Gamification (November 10, 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Most gamification in training stops at points, badges, and leaderboards. The problem is those things alone rarely change behavior or drive real engagement.

In this one hour session we will take a different approach. Instead of talking about gamification first, we will start by experiencing it.

Participants will take part in a short gamified training where they will work through challenges, collaborate, make decisions, and feel the pressure and excitement that good game design can create. Everything in the activity is intentional.

Once the experience ends we will unpack what just happened. Together we will identify the mechanics that drove motivation, energy, urgency, and engagement.

The session introduces a practical framework for understanding how different game mechanics influence behavior and why balance matters when designing learning experiences.

If you have ever wondered why some training falls flat while other experiences keep people engaged, this session will give you a new way to think about designing programs that people actually want to complete.

When: Tuesday, November 10 from 6:00-7:30pm

Where: Bohannan Huston, 7500 Jefferson St. NE, ABQ, NM

Cost: Free for members. $25 for Non-Members.

TD Capability Model: Developing Professional Capability

About the Speaker

Wesley Espinoza is a learning and development leader with more than 15 years of experience designing innovative training programs and learning technologies for global organizations. His career began at Verizon, where he spent 11 years working across training facilitation, instructional design, and learning technology. During this time, he helped modernize training programs through initiatives such as gamification, virtual reality learning, and micro-learning experiences designed to improve engagement and knowledge retention.

He later expanded his leadership experience at Belk and PeopleReady before joining Walmart, where he worked in learning technology supporting global teams through learning management systems, data-driven insights, and automation tools that improved workforce development and onboarding programs. Across his work at Verizon and Walmart, his initiatives contributed to millions of dollars in operational savings while improving the effectiveness of training programs.

Wesley’s philosophy centers on making learning experiential, engaging, and measurable. He believes training should be interactive and memorable—leveraging technology, games, and real-world problem solving to create meaningful learning experiences. Just as importantly, he emphasizes strong evaluation frameworks that demonstrate the real business impact of learning programs.

Throughout his career, Wesley has successfully partnered with technical teams, legal and compliance groups, business leaders, and executive stakeholders to deliver large-scale initiatives that bridge learning strategy with organizational performance.

He has lived and worked across the country, including New Mexico, Nashville, Charlotte, and Tacoma, and now resides again in New Mexico where he continues to focus on workforce development, innovation, and strategic partnerships.

December Meet & Greet (December 10, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 00:30:00 GMT

You're invited to our Winter ATD NM Meet & Greet! We learned lots. We met great new TD professionals. We built our community. Let's celebrate 2026 together over dessert and hot drinks.

WHEN: Thursday, December 10th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm

LOCATION: Flying Star @ 4026 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87107

COST: FREE to attend. ATD NM will cover desserts and hot, non-alcoholic drinks for the table. (Attendees should plan to pay for any other food or beverages that they order.)

REGISTRATION: For planning purposes, we ask that you register for this event. Also, if your schedule changes and you can no longer come, please unregister yourself or let us know via email at atdnmprograms@gmail.com. While we generally have a good number of folks sign up for Meet & Greets, the average no-show rate for 2025 was 50%. This no-show rate makes it hard for us to plan with the restaurants because they set aside tables for us that end up empty (and that could have been used for other patrons).

QUESTIONS: Email us at atdnmprograms@gmail.com and one of our board members will get back to you.

What is a Meet & Greet? For ATD NM, these are informal social get togethers that our chapter hosts quarterly. Usually held at an Albuquerque restaurant, we generally do a simple "get-to-know-you" activity, but the bulk of the time is unstructured so attendees can connect with other Talent Development professionals.

Designed for folks to drop by anytime during the 1.5 hr Meet & Greet, ATD NM usually covers appetizers for the table and each attendee's first non-alcoholic drink. Open to anyone in our ATD community and their guests.

ATD New Mexico upcoming events

Gamification (November 10, 2026)

December Meet & Greet (December 10, 2026)