The ATD in the D Today Podcast

Episode Notes

If we care about jobs, we have to care about how we prepare people for them. This episode follows one throughline: a child who learns to treat a chatbot as a mind becomes a student who lets it think for them, and then a new hire entering a labor market that has removed the rung where thinking used to be built on the job. It closes with why the newest AI developments make teaching ethical use, early, the most practical thing any of us can do.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Dr. Naketa Jones

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Kelvin Jenkins is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and Founder and CEO of AP Business Collective. For nearly two decades, he has helped leaders and organizations navigate the human side of business, from building trust and handling conflict to coaching employees, developing talent, and helping high performers transition into effective leaders.

His work has supported leaders across healthcare, technology, higher education, and public service, including organizations such as Kaiser Permanente, Affirm, Harvard University, Bad Robot, and CalSTRS.

Kelvin believes leadership is less about having all the answers and more about developing the people around you. His mission is to make exceptional leadership development more accessible and help everyday people develop the mindset, skills, and confidence to lead well.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Kelvin Jenkins

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Tonya Tucker Collins is a talent and organizational growth executive with more than 20 years of experience across technology, energy, healthcare, insurance, retail, and cybersecurity. Her career spans Talent Acquisition, Talent Development, Talent Management, Organizational Development, employee experience, and enterprise talent strategy. She currently serves as Head of Talent & Organization Growth at Intersect, where she leads the talent ecosystem across acquisition, development, and talent management.

With a foundation in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and organizational development, Tonya has long been fascinated by how organizations actually work, and how people, culture, data, leadership, and systems come together to enable performance or unintentionally get in its way. She brings a practical, data-informed perspective to helping leaders move beyond simply collecting information to asking better questions, uncovering what the data is really telling them, and transforming organizational intelligence into strategic talent decisions.

Her work challenges practitioners to think more strategically before they design, connecting proven talent and learning methodologies with the organizational intelligence, tools, and business realities available today. Connect with Tonya on LinkedIn.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Tonya Tucker-Collins

Season 3 Playlist

Season 3 Playlist Guide

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Rusty Shields is an International Speaker, Master Facilitator, Author, and CEO of Develefy Consulting—known for turning ordinary sessions into unforgettable, spark-filled experiences that fuel engagement, ignite transformation, and drive real-world results.

With over 19 years in Learning & Development, Rusty empowers learning professions to move beyond passive content delivery and embrace experiential, learner-centered design. As the creator of The Spark Effect, he teaches professionals how to spark curiosity, activate retention, and kindle meaningful connection through inclusive, emotionally intelligent facilitation.

A recognized thought leader in neurodiversity and inclusive learning, Rusty’s signature style blends research-backed frameworks with dynamic storytelling and powerful group facilitation. Rusty is also one of ATD’s MANY talented facilitators, delivering 11 of their certification programs including Training & Facilitation Certificate, Instructional Design Certificate, Adult Learning Certificate, Coaching Certificate & ATD Master Trainer.

Whether in the classroom or the boardroom, Rusty’s mission is clear:

Ignite passion. Inspire people. And help others set their learning, leadership, and teams on fire.

If you'd like to learn more about Rusty, visit his website and subscribe to his socials below:

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

Book Recommendations:

Life is Good: The Book – John & Bert Jacobs This is the book about positivity.

Interact and Engage, 2nd Edition: 75+ Activities for Virtual Training, Meetings, and Webinars – Kassy Laborie and Thomas Stone

Design for All Learners: Create Accessible and Inclusive Learning Experiences – Sarah Mercier

The Let Them Theory – Mel Robbins

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships – Marshall B Rosenberg

L&D Order Taker No More!: Become a Strategic Business Partner – Jess Almlie

Learning that Lasts: Reflection Activities for Trainers and Designers - Katrina Kennedy

People to Follow:

Sardek Love

Kassy LaBorie

Josh Cavalier

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Rusty Shields

Season 3 Playlist

Season 3 Playlist Guide

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Join Clifton Clarke, Sarah Maier, and Margaret Spence at ATD ICE 26!

