coen
Instructional Designer
Western Governors University
Samantha Coen is an instructional designer at Western Governors University. She has about 10 years’ experience in online course design and development as an instructional designer in both higher education and corporate settings. Samantha has proven experience in designing online programs, creating interactive learning environments, and implementing adaptive learning solutions. She holds an MS in instructional design and is presently a doctoral student specializing in instructional design for online learning.
Presenting
STP204 | Getting It Done Yesterday: Rapid Development Processes for Tight Timelines
Beatrice Conley
Enterprise Solutions Manager
BenchPrep
Beatrice Conley is an enterprise solutions manager at BenchPrep, where she helps organizations deliver engaging, unmatched learning experiences with a learner success platform. While studying psychology, human development, and education at Northwestern University, she explored the way improvements in technology are rapidly changing the way we communicate and ultimately learn, which is why she landed in the EdTech space. For the last four years, Beatrice has worked in K-12 schools incorporating new curriculum management systems and now helps improve the overall professional learning experience for organizations that require enterprise-level solutions.
Presenting
SMM104 | Define the Learning Problem Before Determining the Solution
Monica Cornetti
President
Sententia
Unlike other gamification practitioners, speakers, and consultants, Monica
Cornetti has focused intensively on the latest immersive engagement
techniques and the latest research in the adult education, corporate training,
and talent development fields. A gamification speaker and designer, Monica
was recognized as #1 in the Most Influential Women in Gamification who have
created a legitimate impact in the gamification industry. At the intersection of
learning and play, she is leading a team of trusted, cutting-edge curriculum
designers and developers to improve the performance of individuals and
organizations across the globe.
Presenting
Phillip Crockford
CEO
V-Teamwork
Phillip Crockford is the CEO of V-Teamwork. He has more than 30 years’
experience in management, and in coaching people in building trust and
accountability, boosting productivity, and improving performance. His
interventions have produced millions of dollars in annual savings for clients.
Phillip has coached management teams to accelerate delivery of infrastructure
projects worth more than $2 billion, realigned executive teams on successful
strategies, and reduced critical cycle times by up to 50 percent. His clients
have included Autodesk, Rio Tinto, Queensland Health, the US Army, and the
Canadian men’s ski team. Phillip has served on the board of the International
Coach Federation (Australasia).
Mary Cropp
Senior Director, Employee Effectiveness
Siteimprove
Proudly hailing from the great state of New Jersey, Mary Cropp has made her
home in Seattle for the past 20-plus years. Mary has spent her career in adult
learning, moving from academia to the corporate training world, and has been
fortunate to work on a global level, training people around the world on such
diverse topics as organ donation, data literacy, leadership development, how
to sew a new cornea onto an eye(!), or how to build a Bluetooth beacon. Mary
is a PROSCII-certified change practitioner as well as an ICF-certified coach.
Presenting
Gus Curran
Member Services Manager
Humentum
Gus Curran, a member services manager at Humentum, is passionate about
helping people learn. He works with the Humentum team, member LMS
admins, and other L&D professionals to create and share innovative training
that is appropriate and accessible for learners all over the world. Gus is
happiest when connecting with people who believe, like he does, that if you
listen to the learner and help them meet their goals, you can make a
difference in their life.
Marlies De Kluyver
Sr. Learning Excellence Manager, Global Learning
Abbvie
Marlies De Kluyver is a senior learning excellence manager of global learning for AbbVie, and a passionate learning professional who is inspired to improve the learner experience. She started her career as a digital developer and joined the Illinois Institute of Art to teach a new certificate program for adult learners. She collaborated with the school to redesign the program and develop four additional programs that launched across all sister schools in the US. Marlies also worked for Motorola as a media developer. At AbbVie, she has grown from the development side into supporting brands, global learning managers, and partners in driving learning excellence.
Presenting
307 | Evaluative Inquiry as a Catalyst for Learning and Change
Jennifer De Vries
President
BlueStreak Learning
Jennifer De Vries is the president and chief solutions architect at BlueStreak Learning. Jennifer, a CPT, has over 25 years of experience managing eLearning programs for companies such as IBM and Motorola. She frequently writes about eLearning for industry journals and is best known for her groundbreaking report, Rapid E-Learning, published by Bersin & Associates. In 2010, Jennifer was named one of the 20 most influential people in online learning by Online University Rankings. In 2016, she was named Most Influential Woman in eLearning by Corporate America News. BlueStreak Learning focuses on helping organizations successfully start and grow high-quality, customer-focused eLearning programs.
Presenting
Andy DeCuir
IT Training Analyst
Micron Technology
Andy DeCuir, an information-technology (IT) training analyst with
Micron Technology, has been in the learning and development
profession for 22 years, with nearly 20 years' experience working
within corporate IT departments. He has a broad range of
experience in providing instructional design, online course
development, instruction, and training for information systems,
customer support, and human resource environments. Andy has
been involved in multiple implementations of systems, including
eLearning implementations at two different companies. He is an
active member of The eLearning Guild, was on the team awarded
Best Training Design in 2000 from the New Orleans Chapter of
ASTD, was a judge for the 2006 Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning
Awards, and has presented at multiple industry conferences.
Presenting
906 | Building a Multi-Device Learning Organization: A Case Study
Hilda Demarino
Project Manager
MedStar Health
Hilda Demarino is a senior certified project manager professional and Scrum
master for the Patient Education Group of MedStar Health, SiTEL Division. She
has leveraged nearly 10 years of designer experience coupled with her project
management skills to produce state-of-the-art healthcare education with
advanced technologies. She recently led a multimedia production team to
create over 100 pieces of patient education video content using the Scrum
framework. In 2014, Hilda led her team to a first-place win in the Mobile
Solution category at The eLearning Guild’s DevLearn DemoFest.
Presenting
Sarah Dewar
Educational Technology Specialist
Michael Garron Hospital
Sarah Dewar is a seasoned instructional designer and developer. She has over 20 years of experience in the realm of adult learning, complemented by 15 years of experience creating innovative eLearning solutions for healthcare professionals. Sarah is currently developing a virtual reality training solution to orient healthcare workers to a new state-of-the-art healthcare centre. She also creates custom animation to engage learners. Sarah shares her knowledge internationally and volunteers her expertise to not-for-profit organizations.
Presenting
JD Dillon
Chief Learning Architect
Axonify
JD Dillon became a learning and enablement expert over two decades
working in operations and talent development with dynamic
organizations including Disney, Kaplan, and AMC. A respected author and
speaker in the workplace learning community, JD continues to apply his
passion for helping people around the world do their best work every day
in his role as Axonify's chief learning architect. JD is also the founder of
LearnGeek, a workplace learning insights and advisory group.
Julie Dirksen
Learning Strategist
Usable Learning
Julie Dirksen, a learning strategist with Usable Learning, is a consultant and instructional designer with more than 15 years' experience creating highly interactive eLearning experiences for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to technology startups to grant-funded research initiatives. She's interested in using neuroscience, change management, and persuasive technology to promote sustainable long-term learning and behavior change. Her MS degree in instructional systems technology is from Indiana University, and she's been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She is the author of Design For How People Learn.
Presenting
Roberta Dombrowski
Experience Design and Strategy Director
Year Up
Roberta Dombrowski is a passionate product experience leader with a focus
on building products and experiences for the way people learn and work. Over
the years, she’s been fortunate to build experiences for communities of
learners, educators, managers, and employees. She is currently the
experience design and strategy director at Year Up and is an adjunct professor
at Boise State University.
Presenting
Ger Driesen
Learning Innovation Leader
aNewSpring
Ger Driesen is a learning innovation leader at aNewSpring, the learner experience platform for training providers. He connects people, ideas, and inspiration in the global L&D community. He also works as a consultant in learning & leadership development at Challenge Leadership Development Academy, the company he co-founded. He's known as a "Dutch L&D trendcatcher" based on his articles, blogs, and tweets, and he is a regular speaker at international conferences.
Presenting
104 | Design Learning Like an Artist: Van Gogh’s 7 Principles for Learning
David DuBois
Senior Manager, Learning Analytics and Awards
Choice Hotels International
David DuBois is the senior manager of learning analytics and
awards for Choice University, the award-winning franchisee training
department within Choice Hotels International. He is a frequent author and
speaker around the importance and tactics of learning analytics. David is
passionate about leading data analytics for learning organizations.
Presenting
705 | Transforming Your Learning Ecosystem to Drive Business Results
Brian Dusablon
Founder
Learning Ninjas
Brian Dusablon, the founder of Learning Ninjas, is an entrepreneur, coach, and
generalist who has worked in the eLearning industry for over 20 years as a
trainer, developer, instructional designer, LMS administrator, project manager,
and consultant. At Learning Ninjas, Brian leads a collaborative consultancy
focused on creating and teaching about accessible and effective learning
solutions and technologies. Working with organizations and individuals, he
applies existing and emerging technologies to simplify processes, improve
performance, and measure outcomes. Brian frequently speaks on a range of
topics, including accessibility, user experience, innovative technologies, and
entrepreneurship.
Diane Edwards
General Manager People Systems and Technology
Ports of Auckland
Diane Edwards is a general manager of people, systems, and technology at
Ports of Auckland. Diane holds postgraduate qualifications in education,
accounting, and banking, and is the current national president of the New
Zealand Association for Training and Development (NZATD). Diane was the
HRINZ (Human Resources Institute of NZ) 2010 HR Specialist of the Year
(training and OD); the 2015 HR Generalist of the Year; and the 2016
Governance NZ Gender Diversity Leader of the Year. She also won the 2016
SSON Australasian Culture Creation Award. Diane holds fellowships of NZATD,
HRINZ Institute of Management, and the Financial Services Institute of
Australasia.
Presenting
608 | How Leadership Development Turned a Dying Company Around
Diane Elkins
Owner/Founder
E-Learning Uncovered
Diane Elkins is owner of Artisan E-Learning, a custom eLearning development company, and E-Learning Uncovered, where she helps people build courses they're proud of. She has built a reputation as a national eLearning expert by being a frequent speaker at major industry events for ATD, The Learning Guild, and Training Magazine. Her favorite topics include accessibility, instructional design, and Articulate Storyline. She is co-author of the popular E-Learning Uncovered book series, as well as E-Learning Fundamentals: A Practical Guide, from ATD Press. She is a past board member of the Northeast Florida and Metro DC chapters of ATD.
