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ATD BUFFALO NIAGARA




Dear ATD Buffalo Niagara Members and our broader Talent Development Community,
I am honored to introduce myself to you as the newly appointed President of our Buffalo Chapter. It is a thrill and honor to lead this talented community as we embark on a new year filled with opportunities, growth, and collaboration.

As we look ahead to the future of talent in today's workplace, I am thrilled to reveal an ambitious plan and approach for our chapter. Our focus and efforts will revolve around establishing connections, rekindling the engagement of our current members, and enticing new members to join all with an underlying theme of VALUE.

We are working behind the scenes to bring you an array of exciting initiatives in this coming year and beyond.  Our chapter's programming is designed to cater to the ever-changing needs of our members, offering captivating events and thought-provoking discussions. With a focus on delivering valuable insights and relevant topics for discussion, our aim is to cultivate meaningful connections among our members. Through engaging programming and immersive activities, the Board and I are dedicated to revitalizing our Chapter and enhancing our professional development journeys together.

I remember when I first joined the Buffalo chapter of ATD back in 2001.  I had just made the leap from sales to the L&D world, (yes, I know that may sound unusual, but I did it) and was looking for an opportunity to continue my own professional development journey as I witnessed the power of contributing to the development of the teams I supported in my role and looked to seek out similar opportunities for myself. Often, we as Talent Development professionals become victim to the “shoemaker without shoes” syndrome and one of my goals in my year as President is to provide opportunities for you, the L&D professional, to develop into the best version of you, to expand your network, share best practices and have a little fun along the way. 

Two of my top values are connection and fun.  While we will continue to utilize a virtual component for gathering members, you can look forward to more in-person events. I welcome the opportunity to meet each and every one of you whether it is at an upcoming event, a tech talk or a coffee connection event.  The common commitment we share towards talent development brings us together, and I am confident that our interactions will not only bolster our professional network but also foster enduring friendships. Collectively, we will create a supportive environment where knowledge thrives, and innovation flourishes.

I am thrilled to welcome our new board members who will be joining me in shaping the future of our Association and I extend much gratitude to the outgoing board members for providing a strong foundation to build upon going forward.  
As your incoming President, I am committed to serving you and our Talent community, your contributions, ideas, and active involvement will be the cornerstone of our success.


Thank you, Tracie Cornell

ATD Chapter President 2023-2024


May 15, 2022

Association of Talent Development (ATD), Buffalo Niagara board members grieve with the families and friends of those cherished members of our Buffalo community who were killed and harmed in a mass shooting on Saturday, May 14th.  We condemn the hateful, bigoted, and deranged convictions that motivated this violence. 

Understanding and human connectedness give us the power to combat hate and racism.  Many Talent Development professionals commit their professional lives to facilitating organizational cultural intelligence and humility — the ability of people and organizations to work effectively across cultures, to enjoy and benefit from culturally diverse experiences, and to develop confidence in culturally diverse situations.  Our belief in the value of human understanding and connectedness makes this vile incident all the more horrifying to us, and fortifies our commitment to the Buffalo-Niagara community.


April, 1, 2022


It is with great pride and excitement that we announce ATD Buffalo Niagara has been recognized as a CARE Plus Chapter by the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

"Chapter Affiliation Requirements (CARE) are a set of performance guidelines designed to help chapters deliver consistent benefits to members. CARE consists of elements in six key areas that are necessary for running a chapter like a business: Board of Directors, Communication, Finance, Governance, Membership, and Programming."

ATD Buffalo Niagara has "successfully met all required CARE elements and is recognized for 100 percent achievement of CARE. Based on [our] reported CARE Plus responses, [our] chapter is also recognized as a CARE Plus achieved chapter.





March 31, 2022

Celebrating the Women Leaders of the Association of Talent Development Buffalo Niagara Chapter.

In honor of Women's History Month, ATD Buffalo Niagara celebrates the talented, brilliant, and unique women leaders that make up the Board of Directors. We asked the board to share some of their favorite accomplishments during their tenure...and more! As the month comes to a close, we encourage you to think about the women that inspire you in your own life, and what contributions can be made towards furthering women's equity.

Click Here to view the full article


December 4, 2021

ANNOUCEMENT - With an abundance of caution, the ATD Buffalo Niagara Hybrid Conference, scheduled for December 9th, 2021 has been changed from a HYBRID conference to a FULLY Virtual Conference.

