ATD Puget Sound Chapter upcoming events

APTD/CPTD Certification Workshop Series (October 29, 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

APTD/CPTD Certification Workshop Series

Prepare for the APTD or CPTD exam with a practical, scenario-based workshop series designed to help you think the way the test writer thinks. Across three standalone sessions, participants will learn how to identify exam distractors, apply ATD-aligned professional and organizational capabilities, diagnose performance gaps, interpret data, navigate complex scenarios, and make confident decisions under time constraints.

Each workshop focuses on a distinct aspect of exam success and can be attended independently. Participants will leave with practical frameworks, decision-making tools, and test-taking strategies they can apply immediately to their certification preparation.

Upcoming Workshops

The Test Writer’s Mindset & Professional Capabilities

Thursday, October 15 | 5:00 p.m.

The Business Layer & Organizational Capabilities

Thursday, October 29 | 5:00 p.m.

Exam Tactics & Scenario Tips

Thursday, November 12 | 5:00 p.m.

Core Competencies

Professional Capability: Applies learning and talent development principles, instructional design approaches, and professional standards to workplace scenarios.
Organizational Capability: Uses consulting, human performance improvement, data analysis, and business acumen to identify performance needs and recommend appropriate solutions.
Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Analyzes complex information, evaluates alternatives, and connects learning and talent solutions to organizational goals and performance outcomes.
Scenario-Based Decision Making: Applies sound judgment to realistic workplace situations while considering constraints, stakeholders, and organizational context.
Exam Readiness & Test-Taking Strategy: Uses structured approaches to analyze questions, eliminate distractors, manage time, and navigate complex case-based scenarios.

Facilitator - Tselmeg Erdenebayar, M.Ed., CPTD

Tselmeg Erdenebayar is a talent development professional and Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) who brings hands-on experience in learning design, performance improvement, and workplace learning. She earned her CPTD certification in 2025 and understands the exam preparation journey firsthand. Tselmeg combines practical L&D experience with a strategic, scenario-based approach to help certification candidates build confidence, think beyond the obvious answer, and apply the ATD Capability Model to real-world situations.

Leadership By Design: The Future We’re Building - Leadership Development SIG (November 04, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

The Leadership SIG is a community for talent development professionals who want to intentionally grow as leaders while expanding their impact within their organizations and the profession. Through interactive learning experiences including workshops, executive panels, educational sessions, and collaborative discussions, members will develop the leadership capabilities to lead themselves, guide others, advance their organizations, and champion the future of talent development.

What does the future of leadership require from us as Talent Development professionals? Join us for an engaging conversation exploring the signals and shifts shaping our profession and the way we lead. Featuring the voices and perspectives of Talent Development leaders from across the region, this event will bring together an executive panel and facilitated roundtable discussion to explore how we can move beyond responding to change to intentionally shape what comes next for ourselves, our organizations, and our profession.

By the end of this session, you’ll have:

New perspectives on the shifts and signals shaping our organizations and profession
Practical ideas you can apply immediately in your leadership and talent development work
Questions to help you think differently about your role and influence
Connections with Talent Development leaders from across the region

Moderator:

Melinda Gilliam is the Founder and Impact Partner of Melliam LLC and brings more than a decade of experience in learning and development, specializing in leadership development, coaching, facilitation, and organizational learning strategies that help individuals and organizations grow with intention. She holds a B.A. in Education, an M.S. in Counseling and Adult Development, and the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) credential. Guided by the belief that learning is one of the greatest forms of care, Melinda is passionate about creating people-centered learning experiences that inspire growth, strengthen leadership, and create lasting impact.

Melinda Gilliam - https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-gilliam/

Panelists:

Sarah Keimig's career path has been anything but linear—it’s been a series of zigzags that have shaped how she lead and how she sees opportunity.

Today, as a Senior Culture Partner and internal consultant, she works across the organization on culture strategy, BRG program design, leadership development, and team dynamics. Her experience also includes four years designing and facilitating Inclusive Leadership learning for over 800 leaders.

She's a mother of four and a veteran, and she loves building bridges, solving problems, mentoring others, and helping people see what’s possible. Above all, she tries to remain a student of her environment—always learning, staying curious, and growing alongside the people around her.

Sarah Keimig - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-keimig-3348112b/

Barrett Evans is Deputy Executive Director of Learning & Development at Sound Transit, where he leads the capability and leadership development infrastructure behind America's busiest light rail system. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of talent, learning, and organizational transformation, Barrett has held senior L&D and HR leadership roles at Ford Motor Company and Macy's Inc., guiding large-scale workforce transformation and consistently moving L&D from support function to strategic driver.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrettevans/

Mariasol Hill is a talent development and business leader at Microsoft who is passionate about helping people and organizations grow through change. As a Director of Business Programs within the Microsoft Commercial Business organization, she leads talent development and learning initiatives designed to strengthen leadership capability and prepare teams to accelerate customer outcomes .

