“What did we actually get from this program?” Sooner or later, every learning leader hears that question, often with little warning and with only attendance and satisfaction scores on hand. In this session, you’ll learn how to defend a program in a pinch: what evidence you can still gather after the fact, where to find behavior and results data you may already have, and how to tell a credible story leaders will trust.

Then we’ll look ahead. Using the Kirkpatrick Four Levels® of Training Evaluation, you’ll see how to design your 2027 programs so the evidence builds itself all year, starting with the results that matter most and working backward. So when 2028 budget conversations begin, you’ll walk in prepared instead of scrambling.

Vanessa Milara Alzate is the Owner and CEO of Kirkpatrick Partners and Founder of Anchored Training. With over 15 years of experience, she has helped organizations develop employee development strategies that drive performance and improve culture. As the steward of the Kirkpatrick Model, she champions evaluation as the foundation for success. Passionate about empowerment and belonging, she spends her free time cheering on her two daughters and encouraging them to dream big.