2025 Sessions

Sessions are organized by presenter first names below.  The full schedule will become available soon.

You can click any speaker's image to visit their LinkedIn profile. 

Earn up to 6 CE credits toward your APTD/CPTD

Build Your Brand with Short Form Video

Annette Richmond, MA, Content Marketing & Video Strategy Trainer  

In today’s competitive landscape, video is one of the fastest ways to build visibility, trust, and brand authority. But getting started can feel overwhelming.

In this session, you’ll learn how to create short-form video content that strengthens your professional presence — whether you're ready to be on camera or not. We'll cover practical strategies for choosing video styles that fit your comfort level, simple tools that make recording and editing manageable, and tips for presenting yourself naturally without complicated equipment or production.

You’ll also discover how short-form video fits into a broader brand strategy. We will touch briefly on how podcast guesting can expand your reach if you prefer speaking to filming.

This session is designed for professionals who want to grow their brand, connect with their audience, and stay adaptable without needing to become video production experts.

You’ll leave with practical ideas you can put into action right away, building a stronger, more visible brand presence on platforms like LinkedIn and beyond.

The Shifting Landscape of L&D – What’s Your Next Career Move?

Cammy Bean, Senior Solutions Consultant, Kineo

"We’re in the midst of some profound change happening in the L&D field, with the opportunities provided by Gen AI tilting the boat for many of us who’ve been doing what we’re good at for so many years. Many of us found our way to the L&D field quite by accident, finding our way onto a training team because of our deep subject matter expertise, our writing or facilitation skills, our technical chops, or some other creative talent that was needed to support training content development. So where do we re-skill and up-skill, lest we find ourselves under-skilled and obsolete? How do we stay connected to those core aspects of our own identities that pulled us to work in this field while continuing to provide value to organizations?

Let’s have a frank discussion about what’s next for us as individuals and professionals. We’ll workshop different tools to consider our strengths and weaknesses and reflect on the directions in which we want to move. Whether you are exploring your own career path in L&D or leading a team of L&D practitioners with an eye to their future development, together we'll create a clearer vision on direction and heading for what’s next as we chart a course into the vast and unknown future of talent development."

“It’s Not Easy Being Green”: The Tao of Kermit and the Art of Human-Centered Leadership

Chris Curtin, CEO, Connected Approach Partners

"In an era where leaders are navigating relentless change, complex teams, and rising pressure to perform, the need for emotionally intelligent, human-centered leadership has never been greater. Enter Kermit the Frog—a surprisingly profound model of what it means to lead with empathy, humility, bravery, and courage.

In this thought-provoking and refreshingly original workshop, Chris Curtin—CEO of Connected Approach Partners—invites attendees to explore The Tao of Kermit, drawing leadership lessons from one of pop culture’s most beloved and quietly powerful figures. From managing chaos with calm to lifting others up while staying true to one’s voice, Kermit shows us that leading with heart is not a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage.

Attendees will leave with a renewed understanding of what it means to lead in today’s world: embracing emotional courage, elevating the team above ego, and navigating ambiguity without losing their center. If you’re tired of leadership frameworks that forget the human behind the title, this session offers a welcome—and practical—reframe. Attendees will walk away inspired and equipped with real tools for creating trust, resilience, and results through the art of human leadership."

Got Data?

Dr. Miko Nino, Assistant Vice President for Adult and Online Education and Adjunct Faculty at Rhode Island College

This workshop will focus on how data can be best used during all stages of the learning and development function. Data are usually only used during some tasks and steps of learning and development, so this workshop will explore how data can be used at all time to back up and inform decisions. Participants will learn how to find, evaluate, interpret, and use reliable data to be more effective. In addition, participants will complete an action plan with specific strategies to use data.

Design Thinking for Human-Centered Leadership

Dr. Reda Othman, Ed.D, MBTI Master Practitioner

In a time when leaders are asked to do more with less, human-centered leadership offers a practical path forward. This hands-on session equips participants with the tools of design thinking — empathy, ideation, and rapid prototyping — to tackle real leadership challenges in innovative and inclusive ways.

Participants will reframe persistent workplace problems through a new lens, practice empathy-building tools that deepen their understanding of team needs, and prototype simple strategies to test and scale. Whether leading a department, a school, or a team of professionals, attendees will leave with a repeatable process they can immediately apply to drive clarity, creativity, and connection.

