2025 Board members
Past PRESIDENT - Mary Hoftiezer
Mary Hoftiezer transitioned into Instructional Design after working in public education for several years. She earned her MA in Learning Design Technology in 2022 from the University of Colorado at Denver. Mary is currently a contract Instructional Designer with Evolution Learning Design Group LLC. She enjoys working with subject matter experts and others to create engaging learning experiences.
Mary has been a member of ATD since 2019 and enjoys connecting with new members!
emailPresident - Alyssa Willet, M.ED.
Alyssa Willet is a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths® coach, Certified Professional Coach, leadership trainer, and facilitator with over a decade of experience in talent development. Alyssa trained 400 employees on the language of CliftonStrengths in 2014, sparking her passion for helping others unlock their potential.
Currently serving in a global training role at KBI Biopharma, Alyssa designs and delivers impactful manager leadership programs that drive behavior change and support personal and professional growth.
She is also the owner of Willet Coaching. As a professional coach she is known for her warm and collaborative coaching style that empowers clients to leverage their strengths and achieve meaningful results.
An ATD member since 2021, she is excited to lead the Rocky Mountain Chapter as President. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
CliftonStrengths: Communication | Discipline | Individualization | Learner | Input
President-elect - Jen Recla
As a leadership coach, trainer, and outdoor enthusiast; Jen Recla is on a mission to awaken passion, joy, and the spirit of adventure in every professional endeavor.
With over 15 years of organizational development experience in leadership, coaching, and mentoring, she specializes in creating growth experiences that inspire and equip leaders to build engaged, collaborative, and resilient teams. She leverages her top Gallup strengths of woo, maximizer, communication, futuristic, and arranger to make learning fun, bring knowledge to others, and inspire individuals to reach their full potential.
Learn more about Jen's work here and connect with her on LinkedIn.
Vice PResident of Finance - Rene’ Johnston
With over three decades of distinguished experience in the Financial Services sector, Rene Johnston is a seasoned professional currently serving as the Director of Process Engineering at TIAA. In this capacity, she leads strategic projects and champions process improvement initiatives, contributing significantly to organizational efficiency.
Prior to her tenure at TIAA, Johnston held pivotal roles at Envestnet for 15 years, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership as the Senior Vice President of Operations. Her responsibilities included overseeing portfolio administration, institutional and RIA managed accounts, process improvement, manager services, portfolio data administration, and institutional and RIA client services. Additionally, she demonstrated versatility by assuming leadership roles in Learning & Development and various Human Resources functions.
During her 14-year tenure at Fiserv, Johnston assumed various leadership positions. In her concluding role as the Director of Mutual Fund Operations, she skillfully managed custody, trading, and tax reporting for both taxable and non-taxable accounts of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), showcasing a deep understanding of financial operations.
In addition to her professional milestones, Johnston enjoys a joyful 35-year marriage with her husband, Andy. She takes great pride in being the devoted mother of two college-aged sons, David (22) and Ryan (20), who are currently pursuing their education at CU. Their household is further enriched by the lively presence of three playful and mischievous dogs—Lexi, Rosie, and Buster.
Vice President Communications - Ashley Wasserman
Ashley is a dedicated human resource professional passionate about guiding individuals in their career journeys. Known for her attention to detail, relationship-building, effective communication, and continuous learning, she creates inclusive environments where people thrive while staying true to their values.
She has contributed to global leadership development programs and facilitated initiatives across the U.S., India, and Mexico. Her expertise includes university and early career programs, recruiting, CliftonStrengths coaching, talent development, career coaching, and onboarding.
Ashley serves as VP Communications for the ATD Rocky Mountain Chapter and actively participates in Mile High Young Professionals, Toastmasters, and alumni mentoring programs.
**CliftonStrengths Top 5:** Consistency - Harmony - Developer - Responsibility - Input.
**Career Values:** Opportunity to help others, harmony, authenticity, support, continuous learning, and social interaction
Vice President of Membership - Patricia De Souza, PhD
Dr. Patricia de Souza possesses over two decades of invaluable experience in the Education Service industry, thriving as a trilingual professional. Her journey has been a testament to her unwavering commitment to leadership, creative problem-solving, and a remarkable aptitude for learning. Patricia's career has spanned diverse roles, including that of a Spanish and Portuguese professor, Director of International Education, Instructional Designer, Trainer, Learning and Development Manager, and Consultant.
