“So how did I become a Boomer totally convinced that our company should embrace Web 2.0 technologies and virtual worlds and then ease others in with us?  Well, I’m a bottom-line kinda gal.  As I look back, I can see how my awesome employees strategically and methodically eased me into the new technologies as they showed me the whys and the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) for our company.  I have never played a video game in the real world, but I’ve learned enough in Second Life© to expand our company’s offerings to people across the globe by using the tools at our Learning Innovation Campus,” Relth said.

Join the event in Second Life© at the Tropical Treet TV Welcome Center at 149 232 29.

About Jonena Relth
Recipient of the Joyce Parker Award for outstanding contribution to the field of training and development, Jonena Relth specializes in performance improvement. Jonena brings 30 years experience with enterprise-wide systems has been instrumental in helping organizations bridge the connection between system implementation and the associated learning required for successful transition from paper to paperless environments.

Most recently, Jonena founded Learning Innovation Campus (LIC), a learning incubator in Second Life. The mission of the LIC is to foster and support the activities of like-minded individuals and companies who are interested in being part of a campus dedicated to people development and learning.

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

Further information is available at www.tbdconsulting.com or by calling our offices at 602-263-1961.

“There are many appealing aspects to reshaping a face-to-face leadership course into a virtual one. Saving money on travel and materials, extending the reach of the class and ‘playing’ with new technology top the list,” said Jonena Relth, TBD President and Leadership Evangelist, regarding the session topic. “In many instances, the pros far outweigh the cons. We will provide insights for exactly when and how to ‘reshape’ existing courses for virtual delivery. As can be imagined, it takes much more than simply scheduling the online learning. The behavioral objectives need to be revised and activities and student interactions need to be carefully planned and executed.”

Esther Groves is known by her direct reports and clients alike as a business woman whose straight forward, honest approach towards the goals at hand makes working for her a pleasure.  As a former Vice President and Learning Manager for Bank of America, Groves is now Senior Consultant and HR Director for TBD Consulting.  She specializes in coaching, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. She brings to TBD her expertise in organizational assessment, group/meeting facilitation, virtual management, leadership development and instructional design and Six Sigma. Groves prides herself in helping people set attainable goals and determine activities to improve capability, productivity and employee engagement. 

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

Further information is available at www.tbdconsulting.com or by calling our offices at 602-263-1961.

The group has also taken a step in leveraging online audio by publishing their first interview with Meredith Taylor, HIMSS National Director of Congressional Affairs, as she spoke about her event presentation titled “ARRA, Stimulus and Meaningful Use Update.” That audio (MP3 format) may be heard online here (http://162.42.241.184/audio/AZHIMSS%20Meredith%20Taylor%20Interview.mp3).

About TBD Consulting, Inc. TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives. Further information is available at www.tbdconsulting.com or by calling our offices at    602-263-1961  602-263-1961 .

About AzHIMSS The Arizona Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society provides leadership to foster the advancement and effective use of information technology in Arizona healthcare. Its professional members include individuals in the fields of information systems, clinical systems, management engineering, and telecommunications. The Arizona chapter provides members with professional development through high quality education and by creating networking opportunities at regularly scheduled meetings. Further information is available at http://www.azhimss.org or http://www.twitter.com/azhimss.

The Learning Innovation Campus Second Life® mission is to foster and support the activities of like-minded individuals and companies who are interested in being part of a campus dedicated to people development, coaching and learning. The LIC will act as an incubator for learning and will focus on assisting business professionals new to Second Life® explore how to utilize this virtual medium to expand their learning and people development opportunities.

The grand opening event will offer tours of the Learning Innovation Campus, allowing participants to view the buildings, storefronts, conference center, art gallery, classrooms, breakout rooms and teambuilding tools/activities.

The event will also host a Second Life® questions/answers booth, team building activities, bookstore, freebie store and give-aways. Several speaker presentations will be available on a variety of employee improvement and engagement topics.

