Headline

Developer Content Lead, Content Strategist, Learning Design Architect | Ex-Cisco, Disney, Data Society | UCL-IOE, IIS-STEP C4 | AI Training, Enablement | Passionate about delivering delightful customer experiences.

About

Dedicated to empowering those around me and driven by a firm belief in giving back, my journey has been guided by a commitment to making a positive impact. My career path, rooted in learning and development, technology, and business, has been a fusion of fostering innovation and enabling individuals to thrive. My past clients include Cisco, OneTrust, Tugboat Logic, IQVIA, Booz Allen Hamilton, United States Chief Financial Officers Council, Skillsoft, NASA, Walt Disney World, and the United States Department of State. I have experience working in multiple industries. 💡 My tenure at Cisco as a Senior Program Manager within the Learning & Development team has been defined by leading the delivery of innovative upskilling solutions that optimized portfolio planning, analyzing operations, and reviewing content for multiple products and offerings. 💡 Graduating from the University of Houston and then the Institute of Education at the University of London as well as participating in Springboard’s Software Engineering Bootcamp laid the groundwork for my dual expertise in the learning realm and business strategy. This diverse knowledge base fuels my dedication to specializing in technical training while also pursuing program management, driven by a genuine passion for crafting solutions that empower individuals and address real-world problems. 💡 My commitment to giving back extends beyond the business realm. I’ve actively engaged in volunteering in the community training others on how to use Generative AI for tasks to help them be more productive and efficient, experiences that have not only honed my communication skills and creativity, but have also amplified my commitment to advocating for continuous learning and growth. I have studied topics in Software Engineering, Data Science, AI, and AWS Cloud Services. Skills: Articulate 360 (Storyline and Rise), Instructional Design and Online Learning/e-Learning, ADDIE Model, Camtasia, Movavi, Snagit, Adult Learning Principles, Curriculum Design and Development, Training Development, Leading Training, Project Planning, Project Management, Cloud Services, Learning Experience Design (LXD), Learning Management Systems (LMS), SharePoint, Learning Analytics, Prompt Engineering, No-Code/Low-Code, Generative AI, AI Ethics and Responsible AI, AI Literacy, Large Language Model (LLM) Architecture, Agile Methodologies, Data Analytics 🔗 Take a look at my portfolio: www.manishabhalesha.com 🤝 I'd love to chat about learning and development, technology, or program management! Feel free to send me a DM.

Location

Greater Houston

Work experience

Technical Learning Architect and AI Learning Consultant at General Assembly, Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 4 mos, • Design and deliver 5+ end-to-end AI learning programs from Q2–Q4 2025, spanning AI for Leaders, AI for UX, AI for Digital, and AI for Marketing across workshops, hands-on labs, and modular learning experiences, totaling 150+ hours of content delivered across multiple sectors. • Lead curriculum strategy and development for multi-level AI pathways (Foundations through Advanced), covering structured prompting patterns, workflow design, structured outputs (JSON, YAML), retrieval and knowledge integration, and responsible AI governance best practices. • Serve as a trusted subject matter expert across AI and full-stack learning initiatives, translating complex technical concepts into clear, confidence-building learning experiences for technical and non-technical audiences through instructional assets and data-driven presentations. • Partner cross-functionally with 25+ AI Learning Experience Designers, Client Success Managers, and Subject Matter Experts to deliver programs 95% on time and on budget, consistently meeting quality, efficiency, and stakeholder expectations. • Drive strong learner and client outcomes, achieving high NPS scores and sustained client satisfaction through engaging facilitation, applied learning design, and measurable impact on adoption and skill transfer. • Recognized as a member of General Assembly’s 2025 “Frequent Flyers”, an internal list of 11 top AI Learning Experience Designers identified by leadership for consistently high-quality work, flexibility across projects, and repeated delivery success. • Customize courses for clients as part of General Assembly's AI Academy; includes AI Training for specific functional roles Clients: NatWest, ProgFoundation, Clarins, The Adecco Group, Verizon Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Perplexity, Gemini Pro, Crew AI, Agentic AI, Canvas LMS, EdApp, Slack, Google Workspace, Figma Make, Gamma.app, Canva AI, HeyGen, Onlook, Hedra, Sora

