Amber Vanderburg: Charting the Future of Learning and Development with Pathwayz Group
Amber Vanderburg and her visionary leadership of The Pathwayz Group are redefining the learning and development (L&D) landscape by embracing innovative, action-focused, and future-oriented talent development methodologies. Her journey in talent development and team leadership began early in life. She proclaims, “I’ve done a lot in my career, and it’s all revolved around one focus: developing talent and people.”
In high school, she dreamed of becoming a Division I soccer player. She knew she wasn’t the best, but her goal was to utilize her work ethic and leadership skills to earn a spot on the team. She earned try-out opportunities with collegiate teams and was offered scholarships, but a series of head injuries during her senior year prevented any further competition in all contact sports. She pivoted to Division I Track and Field. She confesses, “I’d never competed in track before, but I knew to keep turning left. I’m grateful for the opportunity to train and compete at the Division I level. Working with insightful coaches and teammates shaped my focus, discipline, and determination.”
Vanderburg parlayed that focus and determination to devote her professional career toward talent development.
After winning her first SHRM award, she earned a role in corporate healthcare HR and devoured lessons about workplace culture and employee engagement. She gave this illustration, “There is a difference between a person who has 30 years of experience and a person who has 1 year of experience repeated 30 times. I’m grateful to have experienced a variety of HR sub-departments, from recruitment to employee relations to M&A and more during my nascent career.”
After winning multiple awards and recognitions for her work in the HR field, she prepared to advance in the industry. However, she was presented with an opportunity that would change her trajectory. Vanderburg’s extensive involvement in the international community, experience in organizational leadership, and coaching certifications made her a viable candidate for an athletic coaching position with the Paris Saint Germain Academy and Adidas Gameday Academy in Bangalore, India. She shared, “I earned my coaching certifications to stay connected with youth talent development. I never imagined that the hard work and passion would lead to this opportunity.”
International Leadership
She traded her office for a muddy field and her heels for a pair of dirty cleats as she became the only American, only female, and only blonde academy football (soccer) coach in Bangalore, India. She coached over a dozen teams, mostly boys with a few girls, ages six to sixteen. She worked with a coaching team to help transform the curriculum development, team performance, and player dynamics to enhance the academy. When asked about her experience, she explained, “Working in professional academy sports is among the most rewarding and challenging types of talent development. I became obsessed with designing learning experiences for my players to develop their skills, mindset, and team culture. In sports, there is a clear indicator of success and a high stake in excellent performance. Parents sacrifice time and money; players develop a dream for their future in the game (and trust you with that dream); fans and academy directors evaluate performance. Challenging and pushing your players daily to be the best versions of themselves while creating a safe space to try, fail, and learn is exhilarating. Every player was different, and I invested time adapting and adjusting my learning design to each new dynamic. The difference between managing performance and leading performance is relationships. I worked with players from around the globe and built relationships that shaped my coaching approach and philosophy. I found the pillars of great team performance on the pitch are the same in the boardroom. It was a beautiful culmination of a sports, business, and international leadership bootcamp-like opportunity.”
She progressed from PSG and Adidas to academy consultancy and short-term talent development projects in Southeast Asia, Western Europe, and the United States before transitioning to an expanded type of talent development.
She was recruited as the HR Director for Paradigm Shift, a national leadership development company that reaches all 50 states. When asked about her experience, she said, “From the hills of Kentucky to the federal Indian Reservations in South Dakota to the cities of Atlanta and Washington DC…I worked with a team of incredible people to facilitate leadership development with schools and universities nationwide. I molded my talent development philosophy as I learned more about education-based instructional design. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to work for an inspiring leader, an amazing team, a purpose-filled organization, AND in a bucket-list role. It was everything I had dreamed, and I cherished that time. However, I wanted to build my own global company. Some people leave a job they dislike to start their own company. That was not the case for me. I left a dream job with a dream company to pursue another dream.”
