Reflections
FROM THE PRESIDENT – David Fortanbary
Loving what you do is the most important thing we can embrace in our professional lives.
A key part of learning is taking time to reflect and discover what went well, how we could do things differently, what didn’t go so well, and why. In our world of life science learning and education, I don’t believe that we take enough time to reflect.
I would like to reflect on the last two years and share what I have learned. Perhaps some of these insights can be applied to your own roles as leaders in training and education.
As president, I have had the privilege to speak with many of you and hear your passion for training and education. It is infectious and has been a source of significant strength for me to know that the LTEN Board of Directors, Advisory Council members, Preferred Industry Partners, suppliers and our incredible membership share in this passion and are committed to advancing the work that we do.
The most powerful aspect of LTEN is our network of like-minded, passionate professionals. I have learned through LTEN that to be resilient in my own organization, I need to rely on others who understand the art and science of enabling organizational performance through learning & development. Our work is backed by the strength of more than 2,100 professionals and you’re often just a phone call, email or LTEN app posting away from the support, advice and guidance you may need.
I have also learned that any organization requires a strong operational backbone of dedicated and talented individuals aligned to a common vision. At LTEN, we are blessed to have such a strong backbone. LTEN would not be what it is today without our staff and team of professionals who work tirelessly on your behalf to bring insights, development, networking, career opportunities and experiences to all of you.
The leadership and contributions of Dawn Brehm, LTEN’s executive director, and her team – including Christine Gaudet, Gregg Haunroth, Nannette Nolan, Tim Sosbe, Alaina Thomas and Miki White – are LTEN’s backbone and the drivers of LTEN’s success.
Like LTEN, our need for operational support in our own organizations is a critical success factor. We work in a matrixed, collaborative environment every day. Knowing that you have someone there supporting your needs as learning professionals is key. Does that exist within your own organization? If not, start building that back-end support.
Over the past two years, I have watched LTEN grow to its highest membership since our beginning nearly 50 years ago. The offerings, education and networking capabilities of LTEN are as abundant as they ever have been. And, our conference experience consistently has been rated highly by our members.
Having been a small part in this success humbles me and reinforces my belief that loving what you do is the most important thing we can embrace in our professional lives.
My journey has been an amazing one. Thank you for giving me the honor and privilege to lead LTEN for the last two years!
David Fortanbary is president of LTEN and head of U.S. learning and development
for UCB. Email David at David.Fortanbary@ucb.com.
