Hello! This is Will Thalheimer
co-founder of LDA, with an announcement.

This past year has been an exciting year for the Learning Development Accelerator.
LDA created and hosted the world-leading conference in L&D, The Learning
Development Conference 2021, building on the paradigm-shattering six-week online
L&D Conference 2020 created by Matt Richter and I the previous year.

Throughout 2021, we provided over 75 programs from top thought leaders,
including Ruth Clark, Paul Kirschner, Karl Kapp, Patti Shank, and Clark Quinn among
many others. LDA provided a place for learning professionals to have a home where
they could find trusted information within a diverse global membership.

It has been an honor to be one of the leaders of LDA. But the truth is that aside from
my two-dozen Learning Insights Weekly sessions and some overall organization and
administrative chores, I have not been able to be as fully active as a leader should
be. As many of you know, I started a full-time job as Principal this past January at
the remarkable company, TiER1 Performance. Matt Richter, LDA’s cofounder, was
gracious enough to pick up the load—he did a super-human job curating programs
from the world’s best learning-and-development thought leaders—but all year I was
gripped with angst that I could not contribute more nor provide Matt with a capable
partner to bounce ideas and share in the blood, sweat, and tears that makes these
things work. Thanks also to the amazing Shilpa Subramaniam for pitching in at LDC
2021 when I could not!

LDA is a glorious effort, with a mission to create a truly diverse and global
community, one that supports research-aligned practices and professional
development and professionalism. The best way forward for LDA is to have at least
two focused leaders, not just one. So, for the good of LDA, with Matt’s blessing, I am
turning over my responsibilities and ownership to Clark Quinn to partner with Matt
starting January 1st, 2022.

I have known Clark for decades and have worked closely with him on a previous
professional membership organization for L&D consultants, on the eLearning
Manifesto, and on numerous side projects. He is one of the world’s foremost
research-to-practice experts in the L&D space. He is a person of the highest
integrity. He has dedicated himself for three-plus decades to help organizations
build more effective learning interventions while also helping learning professionals
themselves.

I am supremely confident that the future of LDA with Clark Quinn and Matt Richter
and the full team will be even more incredible than in our inaugural year of 2021.
I won’t disappear however! Matt and Clark have asked that I stay on as Chair of the
Advisory Board and I have accepted. I will also, of course, be available to participate
in LDC 2022 and in programs or workshops where appropriate.

I am proud of co-founding LDA and I am looking forward to watching it grow and
thrive in 2022 and beyond.

-Will Thalheimer, Principal at TiER1 Performance Solutions (and also Chair of LDA’s Advisory Board)