President's Letters

Hi ATD San Diego!

It’s hard to believe we are going into the second half of the year. I hope you are all doing well and have been able to adjust to the world we live in at the moment. This is the time of year when we review our budget vs. actual income and spending. The Board will be reviewing this in July and making any needed adjustments. It is also the time we start planning the next year, and that starts with the nomination and election of new board of directors positions.

I have talked before about the importance of chapter leadership, including our board of directors and our volunteers. Our chapter is successful because of our volunteers. All of our chapter events, website, social media posts, partnerships, sponsorships, etc. get done through our volunteers. Volunteering can be rewarding and a great opportunity to add to your already great resume. If you are interested in marketing, helping new members, learning website design, leading a special interest group, looking for sponsors, finding speakers or facilitators, (I could good go on and on, but you get the point) consider volunteering or even a board position.

ATD San Diego membership does not only mean learning at a chapter event, but also through the roles necessary to running the business. And yes, we run this chapter as a business and thus do all the things that a small business does; set goals, file taxes, maintain insurance, create a budget, and keep a P&L and balance sheet, to name a few.

Starting in July, we will begin the process of finding board members for 2021 as well as new volunteers who can step up and help were needed. There are several positions we were unable to fill this year, so these are still open. Board members should have six months of volunteer experience with ATD San Diego. The board positions open for 2021 are:

●        President-elect

●        Secretary

●        Program Co-director

●        Marketing Director

●        Membership Director

If you are interested in a board position but have not volunteered, please speak to any of the current board members so we can help you put a plan together. Job descriptions and the application are available on our website under Get Involved/Lead the Chapter. Watch out for our new video series starting mid-July accessible on our YouTube channel.

I hope you will consider the various opportunities available. Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out at president@tdsandiego.org.

Best Regards,

Mary Jane Riccardi

Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

I hope this letter finds you well. In this month’s letter, I would like to focus on the several very exciting programs we have coming up in May and continuing into the summer.

Virtual mixers are scheduled every other week on Thursdays from 6:00 – 7:00. We will continue with these at least through June. It is a great way to ask questions, find resources and assistance, but most important stay connected. Please join us! Registration is available on our website.

We are continuing to add virtual chapter, partner and ATD national events on our calendar. Looks like there could be something for everyone.

May 6 June 3 July 8 TBD	5:30 – 7:00 PM	Virtual Discussion – Learning Through Crisis Part I: The Beginning: Workplace Emergency Response to Crisis Part II: Culture in the Times of Crisis Part III: A Sage Forum to Share Part IV: The Aftermath
May 11	12:00 – 1:00 PM	Webinar – Lunch & Learn: Classroom to Virtual: Bringing Social to Distance
May 14	9:00 – 10:30 AM	Sponsor Event: CSML Virtual Conference Keynote – Fundamental Leadership Qualities in Times of Uncertainty
May 22	9:00 – 10:00	Coffee & Conversation: Value of ATD Membership
May 26 – June 30	2:30 – 4:30 PM	ATD Project Management for Learning Processionals Certificate
May 27 – June 12	11:00 AM – 2:00 PM	ATD Master Instructional Designer Program
May 28 – June 25	7:00 AM – 10:00 AM	ATD Articulate Storyline Certificate
May 28 – July 9	11:00 AM – 2:00 PM	ATD Instructional Design Certificate
May 28 – July 2	1:00 – 3:00 PM	ATD Consulting Skills Certificate

The 21^st year of our Mentor/Protégé program is scheduled to kick-off on Saturday, May 30 with the critically important matching event. We know how important this program is for so many of our members to help them in their L&D careers. Applications are due May 16. Details are here on the website.

This is a great time to join our chapter. Through June 30, new members can join ATD San Diego at a 20% discount off regular pricing. This includes all of our membership options: individual, corporate, teacher, student, senior and military. If your membership is due for renewal in this same timeframe, we welcome you to renew at the discounted price. 

