Christina Powell, APTD

Christina Powell has been a Talent Development professional for more than 10 years with experience in facilitation, instructional design, and leadership development.   Currently, Tina creates quality client training content providing technical guidance and resources for end users of Equifax I-9 Management platforms.  She is goal oriented and focuses on increasing client retention through ongoing product support.  Tina also participated as Mentor and currently serves on the EWS Mentorship Board.  

The  Vice President of Finance manages the operational finances of the chapter. They create an annual operating budget and coordinates the budget and operational issues with other board members, as well as administrative services. They assure that chapter operations are in compliance with ATD's Chapter Affiliation Requirements (CARE). They audit income/expenses and cash-flow on a monthly basis to ensure chapter's sound financial status and ensures that the chapter follows state and federal reporting requirements. They also reconcile chapter bank accounts on a regular basis. They can be reached via email at finance@atdstl.org.

   Tyra Austell-Jones

Tyra Austell‑Jones is a Senior Learning & Development Consultant at Cushman & Wakefield. She brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and technical training across healthcare, corporate, and nonprofit environments. Her career includes leading high‑performance teams, implementing enterprise learning programs, and designing onboarding and leadership curricula. Tyra is known for her responsiveness, collaboration, and ability to manage complex initiatives with clarity. A colleague described her as “One of the most responsive and organized OD/OE partners… able to balance many tasks simultaneously while keeping everyone involved in the project informed.”

The Vice President of Professional Development plans the annual chapter conference. They communicate and coordinate with keynote speakers, event site staff and collaborate with the other board members to manage all aspects of the event.  The VP of Professional Development collaborates with the VP of Communication to promote these events. They also collaborate with the Chapter President to set appropriate goals and performance measures to ensure the chapter is meeting their goals and providing meaningful events for members. They can be reached at Development@atdstl.org.

    Josh Higgins

Josh Higgins is a Sales Program Manager at World Wide Technology (WWT), focused on building scalable, data-driven sales onboarding programs that accelerate seller ramp and productivity. He also serves as Vice President of Membership for ATD St. Louis (ATDSTL), supporting the growth and engagement of the local talent development community. Outside of work, Josh values time with his family and staying grounded in what matters most.

The Vice President of Membership manages the design and implementation of policies, programs or initiatives that ensure membership growth and engagement; sets appropriate goals and performance measures for membership; ensures updated and appropriate membership records; invoices membership dues; maintains new member materials/brochures; and processes membership applications. They can be reached at membership@atdstl.org.

   Sarah Garner, CPTD, SHRM-CP
Sarah Garner is currently the Director of Organizational Development & Engagement, Training & Development for ACPA-College Student Educators International. Sarah is a curious, compassionate, and collaborative L&D leader with nearly two decades of progressive experience developing people and teams in various industries, including higher ed, non-profit, and ed tech. These experiences have given her the unique opportunity to adapt traditional L&D practices to a variety of settings and apply my strength as a relationship-builder amongst diverse stakeholders. Ultimately, that's what Sarah thinks the VP for Community Involvement position is all about: building mutually-beneficial relationships with educational and professional partners that enhance members' experiences. From her past work in higher ed and current role as an association professional, Sarah knows that student and community engagement help to sustain organizations like ATD St. Louis and looks forward to helping the chapter advance this part of its mission.

The Vice President of Community Engagement manages and promotes community and student engagement within the chapter by developing and executing initiatives such as a scholarship program, internship program, college outreach efforts, and student special interest groups. They also partner with other similar professional organizations to increase interest in our chapter while promoting new and different learning opportunities to our members. They can be reached at community@atdstl.org.

    Kelli Callahan

Kelli Callahan is a highly experienced Senior Instructional Designer and Learning Consultant with over eight years of expertise in instructional design, eLearning, facilitation, and project management. She uncovers performance gaps and translates business goals into engaging, learner-centered solutions that drive measurable results. Kelli specializes in designing and delivering blended learning experiences, including instructor-led training, virtual learning, and eLearning, grounded in adult learning theory and proven instructional design methodologies. Kelli holds a Master of Education in Instructional Design from the University of Cincinnati and is an active member of the Association for Talent Development and The Learning Guild. On a personal note, Kelli enjoys hearing live music, dancing, her pets and travel.

The Director of Programming plans events of value for our members that reflect the vision of our Chapter. They communicate and coordinate with keynote speakers, event site staff and collaborate with the other board members to manage all aspects of each event.  In addition to regular chapter events, they are also responsible for special events to provide additional value and development to the members’ experience including the annual chapter conference, special interest groups, workshops/seminars, etc.  The VP of Programming collaborates with the VP of Communication to promote these events. They also collaborate with the Chapter President to set appropriate goals and performance measures to ensure the chapter is meeting their goals and providing meaningful events for members. They can be reached at  logistics@atdstl.org.

   Rachael Guebert

Rachael Guebert is an Associate and Talent Development Manager at HOK, where she plays a role in shaping employee growth, leadership capability, and organizational culture. With experience spanning talent development, talent acquisition, and HR strategy, Rachael brings a dynamic blend of people-centered leadership and strategic insight to her work.

Becoming Director of Learn Conference of the Association for Talent Development (ATD) St. Louis Chapter has been a meaningful milestone in Rachael's professional journey. After joining ATD in early 2025 and attending the ATD International Conference, she was inspired by the strong sense of community, collaboration, and shared commitment to advancing the talent development profession. In 2026, Rachael stepped into a new leadership role as a board member, serving as the Director of the Learn Conference.  They can be reached at  learnconference@atdstl.org.