ATD Greater Boston Chapter
Our learning events are at the heart of our chapter's offerings to members and Boston-area Talent Development professionals.
Upcoming Events
ATD Greater Boston invites you to start 2026 with energy, connection, and community! Whether you’re a long-time member, new to the chapter, or exploring ATD for the first time, this is the perfect opportunity to expand your network and kick off the year with fellow talent development professionals.
Join us beginning at 5:30 PM—stop by right after work or arrive when your schedule allows. The evening will be filled with engaging conversations, meaningful connections, and a few fun surprises along the way.
Let’s set the tone for a strong, inspired year ahead—together.
Admission Includes:
We can’t wait to celebrate the start of 2026 with you!
March 11, 2026
April 8, 2026
May 13, 2026
June 10, 2026
Virtual event - Link in Confirmation Email
Elevate your professional network at Networking @Noon! Join us each month for facilitated networking that connects you to other professionals. Discuss job availability, job changes, what you’re working on, and anything else on your mind.
ATD GREATER BOSTON PRESENTS:
Take a hike: Unconventional practices to deepen transformation and facilitate change
with Mike Sweeney
March 19, 2026
12:00 to 1:00 PM
Virtual event - link in registration email
In a time when we spend most of our days looking at screens, time poor, and overwhelmed, those who thrive will be the ones who can move through change effectively. And that means drawing from effective practices that might be considered ‘unprofessional’.
In this provocative and engaging keynote, Mike R. Sweeney will challenge change leaders to rethink what it means to facilitate personal and professional transformations (and why it’s OK to have fun doing the work).
Mike brings a wealth of experience with 10 years as an executive and team coach, decades facilitating change as leader at many levels, and experience leading clients on multi-day Adventure hikes to help them live with more courage, agency, and freedom.
Through compelling stories, real-world examples, and actionable insights, Mike shares how to sense the edge of impending transformation, encourage others to cross the chasm into the unknown, and build an emergent positive vision that others will choose to follow. He’ll share his transformational process rooted in evidence based (albeit somewhat unconventional) practices that can deepen our work with others.
This keynote will leave audiences with new approaches for facilitating deeper and more effective transformations and a host of practical tools to try in their work (if they dare!).
Key Takeaways:
Our Guest - Mike R. Sweeney
Refund Policy
A full refund will be issued if the cancellation request is made on or before fourteen calendar days before the scheduled event.
In consideration of my position as an attendee/member of the Association for Talent Development Greater Boston (ATD GB), I agree with ATD GB’s unrestricted right/permission to take, use, re-use, publish and re-publish photographic, video/audio content including, in whole or in part, all media now and hereafter known for illustration, promotion, training, exhibition, advertising in connection with ATD GB and its initiatives. I expect ATD GB to use the content professionally, but waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product/products, advertising copy or other matter that may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied. I hereby certify that I am fully competent and of full legal age and have the right to execute this release with ATD GB.
ATD Capabilities - Developing Professional Capability, Coaching, Building Personal Capacity, Cultural Awareness & Inclusion, Lifelong Learning
We'd like to invite you to a 30 minute "New Member Orientation" event.
The goal of the session is to introduce our chapter and membership benefits as well as to allow you to ask questions about membership and our goals for the chapter.
It will also be a great opportunity to meet other prospective or new members.
Compassion-Driven Change: A New Model for Sustainable Behavior Transformation
with Mariya Shiyko
April 10, 2026
Most change efforts, whether personal or organizational, fail not due to lack of strategy, but because they overload the nervous system and feel misaligned from purpose and heart. Fear, shame, perfectionism, unrealistic expectations and burnout impede learning, disrupt resilience, and limit the capacity to adopt new behaviors.
This session introduces a compassion-driven approach to behavior change that aligns with human psychology rather than pushing against it. Participants will learn a practical framework rooted in self-compassion, emotional regulation, and behavior science that supports sustainable transformation in both individuals and teams.
