Ellie Byrd has committed the last 25 years of her career to the learning industry. Her work has varied from software content development for Fortune 500 companies to leadership and personal development programs for small to large businesses. To date, Ellie is credited with having developed hundreds of training programs and online training simulations, as well as having personally trained tens of thousands of people. Prior to 2000, her work was predominantly in the IT sector. Since that time, her business has transitioned to the areas of leadership development, interpersonal skills and non-profit work. In this transition, Ellie has delivered leadership communication programs to hundreds of CEO’s around the globe and is a frequent speaker on group dynamics and accountability at conferences and universities.

Embracing her passion for Forum, Ellie established ForumSherpa in 2008 with a mission to help executive peer groups thrive. Since then, she has introduced the Forum concept into several vertical markets, including senior military officers, church pastors, C-level executives and MBA Entrepreneur students.

Throughout her career, Ellie has founded three successful companies, authored multiple books and released a CD as a concert pianist. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys playing the piano at conferences, churches and elder-care facilities, blending her music with a message of joyful perseverance.