If your organization is betting on AI, green tech, and AR to shape the future—are your technical experts truly equipped to explain that future to everyone else?

Register now to join Teach the Geek founder, Neil Thompson, in a virtual lunch and learn session.

Click see details below to learn more!

Session Overview

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Identify and address specific challenges technical staff face in public speaking.
• Apply effective methods for providing opportunities to practice speaking and get constructive feedback.
• Explain the importance of tracking progress and measuring the impact of speaker training programs.

AI, green technology, and augmented reality are everywhere—and organizations are racing to integrate them. Yet while technical professionals have the aptitude to learn complex concepts quickly, many struggle to communicate those ideas clearly, especially to non-technical audiences. That gap slows adoption, creates confusion, and puts pressure on TD teams to build bridges.

This session explores why structured speaker-training programs for technical staff are worth the investment, what it takes to build one, and how to measure its impact. You’ll walk away with practical guidance for helping technical experts deliver clear, compelling messages that the rest of the organization can understand and act on. This session is designed for TD professionals who see the communication challenges firsthand and are open to creating programs that help technical teams shine.

About the Presenter

After many poor presentations, engineer Neil Thompson knew he had to improve. With Teach the Geek, he now works with STEM professionals to improve their speaking skills. He created the Teach the Geek to Speak online public speaking course, geared towards those in the technical fields. He also hosts the Teach the Geek podcast, interviewing STEM professionals about their public speaking journeys.

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before 5 calendar days before the scheduled program. Please email events@tdmaine.org with your inquiries.

Do you feel burnt out, uninspired, or navigating a new leadership role? Creativity is a critical job skill, yet it often goes underdeveloped.

Register now to join TEDx speaker Kassie Kincaid, for a virtual session.

Click see details below to learn more!

Session Overview

In this session you will learn to:

• Unlock hidden creative potential within your workforce
• Develop creative problem-solving skills to overcome organizational challenges
• Cultivate a mindset of continuous innovation for long-term success

In this session, you'll uncover your creative potential and learn how to harness it as a powerful asset in your role and organization. Walk away with actionable strategies to drive innovation, boost engagement, and make a lasting impact.

About the Presenter

 Kassi Kincaid, a TEDx speaker and visionary behind Book Days, spearheads a groundbreaking children's literacy program that breathes life into books. Recognizing the transformative power of reading on young minds, she recognized that embracing creativity was pivotal in creating a meaningful impact. Kassi is on a mission to help people bring creative fire to their careers. She believes everyone is creative and can make a unique impact on the world!

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before 5 calendar days before the scheduled program. Please email events@tdmaine.org with your inquiries.

How can we use emotionally intelligent communication strategies to future-proof leaders and teams in the face of ubiquitous uncertainty?

Register now to join Think Again Training and Consulting's Rachel Briggs, PhD for a virtual session!

Click see details below to learn more!

Session Overview

In this session you will learn how to:

• Integrate the dialogue/discussion/debate communication model into workshops or programs at your own organization to help teams recognize and apply the appropriate communication style for different workplace situations.
• Implement a personal action plan to increase your own dialogic communication to boost emotional intelligence and create more inclusive, reflective, and adaptive workplace cultures.

This workshop offers learning and development professionals a practical framework to cultivate emotionally intelligent communication styles by introducing a communication model that differentiates debate, discussion, and dialogue. Through interactive activities and self-reflection, participants explore their own communication styles and examine which types of communication are most useful in differing workplace contexts.

Dialogue is emphasized as a relational and inclusive communication method that can enhance emotional intelligence through communicating with empathy, listening without judgement, and collaborative problem-solving. During the workshop, participants identify opportunities to apply dialogic techniques to foster more inclusive, reflective, and adaptive workplace cultures. Participants create personalized action plans to practice and improve their own dialogic communication skills—as well as generating ideas to bring the communication framework to learners in their own workplace context.

Attendees should expect to utilize their mobile phone and/or browser to participate in shared documents, polling apps, and other virtual interactions to support workshop topics, as well as accessing a reference guide to download and keep for future use.