Technical Learning Architect and Consultant, Learning & Development at Cisco, Nov 2022 - Dec 2024 · 2 yrs 2 mos, • Learning & Development program manager responsible for how learning solutions are implemented with Product and Data Science through scaled enablement such as training, communication, and playbooks for 10K+ global learners across 200 offices. As an advocate for learners, my job was to uplevel and ensure learners are equipped with knowledge of Data Science, Data Literacy, AI, and GenAI to utilize as well as translate learnings to the end client successfully. Key Accomplishments: 📍Created, delivered, and expanded global technical training and development programs at Cisco, with customer participation scores increasing by 20% globally. 📍Launched a newly designed internal site on AI (Artificial Intelligence) Training and Resources - acts as an information hub for thousands of team members and leaders. 📍Created and scaled our first Data Education Support Playbook to improve outcome, usability, and CSAT, resulting in monthly customer feedback reports to Data Education and Learning leaders raising top user pain points and features requested to drive 10% less ticket volume and 15% higher customer satisfaction. Tools: Degreed, SharePoint, Smartsheet, LMS, Monday.com, Miro, Power Automate, Performitiv, Tableau, Credly, Workday, Oracle PeopleSoft, Saba Cloud

Learning and Development Consultant at TPx, Jul 2022 - Nov 2022 · 5 mos, • As a Learning & Development leader, I led the initiative to fast-track the development of 10+ modules for Sales Enablement Training to equip sales representatives with skills, knowledge, and tools to perform their best and reach their goals. I also oversaw the implementation of ServiceNow Knowledge Management to empower the organization to maximize the knowledge collected and enhance collaboration to deliver exceptional customer service experience. Key Contributions: 📍Streamlined OKR planning process, collaborating across learning and development, organizational development, and sales teams, resulting in strong alignment for organizational growth of ~10%+. 📍Oversaw a portfolio of 20+ classes, fostering positive client partnerships by being the key contact to communicate project statuses, lead partner calls, and evangelize localization practices. 📍Influenced leadership team to define our Leadership Development initiative aimed at enhancing leaders’ skills and capabilities, helping them to excel in their current roles.

Senior Training Consultant at Independent Consultant - Contractor, Nov 2021 - Nov 2022 · 1 yr 1 mo, • As a Senior Training Consultant, I managed people and programs, with direct responsibility for improving client satisfaction and operational efficiency. I planned and executed training initiatives to create an exceptional learner experience. I served as the voice of the learner, ensuring our internal teams aligned to drive the best possible outcomes for the business. Key Wins: 📍Partnered with 43 subject matter experts to develop tailored learning strategies and user-focused training materials, enhancing stakeholder engagement and performance. 📍Defined success metrics and monitored progress, delivering insights to stakeholders and improving onboarding and training experiences by 20%. 📍Directed over 5 change management programs and managed 200+ stakeholders, ensuring seamless adoption of new training modalities and technologies.

Project Manager and Training Consultant at OneTrust, Jan 2022 - May 2022 · 5 mos, • As a Project Manager in the Learning & Development team, I defined the project management process, standards, deliverables, and operational cadence necessary to ensure consistent project execution. I also set the strategic program direction and execution of the project management lifecycle. Key Accomplishments: 📍Leveraged the OKR framework to foster transparency and accountability across teams, leading to a 10% improvement in overall team collaboration and performance. 📍Independently created and improved resources/programming directly impacting Security Certification Automation 800+ users - enabling them to perform at their best. 📍Determined scope, created KPIs, established roadmap, and produced proposals, timelines, templates, and enablement materials in partnership with all levels of the Product community, increasing engagement by 30%.

Education

Master's Degree - Education, UCL Institute of Education

Educational/Instructional Media Design, IDOL Academy