Founding the Pathwayz Group
In 2019, Amber Vanderburg founded the Pathwayz Group with a bold vision to transform corporate training and development. She perceived a gap in traditional corporate L&D methods, which she often found bland and uninspiring. The Pathwayz Group was her response to this challenge – dedicated to fostering action-focused, engaging, and impactful learning Pathwayz. The Pathwayz Group is named after the idea that direction determines destination. “We can intend many things (great culture, good leadership, excellent team performance), but it’s the steps and the pathway of our action that determine our outcomes,” she explained.
Today, the team hosts facilitators and a core team that spans Asia, Europe, and the Americas. She boasts the facilitation team’s skill, insight, and passion to challenge and empower professionals. The global core team holds tightly to the values of creating workplaces that are more effective, efficient, and enjoyable. The team has facilitated learning for more than one million professionals in more than 75 countries, with an average of 4.8/5 in learner review scores. Their portfolio includes Fortune 100, Fortune 500, federal governments, and international organizations with learning journeys that feature facilitation, online courses, 1:1 coaching, certification, and learning resource materials.
Online Learning
Vanderburg’s vision for The Pathwayz Group ignited conversation during the COVID-19 pandemic. While most learning companies were investing in stiff corporate backgrounds for virtual learning, she built “learning barn” studios complete with props, whiteboards, pushpin boards, costumes, instruments, and fun backgrounds. She explained, “I grew tired of people saying that learning on a screen was boring. I looked at my young family members learning from Sesame Street and Blues Clues. I took a page from educational TV programs and built a space encouraging human connection.”
Today, The Pathwayz Group facilitators utilize these studios to engage in action-focused learning, memorable experiences, and genuine human connection in virtual learning facilitation.
Furthermore, the TPG asynchronous online programs resemble a fun, memorable, and relatable movie or TV show. Rather than a blank screen, recent TPG online courses include the “Navigating the Workplace Jungle in Onboarding” course, filmed with an Indiana Jones pizzazz, a “Communication Effectiveness” course filmed on a farm with animals, and an upcoming “Coaching Others for Success” course with a circus theme. The result is more engaging, memorable, and action-oriented micro-learning sessions. TPG embraces technology to help shape the future of learning. Each 2-5 minute video is a masterclass in creating approachable, actionable, and memorable content.
In-Person Workshops
Beyond online learning, The Pathwayz Group’s in-person workshops and sessions are unlike the traditional classroom setting. While the traditional training session offers 2-4 learning activities per hour, the TPG curriculum designs 6-8 learning activities per hour. That’s double. These highly interactive sessions encourage participants to engage in discussions, problem-solving activities, and real-world simulations. This hands-on approach not only enhances retention but also instills a sense of ownership and accountability among participants. She enthusiastically explains, “In this dim-sum society, where attention spans grow smaller, and distractions grow larger, this learning approach is the future of talent development!”
When asked about this fast-paced approach, Vanderburg explained, “We use Tuckman’s Model as our instructional foundation and break down a few learning objectives into micro-action steps. One challenge I find with our clients is the pressure for us to teach too many objectives with too little action. We work with clients to build one overarching theme, framework, or mindset and then break down a couple of learning objectives into dozens of smaller action steps. It’s less breadth and more depth resulting in true measurable impact rather than a ‘check the box’ training.”
Strategic Learning Pathwayz
Vanderburg gave an example using performance feedback, one of the most requested learning topics at The Pathwayz Group. She shared the overarching topic with a Brenee Brown-inspired mindset of “Clear is Kind.” She broke down this single topic into a year-long learning pathway. She described this single “Clear is Kind” mindset into quarterly focus areas of setting clear performance expectations, giving clear performance feedback, receiving clear performance feedback, and clearly using feedback data to drive performance. She showcased 2–3-minute activities to practice feedback techniques. By the end of the fast-paced yet smooth session, learners had drawn pictures of expectations, practiced frameworks for tough conversations, gained activities to use with their team, and built relationships with other learners through highly interactive learning. While most training sessions seem to drag, the time seemed to soar in the stretching, welcoming, and captivating learning experience.
