July Member Spotlight

The first time I walked into a meeting of an ATD local chapter, I knew I had found my people. At 7:30 in the morning, the room was already alive with chatter. As a gathering of professional trainers, there was no room for strangers, only enthusiasm and open arms. That was more than a decade ago. 

Since then, I have learned much from an association that stays on the cutting edge, yet never loses its sense of community. Topics covered allow me to keep a finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the world of training and development. As someone who has been on both sides, trainee and trainer, I appreciate the many ways ATD has impacted my career.

My professional journey started at the backdoor. When I became a wife in 1992, everything else took a backseat. I reentered the workforce in 2001 wearing a hardhat. That’s right. I became a licensed residential builder and started my own construction company. With the proximity to 9/11, it was tough going, but through lots of blood, sweat, and tears, things were on the verge of taking off. Then came 2008 with the collapse of the housing industry.

No one seemed to be hiring for ANYthing, but I retooled through education and obtained my paralegal certificate. Still, no one was hiring. For several months, I donated my time to a law firm until an opportunity opened up for them to hire me. I enjoyed probating estates but, after three years, realized it was good fit, but not the best fit.

Once again, I retooled via a career coach and HR professionals. With their help, I discovered my experience, passions, and gifting converge in project management. (Who knew there was an international certification that defined what I had been doing for decades!) I quickly obtained my Project Management Professional (PMP) certification—no easy task, I assure you—then attended various networking events. In the end, I landed at a small business school in Columbia SC where they paid me to do what I love: teach project management. In 2020, my husband and I moved to Greenville to be closer to family.

As a contract instructor, I continue to prepare others to sit for the very challenging PMP exam. Between classes, I weave in a personal project—writing my second historical novel. My focus is on the American revolution that, in John Adam’s words, took place in the minds and hearts of the people, rather than the one that took place on battlefields.   

When pulled back to the 21^st century, I’m grateful to have a track record of students who exceed the norm by passing their PMP exam on the first try. With a toolbelt filled with ATD know-how, it’s been a joy to be part of helping others succeed!

Share Your Knowledge

ATD South Carolina has many opportunities for presenters to showcase their talent. 

We are looking for local and national presenters to help build core skills, share best practices and innovations, and lead the way in trends affecting the Talent Development industry. Most importantly, we are looking for proposals to provide participants with a learning experience that offers direct professional application. Most content will be delivered virtually.

Please use the link below to complete the Request for Speakers: Chapter Events

Call for Presenters Proposal

The following list was identified by our local membership as highly desirable subject matter for presentations. 

The presentations shall not contain a marketing or sales solicitation.

• Designing Learning
• Delivering Learning
• Human Performance Improvement
• Measuring and Evaluating Learning
• Facilitating Organizational Change
• Managing the Learning Function
• Coaching
• Managing Organizational Knowledge
• Career Planning and Talent Management

Chapter Achievements