Are you a learning professional working in federal, state, or local government? Are you looking to network with like-minded peers? Join your colleagues in the Government Pavilion at the ATD 2015 International Conference & Exposition, where you can share insights and best practices with leaders in the public sector. In addition, here’s a sampling of some of the government-focused sessions at ATD 2015. 

M220 - Developing and Delivering a Virtual Conference

Bernie Iszler, Correctional Program Specialist at National Institute of Corrections 

The basic background on this topic is the development, planning, and delivery involved in National Institute of Corrections (NIC) producing a virtual conference. NIC produced their first ever conference in a completely virtual environment in June of 2013, with a second in November 2014. This presentation will focus on lessons learned by the NIC team in the production of both virtual conferences, and also explore ways to translate a face-to-face conference to a virtual platform.

**M320 - Program Evaluation at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

**Nadeeka Jayatilake, Human Resource Development Specialist at NASA Goddard

Lester Wright, Ed.D., HRDS at NASA/Goddard Space and Flight Center

A well-structured evaluation strategy can highlight a training program’s strengths, but also equip program managers with the information needed to improve their programs. The goal of the NASA's Goddard Space and Flight Center's program evaluation strategy team is to provide a holistic examination of the center's programs through data collection and analysis procedures, as well as providing recommendations for ongoing evaluations and improvements. This session will provide an overview of NASA Goddard program evaluation strategy and provide an example strategy developed for the mission critical Product Development Lead (PDL) Training Program using the Kirkpatrick Model for training and program evaluation. 

**TU1GOV - Intergenerational Strategies for Developing Emerging Training Professionals in Government

**Lee Perlis, Director at Blackboard

Fred Lang, Leadership & Human Capital Development Strategist at Golden Pines Associates, and former CLO for the Department of Commerce 

Organizations in both the public and private sector are facing skills shortages as Baby Boomers retire. The problem is most acute in sectors that attract fewer younger workers, such as the federal government, utilities, and aerospace. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 47 percent of all new job openings in the next five years will fall into this skills gap. In this session you will learn about intergenerational strategies for developing emerging training professionals in government. Discover how to leverage the learning styles and preferences of new generations entering the workforce and capture the knowledge of those leaving it. The speakers will reveal which tools and tactics are needed to cultivate a leadership presence, navigate challenges, and foster success in your workplace. 

TU220 - Developing High Performance Cultures in Government Organizations: A Diagnostic Approach

Kathy Hilyard, Founder and Managing Director at Leaderbility 

Can government organizations really be high performing? What would that look like? What would it take? How close are we now? How do we move beyond compliance-driven approaches to performance management and into a high-performance culture? These are the questions you will explore in this session. You will use performance diagnostic tools to analyze your organization's culture for performance and analyze factors that may be positively or negatively influencing a performance culture. This process can be translated into public-sector agencies to assist in creating the impetus for cultural change and developing the leadership capabilities required to lead for high performance. 

W120 - Leveraging First-Line Supervisors to Influence Change and Innovation

Victoria Person, Human Resources Development Specialist at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center 

NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center has recognized the criticality of the first-line supervisor and has invested and supported the establishment of a First-Line Supervisor Resource Group. The first-line supervisor is perhaps the most difficult and important position in managing and accomplishing the work in organizations. They play a key role in hiring the right people for the right job, cultivating employee growth and morale, and retaining good talent, which is the organization's most important resource. First-line supervisors are also critical in leading people and fostering an innovative culture in developing solutions and new ideas to ultimately accomplish mission success. Discover how to leverage first-line supervisors to influence organizational goals, promote best practices, and identify challenges that affect productivity and talent retention. You will also learn how to educate and engage first-line supervisors.

**W301 - Thinking Inside the Box

**Kathy Shurte, Manager of Performance and Training Unit at Florida Department of Transportation 

For years we've been encouraging employees to think out of the box. In government, part two of that cliche is often, "because we have to do more with less." Many government workers, while being encouraged to be innovative and more like the private sector, are still constrained by low budgets, a lack of resources, and a "that's the way we've always done it" culture. This session will explore another option: acknowledging we are in a box and figuring out how to make it work! We often have more options and resources available to us than we realize, and sometimes it just takes a small change in perspective to see them. In this session, you will tap into six strategies, called SPIGOT, to help you get the job done when getting out of the box is not an option. As each strategy is revealed, you will reflect and share in a large group to build a job aid you can take back to the office and begin using immediately.