Learning Through Engagement: Shamyra Jacobs’ Vision for the Future of HR Development
At the 2025 HRSouthwest Conference — a cornerstone gathering for forward-thinking human resources professionals — ideas around culture, engagement, and the evolving nature of workplace learning took center stage. Among the voices shaping those discussions was Shamyra Jacobs, an MBA student at Texas Woman’s University, who joined Daniel Litwin, the Voice of B2B at MarketScale, to share her insights. Drawing from her eight years in education across state and federal government roles, Jacobs spoke about her transition into HR, specifically learning and development, emphasizing her passion for fostering growth, building engagement, and cultivating a culture of excellence and high expectations. For her, HR isn’t just about compliance or process — it’s about creating spaces where adults are motivated, challenged, and inspired to grow.
Drawing on her background in education, Shamyra underscored how interactive, engaging methods can make workplace learning more effective. She advocated for dynamic approaches like small-group collaboration and real-time feedback to replace static, lecture-style training. Her perspective also pushed for a rethink of mentorship — valuing enthusiasm and genuine guidance over tenure — a message that echoed the conference’s focus on building thoughtful, people-first workplace cultures.
