ATD Cascadia upcoming events

Book Club Series | Hidden Value | In-Person Discussion (Wednesday, November 04, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ATD Cascadia Book Club Series | Hidden Value

Great Books Spark Ideas. Great Conversations Bring Them to Life.

Book Club Discussion

Why Attend?

There’s something different about being in the same room.

The conversations wander a little further. Someone shares an experience that changes how you see an idea. A question turns into a connection. And sometimes the most valuable part of gathering isn’t something you could have planned at all.

Join the ATD Cascadia community for an in-person conversation inspired by Hidden Value: How to Reveal the Impact of Organizational Learning by Keith Keating. We’ll explore what it means to demonstrate the business value of learning while making space for something equally valuable: real conversation and connection with people who understand the work.

Learning Format

In-Person Book Club & Community Conversation

What You’ll Experience

This isn’t a book report, and there won’t be a quiz.

We’ll use ideas from Hidden Value as a jumping-off point for thoughtful, facilitated conversation about the challenges and opportunities we face as talent development professionals.

You’ll have time to exchange perspectives, hear how others are approaching the work, explore how the book’s ideas show up in the real world, and simply enjoy being together.

Because professional development doesn’t only happen when someone teaches us something. Sometimes it happens when we make time to talk, listen, laugh, and connect.

You’ll Leave With

Fresh perspectives on demonstrating L&D value and positioning learning as a strategic business partner
Practical ideas from peers for connecting learning to business and organizational priorities
New questions and insights you can bring back to your own work
Stronger connections with people in the Cascadia talent development community

About the Book

Hidden Value: How to Reveal the Impact of Organizational Learning challenges traditional L&D thinking and offers a roadmap for becoming a trusted business advisor who creates, measures, and communicates organizational impact.

At the heart of the conversation is an important question: How do we make the value of learning visible to the people making business decisions?

Haven’t finished the book? Come anyway. You don’t need to have read every page to contribute to a great conversation.

Capability Areas: Developing Professional Capability, Impacting Organizational Capability, Business insight, Consulting & Business Partnering, Organizational Development & Culture, Data & Analytics

Board of Directors Meeting - November (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

The board meeting is open to any interested person.

Please indicate your interest in attending by registering in advance.

This will be a Zoom session and access will need to be given.

Learning over Lunch - Round Table: Professional Portfolios (Thursday, November 19, 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Professional Portfolios

Evidence of growth. Proof of impact.

Why Attend?

A professional portfolio helps tell the story behind your work. Whether you're preparing for your next opportunity or simply want to better showcase your accomplishments, a strong portfolio can demonstrate your impact in ways a résumé can't.

Learning Format

Facilitated Peer Roundtable

What you'll Experience

Bring your questions, ideas, and experiences as we explore what belongs in a professional portfolio, different ways to organize and present your work, and examples that have worked well for others. The conversation will be shaped by the interests and expertise of the group.

You'll Leave With

A clearer understanding of what makes an effective professional portfolio
Ideas for organizing and presenting your experience
Inspiration and practical examples from fellow talent development professionals

Additional Information:

Please be prepared to join via video (if possible) and actively participate in small group discussions.
Zoom access information will be emailed to you prior to the program.

Bring your ideas, experiences, and questions to what promises to be an engaging and forward-thinking session!

Capability Areas: Developing Professional Capability, Learning Sciences, Instructional Design, Training Delivery and Facilitation

Learning Leaders SIG - Learning Leaders’ Show and Tell: What We Accomplished and What We Learned in 2026 (Tuesday, December 01, 2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 20:00:00 GMT

The ATD-Cascadia Learning Leaders Special Interest Group (SIG) is an informal discussion group where Talent Development leaders can talk about their challenges, successes, and what they are learning along the way. Our desire is to build a community of learning leaders who share best practices and feel supported in their work.

Please join us during the first Tuesday of every month at Noon for an hour of sharing insights and support with your colleagues.

By attending the Learning Leaders SIG, you will have an opportunity to:

Connect with other learning leaders to share current issues

Gain actionable insights on delivering a talent development strategy

Receive valuable advice and support from your peers

Intended Audience

Talent Development Leaders (managers and above) who are members or future members of ATD-Cascadia.

By talent development, we are specifically looking for those who:

Manage a staff of trainers, instructional designers, learning designers

Lead the learning and development function for an organization

Serve as external consultants who advise on talent development strategy

Have positions such as: Manager/Director of L&D/Training, Chief Learning Officer, Head of Talent Development, or HR leaders responsible for Talent Development

If you are not in a formal L&D leadership position, but want “a peak behind the curtain,” feel free to reach out to Dan Vetter or Dan Bilderback to learn more about this group and see if it is something that appeals to you.

