Meet our September Member of the Month: Debbie Petru

Tell us about your experience in the Talent Development space including places you've worked, roles you've held, and organizations you're a part of. 

I’ve been in the Talent Development and learning space for more than 10 years, although my broader career in communication, leadership, education, and people development spans more than 25 years. My career path has been anything but linear—I’ve worked across insurance, early childhood education, transportation/railroad, e-commerce, and senior living. That variety has shaped how I approach Talent Development because I’ve learned that people development is rarely just about training; it’s about understanding the business, building relationships, communicating well, and helping people see what is possible for themselves.

I currently serve as Director of Talent Development with Heritage Communities, where I lead learning strategy and partner with leaders to develop managers, strengthen onboarding, close skill gaps, and create opportunities for frontline employees to grow. I’ve designed and facilitated instructor-led and virtual learning experiences, leadership programs, performance management training, onboarding solutions, and career development initiatives.

Earlier in my career, I served as Training Delivery Manager and Learning & Development Associate with Union Pacific Railroad, where I managed learning programs, facilitated performance management and leadership-related training, and supported organization-wide development initiatives.

Looking ahead, I’m especially interested in the intersection of Talent Development, Organizational Development, leadership, culture, and career growth. I want to continue helping organizations build cultures where people can learn, contribute, advance, and bring their whole selves to work—and helping individuals, particularly women and those who may not always feel represented, find the confidence to use their voice and pursue their potential. That is really the heart of what I’m building through REL8.

What are some of your interests, strengths, and unique qualities that would help others get to know you better?

I’m naturally a connector. I love connecting people, ideas, experiences, and resources in ways that help someone see a possibility they may not have seen before. I’m curious about people and genuinely interested in discovering what makes them unique and what helps them thrive.

Some of my greatest strengths are communication, relationship-building, facilitation, coaching, creativity, and finding practical ways to turn ideas into action. I’m also someone who tends to see the person behind the role. My experience across five very different industries has taught me to listen first, ask questions, and understand the bigger picture before jumping to a solution. My website describes me as a learning leader, relationship builder, community partner, and DEI advocate, which feels very true to how I approach both work and life.

And then there are the things that make me me: I’m a wife and mom, a follower of Christ, a writer and speaker, a licensed cosmetologist, a youth minister, a pianist/organist, a Girl Scout volunteer, and someone who enjoys family time, the outdoors, movies, reading, and serving my community.

I think one of my most unique qualities is that I can move comfortably between very different worlds—corporate environments, frontline operations, leadership development, creative work, community service, and personal development. I’ve learned that all of those experiences have something to teach us about people.

What "work related" accomplishment(s) are you the most proud of?

One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is the Career Advancement Program (CAP) I helped lead at Heritage Communities. It was designed as a year-long apprenticeship opportunity for frontline caregivers who wanted to learn while they earned and advance their careers. The program initially received more than $120,000 through a Department of Labor grant and ultimately became an internally funded program because of its success. It contributed to a 20% reduction in nursing turnover at the time, increased internal promotions, strengthened the orientation experience, and resulted in national recognition for three outstanding apprentices.

I’m also incredibly proud of the manager development program I designed and continue to co-facilitate called Manager Essentials. It is a cohort-based virtual program that has graduated approximately 160 managers, with a 75% retention rate among graduates. I was recognized by Training Magazine as an Emerging Training Leader in 2024 as a result of that initiative.

But if I had to identify what makes me most proud, it isn't necessarily a particular number. It is seeing someone who started out unsure of themselves become more confident, take on a new responsibility, earn a promotion, or realize that they are capable of more than they thought. Those moments are why I do Talent Development.

Favorite quote

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other." - John F. Kennedy each other." - JFK

Are there specific people in the Talent Development space you follow and why?  

There are several thought leaders whose work has influenced the way I think about Talent Development and leadership. Liz Wiseman is one of my favorites because of her work on Multipliers and the idea that great leaders can amplify the intelligence and capability of the people around them. That philosophy strongly aligns with how I think about leadership development.

Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni have influenced how I think about career development through Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go. I appreciate their emphasis on making career conversations an ongoing part of leadership rather than something that only happens during an annual review.

Kim Scott is another author whose work on Radical Candor resonates with me because effective development requires both care for people and the courage to have honest conversations. Specifically, I echo her sentiments around having regular career conversations with your team members as it is an integral tool to growth management.

I also appreciate Brené Brown's work around courage, vulnerability, belonging, and leadership, and Scott Miller's work around managers and leadership.

And personally, Donna Zajonc has had an influence on how I think about purpose and personal growth. One of the questions I return to often is: “Who do you want to be on the way to what you want?” That question is very aligned with the philosophy behind REL8.

Those authors are also reflected in the books I regularly recommend to others, including Multipliers, Radical Candor, Dare to Lead, and Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go.

Do you have a lesson you've learned in your career you'd like to share with others?

Don't wait for someone else to validate your potential before you begin using it.

My career has been a journey of self-discovery, trial and error, unexpected opportunities, and plenty of detours. I've learned that a career doesn't have to follow a perfectly planned path to become meaningful. Sometimes the experiences that seem unrelated at the time become the very experiences that make you uniquely qualified for what comes next.

I've also learned that your voice matters—even when you don't feel like the most qualified, most experienced, or most represented person in the room. Learn to advocate for yourself, but also use your voice to advocate for people who aren't in the room.

And perhaps most importantly, don't confuse a lack of external validation with a lack of value. Keep learning. Keep showing up. Find people who will challenge you, encourage you, and tell you the truth. Fail forward.

That philosophy is really at the heart of REL8: finding your authentic voice, recognizing your strengths, and learning to pursue your purpose without waiting for someone else to give you permission.

Do you have any favorite books or resources that you think others would find helpful?

I have a long list, depending on what someone is trying to develop! For organizational development, I recommend:

• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team — Patrick Lencioni 
• Multipliers — Liz Wiseman 
• Measure What Matters — John Doerr 
• Leading Change — John Kotter 

For Learning & Development professionals:

• Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Training Evaluation — James and Wendy Kirkpatrick 
• The Modern Learning Ecosystem — JD Dillon 
• AGILE for Instructional Designers — Megan Torrance 

For leadership development:

• Everyone Deserves a Great Manager — Scott Miller 
• Radical Candor — Kim Scott 
• Dare to Lead — Brené Brown 
• Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go — Beverly Kaye and Julie Winkle Giulioni 

And for personal development, I especially appreciate The Power of TED and Three Vital Questions by David Emerald, along with Who Do You Want to Be on the Way to What You Want? by Donna Zajonc.

If I had to give someone just three books to start with, I'd probably choose Multipliers, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go, and Radical Candor because together they address three things I believe are critical to Talent Development: how we lead people, how we grow people, and how we have meaningful conversations with people.

LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiepetru

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