Looking for world class content for your learning platform ?
Explore content
September 28, 2021
|
6 mins to read

The top 20 US influencers in L&D right now

As Thrive gets accustomed to the US market, it’s always good to know who the big players and tastemakers are. We compiled a list of the 20 biggest L&D influencers in the US right now.
Cassie Gasson
Chief Marketing Officer

In this blog, we're heading across the pond to check out some of the US's best L&D influencers. Read on to find out who we're following!

Catherine Lombardozzi

Current role - Learning and Development Consultant at Learning 4 Learning Professionals

LinkedIn

With a 30 year background in corporate training and development, Catherine brings a wealth of experience to the L&D game. A passionate and practical thought leader, make sure you check out Catherine's book Learning Environments by Design to get more insights into how to sculpt your learning culture to address specific knowledge needs.

Trish Uhl

Current role - Director of Learning Enablement & Innovation at Edward Jones

LinkedIn

Energetic and future focused, Trish specialises in using data and cutting edge tech to help organisations develop their talent sustainably and effectively. Follow her on LinkedIn to hear more about the latest tech and how it can apply to your L&D strategy!

Guy W Wallace

Current role - President at EPPIC Inc. (Retired)

LinkedIn

Working with huge brands like General Motors, AT&T and Motorola, Guy Wallace has won a laundry list of amazing L&D awards over his illustrious career. Make sure to go to his site to get more info on his over 250 projects and a huge library of free Performance Improvement resources!

Kevin M. Yates

Current role - Impact Investigator at L&D Detective

LinkedIn

Having been previously employed at a little company called Facebook (now Meta), Kevin’s focus is on proving the efficacy of global learning campaigns (much like our Impact service does). If learning science is your thing, then make sure you give Kevin a follow to stay at the cutting edge with one of the biggest companies in the world.

Cara North

Current role - Founder & Chief Learning Consultant at The Learning Camel

LinkedIn

Unfiltered and determined to cut through the ever present L&D noise, Cara North gets straight to the point. Boasting a really impressive network of connections and specialising in “facilitation, instructor-led training, curriculum design, workforce development, assessment, and eLearning”, make sure you keep track of Cara’s ever growing list of upcoming speaking gigs through her LinkedIn page!

Kason Morris

Head of Global Internal Talent Marketplace, Skills and Mobility at Allstate

LinkedIn

With a decade of fast-paced experience working with startups and giant conglomerates alike, Kason also walks the walk, having changed his career path 6 times over 15 years. Focusing on helping you “redesign” your career through upskilling and reskilling, you can discover some incredible content on Kason’s LinkedIn feed, delivered in an exciting and direct manner. Another fantastic aspect of following Kason is the great engagement he drives on LinkedIn, so join in on the conversation in his comments and pick up some additional insights from his expansive network.

Yolanda Fraction

Current role - Self Employed Learning and Development Consultant

LinkedIn

Focusing mainly on developing leaders who develop leaders, Yolanda is a must follow if you are looking to impact your learning community in a fun and personable way. Developing the L&D Lounge podcast as a lockdown hobby, Yolanda is constantly innovating and draws inspiration from her “mosaic of a career journey” to influence her current content. A personal favorite is her appearance on the Shift Podcast on developing your inner leader.

David Kelly

Current role -  Executive Vice President & Executive Director at The Learning Guild

LinkedIn

Covering vast topics such as the language we use and SNL sketches, David can draw valuable learning insights from any and all mediums. David works at The Learning Guild, who our American followers will recognise as the creators of the huge Devlearn conference (which we attended; check out our recap here!) so David is definitely a person to know within the industry!

Elliott Masie

Current role - President and CEO at The MASIE Center

LinkedIn

Acting as the President and CEO of the MASIE Center for over 35 years, Elliott is one of the most decorated L&D influencers in the world. Operating one of the only fully dedicated research center in L&D, Elliott’s LinkedIn contains updates from a variety of the who’s who of the business world and his “Empathy Concert” is such a fresh way to focus on empathy in the workplace so definitely reserve your spot through LinkedIn for the next one!