William Everhart
Lead Developer
Artisan E-Learning
William Everhart is a lead developer at Artisan E-Learning, helping clients
fulfill their learning needs. His favorite thing in life is witnessing "aha!"
moments in his students’ faces—that moment when they finally grasp a
concept or technique that has eluded them for so long. As an Adobe Certified
Instructor, William has taught thousands and continues to do so as a
contributing author at LinkedIn Learning and Pluralsight. Through classroom
training, one-on-one coaching, and online programs, he helps people learn to
create amazing learning content.
Presenting
Susan Fisher
Lead Instructional Designer & Learning Consultant
Innovative Learning Group
Susan Fisher is a lead instructional designer and learning consultant at
Innovative Learning Group. She has over 30 years’ experience designing and
developing workplace learning and performance solutions, including
instructor-led training, eLearning, mobile learning, reference, and
performance support. She is also skilled in information architecture and
learning portal design. Susan is a senior member of the Society for Technical
Communication (STC) and a member of the International Society for
Performance Improvement (ISPI). She is also an STC certified professional
technical communicator, expert level. She holds bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in fine arts from the University of Michigan.
Presenting
Roni Floman
VP Marketing
GamEffective
Roni Floman is a vice president of marketing and product evangelist for
GamEffective. She has been involved with GamEffective since 2013. Prior to
that, she was a consultant for numerous technology start-ups and led
business development at telecom and enterprise software companies. Roni
holds an LLB degree, magna cum laude, from Tel Aviv University and an MBA
from INSEAD. She is also a published author.
Nick Floro
Learning Architect/Imagineer
Sealworks Interactive Studios
Nick Floro, a co-founder and learning architect at Sealworks Interactive
Studios, has over 25 years of experience developing learning solutions,
applications, and web platforms. Nick is passionate about how design and
technology can enhance learning and loves to share his knowledge and
experience to teach, inspire, and motivate. As a learning architect, Nick gets
to sketch, imagine, and prototype for each challenge. He has worked with
start-ups to Fortune 500 companies to help them understand the technology
and develop innovative solutions to support their audiences. Nick has won
numerous awards from Apple and organizations for productions and services.
Steve Foreman
President
InfoMedia Designs
Steve Foreman is the author of The LMS Guidebook and president of
InfoMedia Designs, a provider of eLearning infrastructure consulting services
and technology solutions to large companies, academic institutions,
professional associations, government, and military. Steve works with
forward-looking organizations to find new and effective ways to apply
computer technology to support human performance. His work includes
enterprise learning strategy, learning and performance ecosystem solutions,
LMS selection and implementation, learning-technology architecture and
integration, expert-knowledge harvesting, knowledge management, and
innovative performance-centered solutions that blend working and learning.
Joe Fournier
Learning Infrastructure Designer
Anthem
A long-time learning professional, Joe Fournier has been a hands-on
practitioner, manager, director, and consultant to many Fortune 100
companies. He is currently a learning infrastructure designer focusing
on the edge and exploring the use of technology in learning and
performance contexts. Joe's current projects and interests include
mobile learning, AI/machine learning, chatbots, and blockchain. Joe
leads the internal Learning Innovation and AI Enthusiasts learning
communities at Anthem.
Presenting
702 | Taking a Page from Fiction: Applying Novel-Writing Tricks to Learning Design
MB10 | Using AI in Learning
Robert Gadd
President
OnPoint Digital
Robert Gadd is president of OnPoint Digital and responsible for the
company’s vision and strategy. OnPoint’s online and mobile-enabled
offerings support more than one million workers and include innovative
methods for content authoring, conversion, and delivery extended with
social interactions, gamification, and enterprise-grade security for
workers on their device or platform of choice. Prior to OnPoint, Robert
spent 10 years as CTO of Datatec Systems and president/CTO of spin-off
eDeploy.com. He is a frequent speaker on learning solutions—including
mobile, informal learning, xAPI, and gamification—at national and
international T&D conferences.
Presenting
701 | Micro vs. Macro: Which Learning Experience Works Best?
Hannes Geldenhuys
CEO and Founder
Hubble Studios
Hannes Geldenhuys is the founder and CEO of Hubble Studios, an eLearning
company based in Cape Town. Hannes’s core skills are in eLearning
consulting, organizational development, and IT service delivery, and he
counts his experience across the education, financial, and telecommunications
sectors. Hannes founded Hubble Studios in 2012 in partnership with Sam and
Rob Paddock, founders themselves of a premier online education company,
GetSmarter (recently acquired by 2U). Today, Hubble Studios is a full-service
partner for eLearning solutions. Hannes focuses on initiatives that contribute
to South Africa’s economy; he actively participates in small-business
mentoring through the Shanduka Black Umbrellas incubator program.
Presenting
1007 | Debunking the Mobile Myth: A South African Perspective
Nancy Giordano
Strategic Futurist and Corporate Strategist
Nancy Giordano is a strategic futurist and corporate strategist who helps enterprise organizations and leaders meet the escalating expectations ahead. With her deep knowledge of the drivers shaping the future, she illuminates the ideas and strategies required for leaders to actively architect their future. Ms. Giordano has spent nine years as founder/CEO of Play Big, a strategic inspiration company, and has been described as one of the world’s top female futurists. Her extensive client list includes Safeway, Nestlé, Sprint, and many other Fortune 500 companies. Currently, she is collaborating on a project to bring a game-changing artificial intelligence platform to the world. She also leads a team to produce one of the globe’s largest TEDx Youth events, hosting over 1,000 attendees annually. Ms. Giordano and her team share bold ideas at CulturalAcupuncture.com, a regular feature of The Huffington Post.
Presenting
Dan Gizzi
VP of Business Development
Learning Tribes
Dan Gizzi is the VP of business Development for Learning Tribes. Dan has worked at the forefront of technology and education for more than a decade. He moved from sales representative to become director of retention solutions at Pearsons, where he partnered with private sector institutions to redesign their offerings for students who weren’t ready to begin college-level courses. In his position with Learning Tribes, Dan continues his path of empowering professionals to reach their maximum potential as they work towards their company’s goals.
Presenting
Karyn Gleeson
Program & Production Manager
The Learning Guild
Karyn Gleeson is the program & production manager for The
Learning Guild, where she manages both the tactical needs of
producing online events, the strategic needs of programming the online conferences and managing the staff and event deliverables. Karyn is a
Digital Event Strategist with certification from the Professional Convention
Management Association. Previously, Karyn was an LMS administrator
and manager of the technical support staff for an online curriculum
provider. Karyn also has years of experience as a business analyst, project manager, and trainer for a custom software development firm. She also provides educational support to parents, educators, and students of the K-12 community through workshops, small group instruction, and online classes.
Dennis Glenn
Professor
DePaul University
Dennis Glenn is a professor at DePaul University. His instructional design and eLearning experience was honed when he joined Northwestern University as manager of the advanced media production studio, later being promoted to assistant dean for distributed education at the School of Communication. Dennis has designed interactive virtual patients for the medical industry that assess the cognitive decision-making abilities of surgeons, doctors, and nurses. He has taught at universities including Northwestern, Columbia College, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and DePaul’s Graduate School of New Learning, where he teaches in two domains: engaging social media, and mastery learning using serious games.
Presenting
704 | Rapid Prototyping Serious Games Using the Business Model Canvas
Richard Goring
Director
BrightCarbon
Richard Goring is a director at BrightCarbon, a presentation and eLearning
agency. He enjoys helping people create engaging content and communicate
effectively using visuals, diagrams, and animated sequences that explain and
reinforce the key points.
Presenting
Conrad Gottfredson
Chief Learning Strategist
APPLY Synergies
Conrad Gottfredson, the chief learning strategist at APPLY Synergies, has
deep experience in organizational learning, collaborative development,
knowledge management, online learning, performance support, and
instructional design and development. Conrad is the original developer of
the Learning at the Five Moments of Need framework now in use around
the world. He has worked with many of the world's largest organizations,
helping them attain higher levels of learning agility. Conrad's experience
includes the design and deployment of large-scale knowledge management
and performance support systems within multinational corporations. In
2014 Conrad was awarded the Guild Master Award for his accomplishments
and contributions to the eLearning community. He holds a PhD in
instructional psychology and technology.
Yogish Gowda
Web Developer, Asset Management Learning and Development
Fidelity Investments
Yogish Gowda is a web developer at Fidelity Investments with over four years of professional experience in the learning and development industry. He is an expert in development of SharePoint workflows and administration and specializes in the development of custom websites, digital campaigns, and eLearning. Yogish has a computer science engineering degree from Jain University, India.
Presenting
STP107 | Creating Robust Onboarding with the Tools You Already Have: A Case Study
Mark Griffiths
Client Partner
Newleaf Training & Development
Mark Griffiths is a client partner at Newleaf Training & Development and
heads up the East Coast office in Orlando, Florida. Mark has a degree in
IT and a postgraduate degree in education, and he has personally
gained over 15 years’ experience in the training, eLearning, and talent
development arena—working with nonprofit, educational, and privately
held organizations such as Randstad, Boston Scientific, and Citrix to
create and deliver high-impact blended learning solutions using a wide
range of eLearning authoring tools.
Todd Grove
Video Producer & Learning Project Manager
Cinécraft Productions
Todd Grove is a video producer and learning project manager at Cinécraft
Productions, with over 12 years of experience in that role. During his time at
Cinécraft, he has managed large-scale projects for many different types of
clients on time and on budget. He is passionate about meeting customers’
needs by developing creative and engaging solutions that fulfill the business
need. Todd earned his bachelor’s degree in electronic media production and
business administration from Ashland University.
Presenting
Adam Hadnott
Learning Analyst/Architect
The Boeing Company
Adam Hadnott is a learning analyst/architect with the Boeing Company. He
began his career as an instructor and consultant for computer-aided
engineering (CAE) and product lifecycle management (PLM) applications.
Following this, he developed quality software for engineering designs.
Adam has coached engineers throughout the Boeing enterprise on
technical processes and applications, and he led the coaching effort
supporting the development of the KC-46 tanker. Currently, Adam is
supporting the enterprise-wide implementation of multiple major systems
spanning supplier management, engineering, and manufacturing.
Throughout his career, he has taken advantage of a variety of formal and
informal learning opportunities on numerous subjects.