Mariasol has spent her career building global programs that bring together learning, talent strategy, community, and employee experience. From leading large-scale early-in-career programs to shaping development experiences for leaders, she is especially interested in how talent leaders can move beyond delivering programs to becoming strategic partners who help organizations anticipate and shape change.

Her leadership philosophy centers on clarity, curiosity, and creating the conditions for others to thrive. She believes the best leaders do more than navigate the future. They help design it by creating future leaders.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariasolhill/

Bobby Humes

Bobby Humes - https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachbobby/

Impacting Organizational Capability, Future Readiness, Change Management, Developing Professional Capability, Collaboration & Leadership

Seattle Networking Interest Group (November 05, 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Seattle Networking Interest Group

Our Networking Interest Group meets virtually the first Thursday of every month for connection, conversation and conviviality! Whether you’re a current member or curious about becoming one, these structured gatherings are intentionally designed to help you:

Meet talent development professionals from across the Puget Sound region
Discover new ways to get involved with our Chapter
Get the most value out of an ATD Puget Sound Membership
Engage with Chapter Leaders
Experience and learn fun virtual connection building activities you can use at work

Whether you’re an experienced trainer, facilitator, coach, instructional designer, consultant, or aspiring to work in one of the many fields of L&D, these meetings give you the chance to learn from and with others, feel more connected to the industry and get inspired to be an active member of the ATD Puget Sound community.

Can’t join us for the full 90 minutes? No problem! This is your open invitation to a virtual open house: anyone can "Zoom" by, whenever, and for however long you can stay.

Pre-registration is required to have the Zoom log in information sent. Also, there is no real time assistance available for this program.

Measuring Learning Impact When You Don't Have a Data Team with Traci Cantu, MHRM, CPTD (November 11, 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

ATDps: November 2026 Member Event

Measuring Learning Impact When You Don't Have a Data Team with Tracie Cantu, MHRM, CPTD

You're being asked to "prove impact" with no analyst, no dashboard, and no time. Welcome to modern L&D.

In this session, you'll learn a practical, step-by-step way to measure learning impact using what you already have: existing business data, targeted manager input, and a few simple metrics that actually travel well in leadership conversations.

You'll leave with an understanding of frameworks to help you define the right questions, pick defensible measures, and build evaluation into your design from day one. If you're tired of reporting completions and praying people assume it worked, let's start building a measurement approach you can use Monday morning.

Learning Objectives

Translate a training request into measurable performance questions tied to business outcomes.
Identify 3-5 "good enough" metrics using existing operational data, even when systems are messy.
Use lightweight manager feedback methods to validate behavior change without "survey theater," and build evaluation into the design upfront so measurement isn't a frantic afterthought.

Our guest: Tracie Cantu, MHRM, CPTD

Tracie Cantu, MHRM, CPTD is Chief Learning Strategist at Your CLO and an enterprise learning and workforce capability executive with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations rethink how people build skills, perform, and grow as work changes.

Her career includes senior leadership roles at Meta, Atlassian, Whole Foods Market/Amazon, and The Aspen Group, where she has led enterprise learning operations, technology, workforce capability, and organizational transformation. Her work focuses on the intersection of business strategy, workforce development, operating models, and emerging technology.

Tracie is the author of “Running L&D Like a Business: Drive Value with Learning Operations.” She speaks internationally and appears regularly at learning, HR, and EdTech conferences across North America and Europe. Her writing has appeared in publications including TD Magazine, Learning Solutions, Federal News Network, and other industry publications.\

https://www.linkedin.com/in/traciemcantu/?isSelfProfile=false

Impacting Organizational Capability, Future Readiness, Change Management, Developing Professional Capability, Collaboration & Leadership

Registration:

Pre-Registration - Members attend at no charge. There is no walk in availability. Pre-registration is mandatory.

Pre-Registration - Non-Member $20.00. There is no walk in availability. Pre-registration is mandatory.

We are not able to issue refunds after the Friday prior to the meeting. Substitutions are encouraged.

Leadership Development in the AI Era What real data reveals - AI in HR Interest Group (November 12, 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Leadership Development in the AI Era What real data reveals

As AI becomes part of how organizations train and develop their leaders, this session shares what we’ve learned works, what doesn’t, and why. Drawing on real, empirical data from AI-driven leadership development cohorts, we’ll unpack the psychology behind engagement, why some people thrive with AI-based simulations and how to enhance the experience.