Dan Bilderback, CPTD

Dan has been working in the field of Talent Development since 2006 and is currently the Director of Talent Development at SELCO Community Credit Union, based in Springfield, OR. A longtime member of ATD, Dan earned his CPTD designation in 2011 and was one of the co-founders of the ATD-Cascadia Lane County Geographical Interest Group (GIG). Dan is passionate about partnering with others to create learning solutions that are effective, timely, and fun!

In his spare time, Dan is a part time professional musician who loves traveling, wine tasting, and playing music with his wife, Corrina. Their border collie, Milo, keeps them active and happy!

Dan Vetter, CPTD

Dan has been improving human performance for 35 years. For 12 years he worked inside a Fortune 500 company developing and facilitating workshops for thousands of participants. Since 1994 he has worked his training magic with over 100 clients. Dan was the 2004 President of American Society for Training and Development – Cascadia Chapter. He is actively involved in Oregon Organizational Development Network and is leading their pro-bono Community Consulting Program. Additionally, he serves as an adjunct faculty member for Portland State University helping mentor and develop the trainers of tomorrow. In 2009 he was one of the earliest NW training professionals to earn the prestigious “Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)” designation from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

Dan lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Carmen who is a glass artist. He loves sailing, hiking, cycling, and trips to the Oregon Coast.

Career & Leadership Development, Coaching, Collaboration & Leadership, Lifelong Learning, Talent Strategy & Management, Future Readiness

Know the Business. Be the Partner. The Business Acumen Skills That Change How L&D Shows Up with Jess Almlie (Tuesday, December 08, 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Know the Business. Be the Partner.

The Business Acumen Skills

That Change How L&D Shows Up

Why Attend?

Want to be seen as a strategic partner? Start by understanding the business you’re partnering with.

Business acumen is one of the most powerful skills Learning & Talent Development professionals can build. It changes the questions we ask, the conversations we have, and our ability to connect learning and talent solutions to the challenges that actually matter to the organization.

And as AI takes on more transactional work, that ability becomes even more important. Understanding the business helps us move beyond taking orders and toward solving problems, influencing decisions, and creating meaningful value.

The good news? Business acumen isn’t something you either have or you don’t. It’s a skill you can build.

Learning Format

Interactive Virtual Workshop

What You’ll Experience

This 90-minute workshop with Jess Almlie will help you take a practical look at what business acumen means for L&TD and where you can strengthen yours.

You’ll explore five key areas of business knowledge, assess where you already have insight and where gaps exist, and identify ways to find the information you need.

You’ll also begin creating your own Business Acumen Handbook, a practical tool you can continue building long after the workshop ends.

Through discussion and breakout activities, you’ll practice connecting business knowledge to the talent, performance, and organizational challenges your partners bring to you.

You’ll Leave With

A clearer understanding of business acumen and how it changes the way L&TD shows up with business partners
A five-part framework for identifying the business knowledge that matters most
Your own Business Acumen Handbook template for capturing information, resources, insights, and questions
Practical ways to find and use business information to connect learning and talent work to organizational priorities and performance challenges
A clearer picture of where to build next to strengthen your own business acumen

Meet Your Facilitator

Jess Almlie is an award-winning Learning and Talent Development strategist who helps organizations transform L&D from reactive order takers into trusted strategic business partners.

A former Vice President of Learning with more than 30 years of experience, Jess brings deep expertise at the intersection of business strategy, performance, and people development. In 2023, she founded Almlie Consulting, where she helps learning and talent teams clarify business problems, align solutions to strategy, and deliver measurable impact.

Jess is the author of L&D Order Taker No More! Become a Strategic Business Partner (ATD Press), host of the L&D Must Change podcast, and a frequent industry speaker. She was named a 2025 Learning Guild Master in recognition of her contributions to the profession.

Program Details

Meeting will be virtual - Zoom access will be included in your registration confirmation AND emailed the day prior to the program.

Registration Details

Online registration available until event
Early bird registration until 11/26
Registration is available for our partner organizations
No refunds or credits for future events given after that time.

CPTD Recertification Credit

CPTDs earn one recertification point/credit for each physical hour of continuing education within one’s current role/job or involving a new experience or content. You will need to keep records of the event and prepare any required paperwork. Visit the CPTD webpage for complete information.

The Chapter estimates 1.5 recertification hours for this workshop.

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HRCI and SHRM Recertification Credit

This program may be eligible for self-certification for HRCI and SHRM recertification credits. You will need to keep records of the event and prepare any required paperwork. Visit the HRCI recertification webpage or the SHRM recertification webpage for more information.

