For feature details, visit Whova |
Our Keynote Speakers |
![]() Hadiya Nuriddin "Rewriting Belonging: How Storytelling Opens New Possibilities" This thoughtful keynote examines how our personal narratives influence where and how we experience belonging. Through research, engaging storytelling, and practical exercises, participants will explore how the stories we tell ourselves often shape our feelings of inclusion or exclusion. The keynote presents a practical framework for narrative reflection that helps individuals become more conscious of these patterns and create new possibilities for belonging. Participants will discover how this process of narrative awareness enables them to not only enhance their own sense of belonging but also create environments where others can discover and share their authentic stories – stories that may make designing authentic learning experiences easier. By understanding the connection between personal storytelling and belonging, we gain valuable tools for building more inclusive communities in our personal and professional lives. | Jenn Whitmer "Joyosity: More Fun, Less Drama, and Real Results at Work" Joy? Really? Ok, so let's think about it for a moment. Workplace stress, disengagement, and burnout aren’t just personal struggles—they cost organizations productivity, retention, and profit. (Let's talk about the more than $190 billion...) But another initiative or team-building event isn't going to cut it. You need joy. Research shows that leaders who cultivate joy-based cultures see higher engagement, stronger collaboration, and lasting success. In this engaging and interactive keynote, Jenn Whitmer unpacks the science and strategy of joy, proving that joy isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the missing piece to thriving teams and profitable organizations. Through compelling stories, practical frameworks, and immediately actionable strategies, you’ll discover how to embed joy into daily work, creating an environment where people want to show up, contribute, and succeed. Joy is more than feeling good. It’s about unlocking performance, reducing workplace friction, and fostering innovation. Walk away with a clear roadmap to transform your workplace from a culture of stress and survival to one where both people and business flourish. |
Breakout Session Descriptions & Learning Objectives
Topics and speakers are subject to change without notice.
Ali Carson | Session Title: Oh, That's Why I Do That: The neuroscience behind our best (and worst) behavior Have you ever had a moment where something happens and—before you're even fully aware—you react, only to later wonder, “Why did I do that?” This session introduces the SCARF model, a brain-based framework that explains the five key domains that drive our behavior in social and work situations: Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness. Through engaging discussion and reflection, participants will explore typical responses to workplace dynamics, build awareness of what triggers them (and others), and learn practical strategies to respond more effectively. You'll walk away with increased insight, empathy, and tools you can use to navigate professional relationships with greater impact. Learning Objectives:
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Angela Astuto | Session Title: Design Hacks Need quality on a budget? Overwhelmed with the number of tools available? We’ll look at some of the low-cost tools for learning designers, focusing on features you can leverage for a polished appearance that is optimized for learning. We'll review color, coding, hierarchy, graphics, and more! Learning Objectives:
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![]() Artrell Williams | Session Title: Working Out Loud with AI: Building Transparent Learning Practices AI is no longer a future concept—it’s a present-day reality reshaping how organizations learn, adapt, and grow. In Learning & Development, we have a unique opportunity to lead the way by not just using AI tools behind the scenes, but by bringing them to the forefront to model inclusive, collaborative innovation. In this engaging, hands-on session, participants will explore what it means to create an AI-Inclusive Learning Culture—one in which AI tools are not hidden in silos but embraced as visible thinking partners in solving real-world challenges. You’re invited to bring your own device and actively participate. Working in small groups, you’ll collaborate to tackle a shared L&D challenge using AI tools of your choice. We’ll then come together to reflect on strategies, share group-generated solutions, and explore how we can demystify AI usage for our colleagues and stakeholders. Whether you're just starting your AI journey or already integrating tools into your workflow, this session offers a safe space to learn, try, and reimagine how AI can be part of your team culture—not just your toolkit. Key Takeaways:
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![]() Beat Bartlome Steve Hoerner | Session Title: Press Play: Leveraging AI Podcasts for Communication and Learning Engagement Join us as we explore how AI-driven podcast storytelling can transform your communications and learning engagement. We’ll take you behind the curtain and share our approach, tools, and examples to help you get started. Warning: May cause sudden inspiration and an urge to podcast everything. Learning Objectives:
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![]() Blake Martin | Session Title: 7Taps Live Demo and Q&A 7Taps is the world’s #1 Microlearning Platform. Come join us for a 20 min demo followed by Q&A. |
![]() Jami Dix | Session Title: Level Up Your Training: The Shift from Delivery to Facilitation Great training isn’t just about what you say—it’s how you guide the room. Explore practical strategies used by Chapman & Co. facilitators to foster engagement, adapt in real time, and create impactful learning experiences. Learning Objectives:
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Jeff Koziatek | Session Title: The Champion Within: A Leadership Mindset Discover how to lead with clarity, confidence, and resilience—especially under pressure. This session equips professionals with a practical mindset framework to increase influence, prevent burnout, and lead with greater intention. Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
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Jesse Favre | Session Title: The Viral Power of Social Contagion: Is Your L&D Program Spreading Belonging? Explore how social contagion shapes workplace culture—and how L&D can harness it to spread belonging, trust, and inclusivity. Discover strategies to design learning that creates positive ripple effects across teams and leaders. Learning Objectives
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![]() Natalie Gillard | Session Title: "Playing" It Forward: How Gamification Unlocks Lifelong Learning What if the key to sustained growth, deeper awareness, and true belonging isn’t another meeting but a shared, immersive experience? In Playing It Forward, participants engage in a gamified learning session that transforms abstract concepts like empathy, trust, and inclusion into lived, tangible moments. This is not a lecture. It’s an interactive, experiential simulation designed to challenge assumptions, reveal hidden dynamics, and spark critical reflection. These are essential skills for anyone committed to lifelong learning and leadership. During this simulation, participants will step into a fast-paced experience that highlights how identity shapes access, communication, and connection. The format encourages vulnerability and honest introspection while modeling how immersive education can deepen learning in ways traditional methods often cannot. By exploring lived experiences different from their own, participants build self-awareness, develop perspective-taking, and strengthen adaptability. These qualities are foundational to lifelong learning in today’s evolving workplace and social climate. Whether your focus is leadership, talent development, or team cohesion, this session offers practical, people-centered strategies to foster curiosity, resilience, and belonging. You will leave with a renewed understanding of how immersive learning not only drives individual growth but also enhances collective success. Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to:
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Nate Rowlan | Session Title: Storytelling - Making Mythology Motivate Learners Learn to use the power of myth and the hero’s journey to craft engaging, motivational training. This session blends storytelling with adult learning theory to help you design content that resonates, inspires action, and boosts retention. Learning Objectives 1. Identify and apply the core elements of the monomyth to craft compelling stories for instructional use. 2. Leverage adult learning principles to integrate storytelling effectively into diverse instructional settings. 3. Analyze and select mythological narratives relevant to specific learning goals and target audiences. |
Raye Shilen | Session Title: Planning for Accessibility: A Blueprint for Crafting More Inclusive E-Learning Experiences Become an “accessibility architect” as we lay the foundation for building inclusive e-learning experiences. We'll focus on reducing timelines and increasing efficiency when developing courses in Articulate 360 tools, ensuring accessibility for all learners. Learning Objectives In this session, attendees will learn to:
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Stuart Morse | Session Title: The Power of the 'CREATE Mindset' to Energize & Enable Belonging This interactive session will explore and bring greater clarity to how the 'CREATE Mindset' is a key enabler that has a positive and energizing effect on belonging for individuals, teams and organizations. Participants will learn how to enable key aspects of belonging with a wholistic methodology to drive better outcomes across the dynamic interplay of Strategy, Culture and Leadership. Learning Objectives Participants will:
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