Explore how structure, cadence, and facilitation shape outcomes as much as the technology itself.
Discuss learner outcomes that show up consistently across cohorts, and what they reveal about designing programs that have the biggest impact on leadership development.
Look at real data from multiple cohorts across several companies to understand organizational impact.
Share insights and best practices gathered from working with diverse groups of leaders.
Share data on how leadership skill needs are shifting in the AI era, and what organizations should be building toward now.

Zachary Van Rossum, EdD,

is an expert in the psychology of learning and development, with a specialty in psychometrics, leadership decision-making, facilitation, and coaching. As Chief Research Officer & Co-Founder of Simsoal.ai he builds innovative assessments and experiential learning simulations that accelerate leadership development. Zachary is also a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he teaches graduate level courses in adult learning, leadership, coaching and self-development.

Dr. Tammy Wang

holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and has over 20 years of experience in AI and machine learning. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Simsola AI, an AI native company to use AI assessments and simulations to empower people development. A recipient of the NSF Award for National Talent Growth, she has driven AI innovation in workforce development and previously served as SVP of Data Science at Korn Ferry and CTO at Riviera Partners, leading advancements in AI-driven talent solutions.

ATD Capabilities

Learning Sciences, Training & Delivery, Technology Application, Career & Leadership Development, Coaching, Communication, Emotional Intelligence & Decision Making, Collaboration & Leadership, Cultural Awareness & Inclusion, Project Management, Lifelong Learning, Organizational Development & Culture, Talent Strategy & Management, Performance Improvement, Data & Analytics, Future Readiness

Pre-registration is required to have the Zoom log in information sent. We are required to keep track of attendance. Also, there is no real time assistance available for this program.

APTD/CPTD Certification Workshop Series (November 12, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

APTD/CPTD Certification Workshop Series

Upcoming Workshops

The Test Writer’s Mindset & Professional Capabilities

Thursday, October 15 | 5:00 p.m.

The Business Layer & Organizational Capabilities

Thursday, October 29 | 5:00 p.m.

Exam Tactics & Scenario Tips

Thursday, November 12 | 5:00 p.m.

Core Competencies

Professional Capability: Applies learning and talent development principles, instructional design approaches, and professional standards to workplace scenarios.
Organizational Capability: Uses consulting, human performance improvement, data analysis, and business acumen to identify performance needs and recommend appropriate solutions.
Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Analyzes complex information, evaluates alternatives, and connects learning and talent solutions to organizational goals and performance outcomes.
Scenario-Based Decision Making: Applies sound judgment to realistic workplace situations while considering constraints, stakeholders, and organizational context.
Exam Readiness & Test-Taking Strategy: Uses structured approaches to analyze questions, eliminate distractors, manage time, and navigate complex case-based scenarios.

Facilitator - Tselmeg Erdenebayar, M.Ed., CPTD

Seattle Networking Interest Group (December 03, 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Seattle Networking Interest Group

Meet talent development professionals from across the Puget Sound region
Discover new ways to get involved with our Chapter
Get the most value out of an ATD Puget Sound Membership
Engage with Chapter Leaders
Experience and learn fun virtual connection building activities you can use at work

Can’t join us for the full 90 minutes? No problem! This is your open invitation to a virtual open house: anyone can "Zoom" by, whenever, and for however long you can stay.

Pre-registration is required to have the Zoom log in information sent. Also, there is no real time assistance available for this program.

Win Anyway: How High-Performing Teams Maintain Consistency In Times of Uncertainty (December 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 20:00:00 GMT

ATDps: December 2026 Virtual Member Event

Win Anyway: How High-Performing Teams Maintain Consistency In Times of Uncertainty

With

MJ Pittman

Every team eventually faces a stretch where the future looks uncertain: budget cuts, reorgs, market shifts, or a crisis nobody saw coming. The difference between teams that freeze and teams that move forward comes down to belief.

In this high-energy, research-backed session, MJ Pittman shares the Win Anyway framework: three core beliefs high-performing teams use to stay consistent, take action, and win when conditions turn against them. Drawing from work with over 300 organizations, including JPMorgan Chase, John Maxwell Leadership, and Rutgers University.

The session opens with an interactive exercise on control versus no-control, moves through the three beliefs with real stories and frameworks, and closes with a written one-week action commitment. It is substantive, educational, and promotes no product or service.

What you'll leave with

an ability to identify the three core beliefs high-performing teams use to stay consistent under pressure

apply a repeatable framework for turning setbacks into forward progress, and

commit to one concrete action they can take within a week

Our guest: MJ Pittman is a leadership speaker, executive coach and author who helps organizations navigate uncertainty together. With a background in engineering, finance and sales, MJ brings the rare combination of analytical rigor and human warmth to every room he enters. His clients include the John Maxwell High Capacity Leaders Conference, JPMorgan Chase, and Rutgers University. Paid professional speaker for over two decades.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjpittman

Career & Leadership Development, Change Management, Emotional Intelligence & Decision Making