 |
Meet our Board Members |
Nicole Smith | President With over 13 years of experience in talent development, Nicole has worked in multiple industries such as banking, education, and nonprofit, but always in her little slice of professional paradise where she can champion employee learning & growth. In her current role as the Learning & Development (L&D) Director at the National Wildlife Federation, she oversees the L&D function and leads talent development initiatives for the organization. Nicole earned her Master’s of Education in Training & Development from Pennsylvania State University, is a Prosci Certified Practicioner, DiSC Certified Trainer, and ELI Certified Instructor of Civil Treatment. Born into a Marine Corps family that moved constantly while she was growing up, Nicole is actually from “everywhere but nowhere in particular.” Moving to Hawaiʻi after grad school, she called the islands home for 13 years before moving to New Mexico in April of 2022. Due to her experience, she is a big believer in supporting professionals on their career journey and has served on the ATD NM Board since 2023. She also served on the ATD Hawai’i Board in 2016-2017. When not working, you can find her trail running in the Sandia Mountains or hopping on a plane to Hawai’i to sneak in some SUP surfing! |
Eliberto Calderon | Past President Eliberto, raised by a single mother, originates from Deming, New Mexico. He has maintained a non-conformist transformative learning and training attitude. This love of learning and training, has produced personal and professional successes in multiple environments in the US Army to being a full-time single father to his three sons. Most recently, Eliberto received his doctoral degree from the Organization, Information, and Learning Sciences at the University of New Mexico. Presently, he is the CEO of the Adult Transformative Development Institute and The Maverick Scholar, LLC., both are learning organizations focused on the quality-of-life development or improvement processes. Personally, I have designed and conducted my own healing, training, and thriving quality of life program which successfully transformed my identity from combat soldier into a high performing civilian or the Maverick Scholar. He is an eager volunteer in service to the New Mexico community to give to the betterment of the world at large. |
| VP of Finance James Kaminski is a dedicated professional with a passion for understanding and improving human well-being. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Human Sexuality and a Master’s degree in Counseling, building on a strong foundation of expertise in public health and administration. James holds a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) and a Master’s in Health Administration (MHA), demonstrating his commitment to addressing complex health challenges through research, education, and leadership. Professionally, James serves as a Program Analyst for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he contributes to initiatives that enhance public health and safety. His work integrates policy analysis, program evaluation, risk management, budget formulation and strategic planning to support the FDA’s mission of protecting and promoting health. Based in Cedar Crest, New Mexico, James combines his academic and professional pursuits with a focus on personal growth and community engagement. With a deep interest in the intersections of health, sexuality, and counseling, he strives to foster environments that promote inclusivity, understanding, and positive change. In his free time, James enjoys exploring new experiences and connecting with others, reflecting his belief in the importance of lifelong learning and meaningful relationships. |
James Kaminski
Kyle Duncan | VP of Technology Kyle is a muti-talented learning professional with more that 20 years of training and facilitation experience. He graduated in 2015 from University of Phoenix with a Masters in Adult Education and Training. He is currently a Sr. Learning Consultant for Marathon Petroleum where he specialized in LMS Management and e-Learning development.
In his free time, Kyle is the media director at Victory Outreach Church of Albuquerque, and is a licensed Pastor. He also enjoys graphic design and video editing. He became a member of ATD and ATD NM in 2007. Kyle began serving on the board in 2022. |
Beth McLeod | VP of Special Projects Beth McLeod has over 7 years of experience in online teaching and learning as an instructor, program director, and online course design instructor. More recently, Beth has pursued instructional design, and in 2021, Beth earned her second master’s degree, a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology from the American College of Education. Beth’s favorite part about instructional design is the ability to be creative while problem-solving to meet the needs of learners. While she still enjoys online teaching, Beth’s more recent roles include Instructional Designer for Honeywell, and more recently, Instructional Designer for the Department of Energy (DOE). Beth continues to pursue continuing education and believes that learning is a lifelong process. |
Laura Suazo | VP of Membership |
 Jessica Ellison | VP of Communications Jessica Ellison is new to the talent development industry but has hit the ground running as a Learning Experience Designer at Bohannan Huston, an engineering consulting firm based in Albuquerque. She graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2022 with a degree in Film and Animation, juggling work as a 3D animator and motion graphics artist within the university’s Marketing and Communications department. Originally starting at Bohannan Huston in 2023 as a video editor and graphic designer, she quickly took to the field of L&D and became a Learning Experience Designer just a year later.
At Bohannan Huston, Jessica Ellison crafts educational material by combining graphic design, instructional design, audio/visual technology, and motion graphics/animation to enhance employee knowledge on a range of subjects from technical training to compliance and safety. She has a particular interest in accessible learning and is a member of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP). She is currently exploring master’s program options in the world of instructional design and technology. |