2027 Board of Directors ElectionInfluence how ATD-Orange County supports your professional development needs! Share your voice in electing the next slate of ATD-OC Chapter Leaders! Voting closes Monday, November 2, 5 pm PT |
Voter Eligibility and Requirements:
- Must be an ATD-OC member in good standing who joined on or before November 2, 2026.
- Each member is allowed to submit a single ballot. (If more than one ballot is submitted by a member, the last ballot received will be counted as the official ballot.)
- You may write in candidates. Any write-in candidate(s) must meet the qualifications as stated in the bylaws to be elected.
Candidates and Statements
Listed below are the open positions and slate of candidates with their statements.
President
 Cyndi Nagel | Cyndi Nagel is a senior Human Resources and Talent Development leader with more than 20 years of experience across the automotive, retail, and manufacturing sectors. She currently serves as Senior Manager of Talent & Organizational Development at Hyundai Motor America, where she leads enterprise-wide learning, leadership, and succession initiatives supporting over 1,200 employees. Her expertise includes strategic workforce planning, leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and employee engagement. Cyndi is recognized for aligning talent strategies with business objectives and fostering inclusive, high-performing cultures. An active contributor to the learning and development community, she shares her insights through professional associations such as the Association for Talent Development (ATD). With her deep business acumen and people-first approach, Cyndi provides valuable perspective to organizations navigating growth, change, and innovation. Cyndi was the VP, Membership in 2024 & 2025 and President in 2026. |
Past President
Past-President Kim-Khue Chieffo | Kim-Khue Chieffo has been a mainstay of ATD-OC’s Talent Development team for years, starting as the Change Management SIG co-leader and progressing to VP of Talent Development in 2019 - 2021, President-Elect in 2022-2024, and President in 2025. Why did you join the ATD-Orange County Board? I wanted to give back to the community and continue our tradition of life-long learning, sharing knowledge, and supporting other professionals to grow in their personal and professional lives. What did you get out of your role? I've learned to flex my leadership skills and style while working with wonderful leaders across ATD National. Access to the resource materials developed by ATD thought leaders and opportunities to connect with leaders in the talent development field have added to my transformative growth as a leader in the for-profit and non-profit world. What is your proudest accomplishment of the past year? Resilience! I've remained resilient, continuing to serve on the Board with ever changing marketplace demands, contributing to the Chapter's success, and keeping the positive energy going. Thank you to our awesome Board and members! |
Candidates
President-Elect
 Michelle Deshotels |
Open Positions
Chief Financial Officer
James Skee | I am honored to be nominated again for Chief Financial Officer of ATD-OC. My experience in leadership, strategic planning, and financial management make me a strong fit for this role. As a current member of our Finance Committee, I’ve had a hands-on opportunity to learn about the role from our current CFO, Michele Bivens. I’ve also been able to make contributions such as enhancing our monthly financial reports. More importantly, being CFO would both give me the opportunity to continue giving back to the Chapter and our members, while also demonstrating my commitment to learning through service through new growth opportunities. As Director of Learning & Development at NexusTek, I've managed budgets, led strategic initiatives, and ensured that L&D programs are aligned with business objectives. My technical skills, particularly in Microsoft 365, Excel, and Power BI, have been key in streamlining processes and generating insights that drive decisions throughout the organization. My background in IT management and project management also equips me to handle the complexities of budgeting and financial reporting. Moreover I'm passionate about giving back to the community. I have served our Chapter as both a member of the Finance Committe and Certifications Manager. I’ve also been a mentor to first-generation college students at USC, where I received my undergraduate degree; and as a volunteer alumni interviewer of scholarship candidates at my graduate institution, UC Berkeley. I’m excited and honored for this opportunity to continue serving the Chapter. |
Vice President, Membership Jeffrey Liu |
VP of Professional Development - Total Trainer University
Kesha Thomas Clark
| As an advocate for professional development and someone looking to serve in the field of learning and development, I am excited to be a candidate for VP of Professional Development - Total Trainer University. My recent experience includes serving as the Vice President of Membership of ATD-Orange County and Vice President of Education for my Toastmasters group. Since 2024, I have been responsible for leading new member training and providing ongoing support to members. I believe this experience will aid me in onboarding new members to ATD-Orange County and highlighting membership benefits, community, and volunteer opportunities. Additionally, having worked in both corporate and nonprofit environments, I am able to connect with professionals of various backgrounds, which will assist me in building relationships throughout the membership community. I plan to leverage this skill to help increase recruitment and retention, as well as work to grow membership through targeted and personalized outreach—encouraging access and engagement in ATD resources that have been so influential and critical to my own professional development and L & D career journey. I look forward to contributing my skills and passion for L & D to the vision and success of ATD-Orange County, and hope to serve as the next VP of Professional Development - Total Trainer University to help shape the future of the organization. |
Vice President,
Talent Management
Diksha Carron |
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Open Positions
The following positions do not have a nomination.
Please contact President Cyndi Nagel at president@atdoc.org, if you are interested in being a write-in candidate.
Secretary
Open | Vice President, Marketing
Open | Vice President, Professional Development - Workshops
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VP of Programs
Open | VP of Technology
Open |
Sponsors and Partners
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