This session is ideal for talent development professionals, learning leaders, and organizational changemakers who want to inspire trust, solve problems collaboratively, and spark innovation — not just manage it.

The Loneliness Factor. Transforming a Well-being Challenge Into a Strategic Business Priority

Elizabeth Neves, Certified Instructional Designer, Master Facilitator, and Mental Health First Aid Instructor

As we look to innovate and thrive in the next chapter of work, it’s time to confront an often-overlooked challenge: loneliness. It’s not just a personal issue—it’s a cultural and leadership blind spot impacting engagement, productivity, and learning. And it’s not limited to remote workers. In fact, some of the loneliest people in our organizations are working-age adults—many of them married with children—quietly struggling in full offices and busy teams.

This session equips Learning and Development professionals with insights and strategies to recognize and respond to loneliness as a barrier to professional growth. You’ll learn the latest data on workplace loneliness and why it’s rising, even in connected environments. We’ll explore how inclusive collaboration, leadership modeling, and a growth mindset can help build cultures of connection where all employees—not just the outspoken or extroverted—can thrive.

You’ll walk away with practical tools to design learning experiences and project dynamics that support inclusion, belonging, and resilience. Because the next chapter of work demands more than innovation—it requires human connection.

Mind the Gap: Writing Your Next Chapter

Erica Holthausen, Founder, Catchline Communications

Writing articles for industry publications like TD Magazine is a powerful way to elevate your professional standing and influence in the talent development community. Whether you’re looking to advance your career or build your consulting practice, this interactive workshop provides practical tools to help you identify and shape important conversations about the future of work.

Using NotebookLM, you'll learn to identify meaningful gaps in industry discourse and develop targeted article ideas that address emerging challenges. Through guided demonstrations, you'll discover how to analyze existing content, uncover overlooked topics, and craft articles that showcase your distinctive perspective while contributing to industry conversations rather than adding to the noise. You’ll leave with a customized roadmap to guide the development of an article you can pitch to a talent development publication.

Streamline Learning Design with AI

Jason Van Orden, Digital Entrepreneur & Learning Strategist

Imagine having a custom AI that thinks like you, helping you turn your IP, frameworks, and content into scalable, high-impact learning experiences with more speed and less effort, without losing your unique voice or sacrificing quality and results.

As AI reshapes learning design, the opportunity to streamline development and expand your impact has never been greater for those who know how to leverage it effectively.

This isn’t about AI replacing your expertise or writing content for you. It’s about using AI to elevate and accelerate your thinking and creation by aligning powerful tools like ChatGPT with your goals and process—no coding required.

In this hands-on workshop, you will:

  • Learn how to use AI as a thinking and creating partner to design, create, and repurpose content with greater impact and efficiency.
  • Identify high-leverage ways AI can streamline your learning design, optimize development, and accelerate production.
  • Create a Strategic Plan and Implementation Roadmap to integrate custom AI into your learning workflows, scaling your impact efficiently.

This workshop is designed for learning and development professionals, instructional designers, and expert trainers who want to optimize learning design, streamline content development, and scale their impact without sacrificing quality.

Thriving Through Software Implementation

Jennifer Cozine, CPTD, Talent Development Leader & Software Training Strategist 

Successful software implementation isn’t just about technology, it’s about people, training, and adoption. This session is designed specifically for training and learning professionals who play a crucial role in guiding organizations through new software transitions.

Led by a former Software Implementation Trainer, this session dives into strategies, best practices, and real-world insights to ensure smooth rollouts and effective user adoption. Learn how to streamline learning processes, determine the best learning methodology and method, and what to avoid when implementing new software.

Whether you’re supporting a rollout, managing the software training, or advising leadership on adoption strategies, this session will equip you with practical tools to make software implementation seamless and impactful. Walk away with a list of tools for success, strategies to plan training, key vendor questions, and insights for successful vendor partnerships for learning and adoption success.

SNAK 2.0: Grow, Adapt, and Thrive Future-proof your success by harnessing the power of your SNAKs!

Lisa Crockett, Director of Education and Instructional Design for the Merchant Advisory Group

In a future where adaptability defines success, personal and professional growth must evolve in tandem.

This updated take on my SNAK framework (Skills, Network, Activities, Knowledge) challenges attendees to explore how intentional development builds not only careers but resilience. We'll connect SNAK principles directly to thriving in uncertain environments—at work and in life.

