ATD Recognizes Exceptional Achievements in Talent Development

(Alexandria, VA), May 21, 2025—During its 2025 International Conference & Exposition in Washington, DC, the Association for Talent Development (ATD) recognized organizations and individuals for their excellence and contributions across the talent development field. Adam Grant and Whitney Johnson were recognized for their contributions to the industry.

“These winners’ accomplishments advance knowledge in the talent development profession and contribute to increasing workforce capability and organizational competitiveness,” said ATD President and CEO Tony Bingham. “ATD award winners reflect a deep commitment to the value of developing people in the workplace. Winning organizations demonstrate how aligning talent development (TD) to business needs can increase the performance and success of organizations worldwide.”

Individual honorees in the Advancing Talent Development category included:

Talent Development Outstanding Professional Award:

Myra Roldan, UnDesto AI (external practitioner)

Tim Wu, Chailease Finance Co., Ltd (internal practitioner)

Dissertation Award: Amber Barger, Columbia University Teachers College

Talent Development One to Watch Award: Stephen Scheib, Merck & Co.

Talent Development Champion Award: Adam Grant

Talent Development Thought Leader Award: Whitney Johnson

The Outstanding Professional Award was presented to both an external and an internal practitioner of talent development.

The Champion Award is presented to an individual outside of the talent development profession whose commitment, advocacy, and actions in support of talent development have influenced audiences, organizations, or society. This year’s recipient is Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and Wharton professor.

The Thought Leader Award recognizes individuals’ exceptional contributions to talent development. The winner of this award has contributed significant thought leadership to the profession. ATD presented this year’s award to Whitney Johnson, an award-winning author and frequent article contributor to the Harvard Business Review and MIT Sloan Management Review.

SprintRay was honored with the Talent Development for Good Award, which recognizes organizations that leverage talent development to make significant contributions to improve the lives of others, change an industry or community for the better, or powerfully serve society.

Saudi Aramco received the ATD Certification Institute Champion Award.

The 2025 Excellence in Practice (EIP) Award winners are recognized for results achieved using practices and solutions from across the scope of talent development. Awards were presented to 39 companies for a total of 49 winning practices.

Practice categories include career development, change management, coaching and mentoring, customer service training, diversity and inclusion, integrated talent management, leadership/management development, learning and development, learning technologies, managing the learning function, onboarding, performance improvement/performance consulting, and sales enablement.

Organizations that received an Excellence in Practice Award include:

AdventHealth

AIA Group

ARS Rescue Rooter

Burberry

China Telecom (x2)

CIMC Container (Group) Co., Ltd.

Cognizant (x6)

Compass Group

DataArt

Datavant

Discovery

Engro Polymer and Chemicals limited

Equinix

EY LLP

GF Securities (x2)

Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group

KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP

LifeNet Health

MediaTek

Moxa.Inc

North

Novartis

PETRONAS Leadership Centre

Reliance Retail Ltd (x2)

Salesforce

Samaritan Health Services

Siemens China

Sinopec Management Institute

SolarEdge

SprintRay

Sungrow Business Institute

Thai Oil Public Company Limited

T-Mobile

Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (x3)

Universal Beijing Resort

Versant Health

ZoomInfo

ZTE Corporation

Additional information can be found at td.org/eip.

About ATD

ATD is the world’s largest professional membership organization supporting those who develop the knowledge and skills of employees, improve performance, and help to achieve results for the organizations they serve. Established in 1943, the association was previously known as the American Society for Training & Development.

ATD’s members come from more than 100 countries and work in public and private organizations in every industry sector. ATD supports talent development professionals who gather locally in volunteer-led US chapters and international member networks and with international strategic partners.

For more information, visit td.org.

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