Theresa Burness

Global Learning & Development Director - Aspire Lifestyles

Greater Phoenix Area

About

Global Learning, Talent, and Transformation Strategic Leader with 22+ years of experience driving organizational performance across healthcare, insurance, medical assistance, and hospitality operations in more than 25 countries. I partner with leaders to build future-ready organizations by aligning workforce capability, operational excellence, and technology-enabled innovation with business strategy. My expertise spans learning and development, quality, compliance, customer experience, and large-scale operational transformation. With specialization in AI-enabled business transformation, I leverage emerging technologies to enhance learning ecosystems, improve productivity, accelerate decision-making, and performance at scale. My leadership approach combines strategic thinking, change leadership, coaching, and continuous improvement to deliver measurable business outcomes and sustainable growth. Core Strengths: Global L&D Strategy | AI & Workforce Transformation | Leadership Development | Operational Excellence | Change Management | Quality & Compliance | Talent Development | Global Team Leadership

Experience

  • Aspire Lifestyles (10 yrs 1 mo)
    • Global Learning & Development Director
      Nov 2021 - Present · 4 yrs 9 mos

      Leading the global development, instructional design and facilitation of integrated, organizational adult Learning & Development programs to 23+ Service Centers comprising of >1300 front line employees. Delivery methods include Online, VILT, ILT, Self-Learning & Hybrid Programs, thus enabling the ability to build highly competent team members globally, servicing within an omni-channel service delivery platform. Providing functional support to Learning & Development team members, building clear structures, policies, guidelines and hybrid methodologies to ensure a consistent, immersive global delivery of training with the best use of learning methodologies, designs and tools. Dedicated to the development and implementation of learning roadmaps, frameworks & multimedia solutions to enable a strong, sustainable workforce. Consulting with business leaders to identify training needs analysis, team member readiness, leadership development and organization effective opportunities, strategies and solutions directly linked to the organizational and business goals - enabling customer impact, designed to drive performance improvement. Driving the improvement in customer satisfaction and experience across all interactions and interfaces. Maintain a scalable Learning and Development environment, culturally relevant, maximizing opportunities to share knowledge with a focus on increased knowledge retention amongst participants. Employee survey satisfaction outcomes >95%.

    • Global Head of Learning & Development
      Jul 2018 - Oct 2021 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      Leading the development , instructional design and facilitation of integrated, organizational adult Learning and Development programs (Online, VILT, ILT, Self Learning & Hybrid Programs). Enable the ability to build highly competent team members globally.  Providing functional support to Learning and Development team members, building clear structures, policies, guidelines and hybrid methodologies to ensure a consistent, immersive global delivery of training with the best use of learning methodologies, design and tools. Leading in-role development of team members as well as the development and implementation of development roadmap, framework, multimedia solutions to increase knowledge and operational impact.  Driving the improvement in customer satisfaction and experience across all interactions and interfaces. Maintain a scalable Learning and Development environment, culturally relevant, maximizing opportunities to share knowledge with a focus on increased knowledge retention amongst participants. Employee survey satisfaction outcomes >95%. Consulting with business leaders to identify training needs analysis, team member readiness, leadership development and organization effective opportunities, strategies and solutions directly linked to the organizational and business goals - enabling customer impact, designed to drive performance improvement.

    • Vice President: Learning, Development and Quality (Americas & Latin Americas)
      Jul 2016 - Jun 2018 · 2 yrs

      Rebuilding the Learning & Development Program for North and Latin America. Develop and implement a bespoke training methodology, standards and curriculum to enhance the quality of service to internal and external clients/customers. Create curated Aspire Lifestyles specific quality standards based on regional client requirements including tools and methodologies to measure relevant local quality indicators.  Drive efficiencies supporting Quality and Compliance protocols through scalable techniques & systems to measure effectiveness of ongoing learning initiatives. Management, execution and measurement of end-to-end learning and quality programs for team members. Assessing and aligned development of priorities to meet evolving business goals. Curated Knowledge Management assets for usability and organizational effectiveness, with a blended curriculum for new hire onboarding & employee effectiveness. Configured & launched learning, development and quality compliance portal.

  • International SOS ()
    • Regional Head of Assistance - Southern Africa
      Jul 2014 - Jun 2016 · 2 yrs

      Lead the medical assistance operational teams in providing medical and security assistance, supporting a global client base of 134 Corporate Clients. Leading the planning, defining & implementing of an efficient delivery infrastructure to meet client requirements. Overall management of business unit's revenue, gross margin, employee retention, customer & employee satisfaction goals. Measurement and analysis to ensure quality standards are met; creating strategies and initiatives aligned with global input to achieve continuous improvement across the Assistance operating platforms. Focusing on process optimization and building high performance teams, supported by a retention strategy, performance management, capability & skills development and career progress.

    • Head of Operations: Occupational Health Check & Vaccination Program - Southern Africa
      Oct 2012 - Jun 2014 · 1 yr 9 mos

      Johannesburg, South Africa Medical Assistance Center and Johannesburg, Australia and France, Regional Occupational Health Care Operations (Preventative Care - Health Check & Vaccination Programs). Managing international Health Check and Vaccination Programs with key focus areas in Europe, Americas, Canada, Africa and Asia. Supporting client's Duty of Care programs. Implementation and measurement against group delivery methodologies, operating policies, procedures, processes and standards for occupational healthcare programs. Leading a team of medical and operations professionals, driving quality & efficiencies in supporting global centres of excellence: Johannesburg - South Africa, Sydney - Australia and Paris-France.  Provide preventative care support in managing appointments, reviewing medical reports and providing healthcare recommendations to mitigate occupational health incidents and risks. Defining and execution of employee retention strategies and career development opportunities.

  • AfroCentric Group ()
    • Advanced Business Process Specialist, Customer Contact Centres
      Jun 2009 - Sep 2012 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      Leading a portfolio of 15 Corporate Clients - Contact Center and In Person Walk In Centers. Design and execution of customer centric business processes. Develop, structure Implementation and measurement of quality standards and compliance. Leading operations teams with integrated Six Sigma methodologies to improve business processes and enhancing customer services & experiences. Consultation, facilitation and centralization of operational structures and quality management systems supporting key objectives: Council of Medical Schemes, ISO 9001, Audits, Managed Care Medical Programs.

    • Senior Specialist – Operational Projects & Process Improvement
      Jun 2008 - Jun 2009 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Analyzing operational business, client and customer requirements using Voice of the Customer indicators, quality assurance outcomes and data analysis to implement benchmarked best practice processes. Project managing prioritized projects using PMBOK principles, inclusive of SDLC IT cycles, User Acceptance Testing and user training.

    • IT Advanced Operational Manager – Maintenance and Support
      May 2007 - Jun 2008 · 1 yr 2 mos

      Leading first level support for Medical Insurance Claims Management and Managed Care (Hospital and HIV Programs) Maintenance groups. Project Management for Information Technology projects. Leading SDLC (System Development Life Cycles) across operations and IT platforms.