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OPWL Industry Advisory Board

The Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program partners with industry leaders to gain insight into workplace needs and trends related to instructional design, e-learning and performance improvement. Currently, a group of ten leaders from the industrial, government and academic sectors are serving on the Industry Advisory Board (IAB).

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Industry Advisory Board (IAB)

  • Sarah Smist

    Sarah Smist

    IAB Chair

    • Director of Training and Education for HCA Healthcare’s Digital Transformation and Innovation team
    • Certified Change Management Practitioner (Prosci)
    • Experienced learning and development leader with a background in supporting enterprise-wide transformation initiatives for leading global organizations
    • Master of Science graduate from Boise State University’s Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning and Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University San Marcos
    • Published author and presenter focused on promoting innovation and operationalizing the learning function to drive organizational performance
    • Director of Training and Education for HCA Healthcare’s Digital Transformation and Innovation team
    • Certified Change Management Practitioner (Prosci)
    • Experienced learning and development leader with a background in supporting enterprise-wide transformation initiatives for leading global organizations
    • Master of Science graduate from Boise State University’s Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning and Bachelor of Arts in Communication from California State University San Marcos
    • Published author and presenter focused on promoting innovation and operationalizing the learning function to drive organizational performance
  • Scott Weersing

    Scott Weersing

    IAB Co-Chair

    • Currently working with United States Coast Guard to ensure training is efficient, effective and performance-based
    • Experienced evaluation and performance consultant to organizations such as Texas Instruments, Novartis and USCG
    • Researches ways to help learning professionals measure the impact of solutions by identifying outcomes and on the job metrics
    • Serves as Director of Programs of Hampton Roads ISPI Chapter
    • Currently working with United States Coast Guard to ensure training is efficient, effective and performance-based
    • Experienced evaluation and performance consultant to organizations such as Texas Instruments, Novartis and USCG
    • Researches ways to help learning professionals measure the impact of solutions by identifying outcomes and on the job metrics
    • Serves as Director of Programs of Hampton Roads ISPI Chapter
  • holly burkett

    Holly Burkett

    IAB Member

    • An accomplished performance consultant, coach and change leader, passionate about helping organizations grow resilient, sustainable capabilities
    • Experienced business advisor to organizations like Apple, SEVA, Blue Cross and the NSA
    • Distinguished Research Fellow with The Conference Board, Associate of The ROI Institute, a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered® coach, PROSCI®certified change professional
    • Author of “Learning for the Long Run,” featured contributor to ISPI’s “Fundamentals of Performance Improvement,” ATD’s “Organization Development Handbook” and ATD’s “Handbook for Measuring and Evaluating Training”
    • Holds PhD and SPHR; former Editor of ISPI’s Performance Improvement Journal (PIJ); wrote and taught the HPT curriculum for Drexel University’s HRD graduate studies program
    • An accomplished performance consultant, coach and change leader, passionate about helping organizations grow resilient, sustainable capabilities
    • Experienced business advisor to organizations like Apple, SEVA, Blue Cross and the NSA
    • Distinguished Research Fellow with The Conference Board, Associate of The ROI Institute, a Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered® coach, PROSCI®certified change professional
    • Author of “Learning for the Long Run,” featured contributor to ISPI’s “Fundamentals of Performance Improvement,” ATD’s “Organization Development Handbook” and ATD’s “Handbook for Measuring and Evaluating Training”
    • Holds PhD and SPHR; former Editor of ISPI’s Performance Improvement Journal (PIJ); wrote and taught the HPT curriculum for Drexel University’s HRD graduate studies program
  • Camille Dickson-Deane