John Leh

Current role - CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning

LinkedIn

An expert analyst who has $125 million worth of experience with buying and implementing learning platforms, John is your man for all things learn-tech, with an expert ability to help organisations define exactly what they want and get the crucial piece of technology to achieve that outcome. He also promotes his amazing webinars through LinkedIn, so be sure to connect with him there to reserve your spot on the next one!

Patti Shank

Current role - Founder at Learning Peaks

LinkedIn

A regular at the top of elearning influencer lists, Patti is an unapologetically intense and passionate influencer who is dead set on helping organisations prove the efficacy of their learning strategies. With a mind boggling amount of writing output, Patti keeps her finger on the pulse of all things L&D. Her writing is essential reading for any L&D professionals looking to level up their game.

Will Thalheimer

Consultant, Speaker, Researcher at Work-Learning Research

LinkedIn

Will Thalheimer is a consultant, speaker, researcher and author with over two decades of experience in the learning and development field. Having written the book Performance-Focused Smile Sheets: A Radical Rethinking of a Dangerous Art Form, he is currently working on a second titled The CEO's Guide to Training, eLearning & Work: Reshaping Learning into a Competitive Advantage. He is a consultant, speaker and researcher at Work-Learning Research and he regularly shares his Learning Insights articles to LinkedIn.

Mike Buffington

Current role - Learning and Development Consultant at Buffington Communications

LinkedIn

Mike has worked for some of the hottest companies in the world, including Pinterest, Google and Apple, so you know he knows what he is talking about. Incredibly disruptive and always at the cutting edge of learning tech, follow him for his open and engaging insights into the wide world of business, not just limited to L&D.

Amber Cabral

Current role - Founder and Principal Consultant at Cabral Co.

LinkedIn

Ever wished there was someone to guide you how to disrupt the status quo, challenge convention and create a more diverse and inclusive environment for your workers? Then you need to connect to Amber Cabral. Authentic and prolific, Amber has worked with a huge array of clients to shift narratives and drive meaningful change.

Lori Niles-Hofmann

Current role - Senior EdTech Transformation Strategist at NilesNolen

LinkedIn

Being liberal with the geographical limitations here, as Lori Niles-Hofmann is a Toronto based learning expert with the specific expertise of how to implement large-scale digital learning transformations in some of the biggest companies in the world. Follow Lori for some fascinating insights into how she and Niles Nolen uses data to change behemoth companies' learning strategy.

Naphtali Bryant

Current role - Senior Vice President of Talent Management & Development at ZoomInfo

LinkedIn

Not much more can be said about Naphtali than is covered in his awesome and innovative demo reel, but I’ll try! Having worked at the behemoth that is Netflix, Naphtali’s natural ability to identify learning gaps and impact profitability has shot him right to the top, and he openly shares successes and lessons constantly on his LinkedIn page.

Daniel Goleman

Current role - Co-Director at Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations and Host at First Person Plural

LinkedIn

Author of the groundbreaking book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel brings his psychology background (having a Ph.D. in clinical psychology) to L&D and combines this with his science journalism experience to deliver incredibly engaging content and books.

Brandon Carson

VP of Learning, Development, and Partner Experience at Starbucks

LinkedIn

An award winning influencer with an impressive list of accolades, Brandon is another influencer on this list who works for a massive company (Starbucks, ever heard of it?) as their VP of Learning, Development and Partner Experience. On top of this, Brandon is also founder of L&D Cares. The organisation is specifically designed to help L&D professionals thrive and flourish, so follow Brandon on social media to find out more about its progress.

Paul Petrone

Current role - Senior Product Marketing Manager at LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn

With a stated aim to help create meritocracy in the global economy, Paul is nothing if not motivated! I won’t spoil it here, but Paul’s journey to working at LinkedIn is really an incredible one, and his expert writing style makes his content unique and engaging!

Korbyn Behl

Current role - Learning Specialist Lead at Cash App

LinkedIn

You only have to look at the recommendations tab of Korbyn’s LinkedIn profile to see the impact he has on people. Refreshingly honest and undeviating in his mission, Korbyn is truly people focused and his article on Medium titled “The Power of the Passenger Seat” really sums up his outlook and is well worth a read if you have a spare 5 minutes.

More Stories

See all

See Thrive in action

Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.

