Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with corporate L&D leaders

Leigh Anne Lankford
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with corporate L&D leaders — the podcast where we learn from leading minds in the L&D space. Each week, we’ll dive into the details of what it takes to thrive in learning and development, as guests from different corporate contexts and sectors share their expertise and experience. If you’re dedicated to staying on top of optimized growth, transformative industry technologies and all things training, then this is the show for you!

  1. 3d ago

    Why the Future of L&D Belongs to Consultants, Not Content Creators with Alicia Turino-Sheppard of Cognizant

    Alicia Turino-Sheppard, Director of Learning at Cognizant, joins us to talk about the shift happening inside L&D as AI takes over content creation and facilitation. Alicia leads a lean, consultative team supporting Cognizant's global Workday practice, and she makes the case that the professionals who stay relevant won't be the ones who build the best slide decks; they'll be the ones who think like business consultants. She also explores the difference between change resistance and change exhaustion, why she reads historical fiction instead of traditional leadership books, and the mentor lesson about asking for what you want that still shapes how she leads her team. KEY TAKEAWAYS  00:00 Why L&D’s future belongs to consultants, not content creators 01:35 Leading a lean L&D and talent team at Cognizant 03:53 Where AI ends and the human touch begins 06:25 From content creation to strategic consulting 09:09 The mentor who helped Alicia earn her first promotion 10:42 The career advice from her father she still follows 14:22 Why Alicia reads historical fiction, not leadership books 17:14 How to stay relevant in L&D 18:44 Change resistance vs. change exhaustion 21:10 Revisiting these AI predictions in a year If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to “Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders,” brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED Harvard Business Review, cited by Alicia as a regular source of L&D and business insight: https://hbr.org Association for Talent Development (ATD), the professional association Alicia references for talent development magazines and resources: https://www.td.org CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder), the Gallup assessment Alicia recommends for identifying team strengths: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, one of the leadership books Alicia references: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment #LeadershipTraining

    Why the Future of L&D Belongs to Consultants, Not Content Creators with Alicia Turino-Sheppard of Cognizant

  2. Sep 8

    How a Former Journalist Builds Corporate Training That Competes With TikTok and YouTube with Brad Ulmanu of Expedia Group

    Brad Ulmanu, Director of Learning Experience at Expedia Group, joins us to talk about why storytelling is one of the most important skills in learning and development. Brad started his career as a journalist before moving into L&D, and he ties storytelling to instructional design, eLearning content creation, and learning experiences people want to finish. A useful frame for any learning leader rethinking corporate learning and development. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 What great learning is actually competing with. 01:56 How a journalism career led Brad into L&D. 02:51 What made the move into L&D worth it for Brad. 03:59 Brad's advice to his younger self. 07:54 What Brad's learned about first impressions. 09:37 The real AI challenge facing learning leaders. 12:28 The most important skill in the workplace right now. 13:29 Brad's go-to resource for L&D research. 14:12 Two books every aspiring L&D leader should read. 16:29 Why Brad's team designs learning like a media team would. If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to "Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders," brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED Expedia Group website: https://expediagroup.com/ i4cp (Institute for Corporate Productivity), a research subscription Brad's team uses for L&D and future-of-work insights: https://www.i4cp.com “The Leader's Guide to Storytelling” by Stephen Denning, on using organizational narrative to spark action and align teams: https://www.amazon.com/Leaders-Guide-Storytelling-Mastering-Discipline/dp/078797675X “The Design of Everyday Things” by Donald A. Norman, on mental models, feedback loops and human-centered design: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262640374/the-design-of-everyday-things/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #LeadershipTraining

    How a Former Journalist Builds Corporate Training That Competes With TikTok and YouTube with Brad Ulmanu of Expedia Group

  3. Sep 1

    How the Assumptive Yes Helps L&D Leaders Stop Waiting for Permission with Melissa Kruminas of Litmos

    Join Melissa Kruminas, VP, Learning Experience and Enablement of Litmos, as she shares her path from asset management to leading learning at a learning company, and the moment a Six Sigma project taught her to tie training to a measurable business outcome. She also breaks down the "assumptive yes," a tactic she uses to drive training attendance and buy-in without waiting for permission, and explains why L&D teams don't need a five-star program when a fast, good-quality solution will do. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Why L&D professionals hold themselves back by asking permission they don't need. 02:20 From asset management at Fruit of the Loom to leading learning at a learning company. 04:01 A Six Sigma project and the $70,000 lesson in measurable impact. 06:27 The Yoda-and-Dumbledore mindset shift: making others successful, not being the hero. 10:23 A blunt piece of feedback from a sales leader. 10:56 Radical candor: caring enough to tell someone what they need to hear. 13:54 The "assumptive yes": driving buy-in without asking permission. 15:40 The pizza analogy: progress over perfection. 17:47 AI and "learning in the flow of work," a decade after Josh Bersin coined it. 22:23 Melissa's go-to L&D resources: including LinkedIn and “Smart Brevity.” If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to "Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders," brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED Litmos Website: https://www.litmos.com/ Fruit of the Loom: https://www.fotlinc.com/ Brandon Hall Group: https://brandonhall.com/ Radical Candor: https://www.radicalcandor.com/ “Leading in the Age of AI” by Dr. Brigette Tasha Hyacinth: https://brigettehyacinth.com/books/ “Smart Brevity” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Roy Schwartz: https://www.axios.com/smart-brevity Josh Bersin: https://joshbersin.com/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    How the Assumptive Yes Helps L&D Leaders Stop Waiting for Permission with Melissa Kruminas of Litmos