Participants will engage in reflection, discussion, and a rapid-action design activity to build their next chapter of growth. You’ll leave with a personalized map of how to strengthen your skills, expand your influence, and create authentic opportunities for success.

Awkward to Awesome: Words that Welcome

 Monique St. Paul, Adjunct Professor and Operations Manager in Psychology Training

No learning designer wants to intentionally exclude one learner, or worse, a whole section of individuals.

This session focuses on inclusive language to limit making participants feel disengaged or frustrated because they don’t feel included when the room is addressed or they don’t see themselves reflected in the content. Participants will practice identifying common phrases that unintentionally exclude, and review resources on all-inclusive phrasing as well as where to find visual assets.

Lastly, participants will discuss how to highlight the benefits of making this a priority in programs.

Talent Development Career Pathways

Morgean Hirt, Director of Credentialing, Association for Talent Development

The objectives of the session focuses on helping professions better understand roles in talent development and explore the key responsibilities and skills needed for a role. It also increases one’s understanding of how an individual’s skill set matches with what a new role demands (i.e. helps one identify what gaps one may have when thinking about pursuing a new role). Moreover, the session is designed for those who are transitioning into the field as well as those seeking what are the possible next steps in their career journey in Talent Development and is based on research. Accordingly, the session will have actionable insights for attendees.

Not Dead Yet: Reinventing Middle Managers as Engines of Change

Nancy Settle-Murphy, President, Guided Insights

Middle managers aren’t obsolete. They’re underestimated. Elevate them, and you accelerate everything.

In an era of AI, flattening org charts, and fast change, many companies are cutting back on manager roles. But the smartest organizations are doing the opposite: redefining and retooling this essential layer to become drivers of innovation, agility, and resilience.

In this highly interactive session, we’ll explore how to empower middle managers to lead, not just supervise. Using real-world data, scenario-based learning, and peer collaboration, we’ll rethink what the role should be and what skills managers need to thrive.

Participants will map the shift from compliance to coaching, from supervision to strategy, and from information relay to influence. You’ll gain hands-on practice with frameworks that enable middle managers to lead change across boundaries, guide teams through transformation, and serve as translators between technology and people.

Whether you're supporting line managers, designing leadership programs, or reimagining structure, you’ll walk away with tools and insights to help your middle managers become the force multipliers your organization needs next.

ahul Singh, Senior General Manager and Poonam Jaypuria, VP eLearning at Harbinger Group

Designing an AI (Artificial Intelligence) based Learning Ecosystem for Talent Development

In this session you’ll learn how to implement AI enabled virtual coach for establishing a continuous process of tal

Leading for Sustained Measurement

Peggy Parskey, President, Parskey Consulting and Co-author of "Learning Analytics, 2nd Edition, Measurement Demystified" and "The Measurement Demystified Field Guide"

Measurement initiatives often start strong but fade without leadership engagement and support to sustain them. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore the critical roles leaders play in building enduring measurement practices that drive business outcomes. Participants will learn how to anchor measurement to strategy, model data-driven decision making, foster trust and transparency, and build measurement capability across their organizations.

Attendees will complete a short leadership diagnostic to assess their current practices and identify strengths and growth areas. Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, they will discover specific leadership behaviors that help create a culture where measurement becomes a valued, lasting capability. By the end of the session, participants will walk away with practical strategies they can immediately apply to champion sustainable, high-impact measurement in their organizations.

Leaders have the power to make or break measurement success. This workshop equips them with the perspective and methods to ensure measurement efforts thrive — not just today, but for the long haul.

Agile Minds, Thriving Teams: Reimagine learning to meet the moment

Rosemary Okoiti, CPTD, CPC, Founder & CEO, Rosemary Okoiti Consulting

In a world where change is constant, talent development professionals are being asked to do more with less—faster. Burnout, disengagement, and outdated learning models are just a few of the roadblocks to thriving teams.

In this fast-paced, one-hour session, we’ll explore how an agile mindset and simple, innovative learning practices can help you meet today’s demands and prepare for tomorrow. Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, you’ll gain practical strategies to:

  • Rethink development using adaptive, just-in-time learning
  • Cultivate psychological safety and continuous feedback
  • Activate agility within your teams—without overwhelming them

You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what agility looks like in action, and tangible ideas to boost engagement, drive performance, and re-energize your learning culture. If you're ready to lead the next chapter of talent development, this session is for you.