Presenting
Jonathan Halls
Author, Rapid Media Development for Trainers
Jonathan Halls
Jonathan Halls, who has spent 30 years as a media trainer, started his
professional life in radio hosting a daily live news talk show. Author of
Rapid Media for Trainers, Rapid Video for
Trainers, and Video Script Writing, he formerly
headed up the BBC’s production training in Britain, and is today an
adjunct professor at the George Washington University where he
teaches digital media. Based in Washington, DC, he provides
workshops and consulting for training organizations in how to make
instructional videos and podcasts. He has trained thousands of
broadcasters, journalists, and trainers in 25 countries, including
people from The Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, London
Times, Straits Times, Time of India, DeVolkskrant and many
more.
Cara Halter
Instructional Designer
GP Strategies
Cara Halter is an instructional designer at GP Strategies with nearly 20 years of experience creating innovative learning solutions as a design and development leader, business analyst, and project manager. She has split her professional experience between an internal L&D team at a financial services company and with top learning consulting companies (most recently GP Strategies). Her current passion is finding creative ways to address the needs of the modern leaner. Cara has a master’s degree in instructional technology from the University of Georgia.
Presenting
1010 | Shattering Preconceived Notions: cMOOCs Can Be Effective!
Carrie Hancock
Sales Director NA
NetDimensions
Carrie Hancock is a sales director for North America at NetDimensions. With nearly 20 years’ experience in the learning management space, Carrie specializes in new business development and major market expansion. Following her early career in marketing and sales in the medical field, she took her healthcare knowledge into computer-based learning for hospitals and health facilities. Carrie contributed to a triple-digit revenue expansion of a small healthcare learning company, which led to a profitable acquisition. She is a graduate of Clemson University.
Presenting
Shea Hanson
Manager of Content, Business Skills
LinkedIn Learning
Shea Hanson is a manager of content for business skills at LinkedIn Learning, where she and her team create training courses that help professionals improve their skills. Shea manages the content strategy for leadership and management, project management, human resources, sales, customer service, marketing, and finance and accounting training. With a background in instructional design, Shea’s passion is to help professionals improve their skills and transform their lives through simple and helpful video courses.
Presenting
SMM203 | Onboarding Millennial Employees for Lasting Engagement
Joe Healy
Instructional Designer
Karmak
Joe Healy is an instructional designer for Karmak, a position he has held for
two years, after stops in software design and marketing for the company.
Prior to joining Karmak, Joe worked as a journalist, where he honed the
storytelling skills that he brings to every course he creates. He holds a BA in
political science from Sam Houston State University and an MPA from
Southern Illinois University–Edwardsville.
Presenting
Erika Hebert
Director, Learning & Development
PODS
Erika Hebert has been working with learners for 20+ years to provide
development focused on operations, service, sales, and leadership. She
provides engaging, innovative learning opportunities through a blended
approach of eLearning, live facilitation, and on-the-job training. In 2018, she
spoke at the Learning Solutions Conference & Expo. In 2017, she accepted
the Skillsoft Innovation Award in the Small/Medium Business category for
delivering outstanding business results using learning and talent solutions. In
2020, Erika earned the SHRM Certified Professional designation, which
recognizes experts in the HR field.
Presenting
Destery Hildenbrand
XR Solution Architect
Intellezy
Destery Hildenbrand is an XR solution architect with Intellezy. Destery has
over 17 years of experience in training and development and seven years
focusing on immersive technologies. Destery has spent time in corporate
environments and higher education. Destery's primary focus is helping
organizations plan, design, and develop engaging learning experiences
through Immersive technology.
Jennifer Hofmann Dye
Founder and President
InSync Training
Jennifer Hofmann Dye is founder and president of InSync Training.
She
specializes in the design and delivery of engaging, innovative, and
effective modern blended learning. Jennifer has written and
contributed to a number of well-received and highly-regarded
books including The Synchronous Trainer's Survival Guide:
Facilitating Successful Live Online Courses, Meetings, and
Events and Live and Online!: Tips, Techniques, and
Ready to Use Activities for the Virtual Classroom. Her latest
book, Blended Learning (ATD, 2018), introduces a
new instructional design model that addresses the needs of the
modern workplace and modern learners.
Pamela Hogle
Program Manager
The Learning Guild
Pamela S. Hogle, a program manager at The Learning Guild, focuses on
eLearning technology and trends and explores the ways that L&D
professionals can lead changes in mindset and behavior throughout their
organizations. She brings these interests to her work creating engaging and
relevant content for Learning Solutions magazine and Learning Guild
conferences. An experienced journalist, technical writer, and eLearning
content developer, Pam has worked in Israel and the United States. She holds
master's degrees in journalism and human-canine life sciences.
Presenting
Owen Holt
Sr. Manager, Training & Knowledge Management
Q2
Owen Holt is a manager of talent development with Lithium Technologies. He
has over 25 years of experience in the learning and development field,
including 12 years managing training development and delivery for global
audiences. His experience also includes developing training as a profit center
for two startup software companies, and consulting with a sales organization
to improve its sales culture through revitalized training solutions.
Presenting
313 | BYOD: Dial Up the Creativity in Your Storyline Game Interactions
Christiana Houck
Director of Learning Solutions
Aristocrat Technologies
Christiana Houck is a director of learning solutions at Aristocrat Technologies,
a PhD, and a learning and education nerd. She leads a team of energetic
trainers and award-winning instructional designers. The team uses an agile
project management approach, is looking into AR, and measures business
impact through behaviors. Previously, Christiana developed and delivered
instructor-led training and eLearning and taught professors how to teach
online.
Presenting
Cindy Huggett
Principal Consultant
Cindy Huggett Consulting
As a leading industry expert and 20+ year pioneer of virtual training, Cindy
Huggett, CPTD, has vast experience delivering engaging learning solutions via
the virtual and hybrid classroom. She's the author of six acclaimed books on
the subject, including The Facilitator's Guide to Immersive, Blended and
Hybrid Learning. She is a past member of the ATD global board of
directors and was one of the first to earn the Certified Professional in Learning
and Performance (CPLP now CPTD) credential. She holds a master's degree
from the University of Pittsburgh and was a Triangle Business Journal 30-
Under-30 Award Winner.
Presenting
Andrew Hughes
President
Designing Digitally, Inc.
Andrew Hughes is the president of Designing Digitally, Inc. and has
over a decade in the strategical planning and development of enterprise
custom gamified learning solutions for government and Fortune 500
clients. Andrew is also a professor at the University of Cincinnati and
prior to this was a contractor for the US Department of Education, Ohio
Board of Regents, and General Electric. Andrew oversees a team of 30
employees and is focused on ensuring the clients’ challenges are met
with engaging, educational, and entertaining learning experiences.
Karen Hyder
Online Event Producer and Speaker Coach
Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting
Karen Hyder, online event producer and speaker coach at
Kaleidoscope Training and Consulting, has been teaching about
technology since 1991, when she delivered instructor-led software
courses for Logical Operations. She was promoted to director of
trainer development, helping trainers improve skills and earn
certifications. In 1999 she created a course for trainers using
virtual classrooms, and helped launch The eLearning Guild Online
Forums in 2004. She continues to host The Guild’s Best of
DemoFest, and was honored with the Guild’s Guild Master Award.
Currently, Karen provides coaching and production support for a
series of online courses at Hearing First, a not-for-profit that serves
audiology professionals earning CEUs.
Presenting
P06 | BYOD: Instructional Design for Virtual Classroom Events
STP102 | It Looks So Easy! Successfully Producing Virtual Learning Sessions
505 | Panel Discussion: The Present and Future of Virtual Classroom Tools
MB01 | Conference Orientation and Daily Docent Kickoff
MB12 | Daily Docent Kickoff
MB22 | Daily Docent Kickoff
Susan Jacobs
Publications Manager
The Learning Guild
Susan Jacobs is publications manager for the Learning Guild. She has a deep-
rooted interest in and passion for education and technology. Prior to this
position, she was a senior content producer at Bright Business Media, a leader
in the meeting and events industry. Susan is a graduate of Northwestern
University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Presenting
Pooja Jaisingh
Senior Director, Digital Learning
Icertis
Pooja Jaisingh works as a senior director of digital learning at Icertis.
She has created several award-winning eLearning courses and authored
books and video courses on eLearning tools and technologies. In her
previous roles, she worked as a principal eLearning evangelist at Adobe
and chief learning geek at a start-up. Pooja is CPTD-, and COTP-certified.
She holds a master’s degree in education & economics and a doctorate
in educational technology.
Stan Jeffress
Sr. Learning Consultant
Pokeshot
Stan Jeffress is a senior learning consultant at Pokeshot. With more than 15
years’ experience in the learning and development field, Stan has worked in
various roles such as LMS administrator, project manager, consultant, and
instructor. He also used this experience to work as a freelancer before joining
Pokeshot. Stan’s role includes assisting clients with social learning strategy
development, managing SmarterPath integrations, providing sales support,
and contributing to product innovation.
Mark Jenkins
Technical Instructor
Hologic
Mark Jenkins is an e-Learning Developer with over ten years of experience in creating training multimedia for support organizations. He does all the work, from initial content creation (text, photos, videos, computer graphics), narration, editing, and implementation. He has received various company awards for work in knowledge management and training development.
Presenting
Carol Johnson
Learning Technology Manager
Capital One
Carol Johnson, a learning technology manager for Capital One, has over 10
years of experience converting and delivering virtual meetings and training.
She has received rave reviews for her enthusiastic presentations and
absolutely loves to see teams become successful in a virtual setting. Carol has
experience with a multitude of platforms and strives to help people
understand key techniques to turn every virtual interaction into an inclusive
and engaging success story. She has worked in both public education and the
corporate world to help teams get started or revamp their curriculums.
Daniel Jones
Modern Workplace Learning Evangelist
Daniel Jones is a modern workplace learning evangelist and an experienced
learning and development manager, engaging classroom trainer, and
captivating webinar host. He holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of
Global Management, a BA in international business and French from Grove
City College, and continuing education certificates in training and human
resources development and technical communications from the University of
California. A dual US-Swiss citizen, Dan speaks German and French in addition
to his native English.
Presenting
Judy Katz
Project Manager
PeBL Pro by Eduworks
Judy Katz makes stuff that helps people learn. Since 1997, she's worked in education and training strategy, design, development, and delivery. She's thrilled to be on the Eduworks team as an instructional designer and product manager for PeBL Pro. Judy has a passion for great design and technology, usability, and social justice. She has a BA in English, an MBA, and an MEd in instructional design for workplace learning.
Presenting
David Kelly
Chairman
The Learning Guild
David Kelly is the Chairman of the Learning Guild. David has been a learning
and performance consultant and training director for over 20 years. He is a
leading voice exploring how technology can be used to enhance training,
education, learning, and organizational performance. David is an active
member of the learning community, and can frequently be found speaking at
industry events. He has previously contributed to organizations including ATD,
eLearn Magazine, LINGOs, and more.
