In this episode of
Learning Matters, I had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Sandee Dunbar-Smalley, Chief Learning Officer at AdventHealth, consultant, speaker, and author. With a career that began in occupational therapy and evolved into leadership and learning at scale, Dr. Dunbar-Smalley brings a refreshing perspective on what it takes to transform organizational learning today.
Why People-First Matters More Than Ever
When asked about the most important strategy in L&D right now, Dr. Dunbar-Smalley didn’t hesitate:
“It starts with a people focus.”
Her journey toward this mindset wasn’t always straightforward. Earlier in her career, she admits she leaned heavily on task-orientation and accountability. Over time—and especially post-COVID—she’s shifted to prioritizing human connection, belonging, and development. Without this, she says, retention and engagement become an uphill battle.
For her, a people-first approach begins with listening—through surveys, focus groups, and engagement data—then building strategies around what employees actually need.
Measuring Leadership and Learning Success
AdventHealth doesn’t just talk about leadership development—they measure it. Two key metrics stand out:
- Leadership effectiveness scores – gauging trust, comfort, and confidence in leaders, which are now trending in the 80th percentile.
- Opportunities to learn and grow – reflecting whether employees feel supported in their development.
These indicators guide where to invest resources and highlight where markets need more targeted leadership support.
Growing Leaders at Every Level
Dr. Dunbar-Smalley oversees both organizational learning and a Leadership Institute that supports leaders across the system. Programs range from:
- Emerging Leaders – building pathways for recent graduates into leadership roles.
- Leading in AdventHealth – focused training for more than 11,000 supervisors on skills like interpersonal communication.
- Executive Programs – tailored development for senior leaders.
- Microlearning access – through platforms like Skill Surge, offering bite-sized, on-demand learning.
This broad spectrum ensures development opportunities for every stage of leadership.
Embracing AI—Thoughtfully
Like many L&D leaders, Dr. Dunbar-Smalley is exploring AI’s role in learning. Her team is piloting AI-driven tools that help employees create personalized learning journeys. But rather than rushing headlong, they’re approaching adoption with strategy—ensuring multi-generational input and collaboration with internal technology teams for security and scalability.
AdventHealth is also piloting ChatGPT internally, allowing employees to experiment while protecting sensitive data.
Challenges on the Horizon
Even with innovation, challenges remain. Dr. Dunbar-Smalley highlighted two pressing issues:
- Equity in access – ensuring every employee across nine states has the same quality of tools and resources.
- Consistent standards – balancing progressive tools with standardization so learning meets quality benchmarks across a 100,000+ employee system.
On top of this, AdventHealth is tackling a major LMS migration to Workday Learning, balancing regulatory needs with scalable, modern tools.
A Zigzag Career Path
Dr. Dunbar-Smalley’s story is a reminder that careers aren’t always linear. Starting as an occupational therapist, she moved into academia, leadership, and ultimately the role of Chief Learning Officer. She credits openness to unexpected opportunities—and a willingness to learn from mistakes—as key to her journey.
Her advice to her younger self?
“Be open to a zigzag path. Don’t try to be perfect—be authentic and allow people to pour into you.”