Her eyes lit up as she explained, “You know, experiences are only as good as the time spent reflecting upon them. These activities are fun, but it’s the talent and the insight of our facilitator team and coaches that skillfully guide learners in growth and development. Learners often share how they plan to apply these skills in their personal relationships, families, and communities. This is why we believe effective learning and development can uplift entire communities – we’ve heard stories about how it has been done already! I’m thankful for the chance to make a positive impact through my company and with a team of inspiring individuals.”
Facilitation and Coaching Team
Vanderburg’s contagious enthusiasm continued with this thought, “If you can achieve your dreams on your own, you are not dreaming big enough. If you want to do something bigger than yourself, you must include more people than yourself. The talent of this team challenges us to grow, keep quality top-class, and build excellent learning experiences.”
This team-effort approach to learning experiences is in the DNA of The Pathwayz Group culture. They build strategic learning designs that reinforce a learn-it-all culture rather than a know-it-all culture within the organization. A typical learning pathway lasts six to eighteen months and includes online courses, 1:1 coaching, learning materials (workbooks, frameworks, job aids, etc.), and/or facilitation. The multiple learning mediums reiterate objectives and actions to accommodate various learning styles.
Culture of Learning
Vanderburg advocates for a shift from episodic training events to a continuous learning culture integrated into daily workflow, from microlearning modules to social learning platforms to regular feedback loops.
The result is deeper learning, strategic growth, and unified focus among learners. Vanderburg explains, “The data we collect to measure impact is stronger, the action is more effective, and the connections we foster are greater with strategic learning pathwayz. It’s not random, trendy learning objectives that sound nice; it is strategic learning that equips people with the actual skills they need today. Organizations that foster a continuous learning culture are better equipped to adapt to change and innovate in their fields. By investing in people development, companies have higher engagement and performance levels.”
Future of Learning
As automation and artificial intelligence handle more routine tasks, the importance of soft skills such as emotional intelligence, creativity, and critical thinking is increasing. The Pathwayz Group develops these skills through its programs. Vanderburg passionately believes these skills are crucial for effective leadership and collaboration in the modern workplace. She says, “The concepts are the same. The design, delivery, and application of these skills in a remote team, with AI tools, through global environments is refined, and it’s exciting to be a part of this next era of learning.”
The Pathwayz Group’s impact becomes more impressive, considering the team’s global reach. Adapting to the myriad of learning activities, facilitation styles, cultural dynamics, and interpersonal norms around the globe, the TPG team is continuously inspired to create culturally attuned learning environments. Vanderburg emphasizes the need for training programs that are accessible and relevant to diverse employee populations, considering different learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and abilities.
Vanderburg believes that the rapid pace of technological advancement and the evolving nature of work necessitate a fundamental shift in L&D design to be more approachable and digestible. She describes, “It’s embracing the foundations of learning, adjusting the delivery frameworks and design for today, and embracing the tools and opportunities of the future. This is where my talent development background in education, business, and athletics meets a fun and creative intersection.”
A Learning Model for the Future
Vanderburg’s ability to connect with people on a personal level and understand their unique challenges has been instrumental in building trust and fostering lasting relationships. Her background as a professional academy coach informs her belief in the power of teamwork and actionable instructional design, her experience in corporate business fuels her continuous drive for excellence and strategic approach, and her global team inspires a more inclusive and well-rounded environment.
The Pathwayz Group’s success under Vanderburg’s leadership is a model for the future of learning and development. By embracing innovative delivery methods, refining strategic learning journeys, and fostering welcoming and inclusive environments, the Pathwayz Group sets a high standard in the industry. Leaders like Amber Vanderburg provide a story of the profound impact that innovative thinking and a passion for development can have on the broader business landscape. As the Pathwayz Group continues to grow and evolve, it stands as a beacon of excellence and a testament to what is possible when visionary leadership meets the unwavering commitment to improvement.