"After much consideration, discussion, and research, the Conference Planning Team, in conjunction with the ATD Board of Directors, has made the difficult decision to pivot our Hybrid Conference from a hybrid format to a fully virtual format. Although we planned for this eventuality, it did not make the decision any easier. Using CDC and Health Department guidelines and data, we made a decision to keep everyone as safe as possible, while ensuring inclusion of all parties."

Individuals who were registered to attend the in-person track will pivot automatically to the Virtual Conference track. Please refer to the In-Person Cancellation due to Covid policy for information on how to obtain a partial refund.

Your health and safety are very important to us. We appreciate your understanding and support.  


Letter from the ATD Buffalo Niagara President, O. Deborah Pratt

August 11, 2021

Dear ATD Buffalo Niagara Members: 

Since the start of the Covid-19 global pandemic, ATD Buffalo Niagara has followed the recommendations regarding social gatherings from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State, and Erie and Niagara Counties. In light of the uptick of Covid-19 cases due to the Delta Variant, and the recent substantial spread status within Erie County, ATD Buffalo Niagara will adhere to the recently adjusted CDC guidance and adjust the Chapter’s in-person events to follow CDC guidance. We ask that ATD Buffalo Niagara members and attendees adhere to CDC guidance when attending in-person ATD Buffalo Niagara events. 

CDC Guidance: Fully Vaccinated People

CDC General Guidance 

As of today, summer and early fall ATD Buffalo Niagara in-person events will be held in outdoor venues and/or held in indoor venues with outdoor patio-type options. When indoors, all ATD event attendees, regardless of vaccination status, should wear masks. When outdoors, we ask that you consider your vaccination status and your family and community health status before taking off your mask. While Erie County, NY remains in substantial spread status, if you are currently unvaccinated, or have not achieved full vaccination status, we request that you plan on attending ATD Buffalo Niagara virtual events starting this September. 

ATD Buffalo Niagara is the region’s largest talent development association. We are not a medical or public health organization. If members have questions about their health status and/or CDC guidance, they should consult with their doctors and local public health officials. 

Please feel free to contact us with all other questions about ATD Buffalo Niagara events. Thank you.

Sincerely yours,

Deborah Pratt, President

CC: ATD Buffalo Niagara Board Members 




Letter from the ATD Buffalo Niagara President, O. Deborah Pratt

As I step into the role of President in the upcoming weeks, I find myself reflecting upon all that was accomplished by the 2020-21 Board Members. From the start of the pandemic, which coincided almost seamlessly with my ascendency to ATD Buffalo executive leadership, I held fast to words from the early civil rights leader and author, James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it faced.” As the leading Talent Development professional association in the region, the Buffalo Niagara Chapter faced historic tumult, and rapidly changed our in-person membership programming to a virtual format without missing a step. We remained optimistic during the lockdown and launched a new peer mentoring program in May 2021 and started planning for our first hybrid regional conference in December 2021. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the outgoing and returning ATD Buffalo Niagara Board members for your extraordinary fortitude and creativity navigating unpredictable events over the last twelve months:

Usha Sahadeo, Kim Stahl, Sarah Collins, Kelly Glosser, Katie Marchese, Diane Roesch,
Stan Skrabut, Kim Welborn, and Yang Zhao

It is with resilience, wisdom, and hope for the future that the new Board starts the 2021-22 year. Allow me to introduce our talented new leaders:

Shantey Brown, President-Elect

Christa Meer, Vice President of Chapter Services

Joal Pappas, Vice President of Membership

Nick Koziol, Vice President of Sponsorships

Returning

Kelly Glosser, Vice President of Communications

Kim Welborn, Vice President of Marketing

Katie Marchese, Vice President of Programming

Yang Zhao, Vice President of Finance

Kim Stahl, Past President


With the new and returning Board Members, we will envision solutions to the question: Where do we go from here from here? Collectively, we will create and implement a strategy that will power our membership and sustain important membership benefits that include monthly professional events, a peer mentoring program, and an annual regional Buffalo Niagara conference.

We are fortunate to have so many inspiring talent development professionals and leaders within the Buffalo Niagara area, and I would like to invite you to contribute to this year’s visioning and help our membership connect to the resources that move your organizations forward. Please feel free to send me your thoughts and ideas at deborah.pratt@atdbuffalo.org or join your fellow Buffalo Niagara professionals at a monthly Coffee Connections to share your thought leadership.

Sincerely yours,

Deborah Pratt, President

ATD Buffalo Niagara

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ATD Buffalo Niagara

Email Us: atdadmin@atdbuffalo.org

ATD Buffalo | 716.648.0972 | PO Box 888 Hamburg, New York 14075-0888

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