Extending the Impact of LENS
With enhancements and innovations to AI, skills reporting, automations, professional services, academies, and more, Degreed is on the precipice of giving you the unparalleled ability to measure and personalize learning at scale—and we’re ready to show you exactly how. There were so many exciting announcements made at LENS 2025 that we had to schedule extra time to showcase the full business impact of these upcoming features and what they look like in action.
Whether you missed LENS or saw the announcements live, this 7-part webinar series is the perfect opportunity to get a clearer picture of what’s coming. For each topic, you’ll hear from in-house experts, see in-depth product demos, and have the opportunity to ask your biggest questions.
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April 30, 2025
Experiments: Testing and Scaling Innovative Learning Initiatives with AI
Time: 11 AM ET
Speakers: Taylor Blake & Nikki Helmer
Experimenting is part of change, part of learning, and part of making data-driven decisions. So join us to explore Degreed Experiment prototypes, learn methods for evaluating new and evolving AI tools, see the outcome of live testing, look forward to what’s to come, and start ideating your organization’s next big experiment. Whether it’s skills-based strategies, AI training, or cohort-based learning, you won’t be able to deny the impact innovative thinking can have on your business after this session.
May 8, 2025
Academies: Building and Sustaining Scalable Learning Academies
Date: May 8, 2025
Time: 11 AM ET
Speaker: Jen Collins
In a world where traditional, self-led training can fall short, Degreed Academies brings a dynamic, cohort-based approach to learning that actually promotes deep skill building. Discover how our platform supports in-depth upskilling and reskilling, while leveraging collaborative, guided learning to keep employees ahead of the curve. In this session, we’ll take a closer look at Degreed Academies so you can:
- Explore practical applications for onboarding, change management, leadership training, and career mobility.
- Learn to integrate existing content libraries and leverage Degreed Maestro for streamlined administration and reporting.
- Hear Degreed Academies use cases for building a future-ready workforce through peer-driven learning experiences.
May 14, 2025
Open Library: Powering Your Learning Content with AI
Time: 11 AM ET
Speaker: Stephen Elrod
Companies spend millions of dollars on learning content subscriptions. But Degreed Open Library is about to use AI to change all of that with AI-generated learning content on 100 of the most in-demand learning topics. Get an inside look at the Open Library, and then find out how you can leverage our in-house team for AI-assistant Pathway development that creates structured, high-impact learning. This session will be all about doing more—faster—with less
May 22, 2025
Degreed Maestro: Personalization & AI-Driven Learning Journeys
Date: May 22, 2025
Time 11 AM ET
Speaker: Nikki Helmer & Fei Sha
Get to know our upcoming AI tool, Degreed Maestro Studio, which can create customized learning agents for coaching, mentorship, and skill development. Through an in-depth demo, see how you can use Maestro Studio to automate admin tasks, streamline content delivery, and democratize tools like coaching. And you don’t have to brave the new landscape of AI learning alone. Discover how our in-house team of experts can become your team for designing, building, and implementing AI-powered coaches and simulations—tailored to your company’s unique priorities—in a matter of weeks to save time and money.
May 29, 2025
Automations: Streamlining Learning Workflows with AI & Automation
Date: May 29, 2025
Time 11 AM ET
Speaker: Casey Adams
Companies need to make a bigger business impact with a lower budget, and you can start by leveraging Degreed Automations to save hours of time while still personalizing learning at scale. Watch an in-depth demonstration of how to automate learning workflows—from onboarding to reskilling. With added nudges, communications, and reminders, your people will automatically become more engaged in the skill development your business needs to succeed. Find out how Degreed Automations can even work with newer tools like Degreed Maestro Studio to supercharge your efforts for efficiency, engagement, and highly tailored learning.
June 5, 2025
Skills & Reporting: Measuring What Matters for Learning Impact
Time: 11 AM ET
Speaker: Megan Turjanica & Angela Honaker
Find out how to leverage market skill intelligence and Degreed Learning to run skill-based initiatives that ensure your workforce is future-proof. Through an in-depth Degreed Skills+ product demo, discover the benefits of skill normalization for improving data quality and the common understanding of skills. Then, explore how AI assessment can make skill growth more personalized and efficient, allowing for more accurate, updated data.
June 12, 2025
Value Engineering: Providing & Maximizing Learning ROI
Date: June 5, 2025
Time 11 AM ET
Speaker: Vaskar Pahari
If you're facing pressure to justify your learning investments—or want to move faster with strategic initiatives—our value engineering methodology can help you demonstrate the tangible outcomes of upskilling, automate ROI storytelling, and make the case for AI-enabled Degreed tools like Maestro and Open Library. Whether you’re expanding your existing footprint or building a fresh business case, leave with proven techniques to turn learning into a measurable business advantage and secure the executive support you need.
About our speakers
Taylor Blake
SVP New Initiatives at Degreed
Taylor Blake is the Senior Vice President of New Initiatives at Degreed, where he spearheads Degreed Experiments, focusing on the intersection of AI and the future of workplace learning. Before rejoining Degreed in 2022, following its acquisition of Learn In, Taylor co-founded Learn In and served as Chief Product Officer, helping companies develop internal talent. Taylor was also a founding team member at Degreed, where, as the first product manager, he played a pivotal role in developing solutions to measure and close skill gaps. Earlier in his career, Taylor worked at The RBL Group, the HR consulting firm founded by Dave Ulrich.
-1.png?width=480&height=480&name=LENS%202025_Nikki%20Helmer_Headshot%20(2)-1.png "Nikki Helmer")
Nikki Helmer
Chief Product Officer
Nikki Helmer is Chief Product Officer at Degreed, responsible for shaping our world class enterprise learning platform to help customers to pinpoint needs, personalize development and measure change. Nicole is building Degreed’s vision to enhance skills-first learning, to leverage AI responsibly and effectively across our platform and for the product development of Degreed’s all-new AI coach, Maestro.
