ATD-LA News

It is with pleasure and gratitude that I have the honor of recognizing the following for their outstanding contribution to ATD-LA in 2021. The chapter wouldn't be possible without the hard work and effort of our volunteer community. Our board, leaders, managers and volunteers serve pro bono. As leaders in the field, we rely on the community to step up and lead the programs and events. Congratulations to all our award winners who will be recognized at the Holiday Party on December 2!

President’s Award

Given at the discretion of the President of ATD-LA to a board member(s) in recognition of high performance and extraordinary efforts.

Anna Halbur, CFO ATD-LA, CFO Foundation for Affordable Housing.  

Sara Padilla-Casillas, Secretary ATD-LA, Manager HR Innovation & Solutions, USC  

Valerie Quezada, Volunteer Director ATD-LA, Instructional System Designer, Takeda

Honor Member

Given by the Board of Directors to someone who is not already a member of ATD-LA and who has made a significant impact on the Chapter as a presenter(s).

Scott Millward, Managing Partner Russ Allen Consulting Leadership and Secretary, ATD Board of Directors

Heather Davidson, Senior Program Manager Learning & Development, Amazon

Lifetime Award

Given by the Board of Directors for outstanding contributions to the profession and ATD-LA over many years to someone who is not a board member at the time of the award determination.

Anthony Lewis, ATD-LA Member since 2002, Past President 2015-16, and Mentor Program Administrator since 2008, Senior Director People Development & Organizational Effectiveness, Universal Music Group

Frank Rabwin Memorial Leadership Award

Given by the Board of Directors for significant leadership contributions to the Chapter consisting of involvement in several projects.

Mariam Manukyan, Member-at-Large, ATD-LA, People Advisory Services, Ernst & Young

Princess Walsh, Director Workshops & Webinars ATD-LA, Professor & Course Coordinator, Pepperdine University

Directors’ Distinguished Service Award

Given by the Board of Directors for outstanding contributions to the Chapter during the past year as a board member.

Anupa Naik, Member-at-Large and Director Communities of Practice ATD-LA, CEO, Smartwork! Inc.

Special Interest Group Leader of the Year

Recognizing Special Interest Group leaders and their efforts since 2009.

Susan Gabriele, South Bay Geographic Interest Group ATD-LA Leader since 2009, Owner, Gabriele Educational Materials & Systems

Anthony Markovich, Former South Bay Geographic Interest Group ATD-LA Leader, Director Talent Development Partner, DISQO 

Jonathan Troper, Former Organizational Development Special Interest Group ATD-LA Leader and Member since 1995, Director Center for Innovation & Change, Alliant International University

Scott Wimer, Former Organizational Development Special Interest Group ATD-LA Leader and Member since 1983, Principal, Wimer Associates

Volunteer(s) of the Year

Given by the Board of Directors for outstanding contributions in a volunteer capacity to the Chapter during the past year to someone who is not a board member at the time of the award determination.

2021

John Zupancic, Social Media Manager ATD-LA, Learning & Development Consultant, Golden Dog Creative

Guy Morgenshtern, Orientation Manager ATD-LA, Instructional Designer, Geosyntec

Recognition

Special recognition to a member, corporation, or other partner.

USC Rossier School of Education, Partner and Venue Host since 2019

Logix Federal Credit Union, Corporate Member since 2009

Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Corporate Member since 2015

Denise Ross, Office Administrator ATD-LA since 2011, Owner, More Than Just Words

Grant Skakun, Office Administrator ATD-LA since 2015, Copy Editor, Eucrest Writing

Volunteers

Q1

Christina Boryk, Mentor Program Administrator ATD-LA, Project Manager, St. Charles Consulting Group Cornell University

Kevin Kwan, Mentor Program Administrator ATD-LA, Senior Technology Manager, Learning & Development Panda Restaurant Group

James McKenna, Mentor Program Administrator ATD-LA, Assistant Director, California Collaborative for Excellence in Education

Q2

Michelle Yang, SoCal Young Professionals Special Interest Group ATD-LA, Talent Development Specialist, DISQO

Nairee Bedikian, SoCal Young Professionals Special Interest Group ATD-LA, Specialist Talent, Learning & Inclusion, The Walt Disney Company

Q3

Alessaundra Mills, Chapter Meetings Volunteer ATD-LA, Owner & Principal Consultant, Strategic School Solutions, LLC

Candice Sylvia, Chapter Meetings Volunteer ATD-LA, Global Education Director, Henkel

ATD-LA welcomes its 2022 Board of Directors!

