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. 6d ago

    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

  2. Jul 21

    Talent Development at the Speed of Business with Blair Bekker of Chewy

    Blair Bekker, Director of Global Talent Development of Chewy, joins us to discuss why L&D must trade perfectionism for speed, how entire workforces learning new skills at once is turning L&D into a strategic partner to the business, and why proving measurable impact is what separates the leaders who move fast from the ones who stay stuck. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 01:35 What it looks like to lead talent development across every part of Chewy’s business, from corporate teams to the fulfillment floor. 04:22 Why Blair says the biggest shift in L&D isn’t a new model. 05:45 The uncomfortable mindset shift Blair has to coach her own team through every day. 09:05 Why Blair believes the entire workforce learning new skills at once is turning L&D into a strategic advantage. 09:55 Where Blair would put 10 times her current budget. 12:50 The skill Blair says is hardest to hire for on any L&D team right now. 17:05 The one book Blair credits with completely changing how she talks to the business. 19:00 How running a true A/B test gave Blair her first real proof that training moved the needle. 21:58 The career advice Blair says is the real unlock for L&D professionals. 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 Chewy Website: https://www.chewy.com “Return on Learning: Training for High Performance at Accenture” by Donald Vanthournout: https://www.amazon.com/Return-Learning-Training-Performance-Accenture/dp/1932841423 #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Talent Development at the Speed of Business with Blair Bekker of Chewy

  3. Jul 14

    How Measurement Transforms L&D From a Cost Center to a Strategic Partner with Christina Castelli of Accenture

    Christina Castelli, Head of Learning Operations and Measurement of Accenture, makes the case that L&D’s credibility with the business depends on one thing: connecting learning to outcomes before the training ever runs — not after. Christina shares how she built Accenture’s SKY model, a learning-measurement framework designed to answer real business questions rather than justify program spend. She also explores what it means to use AI as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement, why discernment is the differentiating skill of the AI era, and how L&D professionals can start seeing generative AI as the opportunity to finally deliver the personalized, outcome-connected learning they’ve always wanted to build. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 01:30 How Christina’s path from consulting to social learning, design, operations and measurement led her to build and lead Accenture’s learning measurement function. 02:45 The tension that pushed Christina into measurement: L&D teams convinced of their own value, but unable to translate it into the language the business actually speaks. 05:04 Accenture’s SKY Model — and why identifying the business outcome has to happen before choosing a single metric, model level or measurement approach. 06:30 Why every section of the model connects back to the business outcome, and why not every program needs to measure every level. 08:13 What operationalizing measurement at scale actually looks like: a beginner guide, default approaches by audience size and an analytics dashboard built with the data team. 10:35 What Christina recommends for L&D professionals who don’t control the measurement standard — and why early stakeholder alignment changes the entire dynamic at the end. 11:15 Why you can’t be held accountable for data that was never available — and how to have that conversation with business partners before a program launches. 12:15 The mindset shift from vanity metrics to actionable insights — and the comment from a business stakeholder that crystallized everything for Christina. 16:36 Final measurement advice: think in a structured way, focus on what would actually answer the question and share what you can — rather than grasping for whatever looks positive. 17:45 “If you ask AI to replace you, it will. If you ask it to augment you, it will.” — what that means for learning developers navigating today’s AI inflection point. 19:25 The learning developer role at the AI crossroads: why handing off your thinking to AI is different from using AI to expand your thinking. 22:08 Why personal human understanding of content is still irreplaceable — and the risk of skipping the ingestion step that gives L&D professionals their real value add. 24:30 Discernment as the differentiating skill of the AI era: why polished output no longer signals quality, and what it takes to tell the difference. 26:45 A practical way into GenAI for L&D professionals: use it as a thought partner first, ask it what to prioritize and block 30 minutes a week as dedicated GenAI play time. 32:28 The mindset shift every learning leader needs right now: seeing AI as the opportunity to finally deliver the personalized, outcome-connected learning we’ve always wanted to build. 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 Accenture website: https://www.accenture.com Kirkpatrick Model: https://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    How Measurement Transforms L&D From a Cost Center to a Strategic Partner with Christina Castelli of Accenture

  4. Jul 7

    Why Courage, Curiosity and Compassion Beat Any Title with Scott Switalski of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

