Hello everyone,

I am Wendy Richard- President of ATD for the Central Florida area. As you probably know, ATD Central Florida is a vibrant Chapter of the Association for Talent Development formerly known as American Society for Training & Development.

After 37 years of existence which is a long journey, once again, we’re challenging ourselves to be a better platform for you and for all professionals. To be clear, not just for talent development professionals. Regardless your field of interest, your job title and your position in your organization chart, there’s a place for you among us. We welcome you and want you to play an active role in everything we do. In fact, this year, we decide to focus on increasing our Chapter’s network and developing stronger partnerships. That means, we’re committed to helping you harness your potential and improve your performance at work. How? By:

• expanding your Networking opportunities and connecting you with other professionals and organizations in the community,

• utilizing our digital space that includes LinkedIn and Facebook in different ways to create and curate content,

• offering a variety of events (seminars, webinars, panel discussions, workshops) specifically designed to help you assimilate and share trends in the industry,

•  and promoting employment opportunities on our job board.

About 10 years ago, when I joined the association, I was a full-time student and a training coordinator with Disney. Years later, ATD still adds value to my professional network and my personal growth. We’re onto an exciting mission: Inform, Involve and Inspire. Yes, I did say involve? That, we can’t do alone. Are you involved? If you’ve already joined ATD Central Florida, congratulations. However, does the membership alone help you develop your potential and grow your career? I don't think so. Surely, it’s a great beginning. Nevertheless, I’m encouraging you to connect with others, reach out to our Board for questions, recommendations or volunteering opportunities, participate in our virtual discussions, panel exchanges, and all the exciting things that the Chapter offers to you.

On behalf of our incredible Board Members, let me thank you for all your support. Once again, remember it’s all about YOU. Please get involved more this year and let us know how we can better serve you. See you around at our events and perhaps our local conference, the Weekend In Learning & Development (W.I.L.D.) Conference.

Wendy Richard, Ed.D.
2019 President
ATDCFL