• President: Kavita Gupta
• Member-At-Large,Director of Communities of Practice: Anupa Naik
• Member-At-Large: Mariam Manukyan
• Director of Chapter Meetings: Alessaundra Mills, Ed.D.
• Director of Volunteers: Valerie Quezada
• Director of Workshops & Webinars: Princess Walsh, PsyD

Dear Members and Friends of the Chapter,

It is with pleasure that I share the 2021 ATD-LA State of the Chapter and Annual Report. Thanks to a dedicated board, volunteers and your support, we had another strong year. I look forward to your continued participation in the chapter. Here’s to a great 2022!

Kavita Gupta

ATD-LA President 2020-2023

COMMUNICATIONS

Increased followership on ATD-LA’s LinkedIn platform by over 13%.

Actively posted over 45 events and announcements on ATD-LA’s LinkedIn platform with almost 1,000 views on select posts.

Averaged 700 web visits/month and 31k impressions on the ATD-LA website. Website visitors include professionals from business development, HR, education, community and social services and program management.

FINANCE

Introduced a Budget Variance Analysis into the chapter’s monthly budget report.

Awarded $500 from the Mira Gold Grant to new board member Princess Walsh, co-created by Lifetime Member, Kenneth Nowack to advance professional career development.

Launched the KG Talent Development Grant in January donated by President Kavita Gupta and awarded 20 membership grants totaling $1,745 to members and non-members.

GOVERNANCE

Introduced a Code of Conduct for board of directors and volunteers.

Achieved 100% Chapter Affiliation Requirements (CARE).

Updated the election materials on the website and instituted a new board member nomination policy overseen by a Nominations Committee.

Partnered with Diana Mailly, CPA who will be the chapter’s new tax accountant.

Started a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure Central Online Management System for board members target completion date Fall 2022.

Improved chapter leadership best practices with the attendance of 5 incoming chapter leaders at the annual Chapter Leaders Conference hosted by ATD Global.

Revised the Volunteer Recognition Awards to better meet chapter needs with the help of Past President Sean Bloch.

MEMBERSHIP

Increased membership by 6.7% despite the pandemic through the KG Talent Development Grant, strong program offerings, membership drives, and outreach efforts. Maintained our national status as a top 10 largest chapter among 90+ chapters nationwide.

Added a new corporate member, Herbalife Nutrition.

Started a monthly recognition for renewing members in the eweekly newsletter.

Supported several ATD Global Power Membership drives including a Sizzling Summer Special and an upcoming Black Friday Special for chapter members.

Awarded a complimentary certificate from ATD National to board secretary Sara Padilla-Casillas who completed an ATD Certificate in Management Development.

OPERATIONS

Updated the membership database by removing over 1,500 inactive members.

Updated the website and removed outdated information.

Revised advertising and sponsorship rates and received 2 new sponsorships.

Revised the job board and now collaborate with sister chapters in the western region to promote job offerings.

PROGRAMMING

Hosted over 600 members and guests at 40+ chapter meetings, orientations, webinars, workshops and communities of practice and special meetings.

Relaunched the mentor program started by Past President Anthony Lewis after a 5-year hiatus with 29 mentors and mentees.

Relaunched the Annual Volunteer Recognition and Awards program started by past presidents of ATD-LA after almost a decade.

Launched a new SoCal Young Professionals Special Interest Group in collaboration with the Orange County and San Diego chapters.

Co-hosted the International Conference and Exposition (ICE) in Salt Lake City with the Rocky Mountain Chapter and oversaw 50+ volunteers led by Valerie Quezada, ICE Volunteer Coordinator.

Secured proclamations from senior government officials for Employee Learning Week in December.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Hosted the first Leadership Retreat for 12 board members, office administrators and volunteers.

Held the 5^rd and 6^th leadership strategic planning leadership meetings attended by board members, chapter leaders and office administrators in winter and fall.

Increased leadership involvement by adding 3 new board members and 4 new chapter leaders and volunteers. Identified a president-elect for 2023.   

