Thirty Under 30 Program
Are you an emerging leader in education and leadership under 30? Our Thirty Under 30 Program at the Learning Leadership Conference recognizes your achievements, connects you with influential leaders, and accelerates your career. This prestigious program celebrates young innovators, disruptors, and forward-thinkers in leadership and learning.
Empowering Future L&D Leaders
The Thirty Under 30 Program is a prestigious initiative by the Learning Leadership Conference, designed to recognize, elevate, and empower the brightest emerging leaders in Learning & Development (L&D) and organizational development. We foster the next generation of L&D innovators making a significant impact in the field.
Why It Matters for Your Organization
Investing in and recognizing emerging L&D talent is crucial for driving innovation and strategic growth. This program identifies and cultivates high-potential individuals, providing unparalleled professional development opportunities that benefit their careers and enhance your enterprise’s capabilities.
Introducing the 2025 Thirty Under 30
Maggie Bodner
Learning & Development Manager
BrandsMart USA
Faith Brown
Operations Trainer
Westgate Resorts
Katie Buckner
Specialist, Organizational & Leadership Development
MedVet
Sabrina Cervantes-Villa
Human-Centered Design Specialist, Global Learning Experience
Align Technology
Ashley Cooks
Sr. Instructional Designer
The Home Depot
Lexi Danos
Sr. Manager Content Design
7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee
Ryan Gootar
HR & Training Specialist
National Beverage Corp.
Nakul Grover
Manager, Learning Experience Design
Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.
Mickailynn Holman
Specialist – Training & Instructional Design
Maximus
Rachel Jennings
Sr. Project Manager
Capital One
Mercedez Jones
Learning Experience Architect Team Leader
Wintrust Financial Corporation
Moshka Khanna
Special Education Teacher
University of Chicago Charter School
Haley Lewis
Training and Quality Assurance Supervisor
Sky Zone
Julia McLane
Learning Experience Designer
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Isabelle Merlin-Madrigal
Content Specialist
Genentech
Ana Olivares
Instructional Designer
Pandemuerto
Sydney Oliver
Sr. Learning and Development Specialist
phData
Angie Parra
Nurse Educator
AdventHealth Littleton
Corryn Rau
Instructional Designer
Northrop Grumman
Lexi Redmond
Manager, Organizational Development
Dine Brands Global
Gaby Roman
Community Programs Manager
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Tyler Snyder
Senior Instructional Designer
PECO (Exelon)
Gabrielle Sun
Information Designer II
Intuit
Jenny Sun
Instructional Designer
EY
Michael Therrell
General Adjuster
PURE Insurance
Harry Tong
Training Content Developer
Brivo
Carlos Vazquez
Talent & Academy Facilitator
SoftwareONE
Sundiata Washington
Space and Defense Industrial Engineer
The Boeing Company
Raluca Weber
Talent Enablement Consultant II
BHG Financial
Faye Xiao
Founder and CEO
Skilt
Exclusive Benefits for Emerging L&D Leaders
Being named to the Thirty Under 30 program offers transformative benefits, enhancing your experience at the Learning Leadership Conference and beyond:
• Industry Recognition: Acknowledgment as a top emerging leader in L&D.
• Elite Network Access: Connect with a curated community of top L&D professionals, mentors, and influencers for invaluable networking opportunities.
• Accelerated Career Growth: Discover unique opportunities for career advancement, partnerships, and collaborations in leadership development.
• Enhanced Conference Experience: Enjoy discounted access to the Learning Leadership Conference to expand L&D knowledge and refine skills.
• Amplify Your Voice: Share innovative ideas and research on a global scale, establishing yourself as a thought leader.
• VIP Alumni Access: Exclusive entry to the Thirty Under 30 Alumni network for ongoing support and best practice sharing.
• Welcome Lunch: Foster early connections with fellow future L&D leaders at a special conference lunch.
• Thought Leadership: Featured in dedicated articles and interviews, showcasing your expertise.
• Social Media Spotlight: Increase professional visibility across Learning Leadership Conference platforms.
Hear what former Thirty Under 30 participants have to say
“I absolutely loved the program and am so excited others get the chance to experience the same.”
Leonie Yijink, MCI
“The Thirty Under 30 program was a great opportunity for me, and I know that those in my alumni class have been able to progress in their careers since being part of the program.”
Sarah Truchard, Rockwater Energy Solutions
Over the past 15 years, we have had participants from over 200 organizations, including:
Accenture
Allstate Insurance
Amazon
American Express Global Business Travel
American Red Cross
Bloomberg LP
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Capital One
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Coca-Cola
Deloitte Consulting
Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Einstein Noah Restaurant Group & Caribou Coffee
Ericsson
Ernst & Young
Expedia Group
Farmers Insurance
Fidelity Investments
General Mills
Girl Scouts
Herman Miller
Hilton Worldwide
IBM
JetBlue Airways
Kaiser Permanente
Konica Minolta Business Solutions
MetLife
Nationwide Insurance
NBCUniversal
Nike
Oracle
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Procter & Gamble
PwC
Salesforce
SAP
Southwest Airlines
Squarespace
The Boeing Company
The Home Depot
The Kellogg Company
Toyota
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Verizon Wireless
Visa
Volkswagen of America
VSP Global – Vision Care
Wegmans
Wyndham Hotel Group
And many more…