Agenda subject to changes.
TRACKS: AGENDA PDF
| Decision-Makers in Learning & Development |
| Talent Development & Organizational Behaviour |
| New Perspectives |
| Design, Development & Delivery |
BANKING ON ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING: FROM WORKFORCE POTENTIAL TO PERFORMANCE AT CANADA'S BIG 5
Leader Panel
Speaker Reveal Coming Soon!
Hannah Brown, MEd, CTDP; Cheong Ng, Richard Schafer
Enterprise learning departments often do a great job supporting organization-wide initiatives. But what happens when departments need more specialized support?
In this case-based, discussion-driven session, we'll explore how the Facilities and Fleet Management (FFM) division at the Region of Waterloo created their own onboarding program to meet the specific needs of their technical staff, complementing, rather than duplicating, the enterprise-provided orientation.You'll hear how FFM leaders identified the gap, partnered with a learning strategist, and rolled out a phased onboarding solution. Together, we'll unpack the key drivers behind the project, the tools they used, the successes they achieved, and the challenges they navigated along the way.
This session is designed to spark conversation. You’ll be invited to reflect on similar gaps within your organization, share your experiences supporting various functional areas, and take away ideas that you can apply in your organization. Whether you lead your L&D team or are an instructional designer, you’ll walk away with practical insight into how to build learning where it's needed most and implement it across your organization.
Justin Matheson, MEd
What if your next training session looked more like a game night than a lecture?
In this interactive session, participants will explore how commercial video games like Overcooked 2, Portal 2, and Detroit:
Become Human can be used to teach critical skills such as communication, collaboration, leadership, and resilience.
Leader Panel
Joanna Kirke, MBA
In today's complex and rapidly changing world, every moment is a choice point. How we show up—whether it's in a meeting, a tough conversation, or a new challenge—can shape radically different outcomes.
This experiential session introduces Positive Intelligence (PQ), a science-based framework that builds mental fitness by helping individuals shift from inner saboteurs to empowered, emotionally intelligent responses.
Kate Bowers, Sue Wigston
Using Eagle's Flight's signature experiential approach to learning, participants will engage in the Configs activity to generate insights on how the unique context your people hold is the key to your AI adoption success.
Using discussion & applied AI demos, this session offers a dynamic, hands-on experience designed to help you craft a people-first approach to the orientation, practices, and strategy your organization needs to move from vision to action on AI.
Moe Poirier, CTDP; Jason Lewis
Virtual learning is the new normal. However, very rarely would we describe our virtual classroom experiences as being transformational.
In this session, learn what organizations like Scotiabank, Farm Credit Canada are doing to drive excellence in the virtual experiences they are delivering. Together we'll break-down a proven competency framework. We'll get hands-on with the tools that are being used to coach virtual facilitators on what it takes to make a 'quantum' shift in they engage and interact with participants.
Are you a trainer? Are you leading a team of trainers? You'll get to play the role of "arm-chair coach" by watching recordings of real facilitators in action. Your powers of observation will be tested. We'll assess performance based on objective standards, and you'll get to compare notes with the richly textured feedback that the pro coaches at Shift captured.
Join Moe and Jason for an engaging session. In their typical style, this workshop will be delivered in a hands-on, interactive format.
Britney Cole
Innovation isn't just for a select few—it thrives when everyone feels empowered to contribute. Yet, many organizations unknowingly exclude the voices that could drive their next breakthrough.
In this session, Britney Cole, Chief Innovation Officer at Blanchard, will challenge the myth that innovation must be driven top-down and explore how the most successful teams create innovation from the bottom up by fostering a culture of grace, curiosity, and proactivity.Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, participants will discover:
✅ Why psychological safety isn't enough—grace is the missing link to true creative risk-taking.
✅ How curiosity as a habit builds innovation muscle across all levels of an organization.
✅ The role of proactive problem-solving in making innovation an inclusive practice, not an elite one.
✅ How leaders can shift from gatekeeping innovation to unlocking it in their teams.
This session will provide practical, human-centered strategies to cultivate innovation-ready teams—whether in a startup, Fortune 500 company, or somewhere in between.
Stephanie Burgetz, CTDP
In today's rapidly evolving landscape, the ability to lead through change is no longer optional—it is essential. Drawing on the principles of quantum thinking (interconnectedness, adaptability, and perspective-shifting) we will explore how coaching, and using coach-like skills, can serve as a powerful lever to help leaders and their teams navigate uncertainty, complexity, and transformation.
Participants will engage in a highly interactive session that blends reflection, peer discussion, and coaching-based techniques. Together, we will unpack real-world challenges facing leaders across sectors and uncover practical change management and coaching strategies to support adaptive leadership, psychological safety, and resilience in times of flux.
