Chief Learning Officer is excited to announce its 2025 Learning in Practice Award finalists!
The awards were established in 2003 to recognize learning leaders who have demonstrated excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs.
Finalists will be named gold, silver or bronze winners during a special virtual Learning in Practice Awards Ceremony this October – please stay tuned for upcoming details very soon.
During the ceremony, CLO will also announce its prestigious CLO of the Year Award winner for 2025.
Congratulations to all of our finalists, listed alphabetically by category, below.
PRACTITIONER AWARDS
The Business Impact Award
For learning executives who have implemented a significant measurement or evaluation program that has demonstrated exceptional business impact from their workforce development programs. Potential results may include measures of employee retention, sales, revenue growth, customer satisfaction or cost reduction, among others.
- Kari Borroel, Head, Global Quality Operations Learning & Development, AstraZeneca
- Veaceslav Cusnir, Senior Language Training Manager, Global Head of Language Assessment, EPAM Systems, Inc.
- Veronica Luna, Global Learning and Development Lead, Unilever
- Kelly Stuart-Johnson, Global Head of Learning and Development, VML
- Michael Trinder, Solution Design and Learning Architecture, AlixPartners
The Business Partnership Award
For learning departments that have partnered in a progressive way with business partners or external organizational divisions and functions such as the sales and marketing department or external customer groups to develop and deliver a targeted employee development program that supports the partner’s goals.
- EPAM Systems, Inc.
- Erie Insurance
- Hexaware Technologies Ltd
- Pharmacosmos Therapeutics, Inc.
- Rubrik
- Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition
The Innovation Award
For learning executives who have marshaled resources and applied innovative practices, processes and/or technologies in a new and groundbreaking way to address a significant business or organizational opportunity.
- Heidi Buckhout, Manager, Global Sustainability, Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition
- Christopher Hall, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Training and Development, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- John Kusi-Mensah, Vice President, Global Distribution Center of Expertise, MetLife
- Mark Slaga, Executive Business Leader, Kyndryl
- Kelly Stuart-Johnson, Global Head of Learning and Development, VML
The Strategy Award
For learning executives who have demonstrated exceptional business acumen combined with forward-looking vision to develop and execute a comprehensive learning strategy that clearly aligns employee development with broader organizational strategy.
- Kristin Brookins Costello, COO/CPO, Blanchard
- Heidi Buckhout, Manager, Global Sustainability, Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition
- John Kusi-Mensah, Vice President, Global Distribution Center of Expertise, MetLife
- Cristie Mullins, Director, Learning & Development, Walgreens
- Mark Slaga, Executive Business Leader, Kyndryl
- Erica Thompson, Training Program Lead, MetLife
The Talent Management Award
For learning executives who have developed a program that effectively integrates learning into broader talent management initiatives such as employee engagement, onboarding, succession planning, recruiting or performance management.
- Jennifer Garner, Underwriting Academy Manager, MetLife Insurance Company
- Christopher Hall, Assistant Commissioner, Office of Training and Development, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Chantel Van Der Westhuizen, Chief Learning Officer, Momentum Group
The Technology Award
For learning executives who have delivered new and unique applications of emerging technology to employee learning and development.
- John Kusi-Mensah, Executive Business Leader, MetLife
- Nancy Radler, Awards Program Manager, EPAM Systems, Inc.
- Christina Rowe, Principal, Talent Development, Twilio
The Trailblazer Award
For learning executives who have either launched a new enterprise learning function or completely overhauled existing workforce development initiatives in the past year.
- Joe Malta, Manager of Organizational Development, City of Largo
- Mark Slaga, Executive Business Leader, Kyndryl
- Kelly Stuart-Johnson, Global Head of Learning and Development, VML
- Chantel Van Der Westhuizen, Chief Learning Officer, Momentum Group
PROVIDER AWARDS
Excellence in Academic Partnerships
Recognizes accredited academic learning institutions that have partnered with an organization in the past year to develop skills, competency or knowledge in a general employee population.
- Davenport University’s Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx) with Perrigo Company
Excellence in Blended Learning
Recognizes vendors that have deployed a variety of tools in support of a client’s learning program that delivers engaging learning combining multiple modalities.
- Abilitie
- Bluepoint Leadership Development
- Melbourne Business School
- SweetRush, Inc.
Excellence in Community Service
Recognizes vendors that have provided significant investment of company resources and time in support of a community service project or initiative.
- GP Strategies
Excellence in Content
Recognizes vendors that have created superior customized and/or off-the-shelf learning content.
- Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.
- GP Strategies
Excellence in E-Learning
- D2L Corp.
Excellence in Executive Education
Recognizes executive education providers that have delivered a targeted executive education program for a client that has delivered measurable results.
- The Academy for Developing Administrative Leaders
- Center for Leadership at Florida International University
- GP Strategies
Excellence in Partnership
Recognizes vendors or consultants who have effectively supported a client’s learning and development function to set strategy or establish or implement a program via consulting or whole or partial outsources services.
- Avilio
- Clearpath Learning Group
- Entelechy
- Impact
- InSync Training
Excellence in Technology Innovation
Recognizes vendors that have rolled out an innovative learning technology for a client such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, apps, video, social collaboration tools or games and simulations.
- ETU
- Harbinger Group
- NIIT
- ServiceNow
