Credentials
Talent, HR, and facilitation
- CPTDCertified Professional in Talent Development
- SHRM-SCPSenior Certified Professional
- Crucial ConversationsCertified Facilitator
Learning & Workforce Readiness Leader
Mike
Chandler
Learning systems for complex organizations · Greater Boston
I build learning systems for complex organizations where clarity, consistency, and readiness matter. My work spans military operations, higher education, financial services, government, and healthcare, with a consistent focus on helping people perform well when the work matters.
ATD Member
SHRM-SCP
CPTD
Crucial Conversations
Capability
Workforce readiness
Learning tied to the decisions, handoffs, conversations, and standards that shape performance.
Method
Design through implementation
Strategy, stakeholder alignment, content design, launch support, and sustainment connected as one system.
Range
Five operating environments
Military, higher education, financial services, government, and healthcare experience without losing discipline.
Core belief Learning is strongest when it changes what people are prepared to do, not just what they have been told.
Core Belief
"Learning should make the work clearer, the standard stronger, and the person more ready for the moment in front of them."
Selected Evidence
Start with the strongest samples.
A compact view of the artifacts that show readiness, capability building, champion enablement, and implementation governance.
Portfolio Guide
Use the sectors as a guided scan.
Each sector highlights a different environment and capability. Open artifacts for samples; scan case examples for the leadership pattern behind the work.
ArtifactOpenable sampleCaseSummarized workPrincipleReusable approach
Sector 01 · Military
Where performance standards
become the design standard.
Military training shaped how I think about readiness: define the standard, practice the real work, verify performance, and support people when the work becomes real.
This section demonstrates
Workforce readinessPerformance verificationTransfer of learningOperational discipline
Military · Performance Readiness
Viewable ArtifactPerformance Readiness Model
+
Context
My early Army experience taught me that training has to prepare people for the moment work becomes real, not just the moment instruction ends.
My role
I supported training environments where standards, coaching, feedback, and performance verification were part of everyday readiness.
What I built or shaped
I translated that lesson into a readiness model focused on purpose, role clarity, practice, support, leader reinforcement, and feedback after launch.
What it demonstrates
A practical way to connect learning design to decisions, conversations, systems, escalation paths, and real performance.
Capabilities
Workforce readinessPerformance verificationTransfer of learningLeader reinforcement
Open the PDF to inspect the selected framework or model.
Artifact: Performance Readiness Model
Performance Readiness Model
A concise two-page model translating an early military lesson into a practical framework for preparing people to perform when the work becomes real.
What this proves: I can translate a formative readiness lesson into a simple learning model that applies beyond its original environment.
Sector 02 · Higher Education
Development in expert cultures
where mandates alone do not work.
My higher education work includes five years at Southern New Hampshire University, six years at the University of New Hampshire, and graduate-level teaching in mathematics, statistics, and calculus. That experience shaped how I support expert learners with respect, clarity, and practical structure.
This section demonstrates
Adult learningExpert adoptionFaculty developmentMeasurement and calibration
11+
Years in higher education
5
Years · SNHU
6
Years · UNH
Math
Graduate stats & calculus
Higher Education · Faculty & Staff Development
Case ExampleBuilding Development People Choose to Use
+
Context
Higher education depends on expert learners with deep content knowledge and limited patience for generic training.
My role
I designed and supported faculty and staff development, informed by graduate-level teaching in mathematics, statistics, and calculus.
What I built or shaped
I built facilitator resources and development structures that turned instructional expectations into practical teaching support.
What it demonstrates
Adult learning judgment, facilitation design, peer development, and credibility in expert cultures.
Capabilities
Adult learningFaculty developmentFacilitationExpert adoption
Higher Education · Measurement & Calibration
Operating PrincipleWhen Faculty Grade the Same Work Differently, Fairness Becomes a Learning Design Issue
+
Context
In large-scale online learning, grading consistency affects fairness, learner trust, and academic quality.
My role
I supported a norming approach that helped faculty calibrate expectations and discuss scoring differences.
What I built or shaped
I shaped a five-phase process for rubric interpretation, independent scoring, calibration discussion, repeat scoring, and reliability review.
What it demonstrates
Measurement thinking, instructional quality, fairness, and learning design that improves consistency at scale.
Capabilities
MeasurementInter-rater reliabilityRubric alignmentOnline learning at scale
Review the on-page model below.
Faculty Norming Process - Five-Phase Architecture
Sector 03 · Financial Services
Learning infrastructure for
growth, trust, and operational consistency.
In financial services, learning has to support trust, manager consistency, regulatory awareness, and practical execution. My work has centered on capability systems that help leaders and employees act with more clarity and confidence.
