Professional Development Consortium (PDC)

PDC Members, be sure to check your email and read the August PDC update from Board Chair Joshua Troy! You'll hear about the next big initiative that the PDC is taking on, and see some important dates you'll want to save for our next conference and meet-up opportunities.

PDC members, join us next week to talk AI-powered deposition training on our next Hot Topics call! These opportunities to share information and discuss innovations in the PD industry is what the PDC is all about. Register at https://lnkd.in/gwCjNbKC.

Did your 2026 goal of building your professional network and becoming more involved in the industry fall to the bottom of your to-do list? Don't worry, there is still time! PDC members have a fantastic opportunity to deepen connections in our community by joining a PDC Committee. You can see the variety of groups we have through the link below. If now is the time to add "volunteer with the PDC" to your list of 2026 accomplishments, just reach out to info@pdclegal.org for more information. https://lnkd.in/gcyU4SyM

One of the highlights of the PDC conference is catching up with friends and meeting new ones. Here's a sneak peek of a few pictures from last month. Tag someone in the comments who you loved catching up with in Atlanta!

Storytelling has an impact. What we heard at the PDC Talks at the Summer Conference last month made a lasting impression. Three speakers - Paula Edgar, Esq. , Sang Lee, JD, PCC, and Lauren Shear -took the stage to share their stories. They covered remarkably different ground: sports, entrepreneurship, and personal loss. On paper, the three talks shared very little. One traced the line between the rigorous training model in sports and professional performance. One followed a path from risk-averse to risk-fluent. One walked through one of the hardest days of her life and asked what it built. By the end, though, all three had quietly answered the same question: where does the capacity to lead actually come from? From everything that happened before it; the behind-the-scenes work nobody saw, the values tested long before there was an audience. Leadership isn't conferred by position. It's revealed by conduct, most clearly in the moments no one would choose to be tested in. Professional Development Consortium (PDC) has spent over three decades building the foundation that makes that preparation possible - the conferences, webinars, certificate programs, and the committees working behind the scenes - so the readiness is already there when a member needs it.

Planning for fall? Is it time to take a fresh look at those presentation decks? Want a design that helps keep people engaged and makes the material stand out? Tired of AI generated slides that seem to look similar? In this PDC Webinar - "How to Create Beautiful Slide Decks with No Design Skills" - Jon Krop shares strategies for improving slide design, using storytelling and visual impact to keep audiences engaged, and thoughtfully incorporating AI tools into the slide creation process. Watch to learn practical techniques to make presentations more polished, professional, and memorable. https://lnkd.in/g8SEi38q 💡 Looking for other great ideas, there are many webinars available to PDC members on the PDC Connect website.

The PDC Summer Conference was a fantastic opportunity for learning, growth, and development. It was inspiring to connect with colleagues, share insights, and explore new ideas together. The Summer Conference also gives the PDC community a chance to recognize the people that make the PDC amazing. The Richard Pearson Award “…is given annually to a PDC member who has demonstrated the qualities Richard brought to the PDC: an innovative spirit, a demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring, and a passionate, life-long love of learning.” We are thrilled to honor Johnna Story with the Richard Pearson Award! New this year we also acknowledged an early career individual with the Rising Star Award. This award celebrates an emerging PD professional who has shown exceptional promise, initiative, and early-career contributions that signal real leadership ahead. Congratulations to Alana Monson, MBA!

The PDC Summer Conference came to a close with the Closing Plenary: Strategic Roundtables: What's Working, What's Breaking, What's Next presented by Michael Bloom. We thank our 2026 Co-Chairs Christine Marcozzi and Kathryn Marquez! And welcome our 2027 Co-Chairs Melissa Duncan, J.D. and Kristopher Moore. See you in Boston July 15-17, 2027!!

The PDC is always thankful for the thoughts, contributions, and efforts from our Trusted Advisors. While the Trusted Advisors are always willing to connect with members the PDC Summer Conference is a great time to connect with the TAs in person. These connections are the start of the Deep Roots, New Growth available as part of the PDC! Thank you to our Trusted Advisors! Sandra Bang, Whittney Beard, JD, MCC, Michael Bloom, Rachael Bosch, Kendra Brodin, Paula Edgar, Esq., Carrie Fletcher, Ann Gomez, Ian Nelson, Julie Caron Remer, and Jessie Spressart And our Trusted Advisor Alumni! Jacqueline Cranford, Paula Davis, David H. Freeman, J.D., Steve Gluckman, Ross Guberman, Kiko Korn, Tracy LaLonde, Marty Latz, Audrey Lee, Tim Leishman, Dr. Larry Richard, and Scott Westfahl Learn about each of our Trusted Advisors here. https://lnkd.in/dsVNreFn

Thank you to our 2026 Visionary Corporate Sponsors of the PDC Summer Conference Please visit their exhibitor tables BARBRI is represented by Co-CEO Lucie Allen, Katie Saylor, Steven Fine, Julie Horman-Weinkauf, Christian Lang, Liz Lilleboe, Jim Lonero Practising Law Institute (PLI) is represented by Sarah Gilchrist, Sylvia Saad, Hayley A. Halvorson, Esq., Adrián Palma, Daniella Raposo