September 28, 2021
|
6 mins to read

The top 20 US influencers in L&D right now

As Thrive gets accustomed to the US market, it’s always good to know who the big players and tastemakers are. We compiled a list of the 20 biggest L&D influencers in the US right now.
Cassie Gasson
Chief Marketing Officer

In this blog, we're heading across the pond to check out some of the US's best L&D influencers. Read on to find out who we're following!

Catherine Lombardozzi

Current role - Learning and Development Consultant at Learning 4 Learning Professionals

LinkedIn

With a 30 year background in corporate training and development, Catherine brings a wealth of experience to the L&D game. A passionate and practical thought leader, make sure you check out Catherine's book Learning Environments by Design to get more insights into how to sculpt your learning culture to address specific knowledge needs.

Trish Uhl

Current role - Director of Learning Enablement & Innovation at Edward Jones

LinkedIn

Energetic and future focused, Trish specialises in using data and cutting edge tech to help organisations develop their talent sustainably and effectively. Follow her on LinkedIn to hear more about the latest tech and how it can apply to your L&D strategy!

Guy W Wallace

Current role - President at EPPIC Inc. (Retired)

LinkedIn

Working with huge brands like General Motors, AT&T and Motorola, Guy Wallace has won a laundry list of amazing L&D awards over his illustrious career. Make sure to go to his site to get more info on his over 250 projects and a huge library of free Performance Improvement resources!

Kevin M. Yates

Current role - Impact Investigator at L&D Detective

LinkedIn

Having been previously employed at a little company called Facebook (now Meta), Kevin’s focus is on proving the efficacy of global learning campaigns (much like our Impact service does). If learning science is your thing, then make sure you give Kevin a follow to stay at the cutting edge with one of the biggest companies in the world.

Cara North

Current role - Founder & Chief Learning Consultant at The Learning Camel

LinkedIn

Unfiltered and determined to cut through the ever present L&D noise, Cara North gets straight to the point. Boasting a really impressive network of connections and specialising in “facilitation, instructor-led training, curriculum design, workforce development, assessment, and eLearning”, make sure you keep track of Cara’s ever growing list of upcoming speaking gigs through her LinkedIn page!

Kason Morris

Head of Global Internal Talent Marketplace, Skills and Mobility at Allstate

LinkedIn

With a decade of fast-paced experience working with startups and giant conglomerates alike, Kason also walks the walk, having changed his career path 6 times over 15 years. Focusing on helping you “redesign” your career through upskilling and reskilling, you can discover some incredible content on Kason’s LinkedIn feed, delivered in an exciting and direct manner. Another fantastic aspect of following Kason is the great engagement he drives on LinkedIn, so join in on the conversation in his comments and pick up some additional insights from his expansive network.

Yolanda Fraction

Current role - Self Employed Learning and Development Consultant

LinkedIn

Focusing mainly on developing leaders who develop leaders, Yolanda is a must follow if you are looking to impact your learning community in a fun and personable way. Developing the L&D Lounge podcast as a lockdown hobby, Yolanda is constantly innovating and draws inspiration from her “mosaic of a career journey” to influence her current content. A personal favorite is her appearance on the Shift Podcast on developing your inner leader.

David Kelly

Current role -  Executive Vice President & Executive Director at The Learning Guild

LinkedIn

Covering vast topics such as the language we use and SNL sketches, David can draw valuable learning insights from any and all mediums. David works at The Learning Guild, who our American followers will recognise as the creators of the huge Devlearn conference (which we attended; check out our recap here!) so David is definitely a person to know within the industry!

Elliott Masie

Current role - President and CEO at The MASIE Center

LinkedIn

Acting as the President and CEO of the MASIE Center for over 35 years, Elliott is one of the most decorated L&D influencers in the world. Operating one of the only fully dedicated research center in L&D, Elliott’s LinkedIn contains updates from a variety of the who’s who of the business world and his “Empathy Concert” is such a fresh way to focus on empathy in the workplace so definitely reserve your spot through LinkedIn for the next one!