Capability Model Focus Areas -Developing Professional Capability, Career & Leadership Development, Evaluating Impact, Communication, Collaboration & Leadership, Business insight, Consulting & Business Partnering, Organizational Development & Culture

ATD Cascadia Year-End Celebration: A Toast to 2026 (Thursday, December 10, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Join ATD Cascadia and your fellow talent development friends and colleagues to close out 2026 and look ahead to 2027! Our annual event is always a hit. Here's what you can expect this year:

Reconnect with your ATD Cascadia friends (and meet a few new ones!).
Learn about and celebrate the contributions of our amazing ATD Cascadia volunteers.
Thank our outgoing board members and welcome new board members.
Reflect on the chapter’s accomplishments, milestones, and impact over the past year.
Participate in a Future of the Chapter Brainstorm Wall, where members share ideas and priorities for programs, events, and initiatives in 2027.
Be one of the lucky folks who wins a raffle prize!

Dinner will be provided; dietary restrictions will be taken into consideration. Drinks are available for purchase.

Festive attire is encouraged but not required. Come as festive (or as comfy) as you like. We hope to see you there!

Please: Register online so we have an idea of the number of people to expect. Thanks!

Questions: Email Hunter at programs@tdcascadia.org.

Board of Directors Meeting - December (Tuesday, December 15, 2026)

Wed, 16 Dec 2026 01:00:00 GMT

The board meeting is open to any interested person.

Please indicate your interest in attending by registering in advance.

This will be a Zoom session and access will need to be given.

Learning over Lunch - "Gift Exchange" (Thursday, December 17, 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Gift Exchange

The best ideas are meant to be shared.

Why Attend?

Discover practical resources that fellow talent development professionals genuinely use and recommend. You might find your next favorite book, AI tool, activity, or time-saving strategy in just one hour.

Learning Format

Community Idea Exchange

What you'll Experience

Everyone brings one idea. Everyone leaves with many. Share one resource you love, hear recommendations from fellow professionals, and discover practical tools, books, podcasts, activities, AI tools, and strategies you can put to use right away.

You'll Leave With

New ideas, tools, and resources to explore
Practical recommendations from trusted peers
Inspiration you'll use long after lunch

Additional Information:

Please be prepared to join via video (if possible) and actively participate in small group discussions.
Zoom access information will be emailed to you prior to the program.

Bring your ideas, experiences, and questions to what promises to be an engaging and forward-thinking session!

Capability Areas: Developing Professional Capability, Learning Sciences, Instructional Design, Training Delivery and Facilitation

Book Club Series | Building a Culture | Kickoff Meeting (Wednesday, January 13, 2027)

Wed, 13 Jan 2027 20:00:00 GMT

ATD Cascadia Book Club Series | Building a Culture of Evaluation

Great Books Spark Ideas. Great Conversations Bring Them to Life.

Virtual Book Club Kickoff

Why Attend?

We collect a lot of data in Learning & Development. But how often does that data actually change what we do?

We measure attendance. We gather feedback. We ask participants what they thought. And sometimes, that's where evaluation ends.

But what if evaluation wasn't something we did after learning? What if it became part of how we design, deliver, adapt, and continuously improve?

Join the ATD Cascadia community as we kick off our next book club conversation with Building a Culture of Evaluation by Vanessa Milara Alzate.

We'll explore what it means to make evaluation part of our everyday work, share our experiences, and start thinking differently about how we measure and improve learning.

No preparation required. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to join the conversation.

Learning Format

Virtual Book Club Kickoff & Facilitated Peer Conversation

What You'll Experience

This isn't a book report, and there won't be a quiz.

Our facilitators will introduce a few thought-provoking questions to get us started, then open the conversation for everyone to share ideas, experiences, and early impressions.

We'll explore why evaluation can be challenging, what gets in the way of measuring meaningful outcomes, and how continuous feedback might help us make better decisions.

Whether you're passionate about evaluation or still trying to figure out how to move beyond smile sheets, there's a place for you in the conversation.

You'll Leave With

Fresh perspectives on why evaluation matters and what makes it challenging
New ideas for embedding feedback and measurement into learning
Questions to consider as you explore the book
Connections with fellow talent development professionals who are navigating similar challenges

About the Book

Building a Culture of Evaluation by Vanessa Milara Alzate challenges us to rethink evaluation as something much more valuable than a final survey or report.

By embedding continuous measurement, real-time feedback, and evidence-based decision-making into everyday learning practices, organizations can become more responsive, adaptable, and effective.

At the heart of our conversation is an important question: What would change if we used evaluation not just to prove learning worked, but to make learning better?

Haven't started the book? Come anyway. You don't need to have read every page to contribute to a great conversation.

Facilitators:

Natalie Laderas-Kilkenny is a Learning Experience Designer who is passionate about elevating the human element of L&D. She fosters growth through community connection, mutual support, and the stewardship of transformative ideas.With work experience in L&D at Kaiser Permanente and Intel, Natalie is committed to building innovative learning experiences both online and in-person.