    Camille Dickson-Deane

    IAB Member

    • Deputy Head of School for the Research portfolio at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia
    • A Fulbright and Organization of American States Scholar
    • Sociotechnical researcher who demonstrates her expertise through design-research-evaluate iterative cycles
    • Researches online learning environments where pedagogical usability and individual differences which influence designs can create various interpretations in learning and performance spaces thus requiring the need to be agile and contextualised
    • Past editorial board member of two Q1 journals – Educational Technology Research and Development and Journal of Computing in Higher Education
    • Currently serving as an editorial board member of the Q1 journal Internet and Higher Education as well as serving in leadership positions with the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
    • Selected to serve as a panelist from Australia for 2022 – 2024 on EDUCAUSE’s Horizon Report
    • Deputy Head of School for the Research portfolio at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia
    • A Fulbright and Organization of American States Scholar
    • Sociotechnical researcher who demonstrates her expertise through design-research-evaluate iterative cycles
    • Researches online learning environments where pedagogical usability and individual differences which influence designs can create various interpretations in learning and performance spaces thus requiring the need to be agile and contextualised
    • Past editorial board member of two Q1 journals – Educational Technology Research and Development and Journal of Computing in Higher Education
    • Currently serving as an editorial board member of the Q1 journal Internet and Higher Education as well as serving in leadership positions with the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)
    • Selected to serve as a panelist from Australia for 2022 – 2024 on EDUCAUSE’s Horizon Report
  • Julie Dirksen headshot

    Julie Dirksen

    IAB Member

    • Principal at Usable Learning, a learning strategy consultancy focused on incorporating behavioral science into learning design
    • Consultant, keynote speaker and author of Design For How People Learn and a new book, Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change
    • Holds a Master of Science in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University, has been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is also a Learning Guild Guildmaster
    • Principal at Usable Learning, a learning strategy consultancy focused on incorporating behavioral science into learning design
    • Consultant, keynote speaker and author of Design For How People Learn and a new book, Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change
    • Holds a Master of Science in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University, has been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is also a Learning Guild Guildmaster
  • shelley gable

    Shelley Gable

    IAB Member

    • Director of Multimedia and Learning at WellBiz Brands
    • Instructional strategist, leading the development of large-scale curricula and evaluating their business results
    • Launched new, high-performing teams
    • Currently building a new learning and development function and working to transform the culture of learning for the company and its franchise brands
    • Director of Multimedia and Learning at WellBiz Brands
    • Instructional strategist, leading the development of large-scale curricula and evaluating their business results
    • Launched new, high-performing teams
    • Currently building a new learning and development function and working to transform the culture of learning for the company and its franchise brands
  • Alan Kindall

    Alan Kindall

    IAB Member

    • Senior Manager, Global Learning & Development, Micron Technology, Inc. Managing global systems and integrations, helping to improve learning processes and methods
    • Leads cross functional community of practice for Micron’s LMS community, including governance and auditing standards
    • Currently, analyzing and evaluating a comprehensive job and skills analysis process to improve team member performance and enhance leaders’ abilities to assess and guide team member development
    • Graduate of the former Instructional & Performance Technology program from Boise State University in 2010
    • Idaho native and lives in Nampa with his wife, five children, chickens and their dog
    • Senior Manager, Global Learning & Development, Micron Technology, Inc. Managing global systems and integrations, helping to improve learning processes and methods
    • Leads cross functional community of practice for Micron’s LMS community, including governance and auditing standards
    • Currently, analyzing and evaluating a comprehensive job and skills analysis process to improve team member performance and enhance leaders’ abilities to assess and guide team member development
    • Graduate of the former Instructional & Performance Technology program from Boise State University in 2010
    • Idaho native and lives in Nampa with his wife, five children, chickens and their dog
  • Guy Wallace

    Guy Wallace

    IAB Member

    • Retired Performance Analyst & Instructional Architect
    • External Consultant for 41 years to 83+ companies, government agencies
    • Author of over 40 books, 120 articles, 5000+ blog posts, 1000+ videos
    • Recognition includes: Honorary Life Member (ISPI 2010), Top 100 L&D Influencer (Eduflow, 2023), -Great Minds on Learning Thought Leader (2022)
    • Retired Performance Analyst & Instructional Architect
    • External Consultant for 41 years to 83+ companies, government agencies
    • Author of over 40 books, 120 articles, 5000+ blog posts, 1000+ videos
    • Recognition includes: Honorary Life Member (ISPI 2010), Top 100 L&D Influencer (Eduflow, 2023), -Great Minds on Learning Thought Leader (2022)

Previous IAB members

  • Scott Casad
  • Frank Nguyen
  • Monica Tracey
  • Brian Thompson
  • Kathleen Whiteside
  • Christina Chateauvert
  • Stephen Robertson
  • Clark Quinn

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