Click Here to enjoy the ATD-LA 2021 year-in-review video.

Thank You Members and Friends of ATD-LA!

You will be voting for an ATD-LA Board Member who will begin a two-year term in January.

In accordance with the chapter bylaws, this form includes the names of available positions which will begin a new term. Each active member will have one ballot per election period.

The ATD-LA Board is a very diverse group and values the thoughts and skills of everyone. Our volunteers and board give their time pro bono (not paid). We coordinate the tasks for several learning programs, chapter meetings and membership related projects.

Directions: Please vote for each position listed by choosing the name indicated for the position.

All ballot forms must be submitted by or before the deadline: September 29, 2021 at 5 p.m.

Visit www.atdla.org/page-1819156 for position descriptions. 

Click Here for the Ballot

As we move into fall, here is a preview of what we have planned.

The bi-annual board and chapter leader strategic planning meeting will be hosted in-person on September 18 with our office administrators. A copy of the 35-page plan will be available only to board members of the chapter by September 15. A state of the chapter and annual report will be sent to all members in our e-weekly by October 1 along with a year-in-review video for you to enjoy.

Five webinars, an orientation for new and prospective members, and a chapter meeting will be held from September to November.

A wrap-up Mentor Program meeting that will recognize all of our mentors and mentees who participated in 2021 will be held on October 11.

A Holiday Party, Volunteer Recognition, and Dinner will be held on Thursday, December 2 from 6:30pm to 9pm at the Marriott Los Angeles Westside in Culver City. I am excited to announce that Scott Millward, former Senior Vice President of Learning & Development and Field Communication at Panera Bread and current member of ATD’s Board of Directors, has graciously offered to be our special guest and will share insights about where ATD is headed in 2022. We will also recognize our valued partners, sponsors, board members, volunteers, and mentors and mentees; give out numerous awards; and welcome the 2022 board and chapter leaders. So be sure to save the date for this fun year-end celebration!

As always, good health until we meet, and have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

— Kavita Gupta, President

Per the terms of the chapter bylaws, we call for your self-nomination to join the Board of Directors.

You will be nominating an ATD-LA Board Member for a two year term that begins in January. Ballots will be distributed in September.

The ATD-LA Board is a very diverse group and values the thoughts and skills of everyone. Our volunteers and board give their time pro bono (not paid). We coordinate the tasks for several learning programs, chapter meetings and membership related projects.

Board Member Benefits

• A seat on the board of an award winning top tier chapter in the world
• Discounted ATD National Membership savings of over $220
• Discounted chapter membership savings of $35 for renewals and $75 for new members
• Eligibility to receive a Mira Gold award toward professional development for new board members value $500 (only applicable until 2024)
• Complimentary meals at leadership planning meetings held bi-annually, value $50-$75
• Eligibility to attend the ALC chapter leader conference value $175 for virtual conferences and $1200 for in-person conferences
• Complimentary attendance at the Gamification Workshop when offered, value $250
• Mentoring and support from experienced board members
• Opportunities to network among top talent development professionals
• Opportunity to enhance leadership skills
• Prestige of industry recognition

Membership Requirements

Board members are required to maintain membership in the following during their term:

• The Association for Talent Development (td.org), a global nonprofit membership association; and
• The Association for Talent Development, Los Angeles Chapter (atdla.org), a local nonprofit membership association serving Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.

Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct

All board members are required to abide by a Membership Code of Conduct (https://www.atdla.org/Eligibility) and Board Member Code of Conduct (https://www.atdla.org/resources/Documents/ATD-LA%20Very%20Final%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf). Please review both these sections in their entirety before proceeding to the next section.

Directions

You can nominate yourself or another person for as many positions as you wish by using this form.

The open positions for the 2022 ATD-LA Board of Directors are:

• President Elect
• Director of Chapter Meetings
• Director of Membership
  

Visit www.atdla.org/page-1819156 for position descriptions.

Please submit your Nomination Form before the deadline of August 20, 2021 at 5 p.m.

Click Here to Nominate

Soak up the sun and savings!

Save $25 off new individual membership.

Going on now through September 15.

Click Here and use code: yaysummer

This is for individual memberships only. (Does not apply to power, student or group.) 

