NAFDA 2010 Speaker Summary

Michael Allen, Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO, Allen Interactions

Michael W. Allen, Ph.D., is a recognized leader in the architecture and design of multimedia learning technologies, interactive instructional paradigms, and rapid-prototyping processes.  He has more than 30 years of professional, academic, and corporate experience in the development, sales, and marketing of interactive learning and performance support systems.  He has headed teams of doctorate level specialists in learning research, instructional design, computer-based training, and human engineering. In recent years, he has concentrated on defining unique methods of instructional application design and development that provide meaningful and memorable learning experiences through "true" cognitive interactivity.

Michael is currently Chairman & CEO of Allen Interactions Inc., which builds custom interactive learning solutions and provides consulting and training for interactive multimedia professionals.  His clients include major public corporations and industry associations. 

He was the primary architect of Authorware Professional, the founder, and former chairman of Authorware, Inc. (which merged with Macromind/Paracomp to form Macromedia, Inc. which is now Adobe).  He was a principal tools architect and designer of Control Data Corporation's famous PLATO computer-based education system used around the world. Michael was the founding editor of the Journal of Computer-Based Instruction. He is a frequently requested conference speaker at associations such the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and the e-Learning Guild, as well as various other conferences.

In his first best-selling book, Michael Allen's Guide to e-Learning, Michael speaks out about his frustrations with e-learning and brings fundamental issues to light.  Challenging both business leaders and instructional designers alike, he demonstrates that e-learning can be a powerful business solution that enables people to do "the right things at the right time."  But this won't happen, he says, unless common practices in e-learning are aborted. He is also the author of Michael Allen’s e-Learning Library Series, and editor of Michael Allen’s e-Learning Annuals, important collections of articles from renowned leaders in the field of e-learning. Michael holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from The Ohio State University and is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Ernie Brescia

Senior Consultant, Instructional Design & Technology, LIMRA International

Online Facilitator Skills Workshop

Ernie Brescia is a seasoned veteran in the field of learning and development. Over the past 20+ years, he has experienced many facets of training including stand-up facilitation, instructional design, technology-based learning, and strategic leadership of the training function. He’s worked with a number of well recognized companies such as Chase Manhattan Bank, The American Stock Exchange, Century 21 Real Estate and MetLife. While serving as the Chief Learning Officer of Century 21 Real Estate, Ernie led his team to six consecutive Training Top 100 (and Top 125) awards. He’s passionate about virtual classroom delivery and has been featured in several print and online articles describing its place in a blended learning strategy. In his current role as an instructional design and technology consultant with LIMRA, he develops new training programs, and repurposes traditional classroom programs for both virtual classroom and asynchronous (self-paced) delivery formats.

Al Depman, CLU, ChFC, CMFC, BH

Practice Management Consultant

Prime Performing Advisors… How to get there

Al is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame  After graduation, Al combined his Liberal Arts studies with 10 years of management experience in the McDonald’s Corporation (including a BH degree from “Hamburger University”) to enter the financial services world 25 years ago.  Since then, Al has evolved from an award-winning sales rep into a full-time consultant specializing in helping advisors engineer their business practices to the proverbial “next level” through the use of transferable systems.

Al is the author of “How To Build Your Financial Advisory Business And Sell It At A Profit” (McGraw-Hill, 2009) and is the creator of “The Practice Management Assessment” diagnostic tool and best-practices resource materials. He has authored numerous articles in professional and mass-market publications, most recently Horsesmouth, Wealth Manager and GAMA International.  He writes a popular monthly column for “Mitch Anthony’s Intuitive Advisor” newsletter where he offers practice management insight to financial advisors. Al also serves as the national Practice Management Consultant for Securian (Minnesota Life).  He has also worked with advisors from Waddell & Reed, Morgan Stanley, LPL, State Farm, Prudential, NY Life, Wachovia, and many independents across the country.

Al resides in Rochester, MN, with wife Barb and three children.  Al’s areas of interest include studying classic comic strips, reading, battling the New York Times Crossword puzzle and conducting adult education classes at his church.

Alexis Gladstone

Principal, Intelead Inc.

Situational Leadershipâ II

Alexis Gladstone has a passion for improving employee and organization effectiveness.  She combines her background in Human Resources and varied industries to provide consulting expertise in the areas of leadership development, training, and large-scale change.  She has brought her knowledge to a variety of organizations from small private businesses, to Fortune 100 companies.  As an executive coach, Alexis has worked with individuals in a range of disciplines helping them develop their leadership capability and improve business results.  She is experienced working with executives as well as first-line managers. She has an MBA from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University. 

Alexis will bring her experience in leadership development and present an interactive overview of Situational Leadership® II (SLII®).  SLII provides leaders with a model, language and tools to effectively manage and develop their team.  It is designed to increase the quality and frequency of conversations between managers and individuals about their performance and development. 

Scott Colehour
Solutions Architect and Co-Founder, Allen Interactions

Practice Makes Perfect

Scott Colehour has been in the e-learning design and development industry for more than 20 years.  He is co-founder and solutions architect of Allen Interactions, which builds interactive custom learning solutions to fit organizational and business needs. Scott has participated in the design of over 400 e-learning initiatives.  His vast knowledge of instructional interactive design methodologies are rooted in the philosophies of performance and practice based learning.

Scott brings many abilities to Allen Interactions, some of which include: providing high-end consulting and training services to client organizations in such areas as needs analysis, multimedia project planning and management, instructional design, template and model development and model-based production.