To take advantage of this discount, join or renew your membership and enter the promo code ATDNEW20 during checkout. You may also join or renew through the national website td.org. It is a great time to become a Power Member. We hope this helps in your efforts to network and to continue your learning journey.

As our chapter adjusts to providing you new and relevant virtual learning and networking opportunities we are finding we are in need of more volunteers. For example our Technology Director Tom is looking for someone to post graphics, registration and hyperlinks for events and send email confirmations to registrants. Please think about how you could use your skills and talents in our chapter. You can show your interest by going to tdsandiego.org/volunteer.

I think it could still take several months before we can get back to meeting in person. We will adjust as the situation warrants.

Take care and stay healthy!

Mary Jane Riccardi

Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

Our response to the COVID situation is evolving quickly. Since we are still two weeks away from May and the monthly President’s Letter, I thought I would break the usual cadence and provide an April update.

We now have virtual mixers scheduled every other Thursday from 6:00 – 7:00. We will continue with these until we are able to meet again in person. It is a great way to ask questions, find resources and assistance, but most important stay connected. Please join us! Registration is available on our website.

We are continuing to add virtual chapter events on our calendar.

April 22	5:30 – 7:00 PM	Connecting Gamification with Talent Development: Learn Some New Tricks From A Case Study
April 29	11:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Build Your Resilience! Six Strategies to Help You Stay Afloat Through Crisis

 

The 21^st year of our Mentor/Protégé program is scheduled to kick-off on Saturday, May 30 with the critically important matching event. We know how important this program is for so many of our members to help them in their L&D careers. Applications are due May 16. Details are here on the website.

We are working to keep our website up-to-date with new programs and resources. Currently, we have information available for virtual programs available through ATD National. Our neighbor to the north, ATD Los Angeles has graciously invited our members to join some of their programs over the next couple of months. I recommend checking the website weekly and following our social media channels to see these and other new additions to the programs and resources we have available to our members and guests.

I am very happy to announce our partnership with Alliant University. In addition to providing ATD San Diego a place to hold our meetings, our members are eligible for a 10% tuition reduction when newly enrolled to Alliant as a full-time student. You will be hearing more from Alliant in the coming months.

As many of you may know, the ATD International Conference in Denver was canceled. Although this is very disappointing, a new Virtual Conference is now scheduled for June 1 – 5 for a very reasonable cost of $395 for ATD National members. Although the agenda is still a work in progress, you may want to check it out at td.org.

We are finding we are in need of a few volunteers. Please think about how you could use your skills and talents in our chapter.

Partnership Volunteer	Help manage marketing of partner/affiliate events on the website, social media, and email channels.
Graphic Designer	Help create digital materials, such as the "ATD San Diego at a Glance" one-pager, to promote the value of working with the chapter as a potential speaker or sponsor.
Membership Volunteer	Help with strategies and activities to attract and retain members.
Connector	Welcome new members and visitors at events, then connect after the event to encourage attendance at a future events.

I am so proud of the work the Board and other volunteers are doing to make the changes needed to keep pace with the situation. I can’t thank you enough.

It’s great to hear more and more discussion on how and when to open the economy. I think it could still take several months before we can get back to meeting in person. We will adjust as the situation warrants.

Take care and stay healthy!

Mary Jane Riccardi

Chapter President

Greetings ATD San Diego Members,

We wanted to pass on an update from ATD National regarding all in-person education courses.  See the update and link below:

April 7, 2020 | 5:00 p.m.

ATD has been closely monitoring public health advisories and guidance on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. You are very important to ATD and our talent development community. We want to do everything we can to support you.

ATD is canceling our in-person Education course deliveries through July 31, 2020. If you are registered for a course during this time, a representative from our team will be contacting you soon to help transfer your registration to an online course or reschedule for an in-person course later in the year.

Thank you for your understanding and for all you do to empower others to create a world that works better.

https://www.td.org/education-coronavirus-covid-19-update

Thank you,

ATD San Diego

Hi ATD San Diego!

Wow! As I am starting to write this letter, I can’t help but think of what a different world we are living in compared to just 30 days ago. I sincerely hope all of you are well. I realized getting through this will be challenging for each and every one of us in our own way. 

