TrainingPros Leaders Attend
Learning Leadership 2026 in Las Vegas
November 2, 2026 –
Leigh Anne Lankford and Tracy Dee Lufkin of TrainingPros attended the Learning Guild’s Learning Leadership 2026 conference, held November 2–3 in Las Vegas. The event brought learning and development leaders together to explore the changing role of L&D, share challenges, and discuss strategies for creating greater business value.
This year’s event marked a significant change. After years in Orlando, Learning Leadership moved to Las Vegas and became part of the Learning Guild’s Learning & Performance Tech Week, taking place immediately before the DevLearn Conference & Expo.
For Lankford, President of TrainingPros, Learning Leadership is an annual tradition and one of her favorite professional development events.
“There’s something special about a conference focused entirely on leading the learning function,” said Lankford. “You’re surrounded by people who understand the challenges you face. The sessions are led by learning leaders who are doing the work, rather than vendors, and the conversations are open and practical. It’s a wonderful opportunity to step away from your daily responsibilities, learn from your peers, and spend time growing as a leader.”
Exploring the Future of Learning Leadership
Dr. Keith Keating opened and closed the conference, providing a framework for conversations about the evolving role of learning and development. TrainingPros was proud to serve as the book sponsor for the event providing a copy of Dr. Keating’s book Hidden Value to every attendee.
His opening keynote, From Learning Function to Value Engine, focused attention on how L&D can move beyond traditional training responsibilities to become a function that creates meaningful value for the business.
Keating returned for the closing keynote, Creating Value in the Future, bringing the conference full circle with a forward-looking perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing learning leaders.
Between the keynotes, attendees had an abundance of sessions to choose from, often making it difficult to decide which conversation to join. Topics included AI strategy, business alignment, the future of L&D, the changing makeup of learning teams, and positioning the learning function as a strategic business partner.
Two themes emerged throughout the conference.
The first was the importance of implementing AI with a clear business purpose. Rather than simply introducing AI tools and encouraging employees to use them, learning leaders discussed how to work with organizational leaders to identify specific needs, determine where AI could create value, and approach implementation strategically. The emphasis was less on the technology itself and more on what organizations are trying to accomplish with it.
The second was a broader question about the future of L&D. With so much changing in such a short period, learning leaders are reconsidering what their function should look like going forward. What capabilities will teams need? Where should L&D focus its efforts? And how can learning leaders position their teams to contribute strategically as the needs of the business continue to evolve?
“One of the things I appreciate most about Learning Leadership is the caliber of the conversations,” Lankford said. “These aren’t theoretical discussions. You’re hearing from people who are facing many of the same challenges you are, and you have the opportunity to learn how they’re approaching them.”
A New Format Brings Opportunities and Trade-Offs
Combining Learning Leadership and DevLearn into one week offers some clear advantages. Learning professionals who want to attend both conferences can reduce travel costs, and the shared location creates opportunities to connect leadership strategy with learning technology and implementation.
Lankford, who is staying to attend part of DevLearn following Learning Leadership, appreciates the value of both events.
However, the new arrangement also presents some challenges.
“One thing I heard from several learning leaders was that walking through a smoke-filled casino multiple times a day wasn’t their favorite part of the experience,” Lankford shared. “There was also a difficult scheduling decision. DevLearn offers some excellent, in-depth pre-conference workshops on topics such as workflow learning. This year, those workshops overlapped with Learning Leadership, so attendees had to choose between them.”
Despite those trade-offs, Lankford remains enthusiastic about the conference and its continued value to the L&D leadership community.
A Valuable Opportunity to Connect and Grow
At TrainingPros, staying connected with learning leaders and understanding the challenges they face is an important part of how the company supports the L&D profession. Events like Learning Leadership provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, hear different perspectives, and strengthen relationships with professionals who share a commitment to improving workplace learning.
“My thanks to the Learning Guild for continuing to invest in a conference dedicated to learning leadership,” Lankford said. “It’s an event I value tremendously, and I look forward to attending for many years to come.”
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