Boosting Internal Trainer Effectiveness

Sarah Martin, CPTD, Sr. Manager, Withum

In today's workplace, organizations increasingly rely on their subject matter experts (SMEs) and client-facing professionals to deliver critical training. While these internal trainers possess deep expertise, they often lack formal training in instructional design and facilitation. This can lead to challenges when they are tasked to lead training programs.

How can we ensure that these trainers provide high-quality, engaging, and impactful learning experiences, especially when L&D resources may be stretched thin? Whether you're starting a new trainer program or refining an existing one, this session will offer practical strategies to:

  • Develop Comprehensive Trainer Support Systems: Blend structure with flexibility to create a supportive environment for trainers.
  • Equip Trainers with Essential Tools: Provide SMEs and business-side trainers with the resources they need to deliver effective training.
  • Focus on Behavior Change: Ensure that training goes beyond knowledge transfer to foster meaningful behavior change.

We'll explore how to build an approach to internal trainer development, covering everything from intake and onboarding to coaching, resources, and ongoing feedback. You'll leave with actionable tools to implement in your organization, whether you're starting from scratch or looking to enhance an informal internal trainer network.

Redefining Workplace Connections for Innovation

Stefanie Heiter, Founder & CEO, Bridging Distance

Is your organization still fighting against digital distance instead of leveraging it for innovation? Our research reveals that proximity alone doesn’t drive distance. Safety. and meaningful connections do, regardless of where work happens.

Drawing from our extensive research, we'll explore how organizations can create authentic connections that transcend physical boundaries. You'll discover why some digital teams actually outperform their in-person counterparts in innovation and focus.

Through interactive exercises and real-world case studies. You'll learn:

  • How to identify and nurture key relationships that foster psychological safety in digital environments.
  • Practical strategies for creating disciplined connection routines using our own proven model.
  • Evidence based approaches to combat digital fatigue while enhancing team innovation.

If You Give a Robot a Story: Humanizing AI-Generated Content

Stephanie Hubka, CPTD, Managing Partner, Protos Learning

AI is transforming how we source content, but only humans have the essential skill needed for impactful experiences. This hands-on session explores how you can infuse AI-generated content with storytelling techniques to create truly memorable training. We'll look at a model, tools, and strategies to bring your AI-generated content to life!

Never Mind Training; Are You Providing the Right Performance Support and Interventions?

Toddi Norum, Training Analyst, iRobot

Never Mind Training; Are You Providing the Right Performance Support and Interventions?

Is training or performance improvement your go-to solution for performance problems? It might be time to try something else.

Join us for a dynamic session that challenges traditional L&D reflexes and dives into real reasons that employees struggle. Through the true story of a high-performing employee placed on a PIP-despite glowing reviews-you’ll investigate how unclear workflows, unidirectional communication, lack of SOPs, and missing process supports can derail great employees.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Spot when training isn’t the answer
  • Use tools like the Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) and SOP audits to diagnose root causes.
  • Engage employees in identifying pain points and show them how their input leads to action.

If you're a designer, consultant, or talent leader, this session equips you with a repeatable strategy for performance improvement that doesn’t start with a course.

Walk away with a toolkit, talking points for stakeholders, and a fresh mindset on what it really means to provide performance support and what that looks like.

Team-Building with Piano & Purpose

Willie Myette, Founder & Creator, The Creative Edge Workshop

What happens when your team sits down at a piano together? You unlock creativity, collaboration, and a whole new way to solve problems. In this unique hands-on workshop, participants use the piano as a metaphor—and a tool—for building innovation and teamwork through the IDEAS framework: Identify, Define, Experiment, Amplify, and Succeed.

No musical experience is required. Using simple patterns and structured guidance, participants will explore how creative breakthroughs come from focus, play, and collaboration. This session helps teams reframe challenges, find momentum, and amplify each other’s ideas—just like a band in sync.

Attendees will leave with a refreshed mindset, practical tools for creative problem-solving, and a powerful shared experience they can bring back to their teams. If your organization is looking to move past creative blocks and build stronger team dynamics, this is your invitation to sit down at the keys and start composing your next chapter—together.

Thank you to our 2025 conference sponsors!

Presenting 



Exhibitor Ballroom & Hallway









ATD New England is a partnership between the existing ATD Chapters located in the New England Region.

Learn more about the Association for Talent Development.  Visit www.td.org.

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software