Our Guest - Mariya Shiyko
Mariya is a spiritual business and life mentor that empowers her clients to find wisdom within, so that they can build a life that feels meaningful, purposeful, joyful, and abundant. She is a former tenured university professor who studied behavior change.
Mariya is a bestselling author, an award-winning educator, and the author of 50+ scientific publications. She appeared on Women Inspired TV, NBC, ABC, and other media outlets. She shares her story to inspire others. You can learn more about her here https://www.mariyashiyko.love/
ATD Capabilities - Coaching, Building Personal Capacity, Cultural Awareness & Inclusion, Lifelong Learning
Where Do We Start? A Practical Guide to Meaningful Training Metrics
with Elham Arabi
April 17, 2026
2:30 to 3:30 PM
Training evaluation often feels overwhelming. Where do you begin? Which metrics actually matter? And how do you measure them in a way that’s useful—not just reportable?
In this practical session, we’ll cut through the noise and focus on what really helps you evaluate training with rigor and confidence. You’ll learn how to move from vague intentions to clear, meaningful metrics that align with performance and business goals. We’ll walk through simple, evidence-informed approaches to selecting metrics, designing evaluation plans, and avoiding common pitfalls that lead to data without insight.
You’ll leave with practical tools, guiding questions, and examples you can apply immediately—so evaluation feels doable, not daunting. This session is designed for learning professionals who want less theory, more clarity, and actionable next steps.
Our Guest - Elham Arabi
Dr. Elham Arabi is an award-winning global learning consultant and researcher in corporate and higher-ed with more than 15 years of experience in the US, South-East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Elham’s career spans teaching, instructional design, and strategic advisory roles.
She has championed better design and evaluation practices in several organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and done practical research to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of learning programs that lead to learning transfer and impact. She holds a PhD in Curriculum & Instruction. Her thesis was on enhancing training design based on training evaluation to investigate the effects on training transfer.
ATD Capabilities - Developing Professional Capability, Training Delivery and Facilitation, Knowledge Management, Career & Leadership Development, Evaluating Impact, Building Personal Capacity, Lifelong Learning, Performance Improvement, Change Management, Data & Analytics, Future Readiness
Do Your Learning Technologies Work Together — Or Against You?
with
May 14, 2026
A cohesive learning technology ecosystem includes many elements: Vision, Audience and Macro Learning Needs, Governance, Delivery Methods, Procurement, Technology and Infrastructure, Evaluation, Organizational Structure, and an Implementation Plan.
This session by Innovative Learning Group's (ILG) Senior Director of Technology and Visual Design, Matt Kurtin, highlights how integrating your learning technologies can eliminate redundancies, reduce friction, and amplify impact across your organization's entire learning strategy.
Our Guest - Matt Kurtin
Matt Kurtin is Innovative Learning Group’s senior director of technology and visual design. With nearly 30 years of experience, he has guided a wide range of organizations in developing and executing technology strategies that drive learning and performance improvement. Matt brings deep expertise in building comprehensive learning strategies that address key components such as vision, audience needs, governance, delivery methods, procurement, infrastructure, evaluation, and implementation planning.
He also provides insight into best practices for selecting, implementing, and integrating learning technologies to ensure they support strategic goals and deliver measurable results. His approach helps organizations make informed, scalable decisions that align learning systems with business priorities and learner needs.
ATD Capabilities - Learning Sciences, Instructional Design, Training Delivery and Facilitation, Technology Application
ATD26 International Conference and Expo
Los Angeles, California
May 17 - 20, 2026
We have discount codes. They will be sent in a confirmation email if you are express interest.
You don't have to be a member of National ATD to take advantage of this offer! If you've already signed up and paid for the conference, let us know and we may be able to get the difference refunded to you.
For more information about the conference, please click here.
ATD26 National Member Registration Fees
The discounted team rates depend on whether or not you are a member of National ATD. There are also options for virtual pricing as well.
Upon registering, please use our special code: CH1025 and ATD Greater Boston will receive a financial rebate which helps the chapter!
Get Involved:
Questions? Email: administrator@tdboston.org
© 2026 ATD Greater Boston