Chief Learning Officer - Enterprise Workforce Transformation

Dava K. Deschler

LinkedIn 202-***-**** Email

Chief Learning Officer

Senior executive with 25+ years leading enterprise-scale human capital, learning, and workforce transformation initiatives across complex, highly regulated, and mission-critical organizations. Known for building high-impact leadership development ecosystems, modernizing learning and talent infrastructure, and translating strategy into measurable performance outcomes.. Demonstrated Value:

Enterprise CLO leadership for 70,000+ employees across 300+ roles

Builder of self-funded, $85M+ learning and consulting portfolios

Architect of executive development programs with 100% certification outcomes

Early adopter and leader in AI competency frameworks and workforce readiness

Trusted advisor on performance analytics, workforce planning, and succession

Recognized change leader in broken, siloed, or audit-exposed organizations Core Competencies:

Executive & Leadership Development Learning Strategy & Governance Workforce & Succession Planning Human Capital Analytics Organizational Performance Talent Strategy Culture & Engagement Change Management Executive Coaching HR & Learning Technology AI Workforce Readiness Operating Model Design Operating Model & Capability Design Executive Succession & Leadership Readiness Enterprise Transformation & Turnaround Leadership Executive Stakeholder Alignment Data-Driven Workforce Strategy PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

U.S. Department of the Interior

Chief Learning Officer 2023–Present

Executive leader responsible for enterprise learning, leadership development, and workforce capability strategy for one of the largest and most operationally complex organizations in the U.S. government.

● Built and scaled an enterprise learning and leadership ecosystem supporting 70,000+ employees across 300+ roles, aligning leadership capability, workforce readiness, and succession priorities to organizational risk, performance, and continuity needs.

● Operated a self-funded, private-sector–style learning and consulting portfolio exceeding $85M, overseeing governance, vendor strategy, and performance measurement across training, coaching, and advisory services delivered government-wide.

● Designed and led a nationally recognized Executive Development Program achieving a 100% certification rate and 95 Net Promoter Score, positioning the organization as a benchmark for executive readiness and leadership pipeline strength.

● Leveraged workforce and learning analytics at scale—including 94,000 users, 2.7M LMS logins, and ~700K annual course completions—to evaluate program effectiveness, inform investment decisions, and improve leadership outcomes.

● Launched the first federal AI competency framework and enterprise AI learning curriculum, proactively preparing leaders and teams for workforce disruption, emerging technology adoption, and responsible AI integration.

● Advised C-suite and senior executives on leadership, performance, and workforce strategy, translating complex organizational challenges into practical, data-informed solutions during periods of operational and cultural change.

● Led DEIA-aligned leadership and talent initiatives that strengthened workforce engagement and leadership credibility, earning the Secretary’s Diversity Award for measurable contributions. Director, Leadership Engagement & Development 2019–2023 Promoted to expand and modernize leadership development strategy across a large, distributed workforce.

● Scaled enterprise leadership development from concept to execution, expanding core programs from 2 to 9 offerings and driving a 700% increase in participation, strengthening leadership bench depth across a highly distributed workforce.

● Built and institutionalized an ICF-accredited internal coaching capability, creating a sustainable executive coaching pipeline that improved leadership effectiveness while delivering $2M+ in cost savings versus external vendors.

● Designed and launched a digital leadership and experiential learning platform, growing adoption from 0 to 5,500 active users and enabling on-the-job development aligned to real business and operational challenges.

● Partnered with senior leaders to align leadership development investments with enterprise priorities, using engagement data and performance insights to refine programs and improve leadership outcomes.

● Established measurement and feedback loops for leadership programs, leveraging participation data, satisfaction metrics, and performance indicators to continuously improve relevance, quality, and impact. National Park Service Visitor & Resource Protection Acting Deputy Associate Director (Executive Detail) 2019-2019 Brought in to address complex operational and workforce challenges across public safety, emergency services, and risk management.

● Stepped into an enterprise risk and operations leadership role overseeing cross-cutting initiatives spanning public safety, emergency services, law enforcement, fire and aviation, public health, and risk management across a nationally visible, high-risk operating environment.

● Developed the first workforce plan for the National Park Service wildland fire community, identifying mission-critical capability gaps and creating career pipelines to address escalating wildfire threats and operational readiness risks.

● Led cross-functional strategic planning to break down long-standing silos, aligning historically independent functions around shared priorities, funding decisions, and operational outcomes.

● Translated employee engagement and workforce data into performance and culture improvements, presenting multi-year survey analysis to senior leadership to inform leadership actions—particularly within the U.S. Park Police.

● Served as a trusted executive advisor during a high-visibility transition period, bringing structure, clarity, and decision support to complex, time-bound initiatives requiring rapid alignment and execution. Bureau of Reclamation HR Policy & Programs

Division Director, Employee Development & Systems Automation 2016–2019

● Led enterprise workforce planning, leadership development, and HR systems strategy for technical and scientific workforce across 17 states

● Designed a 12-month senior leadership pipeline program, closing succession gaps and delivering measurable ROI

● Directed employee engagement analytics and action planning with sustained improvement trends

● Achieved clean internal and external HRIT audits for three consecutive years U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Chief, Talent Management & Workforce Planning 2011–2016

● Advised senior leadership on talent strategy for 1,700+ domestic and international staff across 75+ countries

● Led a $1M global classification and workforce redesign initiative, first of its kind in 30+ years

● Transformed Foreign Service recruitment, expanding applicant pool from 600 to 5,000+ and increasing diversity from 10% to 30%

● Modernized performance management systems, reducing bias and improving promotion equity

● Identified and resolved critical HRIT data failures impacting congressional reporting EDUCATION

M.A., International Studies (Global Finance, Trade & Economic Integration) University of Denver — Josef Korbel School of Global & Public Affairs B.A., International Studies, Minor in Political Science University of Evansville

EXECUTIVE & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

AI Leadership Program (with Google & Microsoft)

Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (UT Austin McCombs) Certified Professional Diversity Coach

Strategic Workforce Planning & HR Analytics (HCI / SHRM)

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