Whether you're a leader yourself or support those who lead, this session will help you explore new perspectives, expand your impact, and evolve your approach to change.
Tisha Parker Kemp, MEd, CTDP
You've got the credentials, the experience, and the track record—but you still hesitate to speak up, show up, or take up space like a leader.
Why? Because confidence isn't just a mindset—it's a muscle. And leadership presence isn't about charisma. It’s about congruence. In this interactive, high-impact session, we’ll challenge the deeply internalized habits that keep smart, capable professionals playing small. You'll learn why performance anxiety sticks around even when you're well-prepared, how to reframe visibility as a leadership skill, and how to speak with power without faking it.
Expect live coaching moments, small group discussions, and real-world techniques grounded in adult learning and workplace psychology. You’ll leave with tools to disrupt the self-imposed limitations holding you back—and a new, magnetic version of leadership presence you can activate immediately.
This session is for high achievers who are done waiting to be noticed—and ready to be undeniable.
Greta Dearing, CTDP Candidate
Purpose: This session emphasizes the human element of AI, focusing on crafting effective prompts to drive desired results. Participants will gain practical knowledge they can immediately apply.
Structure: The session involves hands-on exploration of AI prompt structures across three platforms: CoPilot, ChatGPT, and Google Gemini. It includes a personal anecdote about my paradigm shift in embracing AI, a discussion of common concerns, and the importance of human input in driving desired results.
Content: Participants will engage in a hands-on case study exploring and expanding upon a simple prompt. This will be followed by a demonstration of a complex prompt to create a measurable learning objective. The session will introduce the RTF and AUTOMAT prompt models, building upon the original case study. Finally, there will be a discussion and group exploration of using AI prompts to create case studies for learning experiences.
Leader Panel
Solly Solaiman, MEng, PMP; Heather Tomlinson
What is common among these?
A turbine was dropped while being hoisted.
A Customer Service Representative yelled at a customer.
Kids not cleaning up their rooms.
The common denominator…. They all deviate from the expected behaviours… In all cases they represent human performance gaps.
So how do we fix these performance issues? Will training save the day, again? Or are there more effective interventions instead of, or in addition to, training?
Fortunately, there is a tool called TTPA [Table-Top Performance Analysis] that can help us to understand the problem and subsequently leads us to the most effective interventions: be it training or line [non-training] solutions. Let's face it, training may not be the magic bullet to solve every performance issue. Training Professionals should be Clients' trusted advisors to formulate effective solutions, be it training or line. This tool, TTPA, has been used effectively by Ontario Power Generation, the largest electrical power producer in Ontario, to solve performance issues, ranging from, engineering, to Radiation Protection, to conventional safety related issues.
In this engaging, eye-opening workshop you will learn about and use TTPA to identify the root causes of various performance gaps and formulate their respective interventions [both training and line].
Danielle Wallace, CTDP
AI is reshaping learning and development—are you and your team ready?
In this interactive session, you'll explore what it takes to develop an AI-ready mindset and shift from uncertainty to opportunity. Through hands-on activities and discussions, you'll examine AI's role in improving efficiency, scaling learner interactions, and seamlessly embedding learning into work.
You’ll identify key skills for leveraging AI in organizational growth, assess your team’s readiness, and analyze real-world successes and challenges in AI adoption. By addressing common concerns and exchanging insights, you’ll gain practical strategies to build an AI-ready culture and integrate AI into your L&D initiatives with confidence.
Speaker Reveal Coming Soon!
Networking Reception
Open invitation to all Conference participants and speakers to connect and enjoy light refreshments.
&
Chair's Circle
Strategic partner reception
Leader Panel
Shawna Cole, CTDP
The Social-Emotional Quantum Leap: Designing for Human Agility in Complex Times
In an era of constant change, global teams, and emotional overload, learning professionals need more than content—they need tools for human-centered design. This session reframes Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) as both a diagnostic lens and a design strategy for L&D professionals. You'll learn how to identify emotional friction in performance and engagement, map it to core SEL competencies, and design short, impactful micro-interventions that embed into the flow of work. Through reflection, group discussions, and practical tools, you'll walk away with a new way to design, evaluate, and support learning experiences that build resilience, empathy, and agility. Whether you're leading onboarding, leadership development, or change initiatives, this session will equip you to make a quantum leap in how you support human potential at work.
Amanda Abraham, MBA, FCCA, CTDP Cand.