  4. Aug 25

    What a Learning Strategist Does Before Building Training with Allyson Roote of The Bonadio Group

    Allyson Roote, VP, Learning and Organizational Development of The Bonadio Group, joins us to discuss why training shouldn’t be the default solution to every performance problem. After building Bonadio’s learning and development function from a team of one to a team of nine, Allyson shares why she starts with diagnosis, not design, and how that approach leads to more effective solutions.  She also explores how AI is making distinctly human skills even more valuable in L&D, and why adaptability and authenticity are among the most important workplace skills today. She closes by reflecting on the mentor whose approach continues to shape how she leads and develops her team. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction: Why not every performance problem calls for training. 01:15 Scaling L&D at The Bonadio Group. 02:56 From psychology to L&D, sparked by an executive coach. 06:15 Why AI makes human judgment more valuable. 09:00 Why training can’t fix the wrong problem. 10:42 A mentor’s lesson: Know your worth before it’s recognized. 12:27 Why adaptability matters more than ever. 13:46 Authenticity, vulnerability, and Brené Brown’s leadership lessons. 16:39 Building curricula that speak the client’s language. 18:00 Two books for aspiring L&D leaders. If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to “Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders,” brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Bonadio Group (the accounting and advisory firm where the L&D function grew from a team of one to nine): https://www.bonadio.com/ Association for Talent Development (ATD) (a go-to resource for L&D industry news): https://www.td.org/ Training Industry (another regular industry resource for L&D news): https://trainingindustry.com/ McKinsey & Company (cited as a source for foundational learning and business research): https://www.mckinsey.com/ AICPA & CIMA (followed to stay current on the accounting side of the work): https://www.aicpa-cima.com/ Accounting Today (an accounting industry publication read to understand the client's world): https://www.accountingtoday.com/ Journal of Accountancy (another accounting publication followed to build credibility with clients): https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/ International Coaching Federation (ICF) (the organization behind the ACC coaching certification earned along the way): https://coachingfederation.org/ “The Trusted Learning Advisor” by Dr. Keith Keating (the team calls it “TLA” and gives a copy to every new hire): https://www.thetrustedlearningadvisor.com/ “Hidden Value” by Dr. Keith Keating (the other recommended book, by the same author): https://www.hiddenvaluebook.com/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    What a Learning Strategist Does Before Building Training with Allyson Roote of The Bonadio Group

  5. Aug 18

    How AI is Elevating the Instructional Design Role with Kara Kirby of TrainingPros

    Join Kara Kirby, Relationship Manager at TrainingPros, as she shares her career journey from sales training in the tire industry to corporate learning and development, and discusses the experiences and lessons that have shaped her role in relationship management at TrainingPros. She also explains how the instructional designer role is moving towards analysis and strategy, showing organizations what custom corporate training can look like when personalized learning solutions are within reach. Learning leaders still need instructional design consultants who can organize training people will finish. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction to Kara Kirby and her role as relationship manager at TrainingPros. 01:26 How Kara found her way into L&D. 04:32 Career journey through corporate L&D. 11:03 The most rewarding part of relationship management. 13:42 The skill that helps most: coaching. 15:22 Themes in client conversations today. 16:51 What organizations are investing in now. 19:32 How AI could elevate instructional design. 21:37 What separates a good consultant from a great one. 24:16 Advice for consultants seeking contract work. If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to "Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders," brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED TrainingPros: https://trainingpros.com Ultimate Software (now UKG): https://www.ukg.com Dealer Tire: https://www.dealertire.com #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    How AI is Elevating the Instructional Design Role with Kara Kirby of TrainingPros

  6. Aug 11

    The Leadership Skill That Fades as You Become an Expert with Kassy Laborie of Kassy Laborie Consulting

