The Utah ATD Rising Star Award honors emerging professionals in Utah who are making a meaningful impact in the field of Learning & Development. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional promise through their engagement, contributions, and leadership within the local TD community.
Each quarterly winner is now in the running for Rising Star of the Year, to be announced at the Utah ATD Annual Conference this fall!
Know someone who's making waves in L&D? Nominations are open for future quarters!
Please reach out to President@utahatd.org
Joseph Diaz
Sales Enablement Coordinator
Vivint Smart Home
January
Joseph Diaz is a dedicated Sales Enablement Coordinator with a passion for instructional design, learning strategy, and workforce development. With a background in language training and a master’s degree in Instructional Psychology and Technology from BYU, Joseph brings both heart and science to learning and development.
In his role at Vivint Smart Home, he’s designed and delivered enablement programs that have driven real business outcomes—from doubling new-hire ramp speed to boosting install and service revenue through revamped training initiatives. His work spans onboarding, performance training, curriculum design, and innovative tools like microlearning apps—supporting over 1,500 employees nationwide.
Outside of work, Joseph is an active contributor to the L&D community. He hosts the “Talk Learning With Me” podcast, co-leads the L&D Collective Book Club, and shares insights around behavior change and learning science. Being named a Rising Star is a meaningful recognition of his commitment to helping people grow, connect, and succeed through the power of learning.
RaVae Beck
Exciting News Coming!
February RaVae Beck is honored to be recognized for her contributions to the talent development community. With over fifteen years of experience, she has led transformative initiatives in internal communications, change management, and learning experience design. A strategic project manager and visionary leader, RaVae has implemented rewards-based Learning Management Systems with impressive results, significantly reducing training time and increasing engagement for front-line workers. She has also designed leadership development programs and team member development pathways that empower individuals to grow and succeed within their organizations. RaVae is passionate about driving innovation, fostering growth, and creating learning experiences that are both meaningful and engaging. An active member of the local UT ATD program since 2013, she continually demonstrates her commitment to advancing the field with creativity and leadership.
Adam Nelsen
Senior Manager of People Development
GoEngineer
March
Adam Nelsen is a passionate Learning & Development leader dedicated to creating training programs that truly make an impact. With a focus on leadership development, performance management, and microlearning, he has designed and launched programs that help leaders grow and teams thrive. Throughout his career, Adam has worked with companies like MarketStar, Progressive Leasing, NICE CXone, and GoEngineer as well as several local community organizations to develop world-class L&D programs that drive engagement, boost performance, and foster a culture of continuous learning.
Beyond building great programs, Adam is committed to making learning both strategic and accessible. Whether leading L&D think tanks, designing innovative learning experiences, or ensuring training aligns with business goals, he is always looking for ways to help people and organizations succeed. Being named Utah ATD’s March Rising Star is a humbling honor, one which Adam is deeply grateful for.
Contact: ATD Utah Chapter, PO Box 25321, Salt Lake City, UT 84125 | contact@UtahATD.org
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RaVae Beck
