Chapter Meeting: Training with a Twist, Using Stories to Make it Stick

Training with a Twist: Using Stories to Make it Stick

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This session explores how to enhance training impact through storytelling. Learners will discover how to construct engaging, memorable learning narratives using the Story Arc framework (Situation, Complication, Solution). Through practical examples and guided activities, participants will:

• Understand how the brain retains stories through imagery, emotion, and language.
• Learn how to apply storytelling techniques to increase learner engagement and retention.
• Practice building concise learning stories that are relevant, emotionally resonant, and easy to remember.
• Explore how to personalize content by making the learner the center of the story.

The course encourages adding emotional depth, dramatic turns, and sensory elements (like sound and silence) to elevate training experiences and ensure lessons truly stick.

SPEAKER BIO

Theresa is the Manager of Learning and Development at TreviPay, a global fintech company based in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. Over the past 7 years at TreviPay, she and her team have built and implemented the company’s Learning and Development department from the ground up.

Theresa has been in the field of Learning and Development since 2007. Prior to her time in fintech, she spent 16 years in the logistics industry, holding various training and leadership roles. Her experience spans lesson planning, employee development, and hands-on training—foundational elements that have shaped her practical and people-focused approach.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Construct a brief learning story using the Story Arc Framework
• Refine a learning narrative to improve clarity, engagement, and impact

ATD CAPABILITIES

• Lifelong learning
• Communication
• Training delivery and facilitation
• Instructional design       

This session has been approved for recertification credits by the Association for Talent Development.