Presenting
Peggy Kidd
Quality Assurance & Compliance Manager
AvMed
Peggy Kidd is a quality assurance manager for AvMed. Peggy has more than two decades of experience in compliance and has overseen the training program for AvMed’s member engagement team for the last 15 years. She has authored an eLearning program for in-house delivery and has taken its training program from structured classroom-heavy training to a performance support-based program.
Kai Kight
Composer and Entrepreneur
As a classical violinist turned innovative composer, Kai Kight uses music as
a metaphor to inspire individuals and organizations across the world to
compose paths of imagination and fulfillment. Inspired by his own mother
who, when diagnosed with cancer, revealed regrets of not bringing her
ideas to the world, Mr. Kight is on a mission to spark a global mindset shift
in which ingenuity is the norm, not the exception. He is a graduate of
Stanford University’s design and engineering program, a Mayfield Fellow,
and a Kleiner Perkins Design Fellow. As a musician, Mr. Kight has
performed his original music for thousands in venues across the world,
from the White House to the Great Wall of China. As a speaker, he has
created impactful experiences for audiences at conferences, companies,
and universities internationally. Some of his clients include The Walt Disney
Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the Super Bowl–winning Seattle
Seahawks.
Presenting
Chris King
Executive Director
APPLY Synergies
Chris King is a recent addition to APPLY Synergies, but a long-time practitioner of the 5 Moments of Need®. As the executive director of the 5
Moments of Need Academy, Chris is responsible for spreading the word about workflow learning and optimizing how organizations learn and
perform. He leverages his credentials as a PMP, Certified ScrumMaster, 5 Moments of Need® Designer, and a LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®
certified facilitator to modernize the typical approach to learning.
Presenting
James Kingsley
Senior Director Product Development
ELB Learning
James Kingsley, with a rich tenure of over 15 years in the eLearning domain, has always
had a penchant for morphing tools and applications to achieve beyond their initial capacity.
His recent venture, MicroBuilder, is a testament to his innovative prowess. Developed at
ELB Learning, MicroBuilder is conceived to equip eLearning developers with a streamlined
pathway to craft MicroLearning modules. His expertise stretches across a wide technical
spectrum including Node.js, Vue, Mongo, with particular adeptness in integrating APIs,
xAPI, SCORM, and extending the capabilities of existing tools. Besides being a seasoned
coder, James has an eye for identifying and molding viable eLearning solutions, making
significant strides in web, mobile, and desktop-specific realms. His relentless pursuit of
refining and evolving eLearning solutions continues to mark a substantial footprint in the
industry.
Presenting
Janet Laane Effron
Managing Principal
Four Rivers Group
Janet Laane Effron is a data scientist who focuses on the creation of effective
learning experiences through iterative processes, data-driven feedback loops,
and the application of best practices in instructional design. She has worked
on xAPI design projects related to designing for performance outcomes and
designing both for and in response to data and analytics. Janet’s areas of
interest include text analytics, machine learning, and process improvement.
She is also the co-author of Investigating Performance: Design and
Outcomes with xAPI.
Presenting
Kevin Lange
Principal Consultant
Immersion Learning
Kevin Lange is the principal consultant at Immersion Learning. Previously he
was a learning governance and technology manager with The Mosaic
Company. Since 2005, Kevin has worked as a facilitator, instructional designer,
project and program manager, and learning strategist within academic,
consulting, and Fortune 500 and Global 500 companies, including Capital One,
Citi, Expedia, American Express, Deloitte, and Sony. Kevin holds bachelor's
degrees in radio-television and speech communication from Southern Illinois
University, an MBA from Indiana State University, and an MEd in educational
technology from the University of Florida.
Presenting
615 | BYOD: Post-Production Techniques for eLearning Narration
Duncan Larkin
Digital Learning Innovation Manager
McKinsey & Company
Duncan Larkin is the head of the digital learning innovation team at McKinsey & Company. He is a passionate advocate for simple, elegant, and transformative solutions that push the boundaries of innovation and put the learner first. Duncan is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point and the author of two books.
Mark Lassoff
Founder
Dollar Design School
Over two million people have learned coding and design from Mark Lassoff.
Mark and his company are pioneers in new media learning, having created the
first streaming media network dedicated to learning workforce and career
skills. They produce broadcast-quality learning content that focuses on digital
skills such as design, coding, and digital productivity. Mark is an in-demand
speaker and has traveled the world to teach. He was named to the 40 under
40 in both Austin, Texas, and Hartford, CT. In 2017, Mark was awarded the
prestigious Learning Guild Guild Master Award.
Presenting
301 | Developing Informal Learning Content for Retail Organizations
Stefanie Lawless
VP Training
Yukon Learning
Stefanie Lawless is the vice president of training at Yukon Learning, where she manages the design and development of customizable off-the-shelf courseware in Rapid Course and provides virtual training for the Articulate suite of tools. She has spent more than 10 years training people on software products and policies, as well as developing eLearning content and custom courseware for organizations worldwide. Stefanie holds a BS in information technology and an MBA from Western Governor's University.
Presenting
Carol Leaman
CEO
Axonify
Carol Leaman is the CEO of Axonify, a disruptor in the corporate learning space and innovator behind the world’s first employee knowledge platform. Previously, she was CEO of several other tech companies, including PostRank, a social engagement analytics company she sold to Google. Carol is a thought leader whose articles appear in various publications; she also sits on the boards of many organizations and advises high-tech firms. Carol’s awards include the Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame Intrepid Award (2011) and the Sarah Kirke Award (2010) for Canada’s leading female entrepreneur. She is a finalist for the Techvibes Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2017).
Presenting
SMM101 | The Future of Learning Data
The Learning Guild
The Learning Guild is the oldest and most trusted source of information,
networking, and community for eLearning Professionals. As a member-
driven organization, the Guild produces conferences, online events,
eBooks, research reports, and Learning Solutions Magazine—all devoted
to the idea that the people who know the most about making eLearning
successful are the people who produce eLearning every day in corporate,
government, and academic settings. Our goal is to create a place where
eLearning professionals can share their knowledge, expertise, and ideas
to build a better industry—and better learning experiences—for
everyone.
Nicole Legault
Community Manager
Articulate
Nicole Legault is a community manager at the software company Articulate. Nicole has a varied skill set that includes expertise in instructional design, eLearning development, and more. She has written hundreds of articles on the topic of eLearning and instructional design. She is a skilled public speaker and has delivered many hours of training and presentations on a variety of topics related to training. Nicole strives to create engaging sessions based on practical skills that can be used immediately on the job.
Presenting
Claudia Lewis
Director, Professional Services
Inkling
Claudia Lewis, the director of professional services for Inkling, is responsible for ensuring that the company’s customers can quickly and effectively build and share content with the Inkling platform. She leads a team of implementation managers to help get customers configured and trained and get their content distributed throughout the enterprise. Prior to Inkling, Claudia supported the development of web-based learning and remote collaboration at the international education reform organization Teach For All. She holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School, and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University.
Presenting
109 | Say Goodbye to Content Mayhem: Lessons Learned by Allstate
Tiffany Lombardo
Instructional Design Manager
Cinecraft Productions
Tiffany Lombardo has over 14 years of experience as a learning &
development professional. She began her career as part of the L&D team at
The Sherwin-Williams Company, where she implemented global learning
programs and designed impactful learning for employees, managers, and
executives. In 2016, she joined Cinecraft Productions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in
English literature from John Carroll University, and a master’s degree in
business administration with a focus in human resources from Cleveland State
University. 
Presenting
Catherine Lombardozzi
Learning Strategy Consultant/Founder
Learning 4 Learning Professionals
Catherine Lombardozzi is a lifelong learning and development practitioner and founder of Learning 4 Learning Professionals. Her work advances the development of people who work in L&D roles. Catherine is an unabashed L&D geek who currently aspires to a writer-beach-walker hyphenate. She holds a doctoral degree in human and organizational learning from George Washington University and is author of Learning Environment by Design. www.L4LP.com
Presenting
Michael Long
Lead Talent Development Specialist
Spectrum Health
Michael Long is a lead talent development specialist at Spectrum Health, a
not-for-profit healthcare system, where he specializes in learning technologies
and instructional design. He began his career in education in K-12 public
schools, where he worked as both a classroom teacher and in administration,
primarily training teachers on instructional best practices. Michael has
expertise in language learning, curriculum design, and instructional technique.
Presenting
904 | Faster Training Development with Agile Project Management
Chris Longstreet
Director of Learning Experiences
Choice Hotels International
Chris Longstreet is a director of learning experiences for Choice
University and Choice Hotels International. He oversees the creation,
administration, and transformation of the learning ecosystem and
learning experiences provided by ChoiceU and through ChoiceU.com, the
franchisee-facing learning management system. He also coordinates the
educational programs and experiences for the Choice Hotels Annual
Convention. Chris leads a team that creates and facilitates the learning
programs and resources that develop the skills of those owning and
operating hotels. His team oversees the learning experiences for over
50,000 students who participate in the programs of Choice University.
Presenting
705 | Transforming Your Learning Ecosystem to Drive Business Results
Dawn Mahoney
Owner
Learning In the White Space
Dawn J. Mahoney CPTD is a talent development professional who is passionate about developing people through better learning content, better learning strategy, and better dialog. In 2015, Dawn founded Learning In the White Space, a boutique consultancy devoted to planning a learning strategy and bringing it to life. Dawn writes the "Last Word" column in Training Magazine and is the author of Lean Learning Using the ADDIE Model.
Presenting
303 | Starting with Empathy
Connie Malamed
Founder and Mentor
Mastering Instructional Design
Connie Malamed helps people learn and build instructional design skills at
Mastering Instructional Design. She is a consultant, author and speaker in
the fields of online learning and visual communication. Connie is the author
of
Visual Design Solutions and Visual Language for
Designers.
She also publishes The eLearning Coach website and podcast. She was
honored with the Guild Master award in 2018 for contributions to the
learning technologies industry.
Bryan Marcum
Graphic Designer
Infinitude Creative Group
Bryan Marcum is a graphic designer at Infinitude Creative Group. He
graduated from Oklahoma State University as a nationally recognized graphic
and motion graphics designer. By complete accident, Bryan ended up in the
corporate learning space and fell in love with the way people learn. He has
since added eLearning development, web design, and audio engineering to his
list of proficiencies.
