SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (sig)

Consultants & Entrepreneurs

The purpose of the Consultant and Entrepreneur Special Interest Group is to provide an environment within ATD KC where independent consultants, contractors, and small business owners can thrive. Our unique community is made up of talent developers, instructional designers, learning and organizational change consultants, coaches, learning executives, and business owners. We exist to serve each other and learn from each other, develop referral networks, and provide for peer support and mentoring. The SIG strives to be a resource to all ATDKC members who are considering starting their own business or practice or who are already leading and developing businesses within a more traditional corporate structure. 

Shawn Foley

Consultant & Entrepreneur SIG Leader

Dr. Foley is a Performance Strategist at Foleyworks, which he started to help individuals work better together so they can create the change they want to see in the world. This includes offering services that boost organizations to achieve their full potential. His work brings essential elements and methods to educate, develop, and nurture people and teams.

Foleyworks’ services focus on the support mechanisms for success including metrics and measurement, education solutions and services, change management, organization development, the creation of governance models, program analysis and evaluation, and the isolation of initiative impact and influence.

Shawn holds a Doctor of Education in instructional Systems and Behavior Change from PA State University, an MS in Instructional Technology, and a BS in Education from Bloomsburg University. He also has a certification in Lean project management methodology and has been an IASSC Certified Black Belt.

Lisa Chandler

Consultant & Entrepreneur SIG Co-Leader

Lisa Chandler is the founder of Beyond the Trees, where she partners with leaders and teams to navigate complexity, strengthen collaboration, and create meaningful progress. A Board Certified Coach and performance improvement practitioner, Lisa brings more than 15 years of experience in leadership development, coaching, organizational effectiveness, and change management across government, healthcare, financial services, insurance, higher education, nonprofit, and engineering environments.

Known for her practical and engaging approach, Lisa helps leaders move from reactivity to strategic action through coaching, facilitation, assessments, and consulting. Her work focuses on leadership effectiveness, emotional intelligence, collaborative communication, team performance, and sustainable change in complex, stakeholder-driven environments.

Terry Turner

Consultant & Entrepreneur SIG Co-Leader

Terri Turner is a communications strategist, AI integration specialist, and Certified AI Efficiency Specialist who has trained leaders in more than 12 countries, working with mid-sized organizations, public agencies, municipal HR teams, nonprofit boards, corporate executives, and founders to solve the problem most leaders overlook: communication. Her path to this work spans from Safety Patrol Guard at age 11 to NFL Cheerleader, speech competitor, and journalism school graduate and through launching six businesses, she has built a practice rooted in one conviction: when communication works, people and business grow. Through Communications and AI Integration Training, Organizational Growth Systems Consulting, and Strategic Thought Partnership, she closes the gap between where organizations are and where they want to be. The work she leaves behind keeps running long after she’s gone and that’s how she measures success.

Leadership Development

The ATDKC Leadership Special Interest Group is an engaged group of talent development professionals who are passionate about building leadership at all levels. Whether you're designing leadership programs, coaching emerging leaders, or shaping organizational strategy, this SIG is your space to connect, learn, and grow.

Amy Swaminathan

Leadership SIG Leader

Amy Swaminathan, CPTD® loves helping others reach their full potential. She’s a champion for driving your own career through ongoing development, learning from others, and using the benefits an ATD membership provides.

Amy has over two decades of learning and organizational development experience that includes leadership and employee experience design, facilitation, coaching, instructional design, and organizational effectiveness consulting. She earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) credential in 2018 and continues to learn to earn recertification requirements to impact personal, team, and organization strategies.

She finds great joy in traveling with her husband and son, watching KC Chiefs football, and helping others advocate for their aging parents.

Learning Technologies

This Learning Technologies Special Interest Group brings together professionals passionate about leveraging technology to enhance learning. Topics include eLearning, learning management systems (LMS), virtual training tools, and emerging trends like AI in learning.

Lauren Hays, PhD

Learning Technologies

SIG Co-Leader

Lauren Hays, PhD, is an associate professor of instructional technology at the University of Central Missouri, where she coordinates the educational technology programs, including the Graduate Certificate in Corporate Training. She is passionate about using technology effectively and aligning its use with the science of learning.

Jolene Burns

Learning Technologies

SIG Co-Leader

Jolene Burns is a Senior Manager of Enterprise Training who leads strategic learning initiatives that drive technology adoption and empower employees to succeed. She specializes in transforming complex concepts into engaging, accessible training experiences for diverse audiences.

A collaborative and results-driven leader, Jolene is known for developing high-performing teams, advancing content strategy, and delivering scalable learning solutions aligned to business goals. She is also a founding member and leader of Women in Technology (WiT) employee resource groups, where she champions inclusion and the growth of women in tech.

Outside of work, Jolene enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, and creating pottery in her backyard studio.

Talent Strategies

Focused on aligning people strategies with business goals, the Talent Strategies Special Interest Group explores workforce planning, talent acquisition, onboarding, employee engagement, and organizational development to drive performance and growth.

Anne Brown

Talent Strategies

SIG Leader

Anne Brown, PhD, PCC is a seasoned Executive Leadership Coach and Organizational Development professional with over three decades of experience in various leadership and executive roles across multiple industries including healthcare, higher education, technology, marketing, media and finance. She is also an active member of the research community with a focus on generations in the workplace and their influence on organizational cultures.

As the Managing Director of Thrive Training, she partners with leaders and organizations to foster continuous learning and self-awareness, creating measurable improvements in engagement, organizational culture, and performance. Anne’s dedication to her work stems from witnessing the profound impact a leader can have on people and business outcomes. She believes that continuous learning and growth among leaders create a positive ripple effect throughout an organization, enhancing employee engagement and profitability. She has worked with leaders from Chevron, Mitsubishi Power, KPERS, Disney, Google, American Express, DoorDash, Cisco, Dell, Nordstrom, WalkMe and several other companies. Anne’s approach equips professionals to identify strengths, navigate challenges, broaden perspectives, and integrate new behaviors in fast-changing environments.

Before transitioning to opening her own consulting practice in 2024, Anne worked for some of the best places to work in Kansas City including; VML, DST, Netsmart, Slalom and Intouch Group. She is excited to be a part of ATDKC.

Kelly Zamboni

Director, Special Interest Groups

Kelly Zamboni brings over 18 years of experience in learning and development, dedicated to driving growth and transformation through education. As an Agilist and AI enthusiast, he specializes in designing and delivering innovative, data-driven learning solutions that produce measurable results. Kelly's passion lies in helping individuals and teams connect complex concepts with practical application, optimizing learning experiences, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Mailing Address:

705 B SE Melody Lane, #311
Lee's Summit, MO 64063

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (sig)

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