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Ally Batty is associate director of marketing and communications at the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She has held a variety of writing and communications roles, including associate editor of the Chicago Booth Magazine and alumni editor of the University of Chicago Magazine. Previously, Batty served as an Ohio Legislative Service Commission fellow and a legislative aide to Rep. Denise Driehaus of the Ohio House of Representatives. Batty volunteers as a writing coach for Posse scholars through the Posse Foundation. She received her BA in English literature from Miami University of Ohio.

Ally Batty

June 2019 - TD Magazine

Learning to Lead Together

As senior manager for the Partnership for Public Service, Kevin Johnson II leads the strategy, development, and implementation of federal hiring solutions and services. Previously, he oversaw the strategic direction of a portfolio of leadership development programs at the Partnership for Public Service, as well as designed and facilitated sessions for a wide range of topics and federal audiences at all levels. Prior to joining the Partnership for Public Service, Johnson led all diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at Battelle Memorial Institute and earned his entry into a public service career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana.

Kevin Johnson II

Bruce Batten is currently the Director of the Program Management Office for the CSC Enterprise Learning & Talent Development organization (NYSE: CSC). In this role, he is responsible for the Enterprise Learning & Talent Development budget, global vendor relationships and contracts, executive development, and top tier succession planning. Bruce partners with the CLO and the Global Learning Officer council of CSC, which is comprised of the Learning officers from all business units to identify and develop solutions to meet employee learning needs. Bruce served as the Chair of the ASTD Forum’s Advisory Group from 2008‐09.

Bruce Batten

Small businesses play a vital role in fueling the US economy and strengthening national security. In both the commercial and government sectors, there is significant value in how a business activates its strategies—how they are implemented, how stakeholders own them, and how those affected experience them. An effective strategy activation approach can drive innovation and deliver critical services across any government agency. For decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) has relied on competitive solutions from commercial partners to effectively implement the National Defense Strategy. Small businesses that provide exceptional learning and development solutions for the world’s largest commercial organizations are well-positioned to fuel innovation for the DoD and will play an increasingly important role in developing effective training and education solutions that accelerate the capabilities of military personnel.Maintaining deep relationships with partners in life sciences, pharma, medical devices, and healthcare can catalyze any organization’s ability to quickly and effectively solve complex problems in critical environments, including operating rooms, emergency rooms, and battlefields. Small organizations, however, have a unique agility to align multidisciplinary teams of experts in program and project management, instructional design, e-learning development, visual design, learning management system (LMS) support, and communication to elevate DoD learning experiences—along with a real commitment to accommodations aligned with 508.One way that small organizations can fuel learning innovation in the federal sector is through securing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards. The DoD’s SBIR program funds small businesses’ early-stage research and development projects that serve a DoD need and have commercial applications, empowering small businesses to explore technological innovation while providing the incentive to profit from its commercialization. At TiER1 Performance, a 300-plus employee-owned consulting firm with more than 20 years of experience helping government organizations address diverse challenges—from applied research in human performance, learning, and evaluation to military medicine—we’ve learned firsthand the impact of SBIR awards. Our 2017 SBIR award for the Missile Defense Agency allowed us to explore a game-based learning environment aimed at bridging the gap between missile defense schoolhouse training and high-fidelity simulated exercises. The gamified learning solution addressed learning effectiveness and cost-effectiveness for training warfighters by enabling learners to apply skills in simulated scenarios with a scoring algorithm that mapped their actions and decisions to contributing competencies and by reducing man-hours spent coordinating and delivering in-person training.Another way organizations—small and large—can fuel learning innovation in the federal sector is through cultivating long-term relationships with DoD subject matter experts and instructors and collaborating on development of interactive educational experiences and courseware. At TiER1, we have deep relationships and collaborate often with the DoD’s Humanitarian Demining Training Center and its Defense Security Cooperation University. When developing training and education solutions, it’s imperative to intentionally design how learners will experience them. To enhance learner engagement and knowledge retention, focus on creating realistic simulations that immerse DoD learners in practical, role-relevant scenarios. Assessment and evaluation are integral to all educational programs, especially those with no-fail missions. To ensure courses remain effective and are aligned with DoD competencies and objectives, architect comprehensive feedback mechanisms, including end-of-course surveys and in-depth evaluations. The courses we design in collaboration with DoD faculty undergo rigorous evaluation and are accredited by the American Council on Education. To ensure uninterrupted access to course materials for DoD staff and students, we provide mission-critical LMS support through Blackboard and Cornerstone OnDemand.As the backbone of the US economy, small businesses will continue to strengthen our national security. Organizations that can apply commercial innovation and success to the government sector will continue to be well-positioned for government collaborations and essential to our military’s success. TiER1’s commitment to leveraging commercial expertise to enhance defense education exemplifies the vital role small businesses play in driving forward national security initiatives.