Presenting
Jean Marrapodi
VP/Senior Instructional Designer
UMB Bank
Jean Marrapodi, Ph.D., CPTD, has designed and developed eLearning for over 20 years in various industries and higher education. Named a Guild Master in 2016 by the eLearning Guild, she is considered an industry thought leader. Over the last 10 years, Marrapodi has presented more than 75 workshops and webinars for industry organizations and has taught over 40 graduate and undergraduate courses at New England College of Business, where she served as director of eLearning. Her expertise lies in her ability to make the complex simple, and pinpoint client needs to drive to business outcomes. She is a soup-to-nuts eLearning designer, able to single-handedly build a project from idea to rollout and work in a specific role on a project team. She is the chief learning architect at Applestar Productions, providing targeted eLearning and custom workshops for her clients.
Presenting
Joe McCahill
Senior Instructional Designer
Caveo Learning
Joe McCahill is a senior instructional designer with Caveo Learning and
founder of the Social Learning Design Group. Over the last 15 years, he has
designed, developed, and managed educational content and programs for a
variety of notable organizations, including America Online, FedEx, George
Mason University, NASA, Nike, and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. His recent professional efforts focus on the fields of social
learning, content design, and management methodology. He holds a master’s
in education from George Mason University and a bachelor’s in sociology from
George Washington University.
James McCarthy
Instructional Technologist
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
James McCarthy is an instructional technologist for CLPD at Dartmouth-
Hitchcock Medical Center. He designs and develops online learning
opportunities for healthcare professionals. With a background in both social
work and health information technology, he brings a unique methodology to
instructional design that focuses on learner-needs analysis, authentic practice,
and strategies for knowledge retention. James has a bachelor of arts in
psychology from the University of Massachusetts, a master of education in
instructional design from the University of Massachusetts, and a certificate in
gamification from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Presenting
807 | Inspiring Competence and Confidence Using Video: A Case Study
Scott McCormick
CEO
Emergent Enterprise
Scott McCormick is a national speaker, CEO, editor and writer. In a
30+ year career he has helped launched three companies including
his current business, Emergent Enterprise. He has spoken at ATD
CETS Showcase, Learnaplaooza, Augmented World Expo, LiveWorx,
Realities360,, and XR Immersive Enterprise 2020. Scott speaks and
consults on topics such as emergent technology adoption strategy and
user experience and is editor of emergent-enterprise.com, the tech
news and insight website. He was featured in the 2019 eBook,
What is Augmented Reality? and has delivered strategy
webinars and onsite presentations to leaders in healthcare,
manufacturing, hospitality, and consulting.
Presenting
Markus McKay-Fleisch
Design Manager
Nordstrom
Markus McKay-Fleisch is a design manager for Nordstrom’s learning and
leadership team. He has been in L&D for over 10 years, working in insurance,
medicine, and retail, and he spent two years as a teacher in Burkina Faso with
the Peace Corps. In addition to figuring out how new technologies can help
solve training problems, Markus loves making videos and keeping up with the
latest graphic design trends to apply to learning projects.
Presenting
Jeremy Medrano
Chief Creative Officer
Infinitude Creative Group
Jeremy Medrano, a creative director at Infinitude Creative Group, found his passion for visual design and storytelling early on. After graduating with a degree in digital filmmaking from the Art Institute of Dallas, Jeremy began his career as a video editor, motion graphic artist, and graphic designer. Due to his dedication and drive for innovative results, he quickly moved into a management role, then into creative direction. At Infinitude, he oversees the artistic development of all work; supervises the team of designers, editors, and production artists; and is always pushing the envelope to produce better work and expand the organization's capabilities.
Presenting
Sarah Mercier
CEO & Strategic Consultant
Build Capable
Sarah Mercier, CEO and strategic consultant at Build Capable, specializes in
instructional strategy and learning technology. Sarah is known for
translating highly technical concepts and research to real-world practice.
She is an international facilitator for the Association for Talent
Development and Greater Atlanta ATD Past President. Her innovative
learning solutions have been recognized by winning industry awards, such
as Best of Show at FocusOn Learning DemoFest for xAPI for Interactive
eBooks, and Best Performance Support Solution at DevLearn DemoFest for
Critical Success Factors training and assessment tool.
Sarah is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and business events
on topics such as instructional design and development, accessibility, data
strategy, and learning ecosystems. Her work has been published in ATD’s
2020 Trends in Learning Technology, The Book of Road-Tested Activities, TD
Magazine, Learning Solutions Magazine, CLO Magazine, and a variety of
other training and workforce publications.
Presenting
Eileen Mickas
Curator
New York Life Insurance Company
Eileen Mickas is a senior associate of curation for New York Life, where she
has worked for 27 years. She has been involved in corporate education for
over 17 years and has a broad range of experience designing, implementing,
and managing core business training programs related to regulatory and
compliance topics, as well as designing onboarding curriculums. Eileen’s
expertise includes eLearning; she was responsible for designing and
developing asynchronous eLearning training programs. In her role, Eileen
supports learning by curating content across the enterprise to align core
competencies, skills, and roles.
Presenting
Kyle Morton
Founder
HapYak Interactive Video
Kyle Morton is the founder of HapYak Interactive Video. A veteran of
successful startups, Kyle has more than a decade of experience in search,
advertising, and web video. He has held leadership positions with private and
venture-funded startups including RAMP Video, where he led product
strategy; Secure-Bank, one of the first internet credit card processors;
WebOS, a pioneer in internet applications; and Third Screen Media, one of the
first mobile advertising platforms. At HapYak, Kyle leads product strategy and
partnerships.
Presenting
Bob Mosher
CEO/founder/Chief Learning Evangelist
APPLY Synergies, a 5 Moments of Need Company
Bob Mosher, the chief learning evangelist at APPLY Synergies, has been an
active and influential leader in the learning and training industry for over 30
years, and is renowned worldwide for his pioneering role in eLearning and new
approaches to learning. Before co-founding APPLY Synergies consultancy with
Conrad Gottfredson, Bob served as the chief learning evangelist for Ontuitive,
director of learning strategy and evangelism for Microsoft, and executive
director of education for Element K. He is an influential voice in the IT training
industry, speaking at conferences and participating in industry associations.
Bob was awarded the Guild Master Award in 2014 for his accomplishments
and contributions to the eLearning community.
Kristin Murner
Learning Design Lead
CreatorUp
Kristin Murner, the learning design lead at CreatorUp, has worked in traditional, online, and for-profit education for over 20 years. Her favorite projects have been teaching undergraduate marketing on an Army base, working with NYC public school teachers on SHSAT prep-course improvement, and quickly creating and co-hosting free educator-facing webinars to help teachers and faculty pivot to online learning during the COVID-19 shutdown. At CreatorUp, Kristin works cross-functionally to ensure all learning content is measurable, sticky, and awesome. She holds a BS in physics, an MBA in marketing, and an MSEd in instructional design and technology.
Presenting
SMM204 | A Proven Checklist Tool for Objective Program Evaluation
Dan Myers
Senior Manager of Staff Training
The Cheesecake Factory
Dan Myers is a senior manager of staff training for The Cheesecake Factory. Dan has more than 15 years of experience in all phases of learning and development, including managing the learning function, instructional design, multimedia development, and LMS administration. He brings many years of experience working with executive stakeholders to develop training programs that get results.
Presenting
Alan Natachu
Learning Experience Designer
Exact Sciences
Alan Natachu is a learning experience designer at Exact Sciences. He
shifted from an artist career, working with the likes of ABC/Disney and
the Smithsonian, to a learning and development career when he was
hired as a creative (aka technology trainer) at Apple. He then spent a
decade helping Madison College faculty enhance their classroom (face-
to-face, distance, and virtual) experiences using systems like
Telepresence, Webex Teams, and virtual reality. He now is creating new
learning and development experiences for Exact Sciences, an
international biomedical company at the forefront of life-changing
innovations in cancer diagnostics and precision oncology.
Presenting
Margharita Nehme
Learning Experience Specialist
Evident Learning
Margharita Nehme is a Certified Professional in Talent and Development (CPTD) and an accomplished learning design and technology specialist. She holds a Master's of Educational Technology and has over 15 years of experience in providing results-driven and impactful learning programs. Her expertise includes the creation, execution, and evaluation of training programs, message design, and 2D animation, as well as the evaluation, selection, and implementation of enterprise learning ecosystems.
Presenting
809 | The Quest for a New LMS
Kataryna Nemethy
eLearning Developer/Instructional Designer
Baycrest Health Sciences
Kataryna Nemethy is an eLearning developer and instructional designer at
Baycrest Health Sciences with years of experience in eLearning, instructional
design, and educational technologies. As a formally trained biomedical
illustrator and animator, she is passionate about the interface between
education, technology, and design—particularly when they come together to
produce a simple, effective, and good-looking product.
Presenting
STP202 | Ready, Set, Animate! Content Animation Options for Any Budget
Mark Nilles
Director, Learning and Impact
Humentum
Mark Nilles, a director of learning and impact at Humentum, is a learning professional with a nontraditional L&D background. His work has focused on introducing new teaching and learning approaches to the Humentum portfolio. Expanding the reach and impact of learning through eLearning is an important aspect of Mark’s work. His perspective is informed through years of training and capacity building for international development and humanitarian relief professionals around the world. Mark has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin¬¬–Madison and a master’s degree in international education from Florida State University.
Tammy Olson
Global Learning Program Manager
Donaldson Company
Tammy Olson, a global learning program manager at Donaldson Company, is
an experienced global learning leader and strategist with a passion for
developing learning strategies, infrastructures, and solutions that leverage
social, collaborative, virtual, and mobile learning technologies for Fortune 500
companies. Tammy continually looks for opportunities to innovate the way
people work by integrating learning and collaboration exactly where and when
it is needed. She has over 20 years’ experience creating technology-enabled
learning experiences to engage and develop high-performing, diverse
employee populations.
Presenting
607 | Designing a Flexible, Future-Focused Learning Infrastructure
TJ Palazzolo
Consulting Curriculum Developer
Oracle
TJ Palazzolo is a consulting curriculum developer for Oracle. TJ has spent the past 15 years consulting on and implementing training development and evaluation processes for the enterprise software industry, including the introduction and integration of eLearning tools, multimedia, and agile methodologies. TJ’s passions include visual learning and process improvement.