This section demonstrates
Manager capabilityCareer architectureChange readinessStakeholder alignment
Regulated service environment
Branch, operations, and leadership audiences
Manager capability and career growth
Financial Services · Manager Capability
Case ExampleBuilding Manager Capability Around the Moments That Matter
+
Context
Managers shape employee confidence, member experience, and operational consistency through everyday decisions and follow-through.
My role
I translated broad leadership expectations into practical manager behaviors, routines, and reinforcement points.
What I built or shaped
I shaped manager development around role clarity, delegation, accountability, communication, coaching, and operating rhythms.
What it demonstrates
Capability building, manager enablement, behavior change, and the link between learning and execution.
Capabilities
Manager capabilityBehavior changeCoachingOperational consistency
Financial Services · Talent Infrastructure
Viewable ArtifactConnecting Career Mapping, Succession, and Skill Readiness
+
Context
Growth requires a clearer view of the skills roles need today and the capabilities teams will need next.
My role
I introduced a succession readiness framework to make talent conversations more specific, practical, and repeatable.
What I built or shaped
I built a five-step model for critical roles, capability definition, readiness calibration, development planning, and review rhythm.
What it demonstrates
Succession readiness, leadership capability building, manager enablement, and evidence-informed structure for workforce planning.
Capabilities
Succession readinessLeadership capabilityDevelopment planningTalent strategy
Open the PDF to inspect the selected framework or model.
Artifact: Leadership Capability & Succession Readiness Framework
Leadership Capability & Succession Readiness Framework
A practical framework for identifying critical roles, defining leadership capabilities, calibrating readiness, building development plans, and reviewing succession health over time.
What this proves: I can turn succession planning into a practical, leader-owned capability system.
Financial Services · Change Enablement
Case ExampleTurning Service and Systems Change into Practical Readiness
+
Context
Financial services change often affects employees, members, systems, compliance expectations, and service experience at the same time.
My role
I clarified what people needed to know, do, decide, escalate, and reinforce as changes moved toward implementation.
What I built or shaped
I built enablement structures, job aids, readiness plans, and stakeholder guidance to support adoption.
What it demonstrates
Change readiness, stakeholder alignment, transfer of learning, and practical execution support.
Capabilities
Change readinessEnablementStakeholder alignmentSustainment
Sector 04 · Government
Scaling learning across
public systems, policy, and human impact.
Government learning work requires clarity, consistency, and respect for distributed teams, policy constraints, and public service outcomes. I focus on systems that help people adopt new tools and practices while keeping the human purpose visible.
This section demonstrates
Distributed adoptionChampion enablementPublic accountabilitySustainable implementation
Statewide public service environment
Distributed teams and regional offices
Union-aware and compliance-sensitive work
Government · Learning Infrastructure
Case ExampleBuilding Consistency Across a Distributed Public Workforce
+
Context
Public sector learning has to reach distributed teams while maintaining consistency, policy alignment, and service quality.
My role
I supported learning infrastructure that made expectations, resources, and support pathways clearer across a statewide environment.
What I built or shaped
I shaped resources and rollout approaches that translated central guidance into practical tools for field teams.
What it demonstrates
Scalable learning design, operational clarity, public accountability, and distributed adoption support.
Capabilities
Scalable learningPublic sector operationsRole clarityConsistency
Government · Champion Enablement
Viewable ArtifactDesigning a Hub Champion Rollout and Escalation Approach
+
Context
A statewide Hub rollout needed trained champions to support local adoption and escalate issues consistently across regional teams.
My role
I supported the learning and change approach by clarifying the rollout story, champion role, training sequence, escalation paths, and success measures.
What I built or shaped
I shaped a practical deck that made the rollout, role expectations, escalation scenarios, and leadership actions easier to use.
What it demonstrates
Champion enablement, support model design, training sequencing, stakeholder communication, and adoption planning.
This viewable sample shows how the champion approach was translated into a clear leadership-facing rollout deck.
Artifact: Hub Champion Rollout & Escalation Approach
Hub Champion Rollout & Escalation Approach
A sample slide deck overview showing rollout rationale, training scope, champion role clarity, escalation scenarios, support model design, success measures, and leadership actions.
What this proves: I can turn system rollout complexity into practical champion roles, escalation pathways, training sequencing, leader actions, and adoption support.
Capabilities
Champion enablementEscalation designTraining sequencingAdoption support
Government · Mission Alignment
Case ExampleKeeping Human Impact at the Center of Systems Work
+
Context
Government systems work affects employees and the people they serve. Training has to support accuracy without losing purpose.
