NovoEDTalks

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Irina Cavescu, Head of Portfolio at Learnlight, to explore why human skills are becoming more valuable, not less, as AI reshapes how we work. Irina shares how constant change, remote work, generational differences, and increasingly global teams are requiring people to learn, unlearn, and adapt in real time, while making skills like self-awareness, emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and psychological safety essential to performance. The conversation also explores why AI is pushing us to double down on what makes us uniquely human and why the organizations that thrive will treat human capability development as a core business driver, not a checkbox exercise.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with James Lavis, Manager of Training and Development at Kubota Canada, to explore why learning teams need to move beyond course completion and focus on the behaviors and business outcomes they are actually trying to create. James shares why L&D belongs at the beginning of major business initiatives, how just-in-time resources and experiential assessment can better reflect the way people actually learn and work, and why sometimes the best way forward is to get back to the fundamentals of instructional design. They also discuss how AI can become a powerful sidekick for small learning teams, helping them increase capacity and work faster without replacing the human judgment and expertise that make great learning possible.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Sarah Maday, Senior Learning and Development Manager at a global automotive supplier, to explore how organizations can make development part of the work people are already doing. Sarah shares how her team is moving away from treating every development need as a class or eLearning, instead using real projects, coaching, peer conversations, cohorts, and bite-sized learning to help employees apply new skills in the moment. The conversation also explores AI as a learning partner, the importance of curiosity and validation, and why L&D leaders need to focus less on delivering more content and more on helping people continuously learn, adapt, and grow.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Mark Frederick, a strategic people development leader and corporate learning systems architect, to explore how organizations can create learning systems that develop people while advancing organizational strategy. Mark shares why effective development requires more than delivering courses, emphasizing leadership maturity, self-awareness, individual learning paths, and creating environments where people can flourish and apply what they learn. The conversation also explores the growing importance of durable skills, why application matters more than access to knowledge, and how organizations can use AI appropriately while keeping critical thinking, creativity, and human development at the center.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Becca Hammer, owner of Hammer Enablement Solutions, to explore how continuous practice, coaching, and leadership support turn sales training into real performance. Becca shares why learning must be relevant and immediately applicable, and why sales leaders play a critical role in reinforcing new skills on the job. They also discuss how AI can make sellers more efficient without replacing the human judgment, connection, and practice that make them effective.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Kari Borroel, Head of Operations, Quality, Learning and Development at AstraZeneca, to explore how learning teams can support employees across complex, global, and highly regulated environments while keeping pace with constant change. Kari shares how her team is moving beyond procedure-heavy, check-the-box training toward more varied, accessible learning experiences that meet people in the flow of work, strengthen decision making, and connect learning more directly to business performance. The conversation also dives into AI adoption, governance, experimentation, and why one of the most important capabilities for L&D leaders today is helping people question old ways of working and become more comfortable with change.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Adriana Bellomo, Associate Director of Learning and Development at a biopharmaceutical solutions organization, to explore how organizations can create learning environments that build meaningful skills while keeping human growth at the center. Drawing on her unique background spanning behavioral neuroscience, microbiology, workforce development, and leadership, Adriana shares why learning should be a partnership built through practice, coaching, experimentation, reflection, and opportunities to apply what people know. The conversation also explores how AI can shorten the distance between curiosity and learning, why critical thinking and discernment are becoming even more essential, and a powerful question for L&D leaders navigating AI: Are we helping people become more capable, or simply more dependent?

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Ryan Samia, Director of Talent and Leadership Development at Tractor Supply Company, to explore how organizations can move employees from simply knowing something to actually applying it on the job. Ryan shares how his team is designing learning as an ongoing experience through reflection, peer accountability, manager coaching, and reinforcement, while balancing the different needs of corporate, distribution center, and frontline employees. The conversation also explores AI’s role in learning, why human judgment and critical thinking matter more than ever, and how L&D leaders can move beyond content creation to become true strategic partners to the business.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Alex Kinney, Director of Learning and Development at Octapharma USA, to explore how L&D teams can move beyond simply delivering training and become true strategic partners to the business. Alex shares why the future of learning depends on creating realistic practice environments, strengthening human skills, and helping employees build capabilities that translate directly into performance. They also discuss the evolving role of AI, the importance of psychological safety, and why learning leaders must focus less on producing more content and more on creating meaningful behavior change.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Stephen Vellecca to explore how organizations can build leadership capability, strengthen human skills, and create learning experiences that drive meaningful behavior change. Stephen shares his perspective on moving beyond traditional training requests to uncover the real business challenges behind performance gaps, while emphasizing the importance of curiosity, adaptability, mentorship, and self-awareness in today’s workplace. The conversation also dives into the impact of AI on learning and leadership, why human capabilities like judgment and discernment matter more than ever, and how L&D teams can help people continue growing through constant change.