ATD Research Triangle Area upcoming events

Using Coaching Skillsets in Talent and Development Conversations (April Monthly Event) (14 Apr 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Using Coaching Skillsets in Talent and Development Conversations

Unlock the power of your Talent & Development conversations. Join UNC Health Executive Coaches Tracy Jenkins and Kimberly Eastman Zirkle for an engaging session on how coaching skillsets can elevate the way we develop people and strengthen organizational culture.

Through exploring the distinctions between leadership approaches and practicing core coaching skills—such as presence, intentional listening, and curiosity—you’ll discover how to deepen work relationships and create more meaningful, sustainable impact.

Whether you support leaders, teams, or enterprise-wide initiatives, this session will equip you with practical tools to enhance connection, foster trust, and drive outcomes that matter for individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole.

Presenters:

Tracy Jenkins, MCC - Manager, Executive Coaching, UNC Health

Kimberly Eastman Zirkle, PCC - System Executive & Leadership Coach, UNC Health

ATD Capability Model:

Professional: Career & Leadership Development, Coaching

Organizational: Consulting & Business Partnering, Talent Strategy & Management, Performance Improvement

Schedule of Events:

Dinner and Networking 6:00-6:30pm

Presentation: 6:30-7:30pm

Networking 7:30-8:00pm

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at admin@tdrta.org.

From Curiosity to Confidence: Building Your AI Roadmap in Learning & Development - Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual) (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

From Curiosity to Confidence: Building Your AI Roadmap in Learning & Development -- Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual)

AI is moving fast and many L&D professionals are asking two questions: Where do I even start? And how can I keep up?
In this interactive session, your LTI SIG leaders will share how they’ve approached learning and using AI and facilitate the creation of a personalized, practical roadmap to level-up your own AI acumen. Whether you’re just beginning or experimenting daily, this session will help you move from curious to intentional.

You’ll leave with a roadmap that allows you to:

Identify immediate and long-term goals for building your AI skills
Leverage curated resources for and about the use of AI
Begin working with AI agents responsibly
Plan a pilot or experiment with confidence

Presenters

Julie Foster, Director of Talent Management, Progressive Insurance has over two decades of experience shaping talent and business strategies across organizations of all sizes - from global Fortune 500 companies to small non-profits. With a career that bridges commercial growth and HR leadership, Julie has led impactful initiatives in leadership development, talent strategy, and tech-enabled learning, consistently delivering results in both high-scale and high-touch environments.

Julie brings a curiosity-first approach to leadership and problem-solving. Her career path reflects this ethos - intentionally “squiggly” with strategic lateral moves, volunteer work in unfamiliar spaces, and a passion for experimenting with emerging technologies. She is known for leading from both the heart and the brain, balancing strategic rigor with empathy, and creating the conditions where people and performance excel. A champion for ethical, human-centered leadership, she regularly speaks on topics like curiosity-led leadership, AI experimentation, and building resilient, future-ready teams.

Wendy M. Morgan, PhD, is a learning strategy and digital product leader with 10+ years of experience building capability through modern learning ecosystems, performance support, and data-informed design. She leads learning strategy and implementation at UNC–Chapel Hill's Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, partnering with cross-functional teams to bring research-informed solutions into practice.
With an emphasis on emphasis on clarity, usefulness, and real-world adoption, Wendy shapes how learning is designed, delivered, and improved. She has led the design and iteration of AI-powered support experiences, including conversational agents, and brings a practical lens for translating emerging technology into workflows, guardrails, and experiments that L&D teams can actually run.

Candace Marles is a learning and development leader in the Research Triangle area with more than 20 years of experience designing impactful digital learning. She currently serves as Principal Informational Content Specialist at Oracle, where she develops learning experiences that help customers adopt analytics and AI technologies.
Over the course of her career, Candace has designed e-learning on topics ranging from Oracle Analytics AI tools and sentiment analysis to gender sensitivity, cultural humility, pharmaceutical drug development, and LMS administration. Her work with organizations such as the UN Development Programme and The Center for Black Health & Equity strengthened her commitment to inclusive design and learner-centered experiences.
Candace has co-led the ATD Research Triangle Area Learning Trends and Innovations SIG since 2019 and has used AI to support instructional design, translation, transcription, and scalable content development.

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: Lifelong Learning

Professional: Instructional Design, Technology Application, Learning Sciences

Organizational: Future Readiness

Social Learning on Draft: South Line Brewing Co. Cary, Wednesday, April 29 (29 Apr 2026)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Social Learning on Draft at South Line Brewing Co. Cary

Looking to unwind after a long day? Want to exchange ideas, share advice, or connect with fellow Learning & Development professionals? Join us for an evening of great conversation, fresh perspectives, and refreshing drinks. Whether you have questions, insights, or just want to chat with like-minded peers, this event is for you!

