Podcast Summary – How Learning and Development Consultants Thrive When Matched to the Right Projects with Kelley Kalbas of TrainingPros
From Instructional Design to Learning and Development Staffing
When you meet Kelley Kalbas, you immediately sense her warmth and genuine care for people; qualities that have made her one of TrainingPros’ most successful and longest-serving Relationship Managers. With over 18 years at the company, Kelley has seen firsthand how the right mix of empathy, expertise, and commitment can transform not only projects, but define exceptional learning and development staffing.
Her path into corporate training and learning and development (L&D) began long before she joined TrainingPros. Armed with a master’s degree in Instructional Design from Florida State University, Kelley started her career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), where she worked in change management and honed her consulting skills. From there, she moved to IBM Global Services, managing client projects focused on instructional design and learning strategy.
After years of working as an external consultant, Kelley decided to take her expertise in-house as Director of Sales Training for Cingular Wireless (now AT&T), where she led large-scale corporate training initiatives. The shift gave her a new perspective on learning; one grounded in the internal pressures of business acumen and stakeholder management. When she later joined TrainingPros, it felt like the perfect intersection of her passions: helping clients succeed through great talent, while supporting learning and development consultants in work they love.
I love it. I feel so fortunate because I think it's a perfect blend of what I do well, which is understanding projects and understanding talent.
Finding Joy in the Matchmaking
Kelley describes her role at TrainingPros as deeply rewarding because it connects two worlds she understands: client needs and L&D consultant strengths. “I learn and understand from my clients what kind of pressure they’re under, what is going to make this project work, and what the right skill sets are,” she explains. “And then I go get them the best people, and it makes me super happy.”
That empathy extends beyond simply learning and development staffing. Kelley spends time understanding what success means for each client and consultant, then makes sure everyone feels supported once a project begins. “I’m a cheerleader behind the scenes,” she says. “I do the checking in … staying out of the way, ‘cause once you find great people, they don’t need you to help them much.”
Balancing Work and Family: The Flexibility Advantage
Like many TrainingPros Relationship Managers, Kelley discovered the role’s flexibility at just the right time in her life. After years in corporate environments and raising small children, she found that TrainingPros offered something rare; meaningful, high-impact work that also honored family priorities.
The ability to manage her schedule, be there for her kids, and still contribute to clients’ success was a game-changer. That balance, she believes, is one reason TrainingPros attracts and retains such exceptional talent; both on the Relationship Management team and across its learning and development consultant network.
What Makes a Learning and Development Consultant Exceptional
After nearly two decades of supporting hundreds of L&D consultants, Kelley has a clear perspective on what separates the good from the great.
It’s the spirit of initiative that defines success. “Anytime someone sees something that needs to be done and they just do it … those people do the best,” she notes. Order-takers, as she calls them, rarely thrive. “The order takers … they don’t do as well.”
For Kelley’s clients, the best consultants share three common traits:
1. Proactive problem-solving. They don’t just complete tasks; they anticipate needs and offer solutions before being asked.
Example: One consultant recently created an onboarding guide for a client at no charge, simply because she saw the need.
2. Curiosity and feedback-seeking. They regularly check in with clients, asking how things are going and what could be improved.
3. Professionalism and follow-through. Being responsive, showing gratitude, and doing what you say you’ll do never go out of style.
Creating a Sense of Belonging
Independent learning and development consultants experience many perks and pitfalls, often saying the hardest part of project work is feeling isolated. Kelley understands that and works to make every consultant feel part of a larger team. “I have long relationships with some of these people now,” she says. “We go to lunch together. Sometimes I’ve gone to dinner with them … When they go through a hard project and they know I’m behind the scenes … they know you’re in it with them and that you care because I do care. And I think that makes a difference to them.”
That personal touch has earned her consistent praise from L&D consultants who describe her as a steady advocate and trusted Relationship Manager. Leigh Anne notes during the conversation, “We get a lot of feedback from your consultants. They say, ‘Kelley’s the best. She’s really helped my career.’” Kelley smiles at that reflection and adds simply, “I like keeping them busy … I want to keep them busy, so they stay […] with me.”
From Vendor to Partner: Building Lasting Client Relationships
When asked what clients value most about working with her, Kelley points to something fundamental. “I think it always goes back to this ‘I care’ thing,” she says. “They know I deeply care about their projects. All of the projects don’t go well, but I take the time to sit with them and understand and learn from what I could have done better … I take time to understand their business, what is important to them.”
Her approach goes far beyond transactional staffing. She invests in understanding each client’s business, their pressures, and their goals; often identifying opportunities they didn’t realize existed within their corporate training initiatives. This proactive mindset has led many clients to bring her along when they change companies, a testament to her impact.
I am at the table with them [clients]. I'm worried for them. I am on top of it for them. I'm quick and I'm responsive and I think that's why they like working [...] with me.
Learning from Mentors and Peers
Throughout her career, Kelley has been surrounded by mentors who modeled leadership through empathy and excellence. She credits her success partly to observing leaders who empowered others, gave honest feedback, and led by example.
Today, she continues to learn from her peers within TrainingPros. The collaborative nature of the Relationship Management team allows each member to share strategies, celebrate wins, and problem-solve together; ensuring that clients receive consistent, high-quality service regardless of who they work with.
Recommended Reading: Keith Keating’s Hidden Value
When the conversation turns to professional inspiration, Kelley immediately mentions Keith Keating, whose books and talks focus on elevating learning strategy. “He just has such practical, good advice about not being an order taker,” she says. “And right now I’m reading Hidden Value, and I would recommend that book to any learning leader.”
Leigh Anne shares that she read an advance copy before interviewing Keating for a previous episode: “I literally wrote to him and said, ‘Where was this book when I was a learning leader?’ It could have saved me so much effort.”
Her Legacy at TrainingPros
As the longest-serving Relationship Manager at TrainingPros, Kelley’s legacy is defined by her consistency, care, and client loyalty. She’s helped hundreds of learning and development consultants find fulfilling projects and supported dozens of corporate learning teams in delivering impactful training.
5 Tips for a Knockout Consultant Resumé
Kelley Kalbas embodies what makes TrainingPros special; a deep belief that relationships, not transactions, drive results. Her story illustrates how meaningful connection, empathy, and excellence can elevate the entire L&D ecosystem. From her early work delivering corporate training and in instructional design services to her long tenure building bridges between clients and consultants, Kelley’s journey is a masterclass in purpose-driven partnership.
Ready to Work with Us?
Does your L&D team have more projects than people? TrainingPros has been named a Top 20 Staffing Company internationally by Training Industry, and recognized as a Smartchoice® Preferred Provider by Brandon Hall Group for 2025. We’re also proud to be named a Champion of Learning by the Association for Talent Development (ATD)—an international honor that reflects our dedication to excellence in corporate learning. These accolades underscore TrainingPros’ unwavering commitment to delivering high-quality, tailored training solutions.
If your projects need instructional design consultants, eLearning developers, or other L&D consultants for your custom content projects, reach out to one of our industry-expert relationship managers today.
When you have more projects than people™, let TrainingPros find the right consultant to start your project with confidence. Schedule a consultation today.