Currently, she finds herself at the heart of innovation and impact as an Instructional Designer at Banyan Communications. In this dynamic role, Patricia contributes her expertise to an organization that ardently believes in the power of evidence-based, human-centered, and equity-focused communication. Their mission is to illuminate minds, spark action, inspire positive behavior, and catalyze social change. Patricia's journey is a testament to the transformative potential of education and communication, and she continues to be a driving force behind change.
Patricia holds a BA in International Studies, earned her MA in Hispanic Studies, and her PhD in Administration of Higher Education, all from Auburn University. War Eagle!
Vice President of PRogramming - Laura Dreelin
Laura Dreelin is a learning designer and facilitator with over a decade of experience in talent development and human resources. Beginning her career as an elementary educator, Laura transitioned into the corporate world, where she has led the creation and implementation of enterprise-wide learning solutions designed to drive measurable performance improvements. Whether working with children or adults, she thrives on connecting with people, understanding their unique strengths, and helping them grow toward shared personal and organizational success.
Committed to creating programs that inspire collaboration and growth, Laura is excited to connect with you at a future event.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Vice President of PRogramming - Tracy Dee Lufkin
Tracy Dee Lufkin brings over 20 years of experience in training/facilitation, change management, and project management. She has worked with Fortune 500 companies, leading initiatives that enhance user adoption, support change resistance, and foster collaboration. Tracy Dee began her career as an executive software trainer, helping professionals integrate technology into their daily work, which sparked her passion for adult education and talent development.
Currently, Tracy Dee serves as a Relationship Manager at TrainingPros, where she connects corporate clients with L&D professionals to support learning and development projects. She is also a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, leveraging her expertise to align teams, drive successful transformations, and support organizational growth.
An active member of ATD RMC, TracyDee has been a dedicated volunteer on the Conference Committee for the past year and will be chairing the 2025 statewide conference. She is passionate about curating impactful programming that empowers the local talent development community.
Based in Denver, TracyDee is an outdoor enthusiast, is active in her community and with her family, enjoying new experiences and past traditions with them before her youngest goes off to college next year.
Let's Connect on LinkedIn.
Vice President of Technology - Meg druyor m.ed. cptd
Meg Druyor made a successful transition from sales and account management to Learning and Development in 2017 and hasn't looked back since. In 2021, she earned her master’s degree in Adult Education and Training from Colorado State University (go Rams) and now works as an instructional designer. Meg is passionate about creating training events that inspire "aha moments" for staff, helping them improve their performance and achieve their career goals, while also supporting businesses in reaching their strategic objectives through effective employee training.
When not working Meg enjoys cycling, paddle boarding, swimming, and hanging with her family in Denver.
email
Vice President of Certifications - Elizabeth Bayee, CPTD
Elizabeth is an Organizational Effectiveness Manager. She has worked in various environments such as transportation, manufacturing, museums, non-profits, and now AI technology. She earned her CPTD in 2019. Being a part of the study cohort was key to her successfully practicing the Capability Model to adopt it into the work she was doing (and continues to do) in learning and development. She is excited to give back in a way to help others achieve their goal for certification. She enjoys learning about a variety of topics and encourages others to be curious. Elizabeth has been a part of three chapters, Los Angeles, San Diego, and her favorite, Rocky Mountain. She enjoys book clubs, spending time with her family, and watching her 12-year-old son expand his interests and passions. His latest is musical theater where he was Pumbaa in “The Lion King”.
2025 Directors |
Director of Volunteers - Rakhi Ihiga
Rakhi loves travel and enjoys learning about and experiencing different cultures. Her curiosity led her to live and work on 3 continents which has expanded her worldview, allowing her to bring diverse perspectives to her interactions. She particularly enjoys exploring culture through food and cooking. She's worked in the relocation industry for the last 15 years, both in operations as well as building the global learning and development function. Being part of L&D is in sync with her passion to learn and support people in their growth journey.
When not working, Rakhi loves spending time with her family doing projects, being outdoors or playing games. She wants to find ways to give back and being the Director of Volunteers fits nicely with that as well as her ability to connect people.
Current Open Leadership PositionsClick on the links to learn more about each open position
|