When innovative organizations come out with new products and updates, we make every effort to procure the things we want. This could mean waiting in lines, locating deals and coupons and making time to purchase and use those products. When it comes to learning in organizations, often times, we as L&D leaders spend time procuring buy-in, convincing learners to attend sessions and trying to find ways to connect the dots between what people managers deem important and what their team finds important. Lessons from product managers can help right fit L&D efforts, reduce wasted time, ensure there is buy-in at the outset from all key stakeholders (including learners) and result in the creation of learning that has a positive impact, with the least amount of resources spent. Learning as a product is a new way of looking at learning design and learning from best practices that high-achieving organizations apply to their product development process. Learn frameworks, ROI calculations and other interesting principles to set you up for success in your L&D career.
Dr Arman Khaki, Maryam Shirazian, M.Ed
For decades, effective and consistent reinforcement of employee performance has been a critical challenge in L&D. Traditional methods have led to delayed or inconsistent feedback, hindering skill development and impeding progress toward performance goals. To achieve the expected results at higher levels of evaluation such as Impact and ROI, it is crucial to reinforce critical behaviors as employees return to their work environment following training events.
This session will showcase an AI-driven approach to performance reinforcement by evaluating employee behaviours in simulated interactions. Using adaptive learning principles, the reinforcement continues until employees meet the established KPIs, helping them target specific weaknesses and accelerate progress toward mastery.
Through a case study, attendees will tackle the challenge of converting traditional rubrics—designed for human interpretation—into AI-optimized structures compatible with Large Language Models (LLMs). They will also explore how AI-driven adaptive learning provides tailored feedback and adjusts follow-up practice activities based on the employee performance.
Finally, participants will get insights on the challenges of AI-driven evaluation, including prompt precision and AI limitations, while realizing the future potential of this technology to enhance learner outcomes and drive higher ROI.
Dr David Weiss, I4PL Fellow
Many organizations invest time and money to develop a strategic plan and then fail to execute the plan effectively. They may have even communicated the plan with considerable fanfare, but it sits on the shelf, and little attention is paid to it. Some give excuses that the leaders are too busy with many day-to-day challenges, or the world is changing so rapidly that the strategy seems less relevant, or that employees haven't bought in to the strategy. Leaders ask: What can we do to derisk strategy execution? How might we keep the strategy alive? Where do we start?
This workshop, based upon Dr. David Weiss' best-selling books, provides compelling answers to these critical questions. It describes the 5-step strategy development approach and how to derisk strategy execution for each step. This insightful, entertaining, and interactive workshop will help participants rethink their practices by answering the following questions:
What are the 5-steps in strategy development?
How can leaders derisk strategy execution for each step?
What are the best practices to keep the strategy alive?
Cat Mulvihill, MEd, MBA
Nothing beats the feeling of momentum—taking consistent action where each step feels easier than the last. For Learning and Development professionals, the ultimate goal for training programs is behaviour change leading to results. But for many learners, there is a disconnect between between learning new skills and actually changing their behaviour. So how can you bridge the gap between knowledge and implementation?
This session introduces the Momentum Formula, a new framework that explains why behaviour change fails and how to fix it. You'll learn the 3 types of roadblocks—logical, biological, and psychological—that keep learners stuck and how to overcome each one in order to take consistent, sustainable, and aligned action. More importantly, you'll discover practical strategies to design learning experiences that not only inform but transform.
Josh Cardoz
Change Management? In this economy?
It takes a quick look around the world to come to a glaring conclusion: In 2025, organisations are in a constant state of change. Shifting macro-economic trends, rapidly changing CEO priorities, and evolving landscapes on both the customer and employee front - change is happening everywhere and people are at the centre of it. So how do we take our people on a journey of change in a durable and meaningful way?
Join Josh Cardoz - CCLO of Sponge Group - for a high-energy session that will:
• Transform learning interventions into strategic drivers of people enablement
• Align enablement strategies directly with measurable business outcomes.
• Equip leaders across functions with practical change implementation tools.
• Bridge the gap between change initiatives and actual behavioural shifts.
• Move beyond traditional change management to sustainable adoption.
The result: A practical strategy that helps your people keep up with the pace of unprecedented change - and feel good while doing so.
Patricia Regier, MEd; Corrie Melanson, MEd; Sean Rea, CTDP
Leader Panel
Dr Andrew Woods, CTDP
In a world where AI is transforming our work, the irreplaceable value of human soft skills has never been more critical.
Dr. Andrew Woods, an expert in customer engagement, soft skills and organizational performance, presents dynamic talks and workshops globally on how the integration of AI with essential human qualities—such as empathy, creativity, and emotional intelligence—drives long-term business success.
This insightful session will provide practical strategies for blending the power of AI with human brilliance, with a focus on soft skill development. Participants will explore how legendary customer service, emotional intelligence, and empathy can be the differentiating factors that propel teams and organizations to new levels.