As you have seen, the requirements for social distancing has caused us to cancel many of the events we had scheduled over the next several weeks. However, it also has caused us to consider what we can do instead. That is what I would like to address this month.

Starting next week, March 31, we will be hosting an ATD Professional VIRTUAL Mixer from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. We will be sharing how COVID-19 has changed our lives and discussing how ATD San Diego can help. I hope you will consider joining us. So grab your computer, webcam, headset and favorite beverage and Zoom on in. ☺ Details can be found on the website, along with registration and login information.

The 21^st year of our Mentor/Protégé program is scheduled to kick-off on Saturday, May 30 with the critically important matching event. We know how important this program is for so many of our members to help them in their L&D careers. Because of the uncertainty of the situation, the program team is already putting in place the changes needed to offer this program virtually. This includes changes to the application, which will require a video submission in addition to the written application. We certainly hope and expect that our mentor/protégé pairs will eventually be able to meet in person, but for now, we need to keep our distance. More information will be available on our website shortly. Applications are due May 16. 

We are also looking at other events and resources we can provide during this time, so stay tuned to our social media channels and our website. Please feel free to reach out with any ideas. Better yet, join us on Tuesday!

Take care!

Mary Jane Riccardi

Chapter President

Dear members, friends and guests,

As the effort to control the spread of COVID-19 continues to evolve, so has our responsibility to adhere to those requirements and guidelines. In less than a week, we have experienced several decisions to limit the gathering of people to stop the spread of this virus. As a result, the ATD San Diego board of directors have made the following decisions to keep up with these requirements and keep our members and guests safe. 

We have postponed/cancel all March events:

• OD SIG scheduled for March 20
• Workshop scheduled for March 25
• ATD Professional Mixer in La Jolla in March
• ATD Professional Mixer in Carlsbad in April

We will continue to monitor the situation and make further decisions if necessary.

Thank you for your understanding. Be safe and take the precautions necessary to protect yourself and those around you.

Regards,

MJ

Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

As we get close to wrapping up another year, I want to thank all of our volunteers who make this chapter possible. Especially our board of directors, many who are completing their two-year term.

·        Annette Weinstein – Past President

·        Bridget Randall – Programs Director (President-elect in 2020)

·        Chelsea Logan – Programs Director

·        Christine Pascual – Technology Director

·        Norma Hernandez – Secretary (CFO in 2020)

·        Mario Reina – CFO

·        Sharon Lo – Marketing Director

We are still looking to fill a few board positions for 2020/2021. If you have been volunteering and looking for a leadership opportunity, please let me know. 

Sometimes it can be confusing and frustrating to know what paths and milestones you can take to develop your L&D career. Careers develop differently, some by design and some by circumstance. As we wrap up this calendar year, join us as we welcome our panel of L&D professionals who will provide their insights into developing an L&D career. Our panelists represent a mix of expertise and differing develop paths. We will also provide additional information on resources from our chapter as well as the larger ATD organization and you will have the opportunity to talk with our panelists during the event. Our event is taking place Wednesday, December 4. I hope to see you there.

I wish you all a safe and wonderful holiday!

Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out at president@tdsandiego.org.

Best Regards,

Mary Jane Riccardi
Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

Let me begin by announcing our newly elected 2020 board of directors!

• Bridget Randall – President-elect

• Mary Jane Riccardi – President

• Annette Weinstein – Past President

• Norma Hernandez – CFO

• Sharon Lo – Marketing Director

• Gwen Franco – Programs Director

• Tom Velasquez – Technology Director

Working with the board currently are Jo Ann Peterson and Cicek Svensson, in the role of Membership Director and Programs Director respectively. Both Jo and Cicek are gaining knowledge and experience volunteering with our chapter. The board will have the opportunity to vote them into these board positions within the next few months. We are still without a Secretary for 2020. If you have been volunteering and looking for a new opportunity, please let me know. Secretary is a great position to get more involved with the chapter. 