Small Businesses Are Well-Positioned to Develop Innovative Training and Education Solutions for the Department of Defense

Do you live outside the United States? Are you interested in pursuing one of ATD CI’s professional credentials: the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) or the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)? Join us for this webinar designed to answer questions about certification specific to international candidates.
During this webinar, you will learn about:

The value of certification internationally
What ATD is doing to increase visibility of certifications outside the United States
How the changes made in 2020 help international candidates
How to overcome challenges specific to international candidates
When and where you can take the exam
How to find others with whom to study or network

The webinar is being held at a time that should be convenient for those living in the European Union, Africa, and the Middle East, but all are welcome to participate. When you register, please submit a question you are hoping the panelists will answer during the session.
 

International Candidates for Certification (EU, Africa & Middle East)

Wondering about the best way to advance your career? Considering pursuing professional certification but not sure what it is all about? Join us to hear from Morgean Hirt, ATD’s Certification Institute director, and Holly Batts, ATD CI associate director, to shed some light on questions such as:

What is the difference between a certificate and certification?
Is a professional certification better than a college degree?
Is capability the same as competency?
How do ATD’s education offerings and professional certification relate to the new Talent Development Capability Model?
Who decides what is covered on the exam?
Who writes the test questions?

When you register, please submit a question that you hope the panelists will cover during the webinar.

Debunking Myths about Certification

Ben Nemtin is a New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of The Buried Life movement. Prior to his keynote session, Nemtin spoke with Connection Point about his background and experience and what he’ll share with ATD Virtual Conference: Unleash Potential attendees.When you took a road trip to accomplish your bucket list, you also helped strangers cross something off their lists. What was the impetus behind that decision?We had a list of really audacious goals, and we knew that we’d never be able to accomplish those things on our own—we would need the help of other people. So, it made sense for us to proactively help others try to accomplish their goals as well. What we didn’t realize was that the goals that we helped facilitate ended up meaning more to us than the goals we accomplished on our list, even the big, big goals. It resonated more. It didn’t match the feelings we got from accomplishing our goals. It was unexpected that that resonated as much. We realized over time that that was what mattered most—helping other people.And when you help others, they want to help you more. So, once people heard that we were helping other people, they wanted to help us more; it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s a win-win. You get to fill yourself up, you get to help other people, and ultimately, it helps you in ways you wouldn’t expect.Any other unexpected, yet valuable, lessons you’ve learned from your different experiences?The simple fact is that anyone can do anything. We wrote down these list items that we were convinced were impossible—play basketball with President Obama, sit with Oprah, make a TV show, write a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. We almost wrote them down in jest—they were the biggest moon shots we could ever think of. And we pretended when we wrote the list that we could do anything—that was the rule. You had to pretend you had $10 million in the bank.Over time as these moon shots started to come to fruition, we really had no choice but to believe that we could do anything. It really changes the way that you live your life. This whole journey ended up becoming more than just a bucket list. It became a philosophy of life.After some of those big things came off our list, it changed my DNA. All of a sudden I wasn’t thinking—even when I was faced with a challenge—I wasn’t thinking “Can I do this?” I was thinking “Do I want to do it?” Because I know it is going to take a lot of work, and I know that I’m going to come up against a lot of obstacles, but I can do it if I really, really want it and I want it for the right reasons. So, it is more about are you doing this for you, or are you doing this for other people?You have been candid about living with depression—where do you go for inspiration and hope?I get a lot of inspiration and hope from the people in my life that I surround myself with—my friends, my family. The greatest thing in my life, if I look back, if I can pinpoint one thing, is when I was in my early years in university when I was hit with my first bout of depression and I decided I was going to try and only surround myself with people who inspire me. By inspiring, I mean that they gave me energy versus took energy from me.And that’s how Buried Life began. I found someone in the neighborhood named Johnny and said, “Hey, you make movies. Let’s make a movie.” And we gathered some people together. Actively surrounding myself with people who inspired me really changed my entire life. I’m continuing that practice. When I find someone who is really inspiring, I try and stick around them. That really recharges my battery. It’s about being conscious about the people I’m surrounding myself with.Another aspect is being in tune with what my body needs. When you’re little, you don’t know because you’re still learning. But now, for instance, I know that I need to get eight hours of sleep. I need to exercise.I started a practice of mindfulness—meditation has become huge for me for my mental health and well-being. Giving back also makes me feel better. I don’t think about how crappy I feel—I think about someone else. I’ve learned gratitude and focusing on things I’m grateful for rather than things I’m worried about. All those things have really helped. I call it my mental health toolkit. I reach into it when I see the signs that I’m starting to struggle.I think everyone should have a mental health toolkit for times of need and also know that it’s OK to ask for help. It’s so much harder to do it on your own, and you don’t need to do it on your own. You aren’t alone. Everyone is struggling—humans have ups and downs, and we need to talk about those downs just like we celebrate the ups. The more we normalize the conversation, the more quickly we remove the stigma around mental health and therapy.What’s the latest item you’ve added to your bucket list?The latest item that I’ve added to my bucket list is another book. I’d love to write another book, so I’ve been thinking about that. The original Buried Life list is now at 91 out of 100 for things we’ve accomplished, and the goal is to accomplish #100, which is to go to space.What is one action TD professionals can take right now to unleash potential?You can take 20 or 30 minutes to sit in a quiet space and write your bucket list. This will move you one step closer to your goals and toward your potential. Remember, this is about personal betterment to improve your life and improve your professional journey.Share your ATD Virtual Conference experience on social media. #ATDVirtualConference