Presenting
Ajay Pangarkar
Performance Strategist, Author, Managing Partner
CentralKnowledge
Ajay Pangarkar is a Certified Professional Accountant and Certified
Training and Development Professional. He's a published author. His
third book is titled The Trainers Balanced Scorecard: A Complete
Resource for Linking Learning and Growth to Organizational
Strategy. Other books include The Trainers Portable
Mentor and Building Business Acumen for Trainers.
CentralKnowledge was recognized by TrainingMag in 2008 as Project
of the Year for their work with Apple. He's also an award-winning
writer winning the 2014 and 2015 prestigious TrainingIndustry.com
Readership and Editors' Award. Ajay was recently awarded Elearning
Magazine's 2016 Learning Champion. Ajay is a regular on the #1
Montreal Talk Radio morning show.
Tracy Parish
Education Technology Specialist
Parish Creative Solutions
Tracy Parish is an accomplished instructional designer, eLearning
developer, and consultant based in the Greater Toronto area. With a
unique blend of skills in computer programming, adult education, and
eLearning design/development, she has built a successful career in
instructional design. With over 18 years of experience in instructional
design, development, LMS implementation and administration, Tracy is a
respected figure in her field. She is a speaker, active Articulate
Community Hero, co-host of the Toronto Storyline User Group and
webcast Nerdy Shop Talk, the marketing director for the Canadian
eLearning Conference, and moderator of the monthly Twitter event
#lrnchat.
Presenting
511 | BYOD: Mastering Storyline Variables and Triggers
MB18 | Free eLearning Design Tools
STP104 | Essential Design and Development Tools—and They’re Free
Allen Partridge
Head, Digital Learning Evangelism
Adobe Systems
Dr. Allen Partridge is a learning addict with a rebellious spirit and a
passion for evidence-based reasoning. Allen served on the doctoral
faculties of The University of Georgia and Indiana University of
Pennsylvania before joining Adobe in 2007. As Adobe's Head of
Evangelism, Digital Learning Solutions, he provides guidance by
relating customer experiences and challenges to the product and
engineering teams that create Captivate, Presenter Video Express
(PVX), and Adobe's extraordinary new learning management system,
Adobe Captivate Prime. Allen is well recognized for his videos and
presentations to audiences around the world. He has published a host
of articles and a handful of books on topics ranging from critical
thinking for business training to 3D online game development.
Presenting
Louise Pasterfield
Managing Director
Sponge UK
Louise Pasterfield is the managing director of Sponge UK with more than 20
years’ experience in learning and design. Her focus is on making learning
absorbing so people can immediately apply what they have learned to the
workplace. She works with forward-thinking organizations to use advanced
technologies to deliver better performance. Louise regularly speaks at leading
exhibitions and conferences on eLearning developments, technology, and
learning solutions, sharing her knowledge and real-life experience with clients
around the world.
Presenting
Marie Paydon
Clinical Training Manager
AbbVie
Marie Paydon is a clinical training manager with AbbVie. She is a learning and
development professional with extensive experience and passion around
creating and elevating methods for organizational learning.
Presenting
307 | Evaluative Inquiry as a Catalyst for Learning and Change
Jeremy Pearce
Senior Manager - Design, Innovation, and Development
RBC—Royal Bank of Canada
Jeremy Pearce is a senior manager of design and innovation at the
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). He has a varied skillset with experience
in the creation of eLearning training programs, gamification, video
development, web design, graphic design, and animation. With over 10
years of experience, Jeremy and his team work to balance an
exceptional learner experience with the art of the possible.
Presenting
602 | Build Once, Deploy Anywhere: How RBC Is Leveraging Adapt Learning
Molly Petroff
Education Specialist
Saint Vincent Hospital
Molly Petroff, an education specialist at Saint Vincent Hospital, is the architect
of performance support (PS) at the hospital and has implemented several PS
solutions focusing on the moment of apply for health system associates. She
has worked in staff development for over 25 years, focusing the last 15 years
on online learning technologies and the last five years primarily on PS design
and development. She has authored numerous eLearning programs and PS
solutions for in-house delivery and for other institutions. Molly, an RN, holds a
BSN in nursing, an MEd in adult education, and certificates in eLearning
instructional design and 5MoN design.
Matthew Pierce
Learning & Video Ambassador
TechSmith
Matthew Pierce, learning & video ambassador from TechSmith, has
created videos for learning and marketing for over a decade. He is the
lead behind TechSmith Academy, a free platform teaching video and
image creation for business, which has been used by tens of thousands
of users. He is host of The Visual Lounge Podcast from TechSmith, which
streams live on Youtube and LinkedIn weekly. Matthew is a regular
speaker at multiple learning and development-focused conferences and
is a regular contributor to various training publications.
Presenting
Ron Price
Chief Learning Officer
Yukon Learning
Ron Price has over 35 years of experience in organizational effectiveness, leadership
coaching, instructional design, spiritual development, and experiential learning. His unique
background has allowed him to support a wide range of customers, from schools like Duke
University and Harvard Business School to multinational corporations like Sanofi, Amazon, BP,
and Pepsico. In 2002, Ron founded a consulting firm and challenge course devoted to increasing
organizational performance while developing authenticity and integrity. After joining Yukon, Ron
worked closely with the Articulate team to design the certified training programs for the Articulate
tools. He is a Guild Master.
Sean Putman
Vice President of Learning Development
Altair Engineering
Sean Putman, a partner in Learning Ninjas, has been an instructor, instructional designer, and developer for over 15 years. He has spent his career designing and developing training programs, both instructor-led and online, for many different industries, but he has had a strong focus on creating material for software companies. Sean has spent the last few years focusing on the use and deployment of the Experience API (xAPI) and its effect on learning interventions. He has spoken at industry conferences on the subject and is co-author of Investigating Performance, a book on using the Experience API and analytics to improve performance.
Presenting
P08 | xAPI Camp
Clark Quinn
Chief Learning Strategist
Upside Learning
Clark Quinn, PhD is the executive director of Quinnovation, co-director of the
Learning Development Accelerator, and chief learning strategist for Upside
Learning. With more than four decades of experience at the cutting edge of
learning, Dr. Quinn is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and
author of seven books. He combines a deep knowledge of cognitive science
and broad experience with technology into strategic design solutions that
achieve innovative yet practical outcomes for corporations, higher-education,
not-for-profit, and government organizations.
Presenting
201 | Creating Engaging Learning Experiences
F04 | Panel Discussion: The Evolution of Instructional Design
Lesley Reilly
Instructional Designer: Teachers College at WGU
Western Governors University
Lesley Reilly is an instructional designer for Teachers College at Western
Governors University. For 12 years prior to joining WGU, she worked for
EdTech Leaders Online (ETLO) collaborating with teams of instructional
designers, SMEs, and media specialists to help clients understand and meet
their educational needs through online learning. Lesley draws from her
experience as a classroom teacher to design and develop meaningful learning
experiences online. She has a master’s degree in educational technology from
the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a bachelor’s in elementary
education from the University of Michigan.
Presenting
STP204 | Getting It Done Yesterday: Rapid Development Processes for Tight Timelines
Karin Rex
Learning Experience Architect
Geeky Girl
Karin Rex is a learning experience architect at Geeky Girl as well as an author, facilitator, instructional designer, and frequent speaker on technology-related topics. Since 1989, Karin has owned Geeky Girl, a boutique learning
organization where she devotes her time to writing, teaching, and course
development (eLearning, virtual classroom, face-to-face classroom, and
blended). Karin is a certified synchronous facilitator, designer, and producer
with a master’s degree in professional writing. Additionally, Karin teaches
writing classes for Penn State University.
Presenting
Ray Reyes
Vice President—USA
Zinacle
Ray Reyes is a vice president, USA at Zinacle, where he oversees strategic direction for the US market for the Spanish-based translation and localization company. With offices in Boston and Atlanta, and production teams in Spain and Romania, Zinacle is a leader in providing translation and localization services to the learning and corporate training industry. Ray is a global speaker and author who has worked with Fortune 500 multinational companies, as well as small to medium enterprises, to develop successful multilingual learning strategies. He attended the University of Georgia, Shorter University’s MBA program, and Harvard Business School’s Aligning Strategy and Sales program.
Wendy Richard
Resort Operations Manager
Walt Disney World
Wendy Richard is a resort operations manager at Walt Disney World. A
media-trained, multilingual strategic thinker, he has accumulated
experience in a variety of areas across the Walt Disney World Resort
over the past 15 years, including learning and development, diversity,
recruitment, and theme parks as well as resort operations. He earned
his doctorate in organizational leadership with a specialization in
organizational development. Wendy’s primary research focus involves
social media and workplace learning. He currently serves as VP of
engagement at the Association for Talent Development (ATD) Central
Florida Chapter.
Debbie Richards
President
Creative Interactive Ideas
Debbie Richards, president of Creative Interactive Ideas, is a learning
architect, self-proclaimed geek, and early adopter of learning
technologies. For over 30 years, she has helped enterprise teams
design, develop, and deliver immersive learning programs with
measurable impact.
Passionate about working with and mentoring other learning
professionals, Debbie is a director at L&D Cares. The nonprofit group
provides talent development professionals with no-cost coaching,
mentoring, and resources to help them thrive and flourish in their
careers. She is the past president of the Association of Talent
Development, Houston chapter, and a past national advisor for
chapters. Debbie has authored two TD at Work guides, Seeing the
Possibilities With Augmented Reality and Preparing Your Organization
for New Technologies.
Presenting
Trina Rimmer
Director, Community and Customer Engagement
Articulate
As the director of community and customer engagement with Articulate, Trina uses her many years of eLearning design and development expertise to guide the creation of inspiring content for our community of workplace learning professionals, E-Learning Heroes. Before joining Articulate, Trina worked as an instructional designer, eLearning developer, and writer focused on delivering creative, engaging, and effective learning solutions to various companies, from global aid organizations to Fortune 500s.
Presenting
101 | eLearning Boot Camp: All the Basics You Need to Get Started
Myra Roldan
Program Manager, Technical Curriculum
Amazon Web Services
Myra is an L&D thought leader who brings a unique mix of technical,
business, and adult education expertise to the game. She is a TEDx
speaker, author, and technical designer who has won awards for her
learning designs. Her superpower is her natural ability to make complex
technical subjects easy to understand by breaking them down in a way
that makes it easy to consume and move forward with action. She
strives to evoke transformation by doing her part to decolonize
technology. Myra works at Amazon and she has earned a Bachelor of
Computer Science, MSEd, and an MBA.
