GCATD upcoming events

Learning Leaders SIG: Science & The Brain (29 Apr 2026)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT

In April, the Learning Leaders discuss an article from the current publication of the TD magazine, Science and the Brain – The key difference between neuroscience and learning science – and why it matters to L&D practitioners.

Neuroscience explains the brain mechanisms behind attention, memory, and motivation—helping you design practice and reinforcement that sticks on the job. Cognitive science explains how people process information and build mental models—guiding clear explanations, strong examples, feedback, and transfer to real work. Learning science brings evidence-based methods for objectives, active practice, and measurement—so training improves performance, not just completion.

Join us for a discussion on how to apply these principles to create long-term meaningful learning for everyone. Convener: Leah Cridlin

Webinar: Breaking into Learning & Development - Making your Career Transition (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Interested in making a career change into Learning & Development from another role?

This session focuses on how professionals successfully transition into L&D by building the skills, experiences, and competencies needed to be competitive in the field. Our panel will explore practical strategies for leveraging your existing experience, developing core L&D capabilities, and positioning yourself for L&D opportunities.

The session will also provide a clear overview of the Learning & Development landscape, including common entry paths and the variety of roles and work within L&D. If you’re considering a career change, this webinar will help you determine if L&D is the right fit and how to take meaningful steps toward it.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Explore the variety of roles with Learning & Development.
Identify key skills to build to be a competitive candidate.
Learn affordable ways to build your credibility as a learning professional.
Identify how to build L&D experience without being in an L&D role.

PANELISTS

Jordan Menefield, Senior Talent Development Partner, AtriCure

With over 12 years of experience in learning and development and instructional design, Jordan Menefield specializes in building impactful training programs that drive performance and growth. He holds a background in English literature and cultural studies, along with a master’s degree in instructional design and performance technology. His work spans higher education and clinical research, where he has led initiatives in quality and compliance education as well as technology systems. Currently, he works in the medical device industry, leading initiatives focused on team development and personal growth.

Benedetta (Bene) Khoury, Learning Designer, Miami University Online

Benedetta (Bene) Khoury is a Certified Instructional Designer, with a background in higher education administration. After years working with adult learners, SMEs, and stakeholders at the University of Cincinnati, she realized her passion for instructional design and pursued a professional certification through the Applied Instructional Design Academy, pre-approved by the Association for Talent Development. As a Learning Designer she greatly enjoys designing and developing learning solutions that help enhance performance. She is also a subcontractor with eLearningDOC, a learning solutions provider.

Cody Messmore, Learning and Development Systems Manager, General Electric Credit Union

Cody Messmore has over 15 years of experience in learning and development with a focus on instructional design, program management, and professional development. Cody has a background in Secondary Education that he used to translate into the Learning and Development field. He has worked across several industries including restaurants, hospitality, and banking. Currently, he is the L&D Systems Manager at General Electric Credit Union where he supports the Learning Management System (LMS) as well as managing several learning initiatives across the business.

Organizational Development (OD) SIG: Business Advisor (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

In 2026, the GCATD Organizational Development (OD) Special Interest Group is excited to bring you the Global OD Competency Framework series. This internationally recognized framework outlines the core knowledge, skills, and behaviors that define effective OD professionals and provides a common language for the practice of organization development.

Our Global OD Competency Framework series continues with the third core competency: Business Advisor. The Business Advisor domain emphasizes strategic thinking and alignment of OD work with organizational goals. This includes acting as a strategic catalyst, driving results, and building trusted relationships with stakeholders. Attendees will discuss how OD professionals can influence decision-making at all levels, support leadership in achieving measurable outcomes, and integrate OD practices with broader organizational priorities.

ABOUT THE CONVENER

Saleemah is a proud graduate of the University of Cincinnati where she earned her BA in Communication Arts. She later received her M. Ed in Human Resource Development from Xavier University.

She has more than 20 years of experience primarily focused on program design, delivery, and implementation, onboarding, professional development, team building, and coaching. Saleemah’s history with GCATD spans almost two decades. For the past three years, she has served as convener for the OD Special Interest Group and has also served on various ad-hoc committees, including the GCATD annual conference planning committee.

Learning Leaders SIG: Annual Pot-Luck of Learning (27 May 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Join the Learning Leaders for their annual Pot-Luck of Learning session!

Plan to share an activity, an icebreaker or a learning practice you have put to plan this year. Or share a resource that has been invaluable to you that others may benefit from adding to their toolbox.

We look forward to hearing about all your amazing breakthroughs before we break for the summer. Convener: Leah Cridlin

Webinar: Pages to Practice - Crucial Influence (10 Jun 2026)

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Want to unlock the power of influence and transform your personal and professional relationships? If so, the book Crucial Influence by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and David Maxfield can help!

Crucial Influence provides practical strategies to influence behaviors and drive results. It focuses on the six sources of influence that can be applied in various situations. In our discussion, we will see how these sources can impact you as a learning and development/HR team member or as a leader in your organization.

To prepare for the discussion you can choose to read the book summary, watch the video, or find the Crucial Influence book/audiobook at your local library through the Libby App (free to use).

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Distinguish between Skill, Motivation, and Environmental barriers as training gaps.
Apply the six sources of influence to real world challenges.
How you can influence stakeholders without direct authority.

ABOUT PAGES TO PRACTICE

Pages to Practice are informal discussions where we bring learning professionals together to move beyond just reading and into application.

Each session centers on a shared book, guided discussion, and practical exploration of how key ideas translated into behavior change, learning design, organizational impact, etc.