Leadership & Change-Agility for Uncertain Times (May Monthly Event-Virtual) (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Leadership & Change-Agility for Uncertain Times

Description:

This session focuses on the mindsets and behaviors that help leaders stay grounded, make clear decisions, and guide others through ambiguity. It emphasizes resilience, adaptability, and creating momentum even when the path ahead is unclear.

Presenter: Heather Balcerek

Heather Balcerek is a senior learning and development leader who specializes in practical, human‑centered approaches to leadership. She brings deep experience from roles across major global companies, helping leaders build resilience, navigate uncertainty, and guide their teams with clarity and confidence.

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: Collaboration & Leadership

Professional: Career & Leadership Development

Organizational: Organization Development & Culture, Change Management

The Changing Relationship Between L&D and Tech: Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual) (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual): The Changing Relationship Between L&D and Tech

Presenter TBD

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: n/a

Professional: Instructional Design, Technology Application

Organizational: Talent Strategy & Management, Future Readiness

Social Learning on Draft: Durty Bull Brewing Company, Wednesday, May 27 (27 May 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Social Learning on Draft at Durty Bull Brewing Company

ATD ICE 2026 Recap and Teach Back (June Monthly Event) (09 Jun 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT

ATD ICE 2026 Recap and Teach Back

Session Description:

ATD’s International Conference & EXPO (ICE) is coming to Los Angeles from May 17–20! Several board and chapter members will be attending to learn from top industry experts and gather fresh inspiration.

Join us afterward for a special recap event, where ATD Research Triangle Area (ATD RTA) Chapter members will share key takeaways and teach back highlights from selected conference sessions. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch the conference insights and highlights!

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: Lifelong Learning
Professional: Career & Leadership Development
Organizational: Future Readiness

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at admin@tdrta.org.

Data-Driven Decisions in L&D: Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual) (16 Jun 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual): Data-Driven Decisions in L&D

Presenter TBD

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: n/a

Professional: Instructional Design, Technology Application

Organizational: Talent Strategy & Management, Future Readiness

"Where Do I Click Again?": How to Build Consistency in eLearning (E-Learning SIG - virtual) (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

"Where Do I Click Again?": How to Build Consistency in eLearning

JUNE eLearning SIG (virtual)

Presented by Elsa Trunnell

*** Zoom link to join this session will be sent to registered attendees three times: Immediately upon registration, 3 days prior to the event, and at the start time of the event. Please let us know if you do not receive the link. ***

Session Description:

When learners have to deal with confusing interfaces, cumbersome processes, and distracting formats, it’s easy for your message to get lost in the shuffle. This one-hour session focuses on how to build consistency into all levels of your eLearning projects to make your materials seamless and coherent. You’ll learn how to use consistency to build organizational culture, centralize navigation, standardize learning and development policies, and unify visual design. You will leave with a few quick wins you can use right away to get learners asking “how can I apply this knowledge?” instead of “where do I click again?”

About the Speaker:

Elsa Trunnell graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in interpersonal and organizational communication. After starting her career as an HR Administrator, she quickly decided to specialize in talent development because of her interests in process improvement and instructional design. Currently working in Organizational Development, Elsa develops and edits internal trainings, facilitates onboarding, and builds resources for other employees. She likes to say that her job is to make other people’s jobs easier!

Elsa combines practicality and visual appeal in every project, making training content that’s concise and fit for purpose, but still engaging and enjoyable. Some of her favorite projects to date have been a company-wide learning challenge, a guide for managers of new employees, and a redesign of online employee resources.

The ATD RTA eLearning SIG is hosted by Ricky Fisher and Zoe Fruchter.
Please contact us here with any questions or to propose a future topic.

Member Social (August Monthly Event) (11 Aug 2026)

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Member Social

ATD Capability Model:

Professional:

Organizational:

Personal:

Schedule of Events:

Dinner and Networking 6:00-6:30pm

Presentation: 6:30-7:30pm

Networking 7:30-8:00pm

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at admin@tdrta.org.

Emerging Tools: What’s Worth Your Time? - Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual) (18 Aug 2026)

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Learning Trends & Innovations SIG (Virtual): Emerging Tools: What’s Worth Your Time?

Presenter TBD

ATD Capability Model:

We’ll take a moment to honor the achievements and milestones that made this year shine, recognizing the members, volunteers, and partners who helped make 2025 one to remember.

Whether you’ve been part of our chapter for years or are just getting to know us, this event is the perfect way to connect, celebrate, and be inspired for the year ahead!

Event Details:

Networking & Drinks: 6:30 – 7:00 PM

Program & Celebration: 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Come for the community, stay for the memories; and let’s toast to another amazing year of learning, growth, and impact together!

ATD Capability Model:

Personal: Communication; Collaboration & Leadership; Cultural Awareness & Inclusion

Professional: Career & Leadership Development

Organizational: Business Insight

For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to us at admin@tdrta.org.