    Scott Switalski, Director of Enterprise Learning and Development of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, joins us to explore why leadership is the most critical skill in any organization, how L&D professionals can function as cultural tugboats, and what it really means to develop people with courage, curiosity and compassion. Scott brings three decades of L&D experience across healthcare, human services, contact centers and Native American tribal government. He shares how his team at CHOP thinks about AI as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement, why participant-centricity is reshaping how learning experiences are designed, and how L&D teams can earn their seat at the table by speaking the language of the business. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 01:30 How Scott’s path from practicing law to teaching Windows 95 in an HR office accidentally launched a three-decade career in L&D. 06:05 The two biggest shifts reshaping L&D right now and why one of them has nothing to do with technology. 08:09 What participant-centricity looks like in practice and why it’s one of the most powerful engagement tools available. 10:45 Why L&D teams that can’t speak the language of the business won’t survive as a function. 11:10 The metaphor Scott’s team lives by and how it defines every piece of learning work they do at CHOP. 15:16 The mentor who hired Scott on a hunch and gave him a front-row seat to building a training function from nothing. 18:15 The three skills Scott believes every person in an organization needs right now — titled leader or not. 21:30 Why Scott uses a Brené Brown definition of leadership as the foundation for all leadership development at CHOP. 23:21 The resource Scott turns to when he wants to think like the business leaders he serves. 23:50 The book Scott keeps returning to, and how he uses it as a live leadership development tool with executives. 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 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website: https://www.chop.edu Harvard Business Review: https://www.hbr.org “Strong Ground” by Brené Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Strong-Ground-Lessons-Leadership-Tenacity/dp/1984855743 “Nine Lies About Work” by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall: https://www.amazon.com/Nine-Lies-about-Work-Freethinking/dp/1633696308 #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Why Courage, Curiosity and Compassion Beat Any Title with Scott Switalski of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  5. Jun 30

    Human Connection: The Skill Defining L&D's Future with Peter Plumlee of Ball Horticultural Company

    Peter Plumlee, Talent Development Manager of Ball Horticultural Company, explores why human connection remains L&D's most essential competency in an age of automation, what it really takes to lead a volunteer organization and how vulnerability is reshaping what great leadership development looks like. KEY TAKEAWAYS  00:00 Introduction. 05:17 The unexpected early experience that set the foundation for Peter's entire L&D philosophy.  07:13 The first question Peter asks before he ever builds a learning solution.  08:23 Why Peter thinks L&D's biggest challenge right now has nothing to do with tools. 11:15 The role every L&D professional must step into as AI accelerates.  13:27 What leading volunteers reveal about what real leadership actually requires. 19:43 The mentor relationship that shaped how Peter thinks about connection and giving back.  25:53 What 100 leaders in a room taught Peter about vulnerability.  27:11 Why Peter is convinced AI will never replace L&D's most important skill.  28:19 The unconventional book that reframes community for every learning leader. 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 Ball Horticultural Company: https://www.ballhort.com ATD Chicagoland:  https://atdchi.org/  "The Secret Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben: https://www.peterwohllebenbooks.com/the-hidden-life-of-trees #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Human Connection: The Skill Defining L&D's Future with Peter Plumlee of Ball Horticultural Company

  6. Jun 23

    Skills-Based Learning and the Future of Org Design with Dr. Katie Campbell of Equifax

    Dr. Katie Campbell, Senior Director, Learning and Talent Management of Equifax, shares how she approaches L&D strategy within one of the company's largest business units — bridging corporate vision and workforce execution across performance, succession planning and learning. Katie shares how she thinks about AI's role in reshaping workforce capabilities, why the shift to skills-based models is making learning ROI less squishy, and what Microsoft's sweeping HR overhaul signals about where org design is heading.  KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 03:30 How Katie stumbled into corporate learning without ever knowing it existed. 05:04 Why Katie says it would be remiss not to talk about AI's impact on L&D right now. 06:09 The shift that’s making learning ROI less squishy and easier to tie to business outcomes.  07:30 Why Katie hesitates to use the words "human capital." 08:10 What Microsoft's sweeping HR overhaul signals about where org design is heading. 10:18 The skill Katie says L&D teams overlook most. 11:30 The mentor whose authenticity changed Katie’s thinking about leadership forever. 14:12 The AI tool available inside Equifax, which Katie says has real applications for learning. 16:20 The neuroscience book Katie is reading right now and why she thinks every L&D professional should read it too. 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 “Engaging the Rewired Brain” by David A Sousa: https://www.amazon.com/Engaging-Rewired-Brain-David-Sousa/dp/1071923242 “Make It Stick” by Peter C Brown, Henry L Roediger III and Mark A McDaniel: https://www.amazon.es/Make-Stick-Science-Successful-Learning/dp/0674729013 “Design for How People Learn” by Julie Dirksen:  https://www.amazon.com/Design-People-Learn-Voices-Matter/dp/0134211286 SHRM: https://www.shrm.org  Gartner: https://www.gartner.com  Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com  NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google.com  #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Skills-Based Learning and the Future of Org Design with Dr. Katie Campbell of Equifax