You Asked - We Delivered! I am pleased to announce that for the fourth consecutive year, and after an almost two-year hiatus, we will finally be able to hold in-person chapter meetings at USC in 2022! So please mark your calendars for a great line up of presenters, including our award-winning New Year Brain Exchange and a panel of senior leaders on January 20, February 17, April 14, June 16, July 21 and August 11, 2022. We will follow a hybrid model for chapter meetings, webinars and communities of practice meetings in 2022. Unfortunately, due to many restrictions still in place at our host venues USC and Antioch University, events in the fall will most likely still be offered virtually. Stay tuned for more details in the fall.

As we move into the summer, elections will be held in early August. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please drop an email to Valerie Quezada at volunteers@atdla.org. And if you haven’t signed up for the International Conference and Exposition (ICE) hosted by ATD-LA in Salt Lake City, Utah, please register here and add our Chapter Incentive Program code CH8028 to your registration to help our chapter earn some extra dollars. We currently already have a group discount, so please be sure to take advantage of this special offer and contact Denise at office@atdla.org before you register. ICE will be held August 29th to September 1st and there will be both a virtual and in-person option for the conference this time. You can also volunteer for the conference and attend one day free for every day that you volunteer (offer only good for ATD-LA members - click here for details).

As always, your leadership team works hard to serve you and bring high quality professional development programs, networking and job opportunities. Stay safe and healthy, and see you soon at the June 17 chapter meeting for networking and a presentation by Ken Nowack on 10 Hacks for Successful Goal Setting and Goal Surviving.

— Kavita Gupta, ATD-LA President

Are you taking advantage of the ATD-LA Job Board? Our Job Board is a leading resource for job openings in talent development, learning, instructional design, e-learning, organizational development, training and more. The listings are available to members only, so don’t miss out on this valuable resource!

 How to Subscribe to the Job Board

 Follow these four easy steps:

1. Navigate to the Job Board page via the Menu > Resources > Job Board [Direct Link].
2. Click on the “Click Here” link under the ATD-LA Members headline [Direct Link].
3. Enter your login information.
4. Click on “Subscribe to the Forum” [Direct Link].  

Voila! After you’ve subscribed to the forum, you will receive notifications about new postings. Look out for an email with the subject line “Daily summary of updates for Job Listings from ATD-Los Angeles.”

Tip #1: Interested in posting a job with us? ATD-LA currently has a growing membership of close to 300 members. Simply fill out the job post form here and one of our staff will add your job to our job board.

Tip #2: Hiring nationally? Also consider the ATD Job Bank. Employers referred by chapters receive a 15 percent discount off the rates, and chapters earn 10 percent commission on the full price. Be sure to enter our chapter’s ChIP code CH8028 when you post a job or search for resumes using the ATD Job Bank: https://jobs.td.org/

I had the pleasure of hosting the first Leadership Retreat for our ATD-LA chapter leadership team and what a blast we had! Great food and a scavenger hunt were topped off with a visit by author, former executive and coach, Caroline Leach, who not only did a book signing, but generously gifted copies of her book to everyone. A big thank you to our 20+ executive committee members, board of directors, office administrators, chapter leaders and volunteers!

I would also like to take this near half-year milestone to reflect on our accomplishments and share them with you. We could not have done this without you, our members!

• Weathered the storm created by the pandemic with strong financial reserves.
• Welcomed over 45 new individual members 19 of whom received a complimentary membership from the KG Talent Development Grant, and a corporate member, Herbalife.
• Hosted over 365 members and guests at chapter meetings, webinars, orientations, communities of practice meetings and mentorship meetings.
• Developed strategies, team building and friendships through board and chapter leader leadership strategic planning meetings.
• Recruited 25+ chapter leaders and volunteers in the past 3 years since I became president-elect with a retention rate of 81%.
• Implemented a new Code of Conduct for chapter leaders and volunteers.
• Added over 75 new followers to our LinkedIn social media platform with an average of 20k impressions per month.

ATD-LA continues to be an award-winning top tier chapter! Let us celebrate our successes and keep building on our 75-year history. If you are interested in joining the leadership team and giving back to the learning and development community, contact us at volunteers@atdla.org.

Thank for your continued commitment and support of the chapter, and we look forward to seeing you at upcoming programs and events. Enjoy this slideshow of your chapter leadership team hard at work having fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxyM0NcyrG4