John Leh

Current role - CEO and Lead Analyst at Talented Learning

LinkedIn

An expert analyst who has $125 million worth of experience with buying and implementing learning platforms, John is your man for all things learn-tech, with an expert ability to help organisations define exactly what they want and get the crucial piece of technology to achieve that outcome. He also promotes his amazing webinars through LinkedIn, so be sure to connect with him there to reserve your spot on the next one!

Patti Shank

Current role - Founder at Learning Peaks

LinkedIn

A regular at the top of elearning influencer lists, Patti is an unapologetically intense and passionate influencer who is dead set on helping organisations prove the efficacy of their learning strategies. With a mind boggling amount of writing output, Patti keeps her finger on the pulse of all things L&D. Her writing is essential reading for any L&D professionals looking to level up their game.

Will Thalheimer

Consultant, Speaker, Researcher at Work-Learning Research

LinkedIn

Will Thalheimer is a consultant, speaker, researcher and author with over two decades of experience in the learning and development field. Having written the book Performance-Focused Smile Sheets: A Radical Rethinking of a Dangerous Art Form, he is currently working on a second titled The CEO's Guide to Training, eLearning & Work: Reshaping Learning into a Competitive Advantage. He is a consultant, speaker and researcher at Work-Learning Research and he regularly shares his Learning Insights articles to LinkedIn.

Mike Buffington

Current role - Learning and Development Consultant at Buffington Communications

LinkedIn

Mike has worked for some of the hottest companies in the world, including Pinterest, Google and Apple, so you know he knows what he is talking about. Incredibly disruptive and always at the cutting edge of learning tech, follow him for his open and engaging insights into the wide world of business, not just limited to L&D.

Amber Cabral

Current role - Founder and Principal Consultant at Cabral Co.

LinkedIn

Ever wished there was someone to guide you how to disrupt the status quo, challenge convention and create a more diverse and inclusive environment for your workers? Then you need to connect to Amber Cabral. Authentic and prolific, Amber has worked with a huge array of clients to shift narratives and drive meaningful change.

Lori Niles-Hofmann

Current role - Senior EdTech Transformation Strategist at NilesNolen

LinkedIn

Being liberal with the geographical limitations here, as Lori Niles-Hofmann is a Toronto based learning expert with the specific expertise of how to implement large-scale digital learning transformations in some of the biggest companies in the world. Follow Lori for some fascinating insights into how she and Niles Nolen uses data to change behemoth companies' learning strategy.

Naphtali Bryant

Current role - Senior Vice President of Talent Management & Development at ZoomInfo

LinkedIn

Not much more can be said about Naphtali than is covered in his awesome and innovative demo reel, but I’ll try! Having worked at the behemoth that is Netflix, Naphtali’s natural ability to identify learning gaps and impact profitability has shot him right to the top, and he openly shares successes and lessons constantly on his LinkedIn page.

Daniel Goleman

Current role - Co-Director at Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations and Host at First Person Plural

LinkedIn

Author of the groundbreaking book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel brings his psychology background (having a Ph.D. in clinical psychology) to L&D and combines this with his science journalism experience to deliver incredibly engaging content and books.

Brandon Carson

VP of Learning, Development, and Partner Experience at Starbucks

LinkedIn

An award winning influencer with an impressive list of accolades, Brandon is another influencer on this list who works for a massive company (Starbucks, ever heard of it?) as their VP of Learning, Development and Partner Experience. On top of this, Brandon is also founder of L&D Cares. The organisation is specifically designed to help L&D professionals thrive and flourish, so follow Brandon on social media to find out more about its progress.

Paul Petrone

Current role - Senior Product Marketing Manager at LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn

With a stated aim to help create meritocracy in the global economy, Paul is nothing if not motivated! I won’t spoil it here, but Paul’s journey to working at LinkedIn is really an incredible one, and his expert writing style makes his content unique and engaging!

Korbyn Behl

Current role - Learning Specialist Lead at Cash App

LinkedIn

You only have to look at the recommendations tab of Korbyn’s LinkedIn profile to see the impact he has on people. Refreshingly honest and undeviating in his mission, Korbyn is truly people focused and his article on Medium titled “The Power of the Passenger Seat” really sums up his outlook and is well worth a read if you have a spare 5 minutes.

More Stories

See all

See Thrive in action

Explore what impact Thrive could make for your team and your learners today.