Participants engage with peers to share experiences, and practical takeaways they can use immediately. Every session concludes with intentional networking, pairing participants to deepen relationships and extend learning beyond the meeting. Come for the insights and discussion—leave with connections and action.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Cody Messmore, Learning and Development Systems Manager, General Electric Credit Union

Cody Messmore has over 15 years of experience in learning and development with a focus on instructional design, program management, and professional development. Currently he is the L&D Systems Manager at General Electric Credit Union where he is the L&D Systems Manager at General Electric Credit Union where he supports the Learning Management System (LMS) as well as managing several learning initiatives across the business.

Workshop: Ship Happens-Be the Reason It Does (10 Jul 2026)

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Ship Happens is an interactive workshop designed to help Learning & Development professionals think and operate like product managers. Instead of building courses by request or compliance, participants will be challenged to approach the request like product managers who validate assumptions and iterate before investing time and energy into long-term products.

In this session, attendees will step into one of three fictional organizations facing realistic learning challenges. Using these scenarios as their sandbox, they’ll explore how product thinking elevates ADDIE, uncover hidden root causes behind training requests, and practice translating stakeholder “asks” into strategic outcome statements.

The workshop culminates in the creation of an outcome-based roadmap: a practical tool that aligns learning efforts to business impact through clear North Star results, small testable pilots, and evidence-driven scaling.

This workshop equips L&D professionals to challenge assumptions, design with intention, and ship solutions that genuinely change performance because learning doesn’t matter until ship happens.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Cara North is an award-winning product-minded learning leader who helps organizations stop launching courses and start launching outcomes. She began her career as an “accidental” L&D professional in telecommunications, where a surprise promotion into training revealed a talent for simplifying complexity and improving performance. Nearly two decades later, her work spans corporate, higher education, and consulting environments with organizations including Amazon, The Ohio State University, Silfex, Medical Mutual and JPMorganChase.

Cara is the author of the award-nominated book Learning Experience Design Essentials and serves as adjunct faculty at Boise State University. She is also the founder of The Monthly 60-a community of practice for learning and development professionals to network and sharpen skills in one high-impact hour each month. Cara also serves as a certificate program facilitator for the Association for Talent and Development. She resides in Columbus, Ohio with her partner and their four cats. When she’s not working, you can find her in an Orangetheory Fitness studio chasing her next benchmark score, watching esports, or gaming her stress away. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caranorth11/

8:00 AM – 9:30 AM; Doors open at 7:45 AM with networking available until 10:00 AM. Continental Breakfast will be provided.

Conveners: Kim Breeze, Bob Riess, Jonathan Wilson

Organizational Development (OD) SIG: Credible Strategist (16 Jul 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Vic Clesceri will join us to lead a discussion around the fourth core competency: Credible Strategist. Credible Strategists are influential communicators and culturally competent collaborators who support organizations by building trust, facilitating clear dialogue, and navigating diverse contexts. In this roundtable, you’ll explore strategies for effective communication, enhancing cross-cultural understanding, and adopting a credible presence that helps teams and leaders move forward with shared commitment and clarity.

ABOUT THE CONVENER

Vic Clesceri is an organizational development practitioner specializing in Talent Management Workforce Planning, Leadership Development, and Instructional Design.

With a background of 30 years corporate experience, 24 years professorship experience, and 10 years consulting experience, he brings a differentiated perspective on organizational development.

Vic is the founder of The Management Sherpa, a boutique agency shepherding coaching and talent development cultures within organizations. Vic is a professor of Marketing for Miami University’s Farmer School of business and a two-time Amazon bestseller, with books on Talent Management and Organizational Behavior.

Organizational Development (OD) SIG: Informed Consultant (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:30:00 GMT

This meeting, led by Mary Tettenhorst of Impact Talent Strategies, wraps up our Global OD Competency Framework series. Informed Consultant centers on professional consulting excellence grounded in self-awareness, ethical practice, and continuous learning. Topics include building strong consulting relationships, applying emotional intelligence, and staying current with evolving OD knowledge and methodologies. Attendees will reflect on how lifelong learning and reflective practice strengthen consulting impact and support sustained organizational growth.

ABOUT THE FACILITATOR

Mary Tettenhorst is the Founder of Impact Talent Strategies, where she partners with organizations to develop leaders, build strategic people practices, and drive meaningful results. With more than 20 years of experience across every facet of talent development, Mary brings a practical, people-first approach to the employee lifecycle – from recruiting and onboarding to leadership development, performance management, and succession planning.

Outside of work, she's a wife and mom of two boys. If not on a soccer field, you’ll likely find them hiking in the mountains or adding stamps to their National Parks Passports. As a proud “boy mom,” she spends a lot of time learning, laughing, and being challenged – in all the best ways. If you’re looking for a partner who can bring both heart and strategy to your talent efforts, Mary would love to connect!

Learning Leaders SIG (30 Sep 2026)

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Topic: More details TBA. Convener: Leah Cridlin

2026 GCATD Conference: Empowering People Through Learning - Developing Potential at Every Level (07 Oct 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Much more to come!

KEYNOTE

Jeff Walton, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, BCC | Human Resource Director, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Learning Leaders SIG (28 Oct 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Topic: More details TBA. Convener: Leah Cridlin

Learning Leaders SIG (25 Nov 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Topic: More details TBA. Convener: Leah Cridlin

Learning Leaders SIG (16 Dec 2026)

Wed, 16 Dec 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Topic: More details TBA. Convener: Leah Cridlin