Claudette Hutchinson, CTDP; Gifty Gyimah
Don't be scared, step into a hands-on live lab designed to transform how you work. AI's Supply 4U2 Multiply is a high-impact session that introduces you to the power of no-code AI tools, unlocking smarter workflows, faster execution, and more meaningful impact without the tech overwhelm. In this interactive experience, you won't just learn, you'll build.
Through guided activities and real-world examples, you'll explore how to automate repetitive tasks, streamline your daily operations, and elevate your professional value. Participants will have exclusive access to three plug-and-play productivity frameworks tailored for L&D environments to implement immediately in your work with teams, learners, and stakeholders. Only for professionals ready to evolve, adapt, and multiply their performance in a world that demands more, faster.
If you're ready to lead the change and free up your time for what matters most, this is your launchpad.
Michael McKenzie, MBA, CTDP
Enhance training through smarter analysis & evaluation. Harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to elevate the Analysis and Evaluation phases of the ADDIE model, ensuring data-driven training design and measurable learning outcomes.
This session explores how AI can enhance needs assessment leading to more targeted and effective learning solutions. Participants will discover AI-driven tools that streamline learner analysis, feedback collection, and program evaluation.
We'll showcase practical applications, such as engineering AI-driven prompts, automated surveys, and intelligent data analysis, to help instructional designers make informed decisions at both the start and conclusion of the training cycle. Through interactive demonstrations and case studies, attendees will gain actionable strategies to create smarter, data-backed training programs that drive continuous improvement and maximize learning impact.
Join us to explore how AI is transforming instructional design—making training analysis more precise and evaluation more insightful than ever before!
Katherine Johnston, MBA; Vanessa Bragg
L&D professionals are tasked with the challenge to provide continual upskilling and reskilling for leaders and employees and provide long-term people development to support organizational strategy.
Learn how to design & embed leadership and core competency models in all phases of the talent lifecycle. Elevate your internal career development initiatives, align with strategic goals and develop future-fit skills.
Join us and receive roadmaps to engage employees and provide inclusive self-directed learning resources for competencies.
We will share two compelling stories of successful competency framework development, emphasizing a collaborative and inclusive approach involving leaders and employees across all levels.
We will engage attendees by demonstrating an online interactive core competency document and also facilitate an interactive small group exercise using leadership competency cards with scenarios tailored to each competency area.
This session is for attendees in a talent management, OD and L&D roles who are interested in creating customized competency models and how to embed in all phases of talent lifecycle (including LMS and additional digital applications).
Michelle Chambers, MEd, CTDP
As organizations face increasing complexity, the future of effective work lies not in individual performance—but in how teams operate, learn, and lead together.
Learn through a framework rooted in collective leadership development as today's high-performing teams must continuously adapt, build trust quickly, and align around shared purpose—often across silos, geographies, and evolving goals.
This interactive session explores what it truly takes to create adaptive, effective teams in dynamic environments.Grounded in research and real-world practice, we'll explore key drivers of team effectiveness—from psychological safety and mutual accountability to real-time learning and collaborative problem-solving.
Participants will engage in facilitated dialogue, rapid diagnostics, and practical tools they can use to assess and elevate teaming within their own organizations.We'll challenge traditional models and expand how we think about collaboration, leadership, and collective capability.
Whether you're coaching senior teams, supporting cross-functional groups, or building learning cultures, this session will offer new perspectives and actionable strategies for unlocking the hidden potential in your teams.Come ready to explore, reflect, and evolve—because the future of performance starts with how we team.
Nitin Deckha, PhD, CTDP; Amanda Piche, PhD; Sammy Jakubowicz, PhD, CTDP; Katie Duarte, MSc, CTDP; Sukran Balaban, MA
Garima Gupta, MEd, CTDP
Explore how blending AI with creative storytelling can revolutionize eLearning design in our session, Blending Creativity with AI - Advanced Story Design for Learning.
Discover the power of branching scenarios and AI-driven narratives to create personalized, engaging, and memorable learning experiences that cater to individual needs. Attendees will gain insight into how AI can support story-rich instructional design, reduce development time, and boost creativity.
Through hands-on exercises, participants will collaborate on building a branched scenario using tools like ChatGPT, MidJourney, and Articulate Storyline—without compromising quality or learner impact.
You'll leave with practical experience, inspiring examples, and a downloadable project file to jumpstart your own AI-powered storytelling journey.
BEYOND THE HORIZON: PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUTURE OF THE WORKFORCE PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING LANDSCAPE IN THE CANADIAN PRIVATE SECTOR
Conference Closing Ceremony