Roberta Westwood, C.H.R.P., is a learning and development consultant with more than 18 years experience in the human resources field.

As President of Westwood Dynamics Learning & Development, a Western Canadian consulting firm, Roberta helps organizations develop and implement customized learning solutions. Westwood Dynamics helps clients develop alignment between learning strategy and business strategy, create customized training programs, and design blended learning initiatives. Roberta's focus on e-learning includes strategy development and instructional design of online learning programs. Roberta is also an accomplished facilitator of strategic planning and group problem-solving meetings.

New employee orientation is one of Roberta's specialties. In addition to advising organizations and designing comprehensive programs, Roberta is fast becoming one North America's recognized leaders in the new employee orientation field. In 2002 Roberta, along with co-author Leanne Johnson, wrote "Take Orientation Online", an Info-line publication for ASTD (American Society for Training & Development). Roberta regularly conducts research on orientation practices, writes articles and regularly leads "Employee Orientation: Building Commitment That Lasts", a full-day workshop for human resources and training professionals

Prior to consulting, Roberta set up the training function for three leading, multi-unit Western Canadian companies, affording her exposure to a wide cross-section of industries in a broad range of disciplines. At White Spot Restaurants, one of Canada's most successful hospitality organizations, Roberta was the driving force behind the creation of WSYOU, the organization's corporate university where managers now receive college level credits through Canada's Open Learning Agency.

During 2001-2002 Roberta was a member of the faculty of the Walden Institute (an affiliate of the Walden University). A past graduate of Walden's "Certified Online Instructor" Program, Roberta instructed the 12-week intensive course which was delivered entirely online to students throughout North America and internationally. Roberta was also Program Consultant for COI, responsible for the program's instructional design and faculty development.

With technology changing the face of corporate learning and development, Roberta actively researches, writes and speaks on e-learning, demystifying this emerging field for HR professionals. Roberta also speaks extensively on new employee orientation and online orientation.

Among Roberta's past public workshops and speaking engagements are "e-Learning Week at UBC" (University of British Columbia), "Best Practices in e-Learning"; for the BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA), and a presentation on White Spot's corporate university at the Global Corporate University Week in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information, please see Learn With Roberta - Past Speaking.

Roberta is an accomplished author and has published more than 20 articles in the training and human resources fields. In 2002, Roberta commenced writing a new column - The E-Line - for PeopleTalk magazine, the professional publication of the BC HRMA. Roberta's book, "The Best Fit, The Best Results: Successfully Hiring Human Resources Consultants," was published in 2000.

Roberta is a member of the American Society for Training & Development (ASTD), the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), Vancouver Chapter, and the BC Human Resources Management Association (BC HRMA).

An active volunteer, Roberta is currently Vice President Communications and Co-President of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), Vancouver Chapter.

Roberta served as a member of the Board of Directors of the BC HRMA from 1998-2000 where, as Director, Communications, she was responsible for the association's highly acclaimed magazine, PeopleTalk. She continues her work with BC HRMA as the founder and facilitator of the new online virtual community for the association's Training & Development Roundtable.

Roberta is working towards a Certificate in Conflict Resolution from the Justice Institute of BC. She received a Management Certificate, Human Resource Systems from the BC Institute of Technology.

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