    Kassy LaBorie, Keynote Speaker, Author and L&D Pioneer of Kassy LaBorie Consulting, joins us to talk about what a career built on noticing things, from people and patterns to vintage Barbie dolls, can teach the learning and development field about staying curious in the age of AI. Expert leaders know a lot, which paradoxically makes genuine curiosity harder. Kassy, host of The Spark Konnect podcast, discovered that stepping into unfamiliar territory forces the kind of authentic curiosity that matters most in learning leadership. When you move beyond your expertise, you stop performing knowledge and start asking real questions. That shift transforms how you approach talent development and team learning. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction to Kassy LaBorie, keynote speaker, author and L&D pioneer 01:33 Trading the label "corporate trainer" for “professional noticer” 04:12 How a lifelong Barbie collection became the perfect AI learning lab 05:59 A theater degree and a career fair led to an accidental path into Silicon Valley training 14:45 Interviewing athletes and artists reveals what curiosity actually requires of a host 23:51 A painter once told her to squint and see the basic shapes before filling in the details 25:53 The one thing AI can't replace: human expression 27:33 L&D leaders building AI-ready teams should focus on the strategic yes 28:21 Three books from women shaping the L&D conversation earn a recommendation 29:10 The debrief question used to bookend every session If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to "Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders," brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Spark Konnect podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-spark-konnect/id1847731623 Interact and Engage! 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars by Kassy LaBorie: https://www.td.org/product/book--interact-and-engage-2nd-edition/112209 Producing Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars by Kassy LaBorie: https://kassylaborie.com/book-producing-virtual-training-meetings-and-webinars/ Learning That Lasts by Katrina Kennedy: https://www.td.org/product/book--learning-that-lasts/112503 L&D Order Taker No More! by Jess Almlie: https://www.td.org/product/book---ld-order-taker-no-more/112509 #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    The Leadership Skill That Fades as You Become an Expert with Kassy Laborie of Kassy Laborie Consulting

  7. Aug 4

    Evidence-Based Instructional Design for Modern Teams with Joe Stoup of RealPage

    We sit down with Joe Stoup, Director of the Learning Experience Group at RealPage, Inc., where he oversees content development, content management and content delivery for a team of 32. Joe shares how AI is reshaping instructional design, why curiosity has become his team's most important skill, and why the research doesn't back up one of L&D's longest-held assumptions: learning styles. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01:24 Joe shares how he came into L&D from computer science and running help desks. 07:17 The most impactful shifts AI has brought to L&D. 12:33 Why Joe believes AI works best in a “human, AI, human” sandwich. 13:37 The mentor who taught Joe how to manage up. 16:43 Why curiosity is the most important skill in L&D right now. 19:40 Building a culture of care, from Simon Sinek's “culture of care” to RealPage's learning advisors. 24:00 Why Joe turns to Google Scholar instead of typical industry sources. 26:04 The book Joe recommends for evidence-based L&D leadership. 27:23 Busting the learning styles myth with the research behind it. 29:49 Joe's closing thought on the privilege of helping people learn. If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to “Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders,” brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED ReelPage, Inc. website: https://www.realpage.com/ “Evidence-Informed Learning Design” by Mirjam Neelen and Paul A. Kirschner: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/evidence-informed-learning-design-9781789661415 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Evidence-Based Instructional Design for Modern Teams with Joe Stoup of RealPage

  8. Jul 28

    Curiosity: The Critical Skill for Learning Leaders in Talent Development with Josiah Owens of INPO

    Josiah Owens, Program Manager of Employee Development at INPO, talks about what it takes to build a career centered on impact rather than title. Josiah traces his path from video production and instructional design work to leading talent development inside the nuclear industry, and shares why he believes curiosity, more than expertise, is the most critical skill for learning and development professionals today. He also discusses his upcoming term as president of the ATD Greater Atlanta chapter, the mentor who shaped his leadership philosophy, and the book he recommends to every aspiring learning strategist building a career in talent development. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction to Learning Leader Spotlight and this week's guest, Josiah Owens. 01:15 Josiah shares his path from teenage video production work to a career in talent development. 02:09 Josiah describes himself as an "impact chaser" pursuing purpose through people development. 04:42 Josiah explains how wider access to tools and resources has reshaped who gets to build learning content. 07:31 Josiah predicts L&D will shift from content creation toward genuine partnership with the business. 10:57 Josiah outlines his plans as incoming president of the Greater Atlanta ATD chapter. 17:38 Josiah credits his grandmother, a career educator, as his most influential mentor. 20:58 Josiah names curiosity as the single most important skill in the workplace today. 23:39 Josiah recommends "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey to every aspiring L&D leader. 24:43 The conversation turns to using Covey's Circle of Control to lead through the pandemic shutdown. If you enjoyed this conversation, please leave a 5-star review and subscribe to "Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with Corporate L&D Leaders," brought to you by TrainingPros — because when you have more projects than people™, the right L&D consultant makes all the difference. RESOURCES MENTIONED Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO): https://www.inpo.info ATD Greater Atlanta Chapter: https://atdatlanta.org The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey: https://www.franklincovey.com/books/the-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Curiosity: The Critical Skill for Learning Leaders in Talent Development with Josiah Owens of INPO
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Welcome to Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with corporate L&D leaders — the podcast where we learn from leading minds in the L&D space. Each week, we’ll dive into the details of what it takes to thrive in learning and development, as guests from different corporate contexts and sectors share their expertise and experience. If you’re dedicated to staying on top of optimized growth, transformative industry technologies and all things training, then this is the show for you!

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