Prior to Degreed, Nikki served as SAP’s VP of Learning and Development globally. In this role she was responsible for the functional skill development for all 107,000 employees. Additionally, for the past 3 years Nicole steered SAP's own journey to become a skills-based organization starting by establishing a common taxonomy, building consistent skill measurement, and evolving into a fully skills-based job architecture which sets the foundation for the complete suite of skills use cases across the enterprise. SAP was recognized as a lighthouse company for their skills transformation program by the World Economic Forum in early 2024.
Nikki holds a master’s in data science from the Institute for Advanced Analytics at NC State, a BSc in Business as well as a BA in Communication from the University of Maryland, College Park. She currently lives in Atlanta GA.
Jen Collins
Sr. Director - Learning, Community & Advocacy at Degreed
Jen Collins is a learning strategist, consultant, speaker, and facilitator with a passion for talent development, in particular, skill-specific learning programs and academies. She has consulted and facilitated learning experiences on a variety of topics for all levels of employees across B2B and B2C businesses, drawing on her combined experience in L&D and marketing to understand learner motivations and drive engagement. Jen has over 20 years of Marketing and Business Management experience, with a focus on talent development for the past five years.
She lives at the Lake of the Ozarks and outside of work, Jen volunteers as an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Fire Fighter for her local fire department.
Stephen Elrod
SVP of Global Delivery at Degreed
Stephen Elrod is the Global Vice President of Professional Services at Degreed, where he leads a global team helping clients maximize the value of the Degreed platform. With over 15 years of experience in learning and consulting, he partners with HR, IT, and L&D leaders to align learning initiatives with strategic business goals. Since joining Degreed in 2018, Stephen has played a key role in advancing the company’s skills-first mission and workforce transformation efforts. Prior to Degreed, he was the Global Learning Leader at GE Digital, where he modernized their learning product portfolio. Stephen is recognized for delivering innovative, data-driven strategies that drive measurable outcomes and organizational growth. His work spans Fortune 500 companies and global enterprises seeking to future-proof their talent strategies.
Fei Sha
VP, Data Science & Engineering at Degreed
A versatile leader in data science and AI with a Ph.D. in Econometrics, Fei currently oversees AI and platform engineering at Degreed. Her background in econometrics, which combines economics, mathematics, and statistical modeling, fuels a passion for creating accessible learning tools and platforms that empower individuals to achieve their full potential through learning. With experience developing AI strategies and data-driven products, she has successfully led the implementation of machine learning models and centralized analytics systems across sectors such as eCommerce, EdTech, HRTech, finance, and insurance. This unique blend of quantitative expertise and cross-industry experience enables her to lead AI development from concept to execution, driving growth, operational efficiency, and alignment with strategic business goals.
Casey Adams
Vice President Global Business Solutions & Enablement at Degreed
Casey Adams has been on the leading edge of learning strategy, technology implementation and operational solutions for the past 20 years. Casey leads the Global Business Solutions and Enablement teams for Degreed. He spends his time serving Degreed’s global enterprise clients with a key focus on learning strategy, change management and program implementation. In his prior life, Casey served as the Vice President of L&D for a $15B S&P500 company Essex, led the Implementation and Customer Success team at a video analytics start up serving fortune 500 retailers and led the retail training team for Cabela’s World’s Foremost Outfitter.
In his alternate life you can find Casey tucked away on a mountain with skis or a backpack. And if you can’t find him there, you’ll be sure to find him on a youth sports field coaching basically anything but soccer.
Meghan Turjanica
Product Director, Skills
Meghan Turjanica began her career in education, initially in college admissions and later in student success. With a seven-year tenure at an institution, she transitioned to software product management, overseeing a student success product that utilized user-friendly tools and predictive analytics to improve student retention. Leading a team, she successfully launched award-winning software solutions, including an analytics platform and a student success chatbot. After a decade in higher education software, Meghan's passion for education, data, learner success, and software development led her to join Degreed, where she continues to combine these interests in the pursuit of jail-breaking the degree.
Angela Honaker
Global Business Solutions Architect
Angela Honker is a Global Solutions Architect at Degreed, where she partners with enterprise organizations to tackle real-world challenges around workforce readiness, skill development, and talent mobility. Her work focuses on skills-first strategies, AI-powered insights, and seamless technology implementation. With a background as a Client Success Director and deep expertise in Learning & Talent strategy, Angela brings a rare blend of strategic insight, hands-on experience, and relentless curiosity to every engagement. She’s known for connecting the dots across complex systems and stakeholders, helping Fortune 500 companies reimagine how they build skills in an AI-driven world. Whether she’s guiding a global launch, designing a skills-first roadmap, or navigating change with a clipboard in hand, Angela leads with empathy, energy, and a bias for action.
Outside of work, you’ll find her poolside cheering at swim meets or on the sidelines at lacrosse games. She’s rarely far from a notepad, a favorite pen, or a great conversation about what’s possible when people are empowered to learn.
Vaskar Pahari
Senior Director, Revenue Strategy at Degreed
Vaskar Pahari is Senior Director of Product Strategy at Degreed. With a background in finance and product management, he partners with Degreed clients to measure the impact of learning programs. He helps large enterprises identify opportunities to optimize their investments in learning programs, set up metrics for success, and use learning to drive business outcomes. Prior to Degreed, Vaskar worked at SAP's global education business, enabling the transformation from a services oriented model to a SaaS model. Vaskar holds an MBA from Stanford University and a BA from Yale University.