Presenting
Ann Rollins
VP, Custom Solutions and Chief Solutions Architect
The Ken Blanchard Companies
Ann Rollins is a modern learning champion with nearly 30 years of industry
experience helping form and execute learning and leadership development
strategy for Fortune and Global 500 companies. Unintimidated by global scale,
she always has her eyes on the technology horizon and helps clients consider
how the technology in our hands outside of work today may have a place
inside the learning ecosystem tomorrow. She takes a practical, design
thinking approach to support clients as they transform what leadership
development (and learning in general) happens in their organizations, and
help drive plans to innovate to prepare for what's next.
Presenting
Anita Rosen
President
ReadyGo
Anita Rosen, the president of ReadyGo, is a 20-plus-year Silicon Valley
executive who specializes in project management and eLearning. She has
authored Project Management: Integrating Agile Scrum into the
Waterfall Process; Project Management: Getting Mobile Apps Connected to Big
Data Out On Time and On Budget; e-Learning 2.0; Effective IT Project
Management; and The e-Commerce Question and Answer Book.
Presenting
P05 | Project Managing eLearning: The Best of Waterfall and Scrum
Marc Rosenberg
President
Marc Rosenberg and Associates
Dr. Marc Rosenberg is a global expert and speaker in training,
organizational learning, eLearning, knowledge management, and
performance improvement. He has written two best-selling books,
E-Learning, and Beyond E-Learning. His 100 monthly
columns, “Marc My Words,” appeared in The eLearning Guild’s
Learning Solutions magazine from 2010 through 2018 and
are still available online. Marc is past president and honorary life
member of the International Society for Performance Improvement, is
an eLearning Guild “Guild Master,” has spoken at the White House,
debated eLearning’s future at Oxford University, keynoted conferences
around the world, authored over 200 columns, articles, white papers,
and book chapters, and is frequently quoted in major trade
publications. Learn more at www.marcrosenberg.com.
Margaret Roth
Chief Customer Experience Officer
Yet Analytics
Margaret Roth is the chief customer experience officer at Yet Analytics, a Baltimore-based company that provides tools and solutions to improve learning and talent development. Margaret is interested in the development and design of connected learning environments that leverage xAPI and blended learning. Her background is in experiential education, curriculum design, teaching, and team development. She is the VP of community impact for the Junior League of Baltimore, a member of the SXSWedu Advisory Board, and a co-founder of EdTechWomen. Margaret received her BA in English and environmental earth science and her MA in teaching from Johns Hopkins University.
Presenting
Steve Rozillis
Head of Customer Evangelism
Panopto
Steve Rozillis is part of the team at Panopto, helping L&D professionals to convert general interest in video into concrete, practical applications for video-enabled training, communications, social learning, and knowledge management programs. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Duquesne University. A father of two children under 8, his hobbies today include a surprising number of arts and crafts projects.
Presenting
Danny Ryan
Director, Technical Training
Autodesk
Danny Ryan is a director of technical training and development at Autodesk,
focusing on both the horizontal development of engineers as they add new
technical skills and vertical development where learners grow their technical
leadership skills. Danny is an electronic engineer who has worked at Philips
(NL), DEC, and Cypress Semiconductor before coming to Autodesk. He made
the transition from engineering and engineering management to learning and
development about 10 years ago. Danny has implemented several major
programs, including a six-week engineering boot camp and a virtual
leadership development pilot.
John Sangimino
Senior Learning Solutions Expert
McKinsey & Company
John Sangimino is a senior learning solutions expert with McKinsey’s Learning
Design and Development Center of Excellence. He has more than 20 years of
experience designing and developing immersive learning solutions for clients,
including responsive model-based simulations. John works with McKinsey
practices to develop learning strategies and implement learning solutions,
including virtual and augmented reality.
Jenny Saucerman
Online Learning Instructional Design Manager
Credit Union National Association
Jenny Saucerman is an online learning instructional design manager for Credit
Union National Association. She joined CUNA in May 2018. Jenny has over 10
years of experience in the eLearning space, with a focus on simulation and
game-based learning, assessment, and learning analytics. She holds a
master's degree in educational psychology from the University of Wisconsin-
Madison.
Presenting
Ezzy Schesvold
Senior Instructional Designer
Karmak
Ezzy Schesvold is a senior instructional designer at Karmak. With five years of
experience on Karmak’s eLearning team, Ezzy has a passion for creating
engaging, meaningful, effective coursework. She holds a degree in art from
Blackburn College and takes every opportunity to bring her creative vision to
Karmak’s eLearning.
Presenting
Linda Schwaber-Cohen
Head of Training
Skilljar
Linda Schwaber is head of training at Skilljar. Her expertise lies in building
and growing onboarding and training programs at software startups. After
teaching for several years in K-12 and university settings, she shifted gears
and began to develop programs to help customers adopt and see the value in
B2B software purchases. Prior to joining Skilljar, a Seattle-based customer
onboarding and training platform, Linda managed customer onboarding and
enablement at Simply Measured, a social media analytics SaaS company.
Presenting
Hugh Seaton
GM
Adept Reality
Hugh Seaton is GM of Adept Reality, a software company focused on
using VR/AR in adult learning. Prior to Adept, Hugh founded AquinasVR,
a VR/AR software company which he sold to the Glimpse Group, parent
of Adept. Hugh’s focus, whether in immersive technologies, IoT or
artificial intelligence, is on the intersection of learning science, creativity,
and the cutting edge technologies that can bring learning to new levels
of effectiveness.
Presenting
806 | Using Mobile Devices for Continuous Learning
Dustin Shell
Director of Innovation
TiER1
Dustin Shell, a director of innovation at TiER1, is passionate about people, learning, and technology (in that order). He loves combining these to help people do their best work and fulfill their potential. Dustin pushes the limits of technology to help people and organizations grow and connect. He has a strong background in multimedia production, eLearning authoring, instructional design, curriculum design, and learning strategy, and he has experience helping organizations scale their culture through onboarding, leadership development, and social intranets. Dustin is also a published author and speaker on topics such as learning space design, scaffolding and motivation, designing online communities, and gamification.
Presenting
Michael Sheyahshe
Founder and Technologist
aNm
Michael Sheyahshe, a founder and technologist at aNm, has a vast
breadth of experience in information technology, eLearning, and
innovation spanning two decades and several industries. His extensive
career encompasses design and development of various eLearning and
training content, specializing in animation, simulations, and interactive
content. Michael is an expert in numerous 3-D software tools, game
engines, programming languages, mobile devices, platforms, and coding
frameworks. He holds two bachelor of arts degrees from the University
of Oklahoma in film and Native American studies, and a master of fine
arts degree in 3-D modeling from the Academy of Art University.
Presenting
Cherie Simmons
Storyboard Project Manager
Artisan E-Learning
Cherie Simmons is a storyboard project manager at Artisan E-Learning with
over 25 years of experience in training, strategic planning, coaching, and
curriculum development. Organizations have turned to her to build full
curriculums and facilitate tailored workshops. Cherie has designed and led
entire school districts and companies through high-level strategic planning.
While each strategic process is unique, she crafts them all to deliver creative
approaches, strong ownership, realistic plans, and effective outcomes. Her
approach to instructional design and writing eLearning content is no different.
Cherie recently joined Artisan E-Learning, where she oversees the writing and
direction of storyboards developed for clients.
Presenting
SDD204 | Converting Existing Training Materials into Meaningful Learning Programs
Mike Simmons
Founder
Catalyst A.C.T.S
Mike Simmons is an enabler and a coach. He helps leaders and professionals
breakthrough the challenge of second-guessing their work. He does this
through a combination of frameworks, process, tools, and thinking. He takes a
beginner's mind approach to the work he does, starting with questions
informed by experience, practice, and doing the work. Possessing more than
two decades of operations, consulting, customer success, sales, sales
operations leadership experience; 15 of those years were in the EdTech space
where Mike helped numerous clients achieve success through the application
of innovative technology to their learning, skills development, and behavior
change challenges.
Presenting
SMM106 | Knowing Your Business: Using Context to Improve Success
Heather Snyder
Director of Instructional Design
Endurance Learning
Heather Snyder, a director of instructional design at Endurance Learning, is a
passionate learner who started her career as a computer geek on a helpdesk.
Always driven by her appetite to find the best ways to absorb new
information, Heather discovered a passion for training. After spending eight
years as an informal trainer, she began her role as an eLearning designer and
developer in 2013, which led to her current role at Endurance Learning.
Jennifer Solberg
CEO
Quantum Improvements Consulting
Jennifer Solberg, PhD, is the founder and CEO of Quantum Improvements Consulting (QIC), an Orlando-based firm specializing in the application of emerging technology to training for complex skills. A cognitive psychologist by trade, her work focuses on how to design, develop, implement, and evaluate training technology for the Department of Defense and other clients. At QIC, she leads a growing team of learning science professionals. In addition to her many peer-reviewed publications, her work has been featured in The New York Times, the Pentagon Channel, and Signal Magazine.
Presenting
Logan Stahler
Instructional Technologist
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
Logan Stahler is an instructional technologist for CLPD at Dartmouth-
Hitchcock Medical Center, where he designs and develops online learning.
With an eye for learner-centric design and a technical capacity for video
production, he has contributed to the breadth of capabilities that the learning
technology team lends to the organization. Before joining D-H, Logan helped
establish the online RN degree program at Vermont Technical College. A
former high school English teacher, he holds a bachelor of science in
education from the University of Vermont and a master of education from
Southern New Hampshire University.
Presenting
807 | Inspiring Competence and Confidence Using Video: A Case Study
Caitlin Steinbach Locke
Learning Strategist/Project Manager
AstraZeneca
Caitlin Steinbach Locke, learning strategist/project manager at
AstraZeneca, is an instructional designer by trade and learning
enthusiast by design. Caitlin has worked with clients in higher education,
commercial real estate, and government contracting. Caitlin holds a MS
Ed in adult education/human resource development with a concentration
in instructional design, and is currently pursuing her CPLP designation.
Nina Talley Everflow
Senior Program Manager
EnCompass
Nina Talley Everflow is a senior program manager at EnCompass,
where she manages a portfolio of international projects, weaving in
her expertise in designing and managing virtual spaces for
collaboration and learning. Nina has a dozen years of experience in
program management and coordination in the areas of international
development, training, and education; she has provided
multifaceted program support for United Nations and US
government agencies and private universities. At EnCompass, her
favorite aspect of the job is managing an international team of
producers to support the company’s growing VILT deliveries across
various time zones and languages.