Believe the Unthinkable Is Possible: A Q&A With Ben Nemtin

Do you live outside the United States? Are you interested in pursuing one of ATD CI’s professional credentials: the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) or the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)? Join us for this webinar designed to answer questions that are specific to international candidates for certification.
During this webinar, you will learn about:

The value of certification internationally
What ATD is doing to increase visibility of certifications outside of the United States
How the changes made in 2020 help international candidates
How to overcome challenges specific to international candidates
When and where you can take the exam
How to find others with whom to study or network

The webinar is being held at a time that should be convenient for those living the Asia-Pacific and South Asia regions, but all are welcome to participate. When you register, please submit a question you are hoping the panelists will answer during the session.
 

International Candidates for Certification (Asia-Pacific & SE Asia)

The name of the Association for Talent Development's premier talent development certification is changing. Certified Professional in Learning and Performance will now be called the Certified Professional in Talent Development. That change represents the breadth of capabilities talent development professionals are proficient at, explains Holly Batts, associate director of credentialing for ATD.The newly titled certification represents not only TD professionals’ skills with learning and performance, which has long been accepted and understood, but also the wide array of capabilities required of TD professionals. Those include change management, coaching, and organization development and culture. They are all the ways that individuals in the profession develop talent, Batts points out. The certification's name now reflects that.Further, the change coincides with the unveiling of ATD’s new Talent Development Capability Model. The model is the framework for talent development practitioners regarding what they need to know and the skills they need so as to develop themselves, others, and their organizations. It was developed as a result of extensive research that included surveys of TD professionals around the world, in-depth conversations with practitioners, and meetings of preeminent leaders in the field.Adjusted learner experienceBeyond the certification’s name change—which aligns with the Associate Professional in Talent Development certification—there are several other exciting and timely changes taking place, including with the candidate platform, portal, and exam format.Individuals interested in applying for the CPTD or APTD certifications can use a single sign-on with their ATD credentials to begin the process. The portal was designed so that applicants can apply more easily, and it was built on an agile system with the end in mind. Individuals can track their progress on completing the application, and they will have access to all necessary materials to answer questions about the exam.Rather than relying on the former Learning System as the basis to learn about material covered in either exam, the Talent Development Body of Knowledge—or TDBok, as it’s commonly referenced—is an excellent resource for diving into the concepts of the Talent Development Capability Model. TDBok was developed with the insights and guidance of more than 60 subject matter expert contributors and gives TD practitioners the means to define the personal, professional, and organizational impact capabilities required for success today and in the future.The CPTD exam is now one exam, rather than the previous two. This change is again based on member feedback and surveys. The type of questioning has likewise changed and now relies on both multiple-choice and case-management questions that mimic real-life decision making. Applicants must answer a question about the situation and then will receive a subsequent challenge.A case study may, for example, pose the challenge of having to set up a call center for customer service reps to learn about a new product, asking test takers about the first step they would embark upon given the challenge. They may then be told that, rather than having one month to set up the call center with properly trained and knowledgeable customer advocates, the time frame is shortened to two weeks.Because the exam’s content represents a subset of knowledge and skills embodied in the Talent Development Capability Model, the CPTD certification covers material from 22 of the model’s capabilities and requires 60 hours of professional education.Further, the new APTD exam covers additional content included in the Capability Model, such as emotional intelligence, organizational development and culture, and collaboration and leadership. This represents the greater scope of the personal, professional, and organizational capabilities than the legacy exam but all at the foundational level. The APTD eligibility has changed and now requires three years of work experience alongside 28 hours of professional development earned within the last three years.Individuals who have previously held the CPLP certification will receive new certificates in the mail soon. Exam windows for CPTD and APTD. If you have questions about your certification or what course to pursue, connect with one of ATD’s certification specialists at certification@td.org.Share your ATD Virtual Conference experience on social media. #ATDVirtualConference

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