In an increasingly pressure-filled environment characterized by expanding skills gaps and shrinking resources, even on-the-job learning is feeling like a big ask. What if you could help people grow without adding additional stretch assignments, special projects or other additive activities? You can. Learn how to leverage "in-the-job" learning.

Learning Objectives

• Coach those in your organization to leverage intentional "in-the-job" learning strategies for meaningful development
• Generate tangible and cost-effective strategies for squeezing greater development from any activity
• Incorporate and leverage AI as an "in-the-job" development partner to build accountability, awareness and results

About our Speakers

Debbie Cotton is the Principal of Cotton & Company, an organizational development firm dedicated to creating a healthy world where individuals, leaders, and their organizations thrive, grow, and live their best lives. 

As a Catalyst with the Stanford Center on Longevity, Debbie is a member of a global team innovating how we can reimagine talent in education, work and retirement so that all people can live healthy, integrated lives. 

She is married to her sweetheart, Neil, and is the proud Mom of two delightful adults, who keep her on the cutting edge of learning every day.

Julie Winkle Giulioni is a champion for workplace growth and development and helps executives and leaders optimize talent and potential within their organizations. One of Inc. Magazine's Top 100 speakers, she's the co-author of the international best seller, Help them Grow or Watch them Go, translated into seven languages and in its third edition. She's also the author of Promotions are SO Yesterday: Redefine Career Development. Help Employees Thrive, which has been recognized with Nautilus and Axiom Business Book Awards.

Julie is a regular columnist for Training Industry and SmartBrief and contributes articles on leadership, career development, and workplace trends to numerous publications including Fast Company and The Economist. Additionally, she partners with organizations worldwide offering her expertise in leadership and career development and designing award-winning bespoke development opportunities.

As part of learning and development, data is mostly used during the beginning (analysis) and end (evaluation) of the function. However, data can be powerful and effective tools to inform all aspects of L&D. Areas such as writing sound learning objectives, designing competitive, personalizing learning, and increasing engagement can benefit from a strategic use of existing data. In this session, participants will explore how to use data across all aspects of L&D, how to leverage AI developments to effectively integrate data, and how to create a data-driven culture in their workplaces. 

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify and integrate data into all aspects of the learning and development process to make strategic decisions and improvements. 
• Evaluate technologies and tools to locate, analyze and interpret data.
• Develop a data-driven culture for learning and development.

About our Speaker

Dr. Miko Nino is Assistant Vice President for Adult and Online Education and Adjunct Faculty at Rhode Island College. In addition, Dr. Nino is Program Director for the Bachelor of Professional Studies, Rhode Island College's first online program for working adults. As a practitioner, he has led the strategic planning for online learning for higher education institutions and has coached and trained hundreds of learning and development professionals and faculty in topics related to instructional design, L&D management, data management, and online learning. He has also developed online programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and certificate levels, focusing on areas such as program quality, recruitment, marketing, and student success. As a public speaker, he has worked with several private, public and nonprofit organizations, focusing on learning and development management. 

His work and research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as presented in national and international conferences. In addition, Dr. Nino serves on the editorial review boards for six journals and is one of the mentors of the UPLift program developed by UPCEA. In 2024, He was named one of Rhode Island's 40 under 40 by the Providence Business News for his accomplishments and career in online and adult education.

His education includes a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Virginia Tech, a M.A. in Instructional Systems Development from University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and a B.A. in International Business from Lindenwood University. He is also a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies. 

Organizations spend an estimated $60 billion annually on leadership development, yet workplace application remains stubbornly low. We see wasted time, wasted money, and a cynical workforce.

But what if the problem isn't a lack of effort, but a flaw in our design? What if we're too focused on the delivery of content instead of first answering the fundamental question: WHY does this program exist? 

It's time for a fundamental mindset shift. We must stop treating leadership development as a discretionary "perk" and start building it as a core strategic enabler, a long-term change management intervention. 

This session is a practical, no-nonsense blueprint for the talent community. We will walk through a five-pillar strategic framework for creating a "Leadership Impact Cycle" that moves from theory to lasting impact. We will dive into a candid discussion on how to design and build programs that actually stick. 