Live music will be provided by Joaquin Gustav (www.purevolume.com/joaquingustav). Gustav is known for his guitar interpretations of smooth jazz, rock, and South American music such as tango, milonga, and candombe. Von Johin (www.vonjohin.com), blues musician, guitarist and vocalist, will be playing the blues of BB King, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixion, Blind Lemon Jefferson and many more.

There will be a limited number of parcels (land) available for private office or “create your own space” leasing. These parcels will be available for individual, non-profit or corporate use for groups that are focused on education, people development, coaching or exploration of learning effectiveness.

To learn more about Learning Innovation Campus Second Life® or to review the schedule of activities for this event, visit the Learning Innovation Campus blog at http://sllic.wordpress.com. or call TBD Consulting at 602-263-1961. You may register online for 11am PST event at: http://sllicgrandopening11am.eventbrite.com or the 5pm PST event at: http://sllicgrandopening5pm.eventbrite.com

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

A morning break-out session, How to Successfully Reshape an Instructor-Led Leadership Course for Virtual Delivery, will be taught by TBD Consulting President and Leadership Evangelist, Jonena Relth, and Sr. Consultant Esther Groves. The session will explore the pros and cons of virtual delivery of leadership training.

“There are many appealing aspects to reshaping a face-to-face leadership course into a virtual one. Saving money on travel and materials, extending the reach of the class and ‘playing’ with new technology top the list,” said Relth regarding the session topic. “In many instances, the pros far outweigh the cons. We will provide insights for exactly when and how to ‘reshape’ existing courses for virtual delivery. As can be imagined, it takes much more than simply scheduling the online learning. The behavioral objectives need to be revised and activities and student interactions need to be carefully planned and executed.”

Since 1991, Jonena Relth has been helping clients improve their performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness. Relth brings 30 years of experience to her Fortune 500 clients and strives for exemplary customer service and transparent leadership. Esther Groves, former Vice President and Learning Manager for Bank of America, is now an independent consultant specializing in leadership, organizational effectiveness and training and development. She has a proven successful track record facilitating leadership classes in a corporate environment for the past 10+ years.

Mike Abrams, TBD Consulting VP Learning and Performance Technologies, will be part of an expert panel discussion: Breaking Boundaries in the Learning Function with Tomorrow’s Technology.

Mike Abrams has been in the Technology and Training industry for more than 18 years, holding executive positions in large Fortune 500 corporations on both training and information technology teams. He serves as a social media/business advisor and board member to several associations and non-profit organizations. As a resident of Second Life® for almost two years, Abrams explores the current happenings in virtual worlds, social media and healthcare learning.

Online registration for the conference is offered at www.astdsandiego.org/2009-your-turn-to-learn

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

As part of the Learning Innovation Campus Second Life® mission, there will be a limited number of parcels (land) available for private office or “create your own space” leasing. These parcels will be available for individual, non-profit or corporate use for groups that are focused on education, people development, coaching or exploration of learning effectiveness.

The mission of the campus is to foster and support the activities of like-minded individuals and companies who are interested in being part of a campus dedicated to people development and learning. The LIC offers three Virtual World Incubator packages which include the following:

• Choice of several office buildings 
• Choice of office furniture (couches, desks, chairs, art work)
• Teaching/Facilitation tools (interactive whiteboard, slide viewer, process mapping tools, survey/polling tools, visitor tracking, and more) 
• Voice privacy – Any voice conversations will not leave your office space
• Priority access to reserve conference center, expo center and breakout training rooms 
• Use of public spaces

To learn more about Learning Innovation Campus, Second Life®, or how TBD Consulting can drive employee improvement in your organization, contact Mike Abrams at  602-263-1961.

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

The general session is titled “Get Virtual! Evolution of Learning into Virtual Worlds” and focuses on the ability to create immersive interactive simulations and learning environments in virtual worlds. Participants will learn how virtual worlds combine their ability to create a learning environment producing real results, while also engaging their participants on a deeper level than conference calls and webinars.