Craig Taylor
Customer Success Manager
HT2 Labs
Craig Taylor, a customer success manager for HT2 Labs, has been
involved in the training/L&D field since 1993, when he cut his teeth in
the training-delivery world while serving in the British Army. His
subsequent learning and development roles have been in the rail,
nuclear, healthcare, and financial sectors, where he has worked to help
organizations understand the value that current and emerging
technologies can bring.
Deborah Thomas
President
Silly Monkey
Deborah Thomas, the president of Silly Monkey, consults on game-based and
traditional learning, mLearning, and eLearning. Among her many honors,
Deborah received the 2011 Fun and Serious Games Award for Europe, the
2009 Dugan Laird Award, and the 2009 ASTD Atlanta E-Learning Excellence
Award. She has contributed to several books, and has served in leadership
roles for the Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Game Developers Association,
ASTD Atlanta, the Technology Association of Georgia Workplace Learning
Society, and the North American Simulation and Gaming Association. Deborah
earned a BA degree in journalism and education from the University of South
Florida and holds numerous training certificates.
Presenting
804 | Rapid Learning Game Development: How to Create a Board Game Fast
Kevin Thorn
Director of Development
Artisan E-Learning
Kevin Thorn holds an EdD in instructional design and technologies and is
an award-winning eLearning designer and developer. He is the director of
development for Artisan E-Learning, and principal owner of NuggetHead
Studioz, LLC., a boutique studio specializing in consulting and developing
custom learning experiences.
Kevin combines his skills in technology, instructional design, eLearning
development, illustration, graphic design, animation, video, and
educational comics to develop innovative learning solutions. He is a well-
known industry speaker and trainer in visual communication, eLearning
development, and design workflows and is a certified facilitator in LEGO®
Serious Play® methodologies.
?
Chris Tompkins
Vice President of Business Development
Rustici Software
Chris Tompkins is the Director of Sales for Rustici Software and Watershed, a company that provides software to improve compatibility across the L&D ecosystem. He is an expert in standards (like SCORM and xAPI) and uses his technical expertise to support eLearning RFP and procurement. Chris has an MBA from Belmont University, focused on Entrepreneurship and Negotiations. Building on previous work at HP/Compaq and XM Satellite Radio, he has over fifteen years of experience matching the right technical solution to a client's needs.
Presenting
Megan Torrance
CEO
TorranceLearning
Megan Torrance is CEO and founder of TorranceLearning, which helps
organizations connect learning strategy to design, development, data, and
ultimately performance. She has more than 25 years of experience in learning
design, deployment, and consulting . Megan and the TorranceLearning team
are passionate about sharing what works in learning, so they devote
considerable time to teaching and sharing about Agile project management for
learning experience design and the xAPI. She is the author of Agile for
Instructional Designers, The Quick Guide to LLAMA, and
Making Sense of xAPI. Megan is also an eCornell Facilitator in
the Women's Executive Leadership curriculum.
Donna Tortorella
Director of Project Management & Instructional Design, Asset Management Talent Development
Fidelity Investments
Donna Tortorella is a director of project management and instructional design
at Fidelity Investments. She has more than 16 years of experience in the
learning and development industry, with areas of focus that include
performance consulting, instructional design, assessment design, project
management, and operations and resource management. Donna studied
educational psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, and
communication theory and marketing at the University of Pennsylvania. At
Fidelity Investments, she provides oversight and guidance on design,
development, and implementation of a range of learning solutions for varied
associate populations.
Presenting
STP107 | Creating Robust Onboarding with the Tools You Already Have: A Case Study
Christy Tucker
Learning Experience Design Consultant
Syniad Learning
Christy Tucker is a learning experience design consultant with over 20 years of
experience helping people learn. She specializes in using scenario-based
learning to engage audiences and promote skill transfer to real-world
environments. She has created training for a wide range of clients, including
Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit associations, state and local government
agencies, universities, and more. Christy has been blogging about
instructional design and eLearning for over 15 years and is a regular speaker
at industry conferences and events.
Presenting
Chris Van Wingerden
Sr VP Learning Solutions
dominKnow Learning Systems
Chris Van Wingerden is Sr. VP Learning Solutions at dominKnow Learning Systems, where he leads dominKnow's content and its training and client success teams. In his almost 20 years with dominKnow, Chris has helped create hundreds of hours of online learning programs, from traditional eLearning courses to immersive game-based designs, as well as working in responsive design projects to meet mobile device needs. Chris is also co-host of the popular weekly live video session and podcast, Instructional Designers in Offices Drinking Coffee (#IDIODC). Chris has a BA in adult education and a BA in English literature.
Presenting
Bob Verini
Director, Academic Quality
Kaplan Test Prep
Bob Verini is a director of academic quality in Kaplan Test Prep’s learning
science department, with 35 years of experience in creating and delivering
instruction in on-site and online classroom environments. For the last decade
he has been teaching online courses exclusively, and he created the
company’s first training program to help veteran teachers understand and
absorb the best practices of the new medium. An accomplished journalist for
Daily Variety and other publications, Bob is often recognized for his
appearances on Jeopardy! as the winner of 1987’s Tournament of Champions
and a veteran of numerous invitational tournaments.
Presenting
SMM204 | A Proven Checklist Tool for Objective Program Evaluation
Bethany Vogel
Instructional Designer
GP Strategies
Bethany Vogel is an instructional designer with GP Strategies, where she
engineers high-value, online learning experiences. She is a thought leader
inside and outside the company, employing learner empathy and neuroscience
to fuel insights and designs. Bethany guides businesses like Cigna, the
Biosecurity Research Institute, and Titleist through collaborative and agile
development processes to create learning programs with bottom-line business
impacts. Her programs often include elements of spaced, micro, and social
learning.
Presenting
1010 | Shattering Preconceived Notions: cMOOCs Can Be Effective!
Lisa Wahl
Project Manager
John Deere
Lisa Wahl is a Project Manager with the John Deere Power Systems Worldwide Training Department. In this position she works closely with the development team to connect content and users with the LMS as well as the development of communication and marketing for JDPS training curriculum. Lisa works with multiple cross-divisional teams to ensure alignment across the enterprise in regard to training content accessibility, user experience and communication. Lisa is currently pursuing her degree in Communication from the University of Norther Iowa.
Presenting
312 | Reaching More Learners with Virtual Instructor-Led Training
Alexander Walker
Senior Director, Learning Research and Design
MedStar Health Simulation Training and Education Lab
Alexander Walker is a senior director of learning research and design at MedStar Health Simulation Training and Education Lab, which is the educational development organization of one of the largest healthcare systems in the mid-Atlantic. He holds a PhD in human factors psychology from Clemson University. Early in his career, Alex engaged in research examining the effects of learning in different simulation environments on the impacts of performance and the development of motion sickness. His other research experience includes the investigation of team performance, the psychophysiological assessment of the workload and performance of individuals and teams.
Presenting
Danielle Wallace
Chief Learning Strategist
Beyond the Sky
Danielle Wallace is the chief learning strategist at Beyond the Sky: Custom
Learning. Previously, as a marketing leader with Procter & Gamble and
PepsiCo, she learned strategic marketing principles which she now applies to
learning and development to create compelling breakthrough solutions.
Danielle is a sought after speaker at global conferences and her thought
leadership is found in numerous industry magazines and publications.
Presenting
207 | Lasting Impact! When Marketing Strategies Meet Learning Solutions
Nick Washburn
Chief Product Officer
5th Logic
Nick Washburn, Chief Product Officer at 5th Logic, has over 15 years
of experience working with high-tech entrepreneurs, in distance learning, and
for some of the world’s top brands. Nick is a member of the workgroup that
created the Experience API (xAPI), and he continues to work in and be
involved in research and development for xAPI/LRS strategies for today’s
learning enterprise. Since 2005, Nick has led the development of award-
winning distance learning solutions used by the Fortune 50/500 and US
Department of Defense.
Duncan Welder
Director of Client Services
RISC
Duncan Welder is a director of client services for RISC. He is an educational
technology geek, having spent over 20 years implementing learning
management systems, domestically and abroad, to manage regulatory
compliance. As an xAPI evangelist with a career grounded in instructional
design and eLearning, Duncan has provided presentations to professional
organizations including the Connections Forum, The Learning Guild, and the
Association for Talent Development. Duncan is an active member of the
Houston ATD, currently serving as director of special interest groups.
Art Werkenthin
President
RISC
Art Werkenthin, president of RISC, built his first learning management system
(LMS) in 1988 and now has over 25 years' experience working with LMS in the
oil and gas, retail, finance, and other industries. Art is keenly interested in the
xAPI specification, and RISC was an early adopter of this technology.
Interested in expanding the xAPI to the LMS, Art has served for the past three
years on the ADL cmi5 committee. In 2015, RISC demonstrated the first
implementation of a cmi5 runtime engine embedded in its LMS. Art has
presented on cmi5 at several conferences, including mLearnCon, DevLearn,
and xAPI Camp.
Presenting
212 | State of the Industry: cmi5 Support in Authoring Tools and LMS
Jake White
CEO/Founder
Torch LMS
Jake White spent 10 years directing learning, including the use of multiple LMSs. Since 2010, he has served as the CEO/Founder of Torch LMS. He brings unique insights to this subject, having experienced LMS purchasing as a buyer and an LMS provider. He is a Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP), accredited through the Association for Talent Development.
Presenting
Paige Winn
L&D Specialist
FHI 360
Paige Winn is a senior learning and development specialist based at FHI 360
headquarters in North Carolina. When she’s not managing instructional design
and eLearning initiatives, she enjoys her favorite work role: facilitating
meaningful and lively workshops across the globe to make learning more
impactful.
Bianca Woods
Customer Advocacy Manager
Articulate
Bianca Woods is a customer advocacy manager at Articulate. Her past
experience includes working on the community and event programming for
the Learning Guild, learning and communications roles at BMO Financial
Group, and teaching art. Bianca is passionate about how visual design and
multimedia can help people learn, loves test-driving new technology, and
collects photos of bizarre warning signs.
Fabian Zender
Innovation and Performance Engineer
The Boeing Company
Fabian Zender is an innovation and performance engineer at the Boeing
Company. He has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace
engineering from Georgia Tech, and a passion for data analytics and learning.
Fabian leads a multi-university capstone program sponsored by Boeing. He
was a product owner for the development of learning solutions supporting the
777X, and is the lead for data analytics within the learning organization.
Fabian led the development of standard video processes and templates for
learning solutions. He is responsible for technical and data architecture to
support learning for the enterprise-wide implementation of software spanning
finance, engineering, and manufacturing.
Presenting
