Starting in learning and development, or looking for inspiration? Here are some L&D thought leaders you should follow who are leading the way and sharing their knowledge online.
If you work in L&D, chances are, you have a passion for learning.
So it’s no surprise that you’re looking for inspiration.
And in the L&D space, there are treasure troves of it waiting to be found.
Whether you’re looking for an expert in design, strategy, accessibility or implementation, you can be sure to find all you’re looking for in the list below.
So dive right into our list of 15 L&D thought leaders you need to follow in 2024.
Let’s get started.
Naphtali Bryant
Napthali Bryant has been leading L&D teams for over 16 years including working for Warner Brothers and Netflix.
He’s passionate about accessibility and offers great support to L&D professionals who want to make their courses EASY. That’s Engaging, Accessible, Simple and Yielding to impact.
At its core, this is a guiding set of principles that ensures learning is always rooted to organisational need.
As well as sharing his wisdom on his own LinkedIn, he’s also an instructor on LinkedIn Learning so you can catch him virtually on webinars and podcasts.
Brandon Carson
With experience at Apple, Yahoo!, Home Depot, and now Delta Airlines, Brandon Carson exemplifies the mission to train learners in today’s fast-paced world.
Explore his insightful LinkedIn articles on topics from instructional design to digital transformation.
Barbara Thompson
Barbara Thompson is a seasoned L&D professional with over 15 years of experience in designing and implementing innovative training programs across various industries.
Her expertise lies in leveraging technology to create engaging learning experiences that drive organisational growth. Barbara’s thought leadership in the L&D space, coupled with her commitment to continuous improvement, makes her a valuable connection on LinkedIn for those seeking insights into effective employee development strategies.
Teresa Rose
Teresa Rose is an award-winning learning and performance consultant and the founder of ConsultHer Ltd.
She has over 15 years’ experience in organisational and people development and has worked on everything from program design through to large-scale global change and transformation projects.
She regularly shares nuggets of wisdom around culture change and skills development.
Paul Petrone
Paul Petrone, a key player at LinkedIn Learning, provides L&D professionals with valuable insights straight from LinkedIn’s Learning blog, helping them stay on top of industry trends and best practices in organisational training.
Donald H. Taylor
You can’t talk about learning and development, without talking about Donald H Taylor.
A well-known figure in L&D, he is the chairman of the Learning and Performance Institute and author of various books on learning and development.
Look out for his annual L&D sentiment survey which unveils trending topics to keep an eye on.
Related: L&D trends we think you should care about
Cathy Hoy
Cathy Hoy is a distinguished L&D leader with over two decades of experience in shaping global learning, talent, and culture strategies across various industries.
Her impressive portfolio includes leadership roles at renowned organizations such as British Gas, Expedia, Tesco, Coca-Cola European Partners, and Soho House, where she has consistently driven initiatives that enhance both employee and business performance.
She now owns her own company CLO 100 where she supports L&D leaders get more from their learning strategy.
Ross Stevenson
Ross Stevenson has drummed up quite the LinkedIn following thanks to his thought-provoking posts.
He shares lots of insight on AI and how it can be used in the learning and development space, but he also regularly shares pointers on culture change, learning effectiveness and even insight on changing LMS.
Sukhvinder Pabial
In his role as L&D lead at M&S, Sukhvinder Pabial has nailed what modern learning should look like and how to unlock the chains of traditional learning expectations.
He is the co-founder of the L&D Connect community and regularly shares the psychology behind learning which always makes for an interesting read!
Amber Cabral
Diversity and inclusion has, rightly, picked up pace in recent years. And Amber Cabral has been championing the movement and sharing her knowledge and insight and how learning can help pave the way.
She orchestrated key cultural change at Walmart and serves thought-provoking reads about how diversity plays a role in organisations in ways you’ve never considered.
Arun Pradha
Arun Pradha is the General Manager of Learning for ANZ. But what he makes him brilliant are his L&D comics and infographics.
They’re educational, insightful, but most importantly, funny and brilliant.
He shares a wide range of posts, and has recently been talking about AI so we’d recommend checking out what he says about that.
Helen Marshall
Head of Learning at Thrive, and also running her own podcast, Diary of a CLO, Helen regularly shares insights, both personal and via her special guests.
She’s passionate about culture change around learning and pushes the power of purpose-led learning content.
Julian Stodd
Julian Stodd has over 20 years experience in the L&D space, and it’s clear to see why.
He works with companies to help them face the ‘social age’ when it comes to learning.
He also happens to be a fantastic cartoonists. And he brings the two together on LinkedIn.
With over 750 LinkedIn articles to his name, there’s plenty of content to absorb over on his profile.
Ashley Hinchcliffe
Ashley Hinchcliffe is a trailblazer in L&D marketing, bringing fresh, strategic approaches to learner engagement.
As Managing Director at MAAS Marketing, she champions the power of marketing in L&D, helping organisations craft impactful learning experiences.
A sought-after speaker and industry innovator, Ashley shares insights on making learning stick through storytelling and smart content strategy.
BONUS! Josh Bersin
Josh Bersin requires no introduction in the field of L&D.
With over 785K followers on LinkedIn, he’s an L&D and HR leader and powerhouse.
Enjoy his LinkedIn articles and posts and thank us later.
Wrapping up
And there you have it. 15 L&D thought leaders you need to start following online. Upskill yourself this year and get regular nuggets of insight right to your social feed.
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