This is an interactive session designed for sharing ideas. Together, we will deconstruct the "architecture for impact" and explore how to:

• Align development programs directly with core business strategy and cultural goals, moving beyond generic trends.
• Diagnose organizational needs using a data-driven approach to pinpoint the specific leadership gaps that need to be addressed.
• Design learning experiences focused on practical application and long-term behavior change, not just one-time knowledge transfer.
• Build a supportive ecosystem that ensures new skills are reinforced and sustained back on the job. 
• Measure the true, tangible impact of your programs to prove their value and create a chain of evidence for success.

About our Speaker

Rodrigo Tempestini is the Vice President of Learning & Development for The Possible Zone in Boston, an organization whose mission is to redefine learning experiences for young people, unconstrained from traditional systems, to meaningfully impact lives and radically disrupt systems to address societal inequalities. Rodrigo brings 25+ years of experience in Learning and Talent Development, having held leadership roles in the Financial, Gaming, Transportation and Technology industries. He is passionate about creating innovative and engaging learning experiences that support career development and skills building for the future. 

From facilitation to leading large-scale learning and development initiatives in over 20 countries, Rodrigo creates people-centric solutions that are informed by data analytics and supported by strong partnerships. 

Rodrigo holds a degree in Electronics from ETET Technical School from his native Brazil. He is a Board Member of the Rhode Island Chapter for the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and a volunteer in his community.

In this session, participants will explore three innovative AI tools that can support the launch of new initiatives, enhance workflow efficiency, and foster cultural shifts within organizations. This session will begin with a storytelling platform (Vocal Video) that simplifies the creation of short, polished videos through an intuitive, user-friendly interface, perfect for sharing your mission and vision in a compelling way. Next, participants will look at a tool (Scribe) that automates the creation of training materials by capturing your existing processes, significantly improving onboarding and documentation workflows. Finally, the speaker will introduce a collaborative brainstorming tool (Miro) that enables asynchronous idea-sharing, allowing teams to contribute on their own schedules without the constraints of traditional meeting times. Join us to discover how these tools can empower your work, amplify your impact, and help shape a more agile and connected organizational culture.  

Participants of this session will: 

• Apply AI solutions to streamline process documentation and onboarding
• Use asynchronous collaboration tools to enhance team engagement and flexibility
• Evaluate how AI tools can support program development and organizational culture shift through storytelling

About our Speaker

Cori Benz is an experienced higher educational professional with a strong background in online program management, student success and global education. Currently serving as the Online Programs Manager at Oregon State University's School of Civil and Construction Engineering, Cori leads strategic development and implementation of online undergraduate and graduate programs, certificates, and microcredentials. She collaborates closely with faculty, advisors, students, and industry partners to ensure high-quality, accessible learning experiences.

With over a decade of experience in academic program coordination, Cori has held roles at Colorado State University Global, the University of Oregon, and Road Scholar where she specialized in online student success, new program development, and international education. Her work has consistently focused on improving student outcomes, streamlining processes, and fostering inclusive, innovative learning environments. 

Cori holds a Master's degree in Educational Leadership and Policy from Portland State University, along with a Graduate Certificate in Service-Learning and Community-Based Learning. She is also actively involved in professional organizations, currently serving as Chair-Elect for the UPCEA West Region.

ATD Rhode Island's 10th Annual Charity & Cheer benefitting Crossroads Rhode Island!

Join us for an exciting evening of musical bingo, networking, and holiday celebration at The District in Providence! 

Appetizers will be served, and a cash bar will be available. We will be raffling several gifts. Come celebrate with us!  

Half of the proceeds will benefit Crossroads RI, a nonprofit organization that helps individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. 

We will also be collecting canned goods and cold weather gear including winter hats, gloves and thick socks to benefit Crossroads.

If you can't make it to the event but still want to donate, or would like to make an additional donation to Crossroads RI, visit our Crossroads Fundraiser Page to make a donation today.