Day 1 Recap | The Human at the Center of Change
That idea set the tone for Day 1 of the 21st annual 2025 Chief Learning Officer Symposium, where hundreds of learning and development executives gathered to explore what it takes to build resilient organizations that thrive amid disruption.
🎥 Watch the Day 1 Highlight Video:
(Featuring Ryan Decoste, SVP of People & Organizational Development at Klick)
The Foundation of the Future
Under the 2025 theme — “Building Resilient Learning Ecosystems: Foundations & Frameworks for a Sustainable Future” — the Symposium challenged attendees to examine the systems, mindsets, and frameworks that sustain growth and agility in the age of AI. Conversations spanned ethical AI governance, strategic skilling, leadership evolution, and human-centered culture.
Staying Human in an AI-Driven World
The morning opened with “What It Means to Stay Human in an AI-Driven World,” a conversation between Ryan Decoste (Klick) and Ashley St. John (Chief Learning Officer).
Together, they explored how empathy, interpretation, and ethical design keep learning humans as automation becomes omnipresent.
“Our job isn’t to compete with AI,” Decoste noted. “It’s to teach it how to help us — so learning remains human, personal, and purposeful.”
FastTALK: Ideas at the Speed of Change
The first FastTALK sessions featured Celeste Brantolino (Exela Pharma Sciences), Carolyn Farricy (Vertex Pharmaceuticals), and Mike Ash (Caltech).
In rapid-fire talks, they shared insights on cultivating learning agility, scaling innovation, and driving organizational change through creative, learner-centered design.
AI Governance and Responsible Innovation
One of the day’s most anticipated discussions, “Guidelines for AI Governance in Learning & Development,” united Sandra Mohr (Angelo State University), Roxana Talef (Lenovo), Ryan Decoste (Klick), and Elise James-DeCruise (The Ad Council).
Panelists outlined actionable frameworks for ethical, transparent, and accountable AI use in L&D — emphasizing that governance is everyone’s responsibility, not just the domain of IT or compliance teams.
The Human at the Center
Across every keynote, session, and conversation, one message echoed clearly: the future of learning depends on keeping humans at the center of technological transformation.
When people remain the focus, AI, data, and digital tools become amplifiers of empathy and impact — not replacements for them.
“Technology accelerates possibility,” said St. John. “But it’s our humanity that determines direction.”
Watch Day 1 On-Demand
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About the Chief Learning Officer Symposium
Now in its 21st year, the Chief Learning Officer Symposium is the premier event for senior L&D executives, bringing together global leaders to explore how learning drives organizational performance, innovation, and culture.
