Steven Villarreal

Training & Adoption  |  Cross-Regional Program Rollout & Learner Engagement  |  AI Learning Priorities

San Antonio, TX (210) 363-9950 steven.villarreal@learningatoms.com linkedin.com/in/sgvillarreal

Professional Summary

Learning and development professional with 13+ years turning global training strategy into adoption on the ground across cross-regional, virtual organizations. Served as the connective link between global program teams and regional stakeholders at Vistaprint, launching and socializing training products across North America and EMEA and lifting uptake where it lagged. Operates from data and creativity in equal measure — tracks attendance, completion, and engagement, identifies where adoption is weak, and builds targeted tactics to fix it. Leads change management and internal communications that make new ways of working stick, most recently driving adoption of AI capabilities including Microsoft Copilot and AI coaching platforms across distributed teams. Runs a professional services consulting practice, working directly with senior stakeholders and translating evolving business priorities into training content with subject-matter experts. Genuine enthusiasm for coaching and upskilling others, including six years as an adjunct professor. Comfortable with ambiguity, fast-paced virtual work, and experimenting with new learning technology. Certified ScrumMaster; M.A. in Communications and Instructional Technology; Brandon Hall Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award recipient.

Areas of Expertise

Training Launch, Socialization & AdoptionCross-Regional Program RolloutLearner Engagement TacticsAttendance Tracking & Training DashboardsUptake Analysis & Targeted InterventionClassroom Scheduling & Trainer SourcingChange Management & Internal CommunicationsAI & Learning Technology AdoptionOnboarding Content Development & MaintenanceSME Collaboration & Content CurrencyTraining Page & Knowledge Base ManagementFeedback Collection & SynthesisStakeholder Communication to Senior AudiencesVirtual & Classroom Delivery (Zoom, Teams, e-learning)Professional Services EnvironmentData-to-Insight AnalysisFacilitation & CoachingProgram Management (Certified ScrumMaster)

Professional Experience

Founder & Principal Consultant — Learning Atoms

2020 – Present
  • Lead B2B business development for the practice, designing and taking to market fractional consulting packages across L&D specializations — LMS administration as a managed service, compliance training oversight, onboarding program build, and learning operations — positioned as senior expertise at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
  • Deliver fractional LMS administration for client organizations: compliance tracking and audit-ready reporting on client cadence, new-hire curriculum assignment, user, group and permission management, course setup, learning path build, content uploads, automated reminders and escalations, data hygiene, and integration health — platform-agnostic across Cornerstone, Docebo, 360Learning, SAP SuccessFactors, HealthStream, and Saba.
  • Run client engagements through a structured discovery and audit, setup and standards, and ongoing management model, surfacing trends and recommending fixes rather than maintaining the status quo.
  • Run a professional services consulting practice advising clients on training strategy, adoption, content governance, and learning technology, working directly with senior stakeholders and executive sponsors.
  • Draft training content implementing current business priorities, partnering with client subject-matter experts to capture specialized knowledge and keep materials accurate.
  • Experiment continuously with AI and emerging learning tools, applying them to content development, video production, and program delivery.

Global Manager, Learning & Development and Sales Enablement — Vistaprint (Cimpress)

2022 – 2024
  • Served as the link between global program strategy and regional teams across North America and EMEA, launching and socializing new training products with regional offices and acting as the front-line point of contact for training questions.
  • Owned learner engagement across a cross-regional, multi-language community — tracking attendance and completion, identifying where uptake lagged, and building targeted tactics to lift participation in weaker regions.
  • Mobilized core curriculum training against regional and global rollout schedules, sourcing and coordinating facilitators and collating feedback to feed back into program design.
  • Represented the training function on regional calls and leadership updates, communicating program status, engagement data, and recommendations to senior audiences.
  • Owned the training knowledge base in Confluence — taxonomy, content currency, and governance — so regional teams knew what was available and why it mattered.
  • Partnered with Product and Marketing to keep onboarding and curriculum content current as business priorities evolved.

Manager, Learning Technology and Enablement — Lawson Products / Kent Automotive

2024 – July 2026
  • Lead change management, internal communications, and training strategy for the rollout of AI and technology priorities, including Microsoft Copilot, AI roleplay, and AI coaching platforms, across distributed sites and functions.
  • Test, evaluate, and pilot new learning products and technologies, building the case for adoption and acting as the internal advocate that drives uptake.
  • Provide monthly participation, completion, and effectiveness data through KPI dashboards, translating the numbers into recommendations and program adjustments for leadership.
  • Maintain the enablement site and content library as the current, authoritative source for training resources, designing the SharePoint information architecture that houses it.
  • Liaise with subject-matter experts to update onboarding and curriculum content as business priorities shift.

Head of Learning & Development, Rackspace Cloud University — Rackspace Technology

2013 – 2017
  • Built a global training function from inception, scaling from 14,000 to 60,000+ participants (328% growth) across classroom, virtual, and e-learning delivery in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment with no existing playbook.
  • Built and leveraged internal networks to source, develop, and certify trainers and facilitators across regions and audiences.
  • Established curriculum standards, scheduling, and the operating model that sustained delivery through rapid organizational change.
  • Earned Brandon Hall Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards for custom content and learning ecosystem implementation.

Senior Manager, HR Technologies and Learning Strategies — CHRISTUS Health

2017 – 2021
  • Led enterprise learning strategy and adoption across a large, multi-site organization, partnering with Talent and HR teams to establish curricula, standards, and governance across functions and locations.
  • Led change management for enterprise platform implementations, driving awareness, communications, and adoption at scale.
  • Applied engagement data, survey feedback, and business measures to identify adoption gaps and demonstrate program value to executive stakeholders.

Education & Certifications

  • M.A., Communications and Instructional Technology — University of the Incarnate Word
  • B.A., Studio Art and Graphic Design — Texas A&M University
  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) — Scrum Alliance
  • Adjunct Professor — University of the Incarnate Word (Digital Media and Communications); San Antonio College (Visual Arts and Communication)

Platforms & Tools

Zoom • Microsoft Teams • Microsoft 365 / Copilot • SharePoint • Confluence • Cornerstone • Docebo • 360Learning • Workday Learning • SAP SuccessFactors • EdCast • Xyleme (LCMS) • Seismic • Articulate 360 • Adobe Captivate • Adobe Creative Suite • Synthesia • Creatify.ai • SCORM / xAPI

Honors & Awards

  • Brandon Hall Group Gold Award — Best Advance in Custom Content
  • Brandon Hall Group Silver Award — Learning Ecosystem Implementation
  • Brandon Hall Group Bronze Award — Best Advance in Custom Content