  7. Jun 16

    Why Continuous Learning Is the Most Critical Skill in L&D Today with Demetrice Bryant of Priceline

    Demetrice Bryant, Senior Director, Support Services, Workforce Enablement (Customer Care) of Priceline, joins us to discuss the shift from training delivery to enablement partnerships — covering human-centered design, continuous learning, growth mindset, and what it means to connect L&D directly to business outcomes. From a career that started in a state government training room to leading workforce enablement at one of the world's largest travel platforms, Demetrice brings a perspective grounded in both the theory and the business reality of L&D. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 02:07 How an unplanned moment in a state government training session launched Demetrice's career in L&D.  04:15 What teaching children with autism taught Demetrice about breaking down complex concepts for any learner.  05:45 Why Demetrice believes the L&D profession has fundamentally changed — not just evolved. 06:30 Why human-centered design has always been at the core of L&D and why it matters more than ever now.  08:03 How instructional designers are becoming learning technologists and what that shift looks like in practice.  11:30 Why enablement is about change creation, not just content delivery.  18:16 The mentor who shifted Demetrice's thinking from training completion rates to business impact storytelling.  20:15 Why staying relevant in L&D means reading and attending events well outside the L&D space. 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 ATD:   https://www.td.org/  Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com Harvard Business Review: https://www.hbr.org Unmasking AI by Joy Buolamwini: https://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-AI-Mission-Protect-Machines/dp/0593241835  Reimagining Design by Kevin Bethune: https://www.amazon.com/Reimagining-Design-Innovation-Simplicity-Technology/dp/0262046504  TrainingPros: https://www.trainingpros.com #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Why Continuous Learning Is the Most Critical Skill in L&D Today with Demetrice Bryant of Priceline

  8. Jun 9

    Mindset Before Tool Set: A CLO's Framework for Real Learning Impact with Phil Rhodes of Phillips 66

    Phil Rhodes, Chief Learning Officer of Phillips 66, joins us to discuss what it means to shift L&D from a deliverable function to an enablement function — covering leadership capability, business acumen, data-driven credibility and the test-and-learn mindset he has applied across his 30-year career.  From his early days in the Peace Corps to leading enterprise L&D at an operating company, Phil brings a perspective rooted in behavioral science, experiential learning and the practical reality of driving change at scale. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Introduction. 02:30 How Phil's experience in the Peace Corps introduced him to experiential learning and shaped his entire L&D philosophy.  05:30 Why every tool rollout requires mindset, skill set and tool set — in that order. 06:45 Why leaders, not L&D, drive behavioral shift — and what that means for how we design enablement.  09:30 Why Phil believes L&D is at a pivotal moment and the three areas he sees as most critical for the future.  18:45 The four skills Phil says every L&D professional needs to build credibility with the business.  20:45 How a single ATD exercise on influence led Phil to rethink influence as a team discipline rather than an individual one. 23:20 Why starting with technology almost always sets an implementation up for failure.  25:30 How Phil applied agile scrum principles to L&D while holding to core ADDIE methodology. 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: https://www.hbr.org “The Insight-Driven Leader” by Jenny Dearborn and Kelly Rider:  https://jennydearborn.com/insight-driven-leader/ ATD: https://www.td.org/about/atd-leadership  "FYI For Your Improvement” by Korn Ferry: https://store.kornferry.com/en/product/5a377843-f45e-4b8c-9057-525aee9bacec National Training Laboratories: https://www.ntl.org Outward Bound: https://www.outwardbound.org #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Mindset Before Tool Set: A CLO's Framework for Real Learning Impact with Phil Rhodes of Phillips 66
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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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