About

I've spent 20 years figuring out how to help people learn things that matter, at a scale that makes a difference, using whatever tools actually work.

The path

My path started teaching seniors how to use eBay. Average age: 64. Zero computer experience. Some of them went on to teach technology to others. That's a Kirkpatrick Level 4 outcome — learners becoming teachers — and it hooked me on learning design before I knew the terminology.

From there, eight years in automotive technology at Cox Automotive. I progressed from DMS implementation to senior trainer, training every new hire for 18 months straight, building operational fluency across every dealership department. That's where I discovered I cared more about building training systems than delivering individual sessions.

At Tekion, I got to prove it. Over four and a half years, I built the entire L&D function from zero: a 26-person global team across the US, Canada, and France, 650+ learning modules, three LMS migrations, a $500K+ annual budget, and a production system designed to scale. When AI tools became viable, I integrated them through live experimentation alongside my team — not through top-down mandates. We cut development time by 31% while maintaining quality and compliance.

What I believe

L&D is infrastructure, not a service desk. Most companies know they need learning and development. Fewer know how to build it as a system rather than a series of one-off requests. I build the system.

Development is practice, not performance. If you think someone took an eLearning and now they know the material, that approach will fail and people will leave. Real capability comes from sustained practice, coaching, and application. I design for that.

Meaningful measurement requires discomfort. Vanity metrics feel good but don't drive results. I push for metrics that sometimes tell uncomfortable stories, because those are the ones that lead to real improvement.

I'm still learning. I move fast, sometimes too fast. The certification program I launched without full SME validation taught me that. I write about what I'm figuring out in my newsletter because the learning never stops — and pretending otherwise isn't useful to anyone.

Currently

Based in Salt Lake City. Exploring L&D leadership roles at companies where learning is treated as a strategic function, not a cost center. Open to remote or Salt Lake City, UT.

Reading Brene Brown's Strong Ground and thinking about paradoxes: speed vs depth, standards vs autonomy, scale vs craft. These tensions don't resolve. The skill is learning to sit in them and make better decisions under ambiguity.

Writing about it every week in Learning, Upgraded — practical writing on L&D systems, AI implementation, and honest practice.