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Smoky Mountain American Society for Training and Development

Speakers

The program presenters for our monthly membership luncheons and other special events come from a diverse and rich heritage of training and development, from all corners of our industry. If you would like to learn more about each of these, check out the below sections!

Our Monthly Membership Luncheon speakers are as follows:

 

 

 

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February: Trends in Training and Workforce Development, Presented by Dr. Stacy Myers

Stacy Myers is the President of Advanced Management, Inc. in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Founded in 1988, AMI is the largest full service privately held training and devleopment firm in East Tennessee. AMI specializes in working with organizations that wish to implement a team concept as their management structure or with organizations that have teams and wish to improve the effectiveness of those teams. AMI's clients have included Toyota, John Deere, Northrop Grumman, General Electric, TVA, Consolidated Edison, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Bechtel/SAIC Company, Y-12 Federal Credit Union, BWXT Y-12, Baptist Health Systems, and over 200 other organizations throughout the country.

Dr. Myers is a graduate of Lipscomb University, Murray State University, and Southern Illinois University. He has taught at five different universities and served in several capacities with the American Society for Training and Development at the local, regional, and national level. He serves on the Boards of Directors of several East Tennessee for profit and not-for-profit organizations. Prior to establishing AMI, Dr. Myers served as the corporate training manager for A.E.Staley Manufacturing Company and the HRD Manager for Martin Marietta.

Dr. Myers is married to Patricia Tanis Myers, the Director of Alumni Relations and Fund Raising at PSTCC. They have two daughters.

 

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March: OJT (More Bang for Your Training Buck!), Presented by Kenneth Cox and Michael Caracoglia, MSgt, NG

Ken earned both his BS and MS degrees in Adult Education at UTK. He is also holds an Associate Degree in Electronic Technology along with Journeyman credentials as both a Computer Electronics Technician and an Industrial Electronics Technician. During his 30 years in the field, he has worked with adult learners in Technical Education, Industrial Training, Team Effectiveness, and Management Development. Ken's private sector experience as a Training Manager includes eight years with Westinghouse and ten with Mead. He currently works as a Training Consultant with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the UT Institute for Public Service.

Master Sergeant Michael Caracoglia is The I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center Education (ANG TEC) Training Manager at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. Master Sergeant Caracoglia, from Methuen, Massachusetts entered the United States Air Force in 1985. Initially trained as a Jet Engine Mechanic he was first assigned to the 33rd Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (CAM), 33rd Fighter Wing Eglin AFB, FL in 1986. He joined the Air National Guard with the 102nd Fighter Wing at Otis ANGB, MA in 1987 through the Palace Chase program. He spent the next 8 years in the Engine shop until he cross-trained into the Command Post. In August of 1997 he transferred to the 163rd ARW at March ARB, CA. Spending a brief time there, he transferred to the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 260th Air Traffic Control Squadron in 1998. Retrained as an Air Traffic Controller, he was fully rated and earned his Control Tower Operator certificate. In May of 2004 Sergeant Caracoglia retrained into the Education and Training career field serving full time in 157th ARW Base Education and Training Office as the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) and PME advisor. In June of 2006, Sergeant Caracoglia came to the I.G. Brown Air National Guard Training and Education Center in the Commander’s Action Group as the Center’s Training Manager. He is married to Jennifer Caracoglia and has three children, James, Noah, and Desirae.

 

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April: Facilitating Problem-Solving & Problem Ownership, Presented by Rhonda Jones

Rhonda Jones, owner of Bright Hope Training & Consulting, is an author, motivational speaker, trainer and business consultant to both for-profit and non-profit businesses and organizations. She brings over 20 years of corporate experience in a wide range of operational, management, and leadership roles, and was a Director of Corporate Improvement Programs in a Global Fortune 500 Corporation.

Rhonda has become a recognized authority on engaging diverse individuals, building effective teams, implementing large-scale change, and achieving results. Helping people and groups to clarify their vision and build effective communities in which each person is inspired and empowered to release their individual genius is the secret to Rhonda’s success.

During her career, Rhonda has been at the center of improvements and change in the areas of manufacturing, production and inventory control, purchasing, quality management, process reengineering & improvement, supply chain management, customer service, project management, and strategic program management. She has combined her business management training and experience and her adult education background to work effectively with people from all walks of life. In every situation encountered, Rhonda has applied her organizational development, teambuilding, management, facilitation, and training skills to create positive change.

 

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May: The Marriage of Technology and Certification Programming, Presented by John Erdmann, Travis Hudelson and Izetta Slade

John Erdmann joined the Center for Industrial Services (CIS) in July 1996. He is the project manager to implement a new Learning Management System for all agencies within IPS. He also maintains the department website, consults with subject matter experts to create on-line training courses, creates and delivers electronic newsletters for CIS. John has earned a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and a master's degree from the University of St. Thomas in Houston.

Travis Hudelson has helped organizations use technology for learning and knowledge sharing since 1986, when he joined the fledgling MicroVideo Learning Systems. At MicroVideo he was part of the team that introduced networkable digital video to the training marketplace, supporting Microsoft in the introduction of Windows 95 and supplying training to top military officials at the Pentagon, organizations including Boeing and many others. Since that time Travis has worked as a consultant to organizations implementing learning technology from both the public and private sectors. He's now delighted to be leading the State/Local/Academic team at Saba. Saba has led the industry in developing and expanding use of learning technology since its founding in 1997.

