Chapter President Interview - July, 2009

DG: Tell me about yourself and your professional experience.

SC: Prior to working in corporate training and development, I spent time in K-12 and higher education as a teacher and in administrative roles. Before entering the education field, and attaining a Masters in Teaching English, I held sales and marketing positions within the newsprint, textile, and yellow page marketing industries. Currently, I am the Director of Training for Children’s Aid & Family Services, where I support the learning and development needs of 250 staff members across 15 locations. On a personal note, my family and I live in Bergen County. I spend a lot of my time with my two children who are 6 and 8 ½ years old. In addition, I enjoy mountain biking and hiking.

DG: How have you been involved with ASTD?

SC: I have been a member since 2005. Coming from a higher education background, ASTD gave me the opportunity to connect with corporate learning professionals. When I first joined the chapter, I was a volunteer for the Professional Development Committee and later served as the VP of Communications. Not only have I learned a great deal from the colleagues I've met and the events I've attended, I owe the chapter for enabling me to find my current job! My goal is to give back to the organization.

DG: What is your vision/mission for the chapter?

SC:Two things come to mind. First, ensure our chapter is connected to the profession. Whether members hold internal positions or work as independent consultants, I want to make certain our chapter enables professionals to come together, network, and learn from each other.Second, promote and share learning best practices in our industry and through these times.

DG: What are your goals for the chapter this year?

SC: I have three main goals. The first is to build a cadre of volunteers by inviting members to volunteer and take advantage of all the opportunities that our chapter has to offer. The second is to bring those who educate the workforce and those who employ the workforce closer together. For example, we are uniquely positioned to communicate the needs of employers with institutions of higher education who are preparing our next generation of leaders. Third, to develop a “Chapter Ambassador” mindset where through consistent messaging anyone can approach anyone to obtain information on events, how the chapter works, and how it can add value to members.

DG: What key message do you have for our members?

SC: Each member’s feedback is critical and valued so that we can continuously improve our offerings. This year’s Board and volunteers have developed more than 20 events, which include chapter meetings, executive breakfasts, professional development workshops, SIG meetings, and networking evenings. We want to hear our members’ thoughts on what is relevant in these tough economic times – whether it is completing feedback forms at events, our annual on-line survey, or informal feedback to our officers. Every voice is important!