You have been pouring your creative juices on a training deliverable for ages and taking feedback from reviewers to reach the finish line, but now… it's stalled out. Did your initial idea evolve or hit a wall? Where do you go next to jump start your design? Join the Instructional Design PDN for a session focused on removing your design blinders through practicing workshopping techniques and leveraging critical questions to reignite your design spark.
Time
Function
12:00-12:05pm
Arrival and introduction
12:05pm
Session start
12:50pm
Session wrap up
Celebrate Summer with Your Talent Development Community!
Join your fellow talent development professionals for an evening of connection, conversation, and beverages at our Annual Summer Networking Social!
We’re gathering at The Vine Humboldt Beer Garden in Bay View—a perfect spot to enjoy a warm Milwaukee evening. Catch up with colleagues, make new connections, and unwind in a relaxed, outdoor setting.
Event organizers will be on site by 4:30pm on Wednesday, August 13th to begin a happy hour celebration. Last year, the conversation kept going until the sun went down!
All registrants will receive two complimentary drink tickets and a souvenir pint glass from the beer garden. Buffet-style food will be available starting around 5:00pm.
Registration closes one week in advance, on August 8th. We look forward to celebrating with you!
How Can L&D Stop Being Seen as Order-Takers?
Join this engaging session featuring Jess Almlie, author of the upcoming ATD Press book L&D Order Taker No More: Become a Strategic Business Partner, for a candid fireside chat that blends powerful insights from her book with real-world lessons for today’s talent development professionals.
We’ll explore the hidden barriers that often prevent talent development teams from operating as true strategic business partners and learn practical ways to reposition work with internal stakeholders. Expect honest reflection, fresh perspective, and actionable ideas to help you step beyond execution and into influence.
About Jess Almlie Jess Almlie is a former Vice President of Learning and a dynamic leader in the learning and development field. She is passionate about empowering L&D professionals to increase our impact by evolving from order takers to strategic business partners. With three decades of experience and a proven track record of driving strategic initiatives, Jess helps organizations solve talent challenges and improve performance. In addition to consulting and speaking, Jess hosts the podcast, L&D Must Change and is author of the book, L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner, to be published by ATD Press in September 2025.
About the Performance Improvement PDN
The SEWI-ATD Performance Improvement PDN is a collaborative group focused on practicing the skills of human performance improvement. We are talent development leaders, OD professionals, consultants, and other TD professionals who want to improve the performance towards our organization's goals.
8-8:15am
Pre-session coffee chat
8:15-9:15am
Official session
9:15-9:30am
Networking and follow-on conversation
Contact Usadmin@sewi-atd.orgPhone: 608-204-9815Association ManagersSeth TrickelHeather L. Dyer, CAE
