ATD NM Events

Professional development, learning, and casual Meet & Greets across New Mexico.

We extend an open invitation to all New Mexico professionals to join us at any and all of our events which include professional development and casual Meet & Greets.

It is our objective to provide everyone a safe learning, sharing, and training environment. Our vision of a better New Mexico can only be fulfilled when we are inclusive and welcoming.

Upcoming events

    • September 15, 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 7:45 PM
    • Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
    • 28
    Register

    Reflecting on the lessons within This Taught Me That, building resilience is much like a physical workout; it may be uncomfortable, but it is essential for our growth. It is a skill that we have to intentionally develop through acknowledging that bitter truths, transitions, and transformations are part of the human condition.  Resilience is not only about inner strength, it is about the ability to bounce back when life does not go as planned.

    Takeaways from this Professional Development Event: 

    • Self-awareness is personal responsibility (Bitter Truth)

    • Embracing adversity and vulnerability (Transition)

    • Connection and perspective (Transformation)

    TD Capability Model Highlight: Building Personal Capability

    When: Tuesday, September 15 from 6:00-7:45PM

    Where: Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, ABQ, NM

    Cost: Free for members. $25 for Non-Members.


    About the Speaker


    Kellie Tinnin is an entrepreneur and national speaker passionate about authentic living and personal growth. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, leadership, and project management—Kellie now co-owns Resilient Workplace Innovations, where she designs leadership and culture systems that help organizations and individuals thrive together. She has developed innovative programs reaching nearly 10,000 professionals and works with diverse clients. Kellie is the author of the inspirational yet practical book This Taught Me That, which explores themes of maintaining resilience in an ever-changing environment. 

    Kellie has been recognized as a 2025 Albuquerque Woman of Influence and 2026 Albuquerque the Magazine Superwoman. Known for her candid style and wit, Kellie loves travel, yoga, crime documentaries, and is famously ruled by her two bulldogs, Miyagi and Toshi.


    • October 15, 2026
    • 6:00 PM - 7:45 PM
    • Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
    • 40

    Most gamification in training stops at points, badges, and leaderboards. The problem is those things alone rarely change behavior or drive real engagement.

    In this one hour session we will take a different approach. Instead of talking about gamification first, we will start by experiencing it.

    Participants will take part in a short gamified training where they will work through challenges, collaborate, make decisions, and feel the pressure and excitement that good game design can create. Everything in the activity is intentional.

    Once the experience ends we will unpack what just happened. Together we will identify the mechanics that drove motivation, energy, urgency, and engagement.

    The session introduces a practical framework for understanding how different game mechanics influence behavior and why balance matters when designing learning experiences.

    If you have ever wondered why some training falls flat while other experiences keep people engaged, this session will give you a new way to think about designing programs that people actually want to complete.

      When: Thursday, October 15 from 6:00-7:45pm

      Where: Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, ABQ, NM

      Cost: Free for members. $25 for Non-Members.

      TD Capability Model: Developing Professional Capability

      About the Speaker


      Wesley Espinoza is a learning and development leader with more than 15 years of experience designing innovative training programs and learning technologies for global organizations. His career began at Verizon, where he spent 11 years working across training facilitation, instructional design, and learning technology. During this time, he helped modernize training programs through initiatives such as gamification, virtual reality learning, and micro-learning experiences designed to improve engagement and knowledge retention.

      He later expanded his leadership experience at Belk and PeopleReady before joining Walmart, where he worked in learning technology supporting global teams through learning management systems, data-driven insights, and automation tools that improved workforce development and onboarding programs. Across his work at Verizon and Walmart, his initiatives contributed to millions of dollars in operational savings while improving the effectiveness of training programs.

      Wesley’s philosophy centers on making learning experiential, engaging, and measurable. He believes training should be interactive and memorable—leveraging technology, games, and real-world problem solving to create meaningful learning experiences. Just as importantly, he emphasizes strong evaluation frameworks that demonstrate the real business impact of learning programs.

