🌟 ATD St. Louis Member Spotlight 🌟

Mary Pat Jacobs: I love learning—like, almost to the point of destruction. My browser tabs, TBR list, and podcast queue are excessive. When I put that obsession—ahem, passion—to good use helping our employees grow and develop, I found my home.

Mary Pat Jacobs: Hard to choose one! We’re doing some work on interview best practices, including how our biases show up in the process. The behavioral scientist in me is loving the conversations around the halo (or horn) effect, affinity bias, and confirmation bias. We all have unconscious bias. When we build awareness around that fact, we have a better chance at creating a more equitable world.

Mary Pat Jacobs: I was new to HR and OD and stuck in my own little bubble. I knew I’d benefit from learning more from others in the field by joining a local organization. I’ve met the loveliest people through ATD and pushed myself out of my comfort zone—like leading a session on AI at ATD’s Learn conference in 2023 with Steve Hoerner, and a virtual session with Nate Rowlan last year.

Mary Pat Jacobs: The connections. Through the rich learning experiences ATD provides, I’ve met genuine people who care deeply about learning and growth. They’re purpose-driven. It’s not just about the mechanics of creating a learning experience (though we nerd out on that for sure)—you can tell they want to make a meaningful impact on the people they serve.

Mary Pat Jacobs: Take tiny risks. If that terrifies you, I get it—I was scared and stuck. I started small: attending virtual events with my video on and coming off mute to contribute (so, so brave). Then I went to in-person events and sat next to strangers who quickly became connections. Eventually, I started attending—and sometimes facilitating—all sorts of events, ATD and beyond. My learning and connections just kept growing.

If you’re not sure where to start, let me know. We can grab coffee ☕. I can be your wingwoman at events. And if you really want a healthy push, consider hiring me to coach you. I’ve started a small coaching practice and am taking on clients.

Mary Pat Jacobs: Depends on the day. Or the hour, to be honest. I devour podcasts and am even in a podcast club (surprise, surprise). Right now, I’m bouncing between Good Inside, Pivot, I Hate It Here (Hebba Youssef is an HR revolutionary), Good Hang (such a palate cleanser), Corporate Gossip, and Chasing Life.