In today's rapidly evolving workplace, L&D professionals are facing unprecedented disruption-from scaling AI, to shifting organizational priorities around DEI, to ongoing workforce reductions. L&D's traditional role is being challenged, redefined, and in some cases, reduced.
In this dynamic podcast conversation, hosts of ATD in the D and leaders within the ATD Detroit Chapter explore what it truly means to pivot with purpose. Drawing from real-world experience as chapter presidents, facilitators, and consultants, they unpack how L&D professionals can reposition themselves as indispensable strategic partners rather than optional support functions.
Listeners will gain practical insight into how facilitators, instructional designers, consultants, and L&D leaders can safeguard their roles, expand their value, and lead through uncertainty. This session challenges the audience to rethink their identity, sharpen their business acumen, and proactively evolve before disruption forces the change.

Join Clifton Clarke III, President and Sarah Maier, Past-President as they discuss their ATD ICE 2026 takeways.

In this special episode, Stephanie Hubka, our 2025 MIATD Regional Conference Keynote speaker is featured. We explore her path to the main stage, from her impactful work at ATD National to being featured on the cover of TD Magazine for her expertise in storytelling.

Stephanie opens up about how storytelling has shaped her career, why it matters more than ever in talent development, and what attendees can expect from her upcoming session at ATD 2025.

Beyond L&D, Stephanie wears many hats: she’s the former host of the Beltway Broadcast Podcast, runs a true crime podcast, and owns a successful travel business. Her ability to connect, engage, and lead across industries all comes back to one thing, the power of a well-told story.

Stephanie Hubka, CPTD wants to live in a world where learning is fun, inspiring, and a recognized driver of organizational success. As the managing partner of Protos Learning, LLC, she specializes in developing strategies and products that advance an organization’s mission and vision. She is a sought-after facilitator, author, and keynote speaker, particularly on storytelling and fostering connection within training environments. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Carnegie Mellon University and is a passionate ATD volunteer; she served as the Metro DC ATD President in 2016 and enjoyed two terms as a National Advisor for Chapters from 2017-2022.

If you’d like to learn more about Stephanie, connect with her on LinkedIn.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier

Speaker: Stephanie Hubka

In this episode, Clifton and Sarah sit down with Jay Johnson to unpack the top five reasons training often fails. Jay brings insights from his research, while Sarah and Clifton share real-world experiences from the workplace to see if it lines up.

If you’d like to learn more about Jay, visit Coeus Creative Group

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Jay Johnson

In a world where change is constant and often unpredictable, adaptability has become a must-have skill — for individuals, teams, and entire organizations. In this episode, Clifton and Sarah sit down with Dr. Esther Jackson to explore how we can not only survive change but embrace and grow through it. From the changes to DEI to the promise of AI, we'll cover how to be adaptable as you lead, support, and evolve.

Dr. Esther Jackson leads Lynnjac Consulting and teaches at the collegiate level. She has shared her expertise on adaptability, diversity, emotional intelligence, and leadership at national conferences. Dr. Jackson authored Adaptability in Talent Development and has written a number of articles. Her academic credentials include degrees in education, along with certifications in AQ Foundations and as a Certified Diversity Executive.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Dr. Esther Jackson

If you’d like to learn more about Esther, reach out on LinkedIn or visit her website.

Book Recommendations:

Adversity Quotient @Work - Paul Stolz

Golden Book - Dale Carnegie

7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven R. Covey

No Limits: Blow the Cap off your Capacity - John Maxwell

People to Follow:

Tom Erhardt

Episode Credits:

Hosts: Sarah Maier, Clifton Clarke III

Speaker: Sardek Love

In this episode of ATD in the D, Sardek Love talks to us about becoming successful through the ATD. Sardek is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, author, engagement expert, leadership expert, master trainer, master performance consultant, and speaker coach. He specializes in providing performance consulting, training, and development services, and management and leadership development programs focused on employee engagement, production and operations management, and human performance improvement. In this episode, Sardek shares evidence-based insights and practical strategies to elevate your training programs and discusses how to apply laws of engagement to engage participants regardless of topic.

If you’d like to learn more about Sardek, visit his website.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions of ATD Detroit, hosts, or sponsors.