Elle Christensen is the Training and Development Manager at OrePac Building Products, where she supports leadership development across the organization. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College (Class of 2015) with a degree in Critical Social Thought, Elle brings a strong foundation in systems thinking and human behavior to her work. She is also an alumna of Gonzaga University (Class of 2018), where she earned a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership. Elle’s work focuses on building leadership capability by helping people understand the neuroscience behind predictable human reactions and apply that knowledge to stay calm, clear, and connected.

Capability Areas:

Evaluating Impact, Data & Analytics, Instructional Design, Performance Improvement, Business Insight, Consulting & Business Partnering

Book Club Series | Building a Culture (Wednesday, February 10, 2027)

Thu, 11 Feb 2027 00:00:00 GMT

ATD Cascadia Book Club Series | Building a Culture of Evaluation

Great Books Spark Ideas. Great Conversations Bring Them to Life.

Virtual Book Club Kickoff

Why Attend?

There's something valuable about sitting down with people who understand the challenges of your work.

Someone shares an approach you haven't considered. A question sparks a new idea. You discover that another organization is wrestling with exactly the same issue.

And suddenly, a concept from a book becomes something you can actually use.

Join the ATD Cascadia community for an in-person conversation inspired by Building a Culture of Evaluation by Vanessa Milara Alzate.

Together, we'll explore how to move beyond collecting data and start using evaluation to make learning better, improve decisions, and demonstrate meaningful impact.

Learning Format

In-Person Book Club & Community Conversation

What You'll Experience

This isn't a deep dive into spreadsheets or a test of how well you remember the Kirkpatrick model.

We'll use ideas from the book as a jumping-off point for thoughtful, facilitated conversation about how evaluation shows up in our everyday work.

We'll explore why meaningful measurement can be so difficult, how to engage stakeholders earlier, and what it might look like to build feedback and continuous improvement into the learning process rather than treating them as final steps.

You'll have time to exchange perspectives, share real-world examples, explore practical applications, and connect with people who understand the work.

Because sometimes the best ideas don't come from having all the answers. They come from asking better questions together.

You'll Leave With

Fresh perspectives on making evaluation an ongoing part of learning design and delivery
Practical ideas from peers for using feedback and data to improve learning experiences
New ways to think about stakeholder engagement and measuring what matters
Ideas for connecting evaluation to continuous improvement and organizational impact
Stronger connections with the Cascadia talent development community

About the Book

Building a Culture of Evaluation by Vanessa Milara Alzate challenges us to rethink evaluation as something much more valuable than a final survey or report.

By embedding continuous measurement, real-time feedback, and evidence-based decision-making into everyday learning practices, organizations can become more responsive, adaptable, and effective.

At the heart of our conversation is an important question: What would change if we used evaluation not just to prove learning worked, but to make learning better?

Haven't finished the book? Come anyway. You don't need to have read every page to contribute to a great conversation.

Facilitators:

Myra Lavenue is a learning experience designer, change leader, and communications strategist who loves turning complex ideas into engaging, human-centered learning experiences. Over a career spanning healthcare, technology, retail, consulting, and higher education, she has led training and organizational change initiatives for audiences ranging from small teams to enterprise workforces of more than 175,000 employees. She currently works at Kaiser Permanente, where she designs learning solutions that support leadership development, HR initiatives, compliance, and organizational transformation. Known for her creativity, curiosity, and collaborative approach, Myra enjoys helping people learn, grow, and navigate change with confidence. She's also spent enough years in learning and development to know that every project eventually involves a stakeholder request, a tight deadline, and an unexpectedly passionate discussion about PowerPoint

Capability Areas:

Evaluating Impact, Data & Analytics, Instructional Design, Performance Improvement, Business Insight, Consulting & Business Partnering

ATD27 International Conference and Expo (Sunday, May 16, 2027)

Sun, 16 May 2027 07:00:00 GMT

ATD27 International Conference and Expo

Boston, MA

May 16 - 19

Are you planning to attend the 2027 ATD National Conference? If so, let the chapter know by expressing interest and if 5 or more people are interested, there are some group discounts available. Once we have 5 people signed up, we'll apply for the discount codes and share with our ATD Cascadia Membership.

You don't have to be a member of National ATD to take advantage of this offer! If you've already signed up and paid for the conference, let us know and we may be able to get the difference refunded to you.

For more information about the conference, please click here.

ATD27 National Member Registration Fees

The discounted team rates depend on whether or not you are a member of National ATD. There are also options for virtual pricing as well.

Upon registering, please use our special code: 8029 and ATD Cascadia will receive a financial rebate which helps the chapter!