About Me
I’ve worked in learning and development for over 20 years as an external consultant and heading up the sales training department for North America at Foresters, a life insurance company in Toronto.
Over that time, I have been focused on performance – helping L&D professionals/ the L&D function create training programs that change behaviour and support the organization’s strategic goals.
I’ve recognized over the years that no matter how well designed or how well aligned training is, it only seems to go so far. As a profession, we continue to struggle in providing meaningful evaluation and determining the return on training dollars spent. There are two reasons for this ongoing struggle:
- Learning professionals lack business acumen skills.
Without awareness and knowledge, they struggle to understand their client’s world and view their challenges and priorities through their L&D lens.
- Leaders don’t take ownership for their employees’ development.
Employee learning and development is not the sole responsibility of the training department. Leaders need to take responsibility for developing their employees, develop skills, and create an environment to support their employees’ growth.
I help organizations close the gap between the formal training created by the L&D function and the role leaders have in developing their employees.

When employees grow and succeed, organizations grow and succeed.
Background
HannahBrown.co
Rebranded to reflect dual focus on learning and development effectiveness and the leader’s role in employee development.
Training that Clicks: Virtual Design Playbook
Published, Training that Clicks: Virtual Design Playbook for people who design virtual training and who don’t have a learning and development background, or who are looking for ways to elevate their virtual courses, so they’re more engaging and have more impact.
Available for purchase on Amazon.
Training Design award from the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL)
Received award for program, Design for a Digital Age, which provides a practical process and hands-on skill building to design and deliver virtual courses more effectively and efficiently.
DISC and Five Behaviors Partner
As a distribution partner, I am certified to facilitate, certify others and distribute the full suite of DiSC and Five Behaviors of Cohesive Teams assessments and programs.
Training Design award from the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL)
For program, Blended Learning to Mitigate Risk for Shad Canada, which included an elearning course for newly hired staff to decrease risk in their summer programs, and recommendations for a learning management system to host the course.
Certified Coach
Certified Associate Coach through Integral Coaching Canada (ICC), which is recognized by International Coach Federation (ICF).
Volunteer Recognition Award from the Institute for Performance and Learning (I4PL)
Recognized for executive role on Waterloo Wellington chapter over a seven year period and providing expertise to enrich the I4PL and the learning profession.
Certified Training and Development Professional (CTDP)
Obtained Canadian professional designation for Workplace Performance and Learning from the Institute for Performance and Learning.
Performance Matters
Founded Performance Matters to provide consulting on learning program and course design to change performance.
Life Insurance License
Obtained license through Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO).
Director, Sales Training, North America at Foresters
Masters Adult Education M.Ed.
Obtained Master’s degree focused on Workplace, Learning and Change from O.I.S.E. University of Toronto.