What do you currently do?

I work in Learning & Development (L&D) for a medium-sized global technology company. L&D looks different at every company, but the goal is generally to support employees in feeling empowered and growing their careers. At my company, we partner with vendors that provide learning content, pathways, and courses. These allow employees to explore topics they’re curious about but may not have been exposed to before.

Since our team is lean, my role focuses on vendor relationship management rather than creating instructional content in-house. Vendors can be expensive though, so I also develop internal resources, projects, and tools that managers and employees can leverage. One example is our professional advancement tool that’s built into Workday. Employees and managers use it to reflect on strengths, skill gaps, team contributions, and quarterly learning goals. In a nutshell, my role is a mix of managing external learning content vendors and creating lightweight, cost-effective internal tools to cultivate a learning culture.

How did you get here?

I started right after graduating in December 2016. My degree was in Sports Management and Marketing, and my first job was in sponsorship and marketing for a small university’s athletics department. My goal was to become an athletic director at a big university. But within a few months, I realized that while I loved sports, I didn’t want to work in sports.

I enjoyed higher ed and wanted to explore outside my hometown (St. Louis, MO), so I moved to Austin, TX. I joined a university’s business school in a relationship management and business development role. I connected employers with students and advised both sides on recruiting. I stayed for three years but wanted to pivot into tech, especially since Austin is a major hub. Through networking, I joined my current company in recruiting while completing a master’s in HR Development part-time.

I started at the entry level in recruiting, did well, and was given the chance to lead our first university recruiting program. We won awards and converted 30% of interns into full-time hires. From there, I transitioned into L&D, where I am now.

What was the transition from higher ed to tech like?

The biggest difference was speed. When I joined in July 2021, the company had ~700 employees. A year and a half later, we were over 1,100, which was nearly a nearly 50% increase. As part of the recruiting team that fueled that growth, everything was fast-paced and often undocumented. It was challenging, but I liked the energy. The pace motivated me to learn quickly and stay focused.

Do you see connections between sports management and L&D?

Yes. My sports management degree was essentially a business degree with a sports emphasis. I learned accounting, finance, marketing, and economics. This is knowledge I still use when working with finance and accounting teams today.

In my first job in athletics, I managed over a hundred events in nine months with a very lean budget and team. That fast-paced, scrappy environment prepared me for the resource-constrained, ambiguous work I do now. While it’s not a 1:1 connection, many transferable skills - like project management, adaptability, fast problem-solving - do carry over.

What did your transitions with your current company look like?

As a recruiting coordinator, everything was new - like recruiting processes, the tech sector, the tools. I had to quickly learn Greenhouse (our applicant tracking system) and master the details of candidate and recruiter coordination. Confidence and perseverance got me through the steep learning curve.

When I became University Recruiting Lead, the role was more project management. The goal was simple but ambiguous: “hire interns.” My university background gave me the foundation to figure it out. I had to learn payroll processes, partner with finance, and build strong relationships with hiring managers. Emotional intelligence helped me navigate unfamiliar technical areas and earn trust.

Now in L&D, I build on those experiences—cross-functional collaboration, strategic thinking, and communication.

What does your day-to-day look like?

My overarching motivation is supporting employee career growth. I work cross-functionally with HR business partners, payroll, benefits, and onboarding teams. I manage vendor relationships and budgets. I create resources and communications for employees and managers. I handle onboarding touchpoints to ensure new hires know about L&D. And I write and share detailed communications (via Slack and other channels) about learning tools and resources.

What does your team structure look like?

We sit within HR, which has ~50–60 people (HRBPs, payroll, benefits, onboarding, recruiting). I sit within Talent Development, alongside four HR business partners. I’m the only person focused specifically on L&D, though many colleagues’ work intersects with mine.

What are the challenges?

The hardest part is tackling ambiguous goals without a clear roadmap. I focus on staying aligned to strategy so daily work connects to broader goals. I break down big objectives into smaller, actionable steps. I also look for ways to improve employee experience without major costs (especially during downturns in tech).

Who do you collaborate with for perspective and guidance?

I lean on my supervisor, who gives me space to ask questions and learn. I also connect monthly with my predecessor, who mentors me over coffee chats. My HRBP teammates share insights about managers, who are my key stakeholders. I do my own research by reading industry articles and studying what top tech companies are doing in L&D.

What do you enjoy most about the role?

I’m passionate about careers. It’s rewarding to help people grow, feel fulfilled, and advance in their work. Since we spend so much of our lives working, making that experience more fulfilling is what excites me the most.

What’s next for you?

In the short term, I want to expand the reach of my current projects. Longer term, I no longer believe in rigid 3–5 year plans. Instead, I lean into what I enjoy. I want to stay in a role that helps people answer tough career questions and supports their development. I like tech and corporate America so far, so continuing in L&D or career development in this space feels right.

Would you consider L&D in a different industry?

Yes. I’d want to research which industries are strong in whichever city I’m in to ensure job security. Higher ed could also be a future option, since I’m passionate about learning and teaching.

What advice would you give to someone?

Stay curious. Always think about what’s next—not necessarily to chase it, but to understand what you want. Be curious about how others work and learn from them. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Take jobs that stretch you, even if they scare you. Growth often comes from discomfort, and the reward is worth it.