I am thrilled to be able to announce the restart of our OD Special Interest Group. A big thank you to Michelle Banuelos for leading this effort. Please join us on November 15 for a fun interactive session on how we can use improv to improve our leadership. Look for more info and registration on our website.

On Saturday, October 26, we held our annual board transition meeting. The top topics for the day included a review of the budgeting process so we can get started preparing the budget for 2020, and planning our 2020 programs and events. There is still a lot of work to do, but you will soon see event dates on our calendar.

Our final chapter meeting for the year will take place Wednesday, December 4 during ATD Employee Learning Week. We will focus on the topic of developing your career in the L&D industry. You will hear from a panel of L&D practitioners and have the opportunity to submit questions for the panel via a link in your registration confirmation email. We are working on the final details, so keep an eye on the website and social media for the details. 

As we have done in past years, our monthly HPA events will skip November and December, and begin again in January.

Have a great November and Thanksgiving. I hope to see you in December.

Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out at president@tdsandiego.org.

Best Regards,

	Mary Jane Riccardi Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

Fall is always a busy time for the ATD San Diego board. With elections in progress and preparing for the next year events, it is truly an exciting time. I love the opportunity to hear new ideas that will make us a chapter of which all learning professionals want to be a part. Our election for new board members ends this week. If you have not already done so, please take a moment (and yes, just a moment in time) to cast your ballot. This is an important part of our bylaws and we encourage all members to participate. 

The annual board transition meeting will be held on Saturday, October 26. Here we will review our past year accomplishments and opportunities for improvement. This will lead to our planning for 2020. 

Our next chapter meeting will take place Wednesday, October 23 at UCSD Extension. The topic is “How to Create an Innovative Culture in Your Team.” Please join our speaker Michael Vargas from Ziksana Consulting as he facilitates this highly interactive session. Sounds like a fun and insightful couple hours to me!

Our HPA events for October are on Thursday, October 17 in North County and Thursday, October 24 in La Jolla. It is a great opportunity to talk to other members and visitors in a stress free casual environment.

More events are being discussed for the remainder of the year. Details will become available as they are finalized and confirmed.

Have a great October and I hope to see you at an upcoming event.

Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out at president@tdsandiego.org.

Best Regards,

Mary Jane Riccardi Chapter President

Hi ATD San Diego!

Wow! Summer just flew by… it is amazing how quickly the passage of time can feel. As we roll into the fall months and heading toward 2020 (can you believe it), we have several events taking place I would like to highlight.

First, is our next workshop on September 23^rd from 1:00 – 4:30 PM. Dr. Maureen Orey will be facilitating "Don’t Reinvent the Wheel – Leverage Existing Resources for Rapid Instructional Design.” What a great topic! I know I am always looking for ways NOT to start from scratch. This should be a very meaningful and useful afternoon. You can find more details and registration information on our website.

Also in September, we will be launching the election process for new board members. A huge thank you to all who expressed interest in our open positions. You can find information on each candidate on our website. Elections will run from September 3 through October 4. Members will need to login in order to vote.

Our chapter meeting programs team is currently working on a great new event that will take place in early November. We are planning our first, and hopefully not last, hackathon. This idea is a result of feedback we received during our February chapter meeting. This is a great opportunity to help a group in our community in a fun, exciting day. More to come soon, so keep an eye on the website and our social media sites.

Our HPA’s are a great opportunity to learn more about ATD and the value of membership. Please pass the word along to your friends and colleagues. We hold our HPA events in Carlsbad and La Jolla each month. Be sure to register so we know you are coming.

September 9 through the 13^th is ATD Member Week. Throughout this week, you will be able to save 10% on your ATD San Diego membership. ATD national members will have access to daily, exclusive sales on the most popular ATD products and services. Additionally, ATD Professional and Professional Plus memberships will be available at 10 percent off standard rates. Discounts will be automatically applied at checkout. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Have a great September and I hope to see you at an upcoming event.

Best Regards,

	Mary Jane Riccardi Chapter President