The Learnit Lounge

Organizations today need to adapt at lightspeed, but what's the secret to lasting agility and a future-ready workforce? In this dynamic episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Geoffrey Roche, a nationally recognized healthcare leader, diversity advocate, and Senior Vice President at RisePoint. Together, they unpack the evolving role of learn...

In this transformative episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins welcomes Dr. Keith Keating—Workforce Futurist, Chief Learning Officer at BDO, and award-winning author—to uncover why organizational learning is more than a cost center. Dive deep into the thinking behind Dr. Keating’s latest book, "Hidden Value: How to Reveal the Impact of Organizational Learning," and learn...

What does the future of corporate learning look like—and how can learning & development professionals stay ahead in a world moving at lightning speed? In this energetic episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Kelsey Kelly, head of learning and employee experience at a mid-size consulting firm. Together, they explore how AI is transforming the day-to-da...

How do you design learning programs that actually move the needle—and prove their value for teams, leaders, and the whole company? In this high-impact episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins welcomes Shannon Levy, an expert in Human Resource Development with experience spanning biotech, pharma, retail, and hospitality. Shannon unpacks her innovative approach to...

What does it really take to develop leaders who don’t just check boxes—but truly transform teams and organizations? In this energizing episode, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Kellie Macpherson, Executive Vice President of Compliance and Risk Management at Radian Generation, for a candid look at building leadership programs that actually stick. From leveraging AI in compliance-heavy envir...

This episode of The Learnit Lounge dives deep into the evolving world of personal branding and career ownership with special guest Andy Storch—author, speaker, learning leader, and connector. Host Mickey Fitch-Collins welcomes Andy just a day after the launch of his latest book, “Own Your Brand, Own Your Career,” co-authored with personal branding expert Mike Kim. Together, they unpack why intenti...

In this empowering episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Rishi Donat, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Foundation Fighting Blindness, to break down why employee learning isn’t just a perk, it’s the secret weapon for business growth, engagement, and innovation. Rishi, a strategic HR leader with experience across the nonprofit, corporate, and arts sectors, share...

Star teams don’t just happen—they’re unlocked, designed, and nurtured through better group dynamics.  In this energizing episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Dr. Colin M. Fisher, Associate Professor at UCL’s School of Management and author of the brand-new book, “The Collective Edge: Unlocking the Secret Power of Groups.” Together, they challenge our obsessi...

What does it really take to build a learning ecosystem that fosters growth, breaks down silos, and sparks innovation—while actually driving measurable value? In this lively episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins welcomes Kelly Morin, a veteran learning and organizational development leader with experience spanning the military, corporate, federal government, and higher ed. Togeth...

Building a world-class learning program on a shoestring budget isn’t just possible—it can be transformative. In this dynamic episode, host Mickey Fitch-Collins, Ph. D., welcomes Carla Nesbitt-Stokes, a certified talent development professional, to the Learn It Lounge for a refreshingly practical conversation. Together, they explore actionable strategies for designing high-impact L&D initiative...

What’s the difference between a generic training program and one that actually transforms your team? In this insightful episode, host Mickey Fitch-Collins, Ph. D., welcomes learning leader Mehul Patel, fresh from a 14-year journey at Gilead Sciences, to share his playbook for building a purpose-driven, ROI-positive learning pathway. Mehul gives an inside look at why he shifted his teams beyond gen...

Unlock the secrets behind impactful early career programs in this dynamic episode of The Learnit Lounge Podcast. Host Mickey Fitch-Collins, Ph. D., chats with Jennifer Gill, the leader of Visa’s Global Early Careers and Talent Acquisition Programs, to reveal how to strategically attract, develop, and retain the next generation of talent. From building foundational teams to ensuring authentic engag...

Winning workplaces don’t just train—they listen, adapt, and spark growth at every level.  In this energizing episode, host Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD, is joined by Mary Alice Coker, Director of People and Culture at BigID. Together, they get tactical and real about how Learning & Development (L&D) teams move the needle on employee engagement and retention. Mary Alice unpacks why L&...

What happens when learning goes beyond just skills and becomes a true engine for engagement and retention? In this uplifting episode of The Learnit Lounge, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Mary McKone, Organizational Training & Development leader at The Police Credit Union, to break down the real impact learning and development (L&D) has on employee engagement, retention, and organ...

Why Do 90% of Training Programs Fail to Create Lasting Change?   Are your employees attending trainings but not applying what they’ve learned? If you’ve ever wondered why even well-designed learning programs fail to create lasting change, this conversation is for you.  In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Starlyn Jamison , a seasoned talent dev...

The Hidden Variable in Workplace Culture: How Energy Shapes Engagement, Leadership, and Results   What if the "vibe" in your workplace isn’t just a feeling—it’s a measurable force impacting employee engagement, team cohesion, and productivity? And what if your leaders could learn to shift it?  In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Lindsay Brecht...

The ROI of Curiosity: How Learning as a Daily Habit Pays Off   Are your employees learning because they have to or because it’s who they are?  If you’re in HR or L&D, you already know learning can’t just live in the LMS. But how do you build a culture where it isn’t a line item or an afterthought but a daily reflex?   In this episode of The Learnit Lounge, Mickey Fitch-Coll...

In a world eager to digitize, many organizations have leaned hard into virtual training—but what’s getting lost along the way? In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Barbara Trumbly , Senior Vice President of Operations and Events at the Surplus Line Association of California, to unpack what it really takes to create impactful, people-centered blended lear...

Are you spending your L&D budget in the right places—or just checking a box?   Whether you’re working with a lean team or juggling a fluctuating budget, every HR and L&D professional faces the same question: What should we build in-house, and what should we bring in from outside experts? In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , host Mickey Fitch-Collins chats with Randi Perry , Learnin...

What If Your Most Valuable Employee Knowledge Is About to Walk Out the Door?   For HR and learning professionals facing an aging workforce, shifting generations, and mounting pressure to future-proof their organizations, knowledge transfer isn't a nice-to-have—it's a necessity. Unfortunately, it too often gets stuck in formal SOPs or forgotten when key people leave. In this episode of The Lea...

Are your leadership programs creating better leaders or just checking boxes?    In this illuminating episode of The Learnit Lounge podcast, host Mickey Fitch-Collins sits down with Wes Anderson from Ball Horticultural  to tackle the uncomfortable truth about why many leadership development initiatives fail to deliver real results. Discover how to move beyond rigid frameworks and cre...

Are your leaders helping you retain top talent—or accidentally driving them away?  In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , HR leader Courtney Stevens and host Mickey Fitch-Collins explore how intentional leadership development fuels stronger culture, deeper engagement, and better retention. If you're an HR or L&D professional looking to boost impact without burning out your budget, this c...

Are your training programs falling flat—or worse, failing to stick? If you're struggling to decide whether to build learning programs internally or bring in a third-party partner, this episode is for you. HR and L&D professionals will walk away with a clear decision-making framework and two essential action steps to choose partners that drive real change.    In this episode of The Le...

Is Your L&D Strategy Built for Today—or Tomorrow?   Are your learning programs helping employees perform now, or are they preparing them for what's next? Too many organizations build for the business they have—and risk being outpaced by those building for the future.   In this episode of The Learnit Lounge , host Mickey Fitch-Collins and Kamaria Rutland , a global talent develop...

This is The Learnit Lounge, a podcast brought to you by Learnit. In each episode, we sit down with HR and L&D leaders to explore how learning programs have sparked real change—unlocking growth, building trust, and transforming the way their teams work. Hosted by Mickey Fitch-Collins, PhD, a leading facilitator and learning designer at Learnit, this podcast brings you the stories behind success...