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About Learning & Development for the State of Colorado (LDC)

Building a Resilient, Skilled, and Connected Public Workforce for Colorado

The Learning & Development for the State of Colorado (LDC) is dedicated to supporting Colorado’s public sector employees with a comprehensive range of programs, certifications, and resources designed to elevate skills, foster collaboration, and drive statewide impact. As a partner to agencies across Colorado, LDC leverages employee feedback, strategic data, and internal resources to meet workforce needs efficiently and sustainably, all while being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.

Our Mission: Empowering Colorado’s Workforce

Our mission is to create an empowered, future-ready public sector by offering dynamic, accessible learning pathways for every level of State employee. We achieve this by:

  • Developing In-House Expertise: By certifying State employees in advanced psychometric and developmental tools, we reduce the need for external consultants, keeping funds within the state and enhancing internal capabilities.
     
  • Promoting Equity and Accessibility: With programs that are affordable and accessible through training waivers, we ensure that every State employee has the opportunity to grow, no matter their location or role.
     
  • Fostering Cross-Agency Connections: Our statewide facilitation model brings together employees from different agencies, encouraging knowledge-sharing and relationship-building that strengthens the entire State workforce.

Key Offerings and Impact

LDC’s offerings are strategically designed to address real workforce needs, based on insights from training waiver data, employee feedback, and agency collaboration:

  • Leadership and Development Programs: From the Emerging Leader Certification to advanced leadership courses, our programs leverage renowned tools like the Franklin Covey All Access Pass, allowing leaders to gain skills in trust-building, project management, and effective decision-making.
     
  • Psychometric and Developmental Certifications: We offer additional development opportunities utilizing essential tools like the Hogan Personality Inventory, The Rocket Model, and 360-Degree Feedback, which equip in-house professionals to drive organizational effectiveness without relying on external consultants.
     
  • Train the Trainer Programs: To ensure sustainability and maximize value, we certify agency professionals in high-demand courses like De-Escalation Techniques and Emerging Leader Development, providing agencies with 100 donated All Access Passes to support agency-specific training.
     
  • Executive Suite for Coaching and Development: Our Executive Suite combines the Hogan, Rocket Model, and CCL 360 Feedback for senior leaders, helping managers build targeted action plans and receive tailored support for three months, all at a fraction of the external cost.

Creating Lasting Value for Colorado

LDC’s commitment to in-house expertise, accountability, and continuous improvement aligns with Colorado’s values of transparency, fiscal responsibility, and workforce readiness. By certifying state professionals and utilizing data-driven approaches, LDC not only enhances employee capabilities but also builds a resilient talent pipeline that prepares Colorado’s workforce for the future.

Join Us in Building Colorado’s Workforce

Whether you’re a Learning Leader, manager, or emerging professional, LDC offers resources and community connections to support your journey. Through every program and partnership, we are dedicated to building a collaborative, skilled, and empowered public workforce for Colorado.

For more information, contact us at dpa_prsnltraining@state.co.us.

Your LDC Team

Chelsea Winegar, Director

Chelsea Winegar is proud to lead the Center for Organizational Effectiveness as its Director. Chelsea comes to COE from CDHS where she served as the Career Pathing Program Manager. Before joining the State, Chelsea worked as a retail manager for Starbucks where her skills in customer service, time management, leadership, and process improvement flourished. With a bachelor’s in Philosophy of Law, Social Justice, and Global Conflict, and a master’s in Organizational Leadership with a specialization in Organizational Development & Learning Development, Chelsea is thrilled to assist State agencies and departments with their educational and developmental goals. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, children, and dog, and hopes to add fainting goats to her regenerative Colfax farm!

Eric Bragazzi, Equity Training Specialist

Eric Bragazzi serves as the Equity Training Specialist. Eric brings a passion for creating, implementing, and delivering training that is impactful and meaningful to the development of a successful workforce. His drive is to grow and expand the careers of those he trains. Stemming from a unique background in Public Safety, Eric began his career training as an Adjunct Instructor for the Community College of Aurora and Field Training Officer in the Aurora 911 system. In recent years, Eric transitioned to the private sector where he helped to reform, create, and manage the Store Management Training Program for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. As a Colorado native, Eric is excited to serve the people of Colorado and the great people that help govern it.

Matthew Knight, Statewide LXP Administrator

Matthew Knight serves as COE’s Learning Experience Platform (LXP) Administrator. He has been with the State for nine years, previously working with the Division of Youth Services and the Department of Human Services. Matthew has extensive experience with the Cornerstone platform, and serves as the lead administrator for the State’s new Cornerstone LXP. He is excited to be implementing the Cornerstone LXP to provide engaging, and impactful learning experiences for all State of Colorado employees. Away from work, Matthew is a proud parent of his two-year old son, Jaxon. He is also a dedicated little league football and wrestling coach while finding time to play the popular game Dungeons and Dragons.  

Hans Kuhlmann, Human Resources Specialist - HR Academy

Hans has worked on DPA programs such as Work Based Learning Program Playbook 1.0, revamped the Statewide Personnel Certification Program (SPCP), and spearheaded the HR Academy initiative. Hans has an extensive Human Resources background in Talent Acquisition, Employee & Labor Relations, Total Rewards, Legal Compliance, and Change Management. Prior to DPA, he worked at CDLE. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business and a Master's in Labor Relations. 

Socrates Mouskos, Emerging Leader Program Administrator

Socrates Mouskos serves as the Emerging Leader Program Administrator. Socrates has over 20 years experience in facilitation, adult education, training design, performance management, and eLearning development, with a focus on leadership, customer service, sales, and technical skills. He has trained thousands of people and launched new business operations in Canada, India, The Philippines, and throughout America. Prior to joining the State, he was the Director of Training & Quality at a tech startup for three years. Socrates loves working for the State and helping to elevate the performance of our amazing public servants!

Abigail Nguyen, HR Academy Program Administrator

Abigail is the training specialist and program lead for the HR Academy. She has a background in HR policy, psychology, and leadership training. Before joining the HR Academy team, Abigail served as an Employee & Labor Relations Specialist at CDHS, followed by a role as a Labor Relations Trainer at DPA. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from CU Boulder and is working on her Masters in Public Administration, focusing on public policy analysis. Outside of work, you can often find her spending time with her two pups, Willow and Flapjack!