20 L&D Leaders Shaping Learning in Boston in 2026

Boston has one of the richest learning and development communities in the United States. Hospitals, universities, law firms, business groups and nonprofits all need people who can build capability and help others do their best work.

This list brings together 20 people working across Greater Boston's learning, talent, workforce and organisational development landscape. It includes leaders inside large institutions as well as people who strengthen the wider professional community.

The list is a starting point, not a ranking. Roles change, organisations evolve and many excellent practitioners work quietly behind the scenes.

Healthcare and hospital systems.

1. Jim Gordon.

Director of the Learning Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital.

Jim Gordon leads the Learning Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital, bringing simulation, teaching and practical capability building into one of Boston's most complex health settings.

2. Koren Phillips.

Executive Director of Teaching and Education, Massachusetts General Hospital.

Koren Phillips is the Executive Director of Teaching and Education at Massachusetts General Hospital. Her work sits close to the everyday challenge of helping clinicians and staff learn well in a demanding academic medical centre.

3. Candace Burns.

Learning and development leader, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Candace Burns works in learning and development at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Cancer care depends on people being able to learn, practise and improve together, which makes this a high-consequence L&D environment.

4. Joanne Pokaski.

AVP, Workforce Planning and Development, Beth Israel Lahey Health.

Joanne Pokaski leads workforce planning and development at Beth Israel Lahey Health. Her remit connects learning with job development and the wider workforce system across a large health network.

5. Karen Reukauf.

Learning and development leader, Tufts Medicine.

Karen Reukauf is part of the learning and development community at Tufts Medicine. Her work reflects the practical side of capability building across a health system with different professions, sites and patient needs.

6. Kati Shields.

Learning and development leader, Tufts Medicine.

Kati Shields also works in learning and development at Tufts Medicine. Together, roles like hers help turn organisational priorities into learning that people can use in the flow of work.

7. Bernie O’Kane.

Learning and development leader, Boston College.

Bernie O’Kane brings learning and development experience into the Boston College community. University L&D has to serve professional staff, academic teams and a mission-driven institution at the same time.

8. Mumtaz Badshah Brown.

Assistant Vice President, Talent Development, Boston University.

Mumtaz Badshah Brown is Assistant Vice President of Talent Development at Boston University. Her role sits at the intersection of talent, leadership and the systems that help a large university keep developing its people.

9. Sharon Bridburg.

Learning and development leader, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Sharon Bridburg works in learning and development at MIT. In a research-intensive organisation, the work calls for learning that respects specialist expertise while still helping people collaborate and lead.

10. Caitlin Vaughn.

Learning and development leader, Goodwin.

Caitlin Vaughn works in learning and development at Goodwin. Professional services L&D is often about helping talented people grow their judgement, relationships and ability to lead through complexity.

11. Amy Ross.

Chief Legal Talent Officer, Ropes & Gray.

Amy B. Ross is Chief Legal Talent Officer at Ropes & Gray in Boston. Her work includes talent management and career development, with a clear focus on helping lawyers build careers and capability in a global firm.

12. Elaine Bortman.

Chief of Legal Recruiting and Talent Development, Choate Hall & Stewart.

Elaine Bortman leads legal recruiting and talent development at Choate Hall & Stewart. That combination brings the full talent journey into view, from attracting people to helping them grow and contribute.

13. Cindy Lewiton Jackson.

Learning and development leader, Foley Hoag.

Cindy Lewiton Jackson works in learning and development at Foley Hoag. Her work sits within the people systems of a Boston law firm, where professional growth and strong client service need to reinforce each other.

14. Erin Wederbrook Yuskaitis.

Workforce and learning leader, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Erin Wederbrook Yuskaitis works across the Greater Boston business community. Her focus brings workforce development and the practical needs of employers into the same conversation.

15. Michael Holland.

Workforce development leader, Greater Boston Chamber Foundation.

Michael Holland leads workforce development work at the Greater Boston Chamber Foundation. His work is a useful reminder that L&D is not only an internal function, it also shapes how regions build opportunity and talent.

16. Brian Miller.

Learning and development leader, Bridge Over Troubled Waters.

Brian Miller works at Bridge Over Troubled Waters, where learning and development supports a community-focused service mission. The setting highlights how capability building can be closely tied to dignity, trust and practical support.

17. Eldon Strickland.

Learning and development leader, Greater Boston learning community.

Eldon Strickland is part of Greater Boston's learning and development community. His inclusion reflects the breadth of practitioners who work across organisational learning, leadership and talent in the region.

18. Lauren Moylan.

Learning and development leader, Greater Boston learning community.

Lauren Moylan is part of Greater Boston's learning and development community. Her work represents the practical, people-centred side of helping organisations turn good intentions into better capability.

19. Mariah Bradbury.

Learning and development leader, Greater Boston learning community.

Mariah Bradbury works in Greater Boston's learning and development community. She is one of the practitioners helping organisations make learning more useful, connected and ready for real work.

20. Seira Shalton.

Learning and development leader, ATD Greater Boston.

Seira Shalton contributes to the ATD Greater Boston community. Professional networks like this help practitioners share ideas, build relationships and keep the craft of L&D moving forward.

Universities and education.

Boston's universities bring another layer of depth to the region's learning community. Their L&D teams support research, teaching, professional services and the leadership habits that let complex institutions work well.

Professional services and business.

Law firms and business organisations show how closely learning is tied to professional judgement, career development and the future of work. The people in these roles help make growth practical rather than abstract.

Community and workforce development.

Learning also happens through workforce organisations and community services. In these settings, capability building is often connected directly to access, dignity, opportunity and better outcomes.

Beyond this list.

If you are comparing leadership development programs in Boston, look for a clear link between the stated programme and the behaviour or capability you want to change.

You can learn more about Jonno's practical leadership work on the About Jonno page.

About the author.

Jonno White helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at. His work is practical rather than motivational, with a focus on what people can use on Monday morning.