      Throughout his career, Wesley has successfully partnered with technical teams, legal and compliance groups, business leaders, and executive stakeholders to deliver large-scale initiatives that bridge learning strategy with organizational performance.

      He has lived and worked across the country, including New Mexico, Nashville, Charlotte, and Tacoma, and now resides again in New Mexico where he continues to focus on workforce development, innovation, and strategic partnerships.

      • November 10, 2026
      • 6:00 PM
      • November 10, 2027
      • 7:45 PM
      • Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
      • 40

      When people don’t feel seen, valued, or connected at work, they disengage.

      They stop stepping up. Managers start compensating. And over time, the organization feels it—through burnout, inconsistent performance, and the loss of good people.

      Meanwhile, organizations grow tired of investing in initiatives that promise change—but never actually stick.

      In this session, Lydia Piper reveals why identity is the foundation of engagement—and how connection, contribution, and ownership naturally emerge when people feel truly seen and accepted for who they are. Through an identity-driven approach, individuals begin to see themselves as contributors, owners, and leaders—shifting culture from the inside out.

      TD Capability Model Highlight: Impacting Organizational Capability

        When: Tuesday, November 10th

        Where: Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, ABQ, NM

        Cost: Free for members. $25 for Non-Members.

        About the Speaker

        Lydia Ann Piper has served as a Project Manager within the Federal Judiciary since 2004, leading court space and facilities initiatives in collaboration with judiciary leadership and partner organizations. With over two decades of experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects, she brings deep expertise in planning, procurement, construction coordination, and organizational collaboration.

        In addition to her project leadership, Lydia designs and facilitates training experiences focused on leadership, engagement, and workplace culture within the court system and beyond. She holds a Teaching Certificate from the University of New Mexico and has experience delivering human-centered, interactive workshops that blend practical application with personal development.

        Drawing on her background as an educator, published author, and organizational facilitator, Lydia develops frameworks that help teams move from passive participation to shared ownership. Her work centers on four pillars of sustainable engagement: identity, connection, contribution, and ownership. She combines operational expertise with experiential learning to help organizations create environments where people feel valued, invested, and accountable—and where engagement translates into meaningful performance and ownership.

        • December 10, 2026
        • 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
        • Flying Star; 4026 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107

        You're invited to our Winter ATD NM Meet & Greet! We learned lots. We met great new TD professionals. We built our community. Let's celebrate 2026 together over dessert and hot drinks.

        WHEN: Thursday, December 10th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm

        LOCATION: Flying Star @  4026 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107

        Rio Grande Shops At Flying Star Plaza ...Flying Star Cafe (Rio Grande) Menu ...

        COST: FREE to attend. ATD NM will cover desserts and hot, non-alcoholic drinks for the table. (Attendees should plan to pay for any other food or beverages that they order.)

        REGISTRATION: For planning purposes, we ask that you register for this event. Also, if your schedule changes and you can no longer come, please unregister yourself or let us know via email at atdnmprograms@gmail.com. While we generally have a good number of folks sign up for Meet & Greets, the average no-show rate for 2025 was 50%. This no-show rate makes it hard for us to plan with the restaurants because they set aside tables for us that end up empty (and that could have been used for other patrons).

        QUESTIONS: Email us at atdnmprograms@gmail.com and one of our board members will get back to you.

        What is a Meet & Greet? For ATD NM, these are informal social get togethers that our chapter hosts quarterly. Usually held at an Albuquerque restaurant, we generally do a simple "get-to-know-you" activity, but the bulk of the time is unstructured so attendees can connect with other Talent Development professionals.

        Designed for folks to drop by anytime during the 1.5 hr Meet & Greet, ATD NM usually covers appetizers for the table and each attendee's first non-alcoholic drink. Open to anyone in our ATD community and their guests.


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