Tuesday, June 26 | 6:45 – 7:45 p.m.

Bring your questions and observations to this interactive panel discussion to hear expert perspectives on the future of the learning organization.

This moderated session will feature veteran learning and development (L&D) leaders and their perspectives on the future direction of corporate learning. They will share what learning professionals can do now to create a plan to succeed, both now and in the future. We’ll discuss emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and augmented reality, how to leverage data, and other topics suggested by members of the audience (click here to submit your question or comment).

Featured Panelists:

	Shana DeSmit, VP Associate Experience Design Walmart U.S. Shana has current responsibility for the Associate Experience Design (AED) team supporting the over 1.5 million Walmart U.S. associates in stores, as merchants and in the home office. In early 2017, the Walmart AED team implemented an agile way of working, demonstrating increase in productivity while maintaining and delivering high-quality content. Her team is on a journey to create a seamless learning experience for associates that enables learning to take place in the moment when they need it; we call it Learning without Limits.Shana holds a B.S. in business from Eastern Illinois University and earned her Professional in Human Resources certification in 2007 and her SHRM-CP in 2015. As a lifelong learner, Shana has continued her education, earning multiple certifications from Cornell University.Shana began her career with Walmart in 1991 as a cashier in Mattoon, IL, and progressed through several roles in human resources and store operations. Shana has had the opportunity to lead a $9 billion operation as a vice president, regional general manager supporting 115 stores and over 32,000 associates, advancing the growth of her business and the capabilities of her management team.
	K. Anders Ericsson, Ph.D., Conradi Eminent Scholar and professor of psychology, Florida State University K. Anders Ericsson, Ph.D., is presently a Conradi Eminent Scholar and professor of psychology at Florida State University. After earning his Ph.D. in Sweden, he collaborated with the Nobel Prize winner in economics, Herbert A. Simon, on verbal reports of thinking leading to their classic book “Protocol Analysis: Verbal Reports as Data” (1984).Currently he studies the measurement of expert performance in domains such as music, chess, nursing, law enforcement and sports, and how expert performers attain their superior performance by acquiring complex cognitive mechanisms and physiological adaptations through extended deliberate practice. He has edited several books on expertise, the influential “Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance” consisted of over 40 chapters and 900 pages and the recent “Development of Professional Expertise,” which appeared in 2009. His most recent book, “Peak: Secrets from the new science of expertise,” was co-authored with Robert Pool (2016). His research has been featured in cover stories in Scientific American, Time, Fortune, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.He has been invited to give keynote presentations at conferences of surgeons, musicians, teachers, clinical psychologists, athletes and coaches as well as professional sports organizations, such as the Philadelphia Eagles (American football), San Antonio Spurs (basketball), Toronto Blue Jays (baseball), and Manchester City (soccer).
	Vidya Krishnan, Head of Competence & Capability Consulting, Ericsson Vidya Krishnan is the head of competence and capability consulting for Ericsson North America. She has a responsibility and a deep passion for transforming how Ericsson creates capability for their customers and their workforces, as Ericsson enables new ways of learning for the Networked Society as a whole. With over 20 years in the Telecom+IT industry, she knows firsthand that operational excellence comes from having an entrepreneurial start-up culture where speed, agility and creativity are combined with the experience, caliber, expertise and know-how of an established organization. She fervently believes that learning is the intersection of execution, strategy and engagement. She is proud and privileged to lead a team dedicated to transforming how, where and when effective learning takes place in the Networked Society.
	Doug Harward, CEO and Founder, Training Industry, Inc. Doug Harward is the CEO and Founder of Training Industry, Inc. He is internationally recognized as one of the leading strategists for training and outsourcing business models. He is respected as one of the industry’s leading authorities on competitive analysis for training services and works with international companies and new business start-ups in building training organizations. Harward previously served as the Director of Global Learning for Nortel Networks. He received the Chairman’s Global Award for Community Service for his work in developing integrated learning organization strategies within higher education, public schools and business. He has worked in the training industry for more than 25 years. He received an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a BSBA in Marketing from Appalachian State University.
	Kim Stewart, SVP Learning and Talent Development, First Citizens Bank Kim is an award-winning human resources (HR) executive with 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors. Kim specializes in learning and talent management with task force work in the areas of talent acquisition, benefits, employee relations and HR compliance. Kim is a seasoned leader known for driving results and developing high-performing teams. She is adept at linking human capital strategies to business objectives with proven return on investment. Kim is a proactive leader focused on continuous process improvement, innovation, team and organizational development. Kim graduated from NC State University with a degree in mathematics education and holds certificates in business, human resources and talent development from UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Charlotte Executive Education programs as well as ATD and HRCI.

Moderator:

Ken Taylor – President, Training Industry, Inc. Ken Taylor is president of Training Industry, Inc., and serves as editor-in-chief of Training Industry’s editorial content, including TrainingIndustry.com and Training Industry Magazine, all of which provide guidance for the learning and development leader. Ken’s passion for technology and its impact on organizational effectiveness drives his deep interest in learning technologies and the role of technology in employee development.Ken’s career spans 30 years in leadership and entrepreneurial roles in multiple industries and functions, including consulting, operations, technology, sales, marketing and finance. His experience in finance includes serving as CFO of several multibillion-dollar business units. His prior experience and current focus combine to give him a unique perspective on the training sector, understanding both the challenges of learning leaders and the perspectives of leadership teams tasked with driving performance and outcomes. His experience also enables him to bring together companies and individuals who operate as suppliers and buyers of learning services.Ken is co-author of the book, “What Makes a Great Training Organization,” written with Training Industry, Inc. CEO Doug Harward.