My role
I kept operational requirements connected to service quality, staff confidence, and practical usability.
What I built or shaped
I helped translate complex processes into clearer guidance, learning resources, and support structures.
What it demonstrates
Systems thinking, empathy, public trust, and making complex work easier to use.
Capabilities
Human impactSystems thinkingPublic trustPractical usability
Sector 05 · Healthcare
Workforce readiness where
precision, trust, and compliance matter.
Healthcare learning sits at the intersection of clinical excellence, research rigor, compliance, employee experience, and operational change. I focus on readiness structures that hold up in specialized, high-expectation environments.
This section demonstrates
Compliance readinessWorkday LearningGovernanceMission-driven operations
Cancer research and treatment environment
Compliance-sensitive learning ecosystem
Clinical, research, and administrative audiences
Healthcare · Workday Learning Compliance Readiness
Viewable ArtifactOperationalizing Workday Learning for Compliance Readiness
+
Context
At Dana-Farber, Workday Learning readiness had to connect configuration, required learning, AEU timing, ownership, support, reporting, and sustainment.
My role
I developed a framework to clarify readiness criteria, go-live blockers, ownership, and decision points before launch.
What I built or shaped
I built a six-phase framework with AEU alignment, owner assignments, testing expectations, go-live support, reporting, and governance.
What it demonstrates
Healthcare learning governance, Workday Learning readiness, compliance sensitivity, and operational accountability.
Capabilities
Workday LearningCompliance readinessAEU alignmentLearning governance
Open the PDF to inspect the selected framework or model.
Artifact: Workday Learning Compliance Readiness Framework
Workday Learning Compliance Readiness Framework
A six-phase framework defining readiness criteria, ownership, AEU criticality, testing expectations, go-live support, and sustainment governance.
What this proves: I can organize complex learning implementation work around ownership, testing, risk, and sustainment.
Healthcare · New Hire Experience
Case ExampleDesigning Orientation as Workforce Readiness, Not Event Logistics
+
Context
New hire orientation in healthcare has to establish clarity, compliance awareness, belonging, and practical readiness across varied roles.
My role
I considered the learner experience, operational constraints, stakeholder responsibilities, and moments where new employees need structure most.
What I built or shaped
I shaped orientation concepts that connected culture, compliance, logistics, manager support, and follow-through.
What it demonstrates
Onboarding strategy, employee experience design, stakeholder alignment, and workforce readiness.
Capabilities
OnboardingWorkforce readinessEmployee experienceStakeholder alignment
Healthcare · Learning Governance
Case ExampleCreating Structure in a Highly Matrixed Learning Environment
+
Context
Healthcare learning ecosystems involve HR, compliance, operations, clinical partners, research teams, managers, and system owners.
My role
I focus on ownership, decision paths, and governance rhythms so learning work can move without becoming duplicative.
What I built or shaped
I supported governance thinking that links intake clarity, content standards, measurement, stakeholder alignment, and sustainment.
What it demonstrates
Learning governance, cross-functional leadership, operating discipline, and clarity in complex ecosystems.
Capabilities
Learning governanceMatrixed leadershipDecision claritySustainment
The sector changes. The operating discipline does not: define the work, prepare the people, support the leaders, and keep improving after launch.
Across every setting, I come back to one question: what do people need to do the work well?
I try to bring the same core discipline to different environments: understand the work, prepare the people, support the leaders, and keep improving after launch.
01Define the work
Name the standard, decision, behavior, or outcome people are preparing for.
02Prepare the people
Build role clarity, practice, resources, and support around the real work.
03Sustain the system
Use feedback, measurement, and governance to keep the learning useful.
Professional Foundation
Credentials, education, and operating range.
This foundation reflects the mix I bring to learning leadership: formal talent development credentials, strategic HR fluency, facilitation capability, graduate education, and experience across very different operating environments.
Education
Teaching, business, and quantitative rigor
- M.A.T.Secondary Education & Teaching
- MBABusiness leadership foundation
- Graduate teachingStatistics and calculus
Operating Range
Five environments, one learning discipline
- Military + GovernmentReadiness, standards, public accountability
- Higher Education + HealthcareExpert audiences, compliance, mission-driven work
- Financial ServicesManager capability, member trust, operational consistency
I’m always glad to connect with teams and leaders who care about helping people learn, grow, and do meaningful work well.
Connect
Connect on LinkedIn →Learning that does not change behavior is not learning. It is content delivery.
The best L&D leaders understand the business before they design the solution.
Complex environments teach discipline, judgment, and respect for the work itself.
The job is not just to build programs. It is to build the conditions for people to perform at their best in the moments that matter most.
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