Izetta Slade came to the University of Tennessee in July 1999. As the Training Administrator for the UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Mrs. Slade oversees training programs and certifications for Tennessee municipal employees. Prior to working with MTAS, she was the Assistant Director for UT Employee and Organizational Development with primary responsibility for office operations, mediation, strategic planning, and development and presentation of training programs. Having worked in both the public and the private sectors, she has ten years of strategic planning facilitation experience, 23 years of management and supervisory experience, and 30 years of training experience. She has over 15 years of experience with higher education institutions; Howard University in Washington, D.C., University of Maryland in College Park, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Texas A&M University in College Station, and The University of Tennessee. Immediately preceding her move to Knoxville, she worked at Texas A&M University for five years where she was the Assistant Director for Human Resources.

 

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June: Innovative Workforce Training: Using Creative Media and Venue to Reach Workforce Learning Goals, Presented by John Tolsma, KnowledgeLaunch

John Tolsma is the founder and CEO of Knowledge Launch. In 2006, after realizing companies were overlooking the environments in which they were teaching their employees, John realized a niche in workforce learning and performance existed and needed to be filled. Tolsma earned a bachelor’s degree in public policy studies from Duke University in 1995 and a master’s of business administration and law degree from Harvard in 2000.

During his time at Harvard he was introduced to Dee Bagwell Haslam, CEO of RIVR Media, a Knoxville-based television production company. Their discussions led to Tolsma working with the company to launch its interactive group and writing a business plan for erroyo, an educational multimedia company he served as president of from 2000 to 2005.

When he graduated, Tolsma relocated to his wife’s hometown of Knoxville, where he helped establish a Knoxville chapter of Joni and Friends, a ministry for people with disabilities and their families. He said Knoxville’s creative and encouraging environment helped him develop the innovative interactive educational products erroyo produced that were used by universities and companies such as Shell and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

 

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July: Integrating Technology into Next Generation Learning, Presented by Jean Derco, Ed.D.and Dr. Michael Burke, Innovative Technology Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dr. Jean Derco currently serves as the Executive Director, Innovative Technology Center, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her areas of expertise include instructional design, project management, multimedia and instructional video. Her research Interests include interface design, instructional uses of new emerging technologies, and the adoption of instructional technologies by university faculty. Dr. Derco has over twelve years experience designing course materials and curricula in industry, health and higher education. She has a background in art, instructional Video production, corporate training and higher education.

Dr. Michael Burke currently serves as the Technology Integration Specialist, Innovative Technology Center, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His areas of expertise include networks, PC and Mac hardware, PC and Mac software, digital audio and video, Novell administration, projection and presentation technologies, and classroom design. His research Interests include classroom design,Student/Faculty interaction, Student/Student interaction, distributed learning communities, web-based instructional Applications,and Human/Computer interfaces. Dr. Burke has over fifteen years experience in Special Education and Counseling and ten years of experience in Instructional Technologies.

 

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August: Credentialing – Why It Will Be IS Important in the World of Workforce Learning and Performance!, Presented by Geoff Woliner, ASTD National

As the current ASTD Chapter Coach for the central states of the U.S., Geoff Woliner helps ASTD chapters work through all of the business issues they face on a day-to-day basis. He has an extensive background in leadership training and organizational succession planning with leading political technology firms and trade associations. He has also helped form independent publications and advocacy groups in all 50 states and Canada through on-site grassroots outreach. Geoff is a graduate of Michigan State University and is active in training for local public speakers.

 

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September: No Fear! Ask an Expert, Presented by The Smoky Mountain ASTD Leadership Team

With this membership luncheon, selected members of the Smoky Mountain Board of Directors will present and be available for questions, as well as respected members of the Knoxville training and development community! For more information, you can visit the page on this site labeled: Our Leadership Team

 

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October: Training Directors Forum (Aligning Training with Business Strategy: Methods and Best Practices), TBD

We know that it's just not fair to not give you details on who will be serving on this expert panel. However, we can assure you that it will be worth the wait. Keep checking back for more details!

 

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November: Adult Learning and Research Trends, Presented by Dr. Ralph Brockett

Dr. Ralph Brockett is a professor of Adult Education in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling at the University of Tennessee. He received his B.A. in Psychology and M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Toledo and my Ph.D. in Adult Education from Syracuse University. Previously, he was on the faculty at Montana State University (1984-88) and Syracuse University (1982-84) and worked in continuing education program development for health and human services professionals in New York State.

Dr. Brockett is a past chair of the Commission of Professors of Adult Education and have served on the board of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. Dr. Brockett has also held positions on the editorial boards of three different adult education journals and served for nine years as Editor-in-Chief of New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education.

Among his publications are nine books including Toward Ethical Practice (co-author with R. Hiemstra, 2004), The Profession and Practice of Adult Education (co-author with S.B. Merriam, 1997), The Power and Potential of Collaborative Partnerships (co-editor with I.M. Saltiel & A. Sgroi, 1998), Overcoming Resistance to Self-Direction in Adult Learning (co-editor with R. Hiemstra, 1994), Self-Direction in Adult Learning: Perspectives on Theory, Research, and Practice (with R. Hiemstra, 1991), Ethical Issues in Adult Education (1988). His major scholarly interests are in the areas of self-directed adult learning, professional ethics in adult and continuing education and training, and the study of the adult education field.

In 2004, Dr. Brockett received the Malcolm Knowles Memorial Self-Directed Learning Award and in 2005 was inducted into the International Adult Education Hall of Fame.

 

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December: Workforce Development / Employee Learning Week Banquet, Presented by Smoky Mountain ASTD and the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce

We know that it's just not fair to not give you details on who will be program presenters for this event. However, we can assure you that it will be worth the wait. Keep checking back for more details!