The afternoon break-out session is titled “Get Virtual! Designing Learning in Virtual Worlds” and will introduce participants to the basics of designing for virtual worlds. We’ll cover design considerations such as security, environment, facilitation tools, and delivery methods that are requirements to a successful first launch of an effective class.

Online registration is offered online at http://www.astdcascadia.org/conference/2009/index.html

Mike Abrams has been in the Technology and Training industry for more than 18 years, holding executive positions in large Fortune 500 corporations on both the training and information technology teams. He serves as a social media/business advisor and board member to several associations and non-profit organizations. As a resident of Second Life® for almost two years, Mike can be found designing or networking in-world as “Milford Revnik.” Please feel free to contact “Milford” in-world and add him to your contact list. Follow Mike on twitter http://www.twitter.com/mikeabrams to keep up with current happenings in virtual worlds, social media and healthcare learning.

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

Further information is available by calling our offices at 602-263-1961.

The partnership with the healthcare system kicked off earlier this year as they were process mapping the next phase of their EMR implementation. From process mapping through training design and delivery, TBD Consulting and the client team worked side by side to create processes that will transfer to the client now that the project is complete.

“Knowledge transfer is key to the long-term success of projects like this,” said Jonena Relth, President TBD Consulting. “Our goal is always to provide the training and tools necessary to enable our clients to take over completely once our engagement is complete. We pride ourselves on not leaving them hanging.”

TBD Consulting has an 18-year, proven track record for ensuring employee performance improvement which translates to EMR usage and patient care success. Companies interested in ensuring true ROI for your EMR implementation can contact a sales representative at 602-263-1961.

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.

TBD Consulting is a pioneer in the area of Second Life™ simulcasts that facilitate innovative, virtual training programs. A recent Second Life™ simulcast with the Mt. Diablo chapter of ASTD in Pleasanton, California doubled the regular attendance numbers for their monthly speaker programs. The presentation, entitled “Get Virtual – Designing Learning in Second Life”, provides an overview of Second Life™ and explores the design considerations necessary to bring value-added learning to corporate training participants. The simulcast presentation was attended by virtual participants in TBD Consulting’s training center in Second Life™ as well as live participants in the Mt. Diablo chapter meeting room.

Chani Pangali, PhD and Co-VP Professional Development for the ASTD Mt Diablo chapter shared, “This was a remarkable evening for us, in terms of total turnout and the fact that guests and members with lapsed attendance records out-numbered regular attendees. There was all-around appreciation for the quality of the presentation and the special insights into what might be possible in training with Second Life capabilities.”

Mike Abrams, Past President of the ASTD AZ Valley of the Sun chapter in Phoenix and VP Business Development and Learning Technology for TBD Consulting, facilitated the event by creating an environment where the virtual and physical participants could listen and speak to each other as easily as if they were in the same room. All participants could ask questions and see the presentation slides and speaker. The session kicked off with networking activities that both audiences participated, in order to meet their fellow participants in their respective spaces. By enabling both audiences to interact and learn from each other, they are given a real learning experience with more engagement than a webinar and overcome the travel restrictions that exist for a fraction of the cost.

Anyone interested in learning more about Second Life™ as a highly interactive learning delivery method can join other participants online to experience the results first hand. TBD Consulting hosts a free bi-weekly, networking event in Second Life™ on Learning Innovation island (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Learning%20Innovation/27/188/24). This free event features leaders from various industries presenting on people development, coaching, leadership, and organizational development challenges. Human Resource, Training and OD professionals as well as business people are invited to attend. You may register for an upcoming session online at http://learninginnovationmeetup.eventbrite.com.

About TBD Consulting, Inc.
TBD Consulting, Inc. (TBD) is a full-service consulting firm specializing in employee performance improvement. As a national provider of services to Fortune 500 companies, TBD creates solutions to improve performance management, employee engagement and process effectiveness – tangible business impact, not just strategies. In business since 1991, TBD is positioned to service world-wide clientele either onsite or virtually. Solutions are customized to meet each client’s business needs and objectives.