Learning Leader Spotlight: Interviews with corporate L&D leaders

Leigh Anne Lankford

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. 4d ago

    Learning Technology Strategy Should Start With the Problem, Not the Platform with Lan Tran of Wysora

    Lan Tran, Founder and Principal of Wysora, joins us to unpack what it really means to be a learning technology strategist, the emerging role sitting at the intersection of learning, technology and business strategy.  She traces her path from software developer to learning designer to enterprise learning technology leader, and shares how that combination shapes the way she now advises organizations on their learning ecosystems, their learning culture and the mistakes that quietly undercut both. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Why the learning technology strategist role matters now. 01:15 Lan's path from software developer to technology strategist. 06:28 What separates a strategist from an LMS admin. 09:53 How the right technology builds a real learning culture. 13:03 Why people teams often misread their own learning data. 16:41 Learning systems manager vs. technology strategist, explained. 19:34 Why design should come before the platform. 26:49 What to ask before bringing in outside expertise. 30:53 The most common mistake in optimizing learning platforms. 38:14 Where this role is headed as AI reshapes L&D. 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 Reforestation World, TrainingPros' company charity, referenced by the host — TrainingPros has planted over 5,000 trees to date through this initiative: https://www.reforestationworld.org/  DePaul University, where Lan earned her information systems degree before starting her career: https://www.depaul.edu/ Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), Lan's first employer, where she joined the business performance simulation group as a developer: https://www.accenture.com/ Kraft Heinz, where Lan managed the learning tech ecosystem and relaunched the corporate university: https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/ McDonald's, where Lan led design and enabling learning technology: https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Learning Technology Strategy Should Start With the Problem, Not the Platform with Lan Tran of Wysora

  2. Sep 29

    Stagility: How L&D Leaders Can Navigate AI-Driven Change with Ashley Corcoran of The Home Depot

    Ashley Corcoran, Director of Learning Design and Development of The Home Depot, joins us to talk about what it takes to reinvent a learning and development team at scale while AI reshapes how the work gets done. Her team builds learning experiences for 450,000 associates across retail stores, outside sales and service, and supply chain. Ashley shares why the business is her lead indicator for where L&D is headed, how she separates problems to be solved from tensions to be managed, and why leaders need “stagility” — a balance of stability and agility — to help teams adapt without losing their footing. She also shares how The Home Depot’s internship program gives early-career talent meaningful work and opportunities to make a real impact from the start. KEY TAKEAWAYS  00:00 Why people capabilities make or break every system 02:13 A clear mission as the team’s North Star 03:33 L&D’s shift from content creation to performance consulting 09:46 Thirty years of L&D, from e-learning to AI 14:09 Why the business sets L&D’s pace 15:56 AI as a blank slate moment for L&D teams 18:06 Problem to solve or tension to manage? 21:32 What early career talent really wants from an internship 27:12 Stagility: balancing stability and agility 28:42 Ashley’s book pick 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 Georgia Tech, where Ashley studied before starting her career in business consulting and systems implementation: https://www.gatech.edu/ The Home Depot, where Ashley has spent nearly 22 years in L&D and leads learning design and development for 450,000 associates: https://corporate.homedepot.com/ The Home Depot Internship Program, the paid 11-week program Ashley’s team uses as a talent pipeline: https://careers.homedepot.com/student-internships/  Georgia State University, whose master’s degree students have joined Ashley’s team as interns and full-time hires: https://www.gsu.edu/ Andy Stanley on managing organizational tension, the source of the problem-or-tension question Ashley uses with her team: https://andystanley.com/managing-organizational-tension-transcript “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey, the source of the changeless core idea Ashley uses to anchor her team through change: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-7-Habits-of-Highly-Effective-People/Stephen-R-Covey/9781982137137  “Impact Players” by Liz Wiseman, Ashley’s book recommendation for every aspiring L&D leader: https://impactplayersbook.com/ Reforestation World, TrainingPros’ company charity, referenced by the host. TrainingPros has planted almost 6,000 trees to date through this initiative: https://www.reforestationworld.org/ #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Stagility: How L&D Leaders Can Navigate AI-Driven Change with Ashley Corcoran of The Home Depot

  3. Sep 22

    Rewriting the L&D Playbook for AI: Closing the Gap Between Training and Performance with Jennifer Baker of Foot Locker

    Jennifer Baker, Director of Talent and Leadership Development at Foot Locker North America and Founder of Jen in AI, joins us to talk about how learning and development is changing as AI reshapes what people need to learn, how they learn it and the value an L&D team brings to an organization.  Jennifer shares how she built her way into L&D, from running two fashion boutiques and leading a retail store to creating her own training program before anyone asked her to. She explains why learning is moving closer to the work itself, why judgment is becoming one of the most important L&D skills in the AI era, and why learning agility, adaptability and curiosity matter more than trying to predict exactly what a job will look like five years from now. KEY TAKEAWAYS 00:00 Why Jennifer built her way into L&D instead of setting out to work in the field. 01:38 Jennifer’s 60-second path from retail to leading talent development at Foot Locker. 03:28 From fashion boutiques to store manager: how Jennifer built her first training program. 07:30 Why learning is moving closer to the actual work. 09:53 Where AI is taking L&D over the next five years. 14:17 The biggest challenge facing learning leaders right now. 17:08 Why learning agility is the most important skill in the workplace. 24:16 Jennifer’s go-to sources for industry news. 30:17 The Adam Grant book Jennifer recommends for every aspiring L&D leader. 35:14 Inside Jennifer’s LinkedIn Learning course on AI for instructional design. 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 Association for Talent Development (ATD), the professional association Jennifer credits for research, chapter events and real-time industry information: https://www.td.org/ Safe Space by Workweek, a private online community for HR and people professionals that Jennifer credits for candid, real-time peer advice: https://hateithere.co/community/safe-space “Hidden Potential” by Adam Grant, the book Jennifer recommends for anyone moving into L&D leadership: https://adamgrant.net/book/hidden-potential/ “AI-Powered Content Creation: Train Your AI to Think Like an Instructional Designer,” Jennifer’s LinkedIn Learning course on using AI as an instructional design assistant: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ai-powered-content-creation-train-your-ai-to-think-like-an-instructional-designer #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #TalentDevelopment

    Rewriting the L&D Playbook for AI: Closing the Gap Between Training and Performance with Jennifer Baker of Foot Locker

  4. Sep 15

    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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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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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