NovoEDTalks

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Sara Loncka, CEO of Experience Institute, to explore why traditional approaches to learning and leadership development are falling short in today’s rapidly changing world. Sarah shares how experiential learning, personal motivation, and “learning by doing” create deeper, more lasting behavior change than convenience-driven programs. Together, they unpack what it takes to design learning that sticks — and how organizations can prepare leaders to navigate constant disruption and uncertainty.

On this episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa sits down with Sara Cavallucci, Director of Training, Development, and Customer Service at GS1, to explore what it takes to design learning that truly works across a global, federated organization. Sara shares how her team embeds learning into the flow of work, prioritizes adoption over attendance, and balances technical expertise with human capability in complex environments. Together, they discuss the growing importance of informed judgment, the responsible role of AI in learning strategy, and what L&D leaders must unlearn to stay relevant.

In this two-part NovoEDTalks Season 2 Finale, Dr. Benjamin Granger (Qualtrics), Karen Ganitsky (3M), and Kathy Burton (Robert Half) unpack how mentoring, succession planning, and knowledge transfer can protect institutional legacy while preparing the next generation of leaders. Across the conversations, they explore the realities of leading across five generations, the rise of inclusive leadership, and the human-centered skills needed to thrive alongside AI and constant change. Together, they show how HR and L&D can move beyond “programs” to become true change agents—designing cultures, systems, and development pathways where every employee has a voice, a mentor, and a clear path to grow.

Related Insights Discussed:

-⁠Qualtrics'⁠ and ⁠Charter's⁠ take on the joint research done about the importance of mentoring:

-⁠Qualtrics 2025 Employee Experience Trends report⁠ which discusses younger workers - their optimism and desire to challenge the status quo

In this two-part NovoEDTalks Season 2 Finale, Dr. Benjamin Granger (Qualtrics), Karen Ganitsky (3M), and Kathy Burton (Robert Half) unpack how mentoring, succession planning, and knowledge transfer can protect institutional legacy while preparing the next generation of leaders. Across the conversations, they explore the realities of leading across five generations, the rise of inclusive leadership, and the human-centered skills needed to thrive alongside AI and constant change. Together, they show how HR and L&D can move beyond “programs” to become true change agents—designing cultures, systems, and development pathways where every employee has a voice, a mentor, and a clear path to grow.

Related Insights Discussed:

-Qualtrics' and Charter's take on the joint research done about the importance of mentoring:

-Qualtrics 2025 Employee Experience Trends report which discusses younger workers - their optimism and desire to challenge the status quo

In this Episode of NovoEDTalks, John Jell, Director of Organizational Development at Dole Packaged Foods, unpacks what frontline and people leader development looks like when it’s built for real business constraints. John shares how engagement and exit insights revealed career development as a top driver and how “people planning” can be integrated into annual planning so development is proactive, not delayed. The conversation also explores the power of structured onboarding, the limits of “digital-first” learning, and why instructor-led training still matters when it’s relevant, engaging, and immediately applied.

In this Episode of NovoEDTalks, we chat with Mark Monaghan, VP of Organizational Development at iQor, to explore how leadership development can scale across 40,000+ employees in 10 countries while staying deeply human. Mark shares how iQor uses a competency model, mentoring structure, and measurable assessments to build internal pipelines—while adapting programs over time to meet evolving workforce needs. They also discuss the role of AI in simulation, mentor support, and adaptive learning—and close with a powerful reflection on leadership, gratitude, and legacy.

In this Episode of NovoEDTalks, Melissa speaks with Caroline Hanke, SVP of People and Culture and Global Head of Organizational Growth and Health at SAP, about what it truly means to become a skills-led organization at enterprise scale. Caroline shares how SAP is unifying skills data, workforce planning, organizational design, and learning to prepare more than 110,000 employees for rapid technological change—especially in the era of AI. The conversation explores why adaptability, transparency, and human-centered development are essential to building a resilient, future-ready workforce.

In this episode of NovoEDTalks, Rony Shir breaks down how Miami Herbert Business School designs modern executive education programs that keep pace with rapid technological and cultural change. She shares why growth mindset, adaptability, and human-centered leadership are the core competencies organizations need now — and how her team blends faculty expertise, organizational insights, AI-enabled tools, and hands-on simulations to prepare leaders for uncertainty. Rony also opens up about measuring multidimensional ROI, redesigning programs mid-flight, and helping organizations embrace change without losing sight of the people at the center.

In this episode of NovoEDTalks, Comcast VP of Learning and Development, Sara Dionne, shares how her fully centralized uLearn team serves 65,000 employees while still personalizing learning by role, level, and moment of need. She explains Skill Forward, an enterprise skills program that crowdsources priorities from the entire workforce, blends micro-learning with social practice and coaching, and reports adoption and ROI stories that leaders can trust. Sarah also looks ahead to a future where human skills and AI converge, urging L&D teams to start with learner voice and business needs, build critical thinking, and redesign their own practices for speed and impact.

In this episode of NovoEDTalks, Jamie Worrall, Senior Manager of Global Leadership Development and Coaching at Amgen, takes us inside her work helping district managers shift from a directive, “telling” approach to a culture of curiosity and collaboration. She discusses how her team redesigned Amgen’s manager onboarding into an immersive “Coaching Clinic,” blending virtual emotional-intelligence training, real-world scenario practice, and in-person labs that strengthen peer connection and trust. Jamie also shares how Amgen is using AI tools like Copilot to save time without sacrificing human interaction—capturing talk-listen data, building resilience in the face of constant change, and reminding leaders of one timeless rule: be a pleasure to work with.