About the Presenter

Rachel Briggs, Ph.D., is a seasoned Learning and Development leader with over 15 years of experience designing and managing impactful training programs across diverse industries. A skilled facilitator, instructional designer, and program manager, she brings expertise in emotional intelligence, adult learning, and strategic communication. Rachel has led high-visibility onboarding, e-learning, and professional development initiatives in both corporate and academic settings. She is also a published author and editor with a strong record of collaborative leadership. Rachel holds advanced degrees in Communication and Diversity Education and excels in using data-driven strategies to foster workforce engagement in remote and hybrid environments.

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before 5 calendar days before the scheduled program. Please email events@tdmaine.org with your inquiries.

When we celebrate L&D milestones, like program launches or completions, are those celebrations warranted, or premature? If you're on the hunt to uncover L&D impact, what should you celebrate?

Register now to join David Rosenfield, Instructional Design Manager, for a virtual session.

Click see details below to learn more!

Session Overview

In this session you will learn how to:

• Reflect on the risks and realities that exist in your business when it comes to evaluating program impact
• Choose a strategy to apply with your team or your work

Just as investors can have their financial plans derailed by fear, and how scientific conclusions can be weakened by hastiness, good L&D evaluation has its own guiding emotions and pitfalls. The best intentions, industry models, and data collections tools can only take us so far, as we encounter the realities of work: behaviors, incentives, and culture.

To protect ourselves from shortcomings like pride, bias, and even just fatigue, we should establish guardrails for our evaluation strategies. This can be done by carefully observing our audiences and work context, and by providing clear expectations, establishing operational discipline, and most importantly, just having an open mind.

Come hear how an instructional designer, straight out of school, tested out different approaches over 8 years on the same team, and leave with ideas for fortifying your evaluation strategies to protect your team's most valuable insights.

This session is for:

• L&D people frustrated when evaluation best practices don't seem to work in the context of their business
• L&D people frustrated when they know their evaluation strategy works well, but it goes under appreciated

About the Presenter

David Rosenfeld is a Senior Manager of Instructional Design at athenahealth, a healthcare tech company, where he's supported the growth of a commercial enablement team since 2017. He leads an ID 'center of excellence', serving strategic initiatives, employee onboarding, sales enablement, product education, marketing, HR, and compliance via technology, design solutions, and learning analytics. David holds a Master of Education from Northeastern University.

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before 5 calendar days before the scheduled program. Please email events@tdmaine.org with your inquiries.

Experience a high-energy, engaging training that brings mindfulness to life. In this 3-part extended session, you'll discover that mindfulness isn’t a buzzword—it’s a skill you can learn and practice every day. Learn how to apply both inner and outer mindfulness to your daily life and walk away with the clarity, inspiration, and tools you need to cut through judgment and false perception—so you can see life as it truly is.

Click see details below to learn more!

Session Overview

How can a leader effectively guide others if they lack a clear understanding of their own values, biases, and impact on those they lead?

In this session you will learn to:

• Identify your emotions
• Unhook from unhelpful though patterns
•  Manage behaviors that can lead to poor professional outcomes

This interactive self-awareness workshop is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their self understanding and leadership effectiveness. Participants will explore the dynamic connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, learning how each influences the other and impacts workplace interactions and decision-making. Through guided reflection, group discussion, and practical exercises, attendees will develop skills to identify their internal responses in real time and recognize patterns that may hinder growth or performance. Emphasis will be placed on increasing emotional intelligence, understanding triggers, and developing healthier, more intentional responses. By fostering a deeper awareness of self, participants will gain greater control over their reactions, improve communication, and strengthen professional relationships. This workshop empowers individuals to lead with clarity, manage stress more effectively, and navigate challenges with confidence. Ideal for managers, team leads, and professionals at any level, the session provides actionable strategies to support ongoing personal and professional development.

This workshop is typically $300; make sure to register for this exclusive Maine ATD offering to save over 50%! 

About the Presenter

I’m Emily Bottino, founder & CEO of DaZyne. I’m an inspirational speaker, trainer, and consultant passionate about helping individuals and organizations discover and embrace their true selves. My work focuses on leadership development and executive coaching, particularly within the health and human services sector. I specialize in fostering authentic, empathetic leadership to enhance communication, employee engagement, and organizational culture. Through my signature program, the DaZyne Leadership Lab (DLL), I support leaders at all levels in creating meaningful, measurable, and lasting transformation.

Cancellation Policy: A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before 5 calendar days before the scheduled program. Please email events@tdmaine.org with your inquiries.