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The National Talent Board ™ Announces Launch of the Certified Talent Director (CTD™) Credential

First professional credential establishes independent standard for creator talent management industry

Los Angeles, CA, March 2026 - The National Talent Board ™ today announced the launch of the Certified Talent Director (CTD™), the first independent professional credential for the creator talent management industry.

The CTD™ credential is issued to professionals who demonstrate competency across six domains of creator talent management, including talent acquisition, brand partnership execution, deal negotiation, campaign fulfillment, and agency operations. The credential requires completion of an approved preparation program, real-world capstone demonstration, and agreement to a binding code of professional ethics.

“The creator economy has grown into a $250 billion industry, but there has been no professional standard for the talent managers who represent creators and negotiate their brand partnerships,” said Alex Gunnarsson, Chair of The National Talent Board ™. “The CTD™ changes that. For the first time, creators, brands, and employers have a way to verify that a talent manager has been assessed against a rigorous professional standard.”

The CTD™ is built on a published Competency Framework covering six professional domains, developed in consultation with practicing talent management professionals. All credentials are numbered, tracked, and independently verifiable through The National Talent Board ™’s public verification database at nationaltalentboard.org/verify.

The National Talent Board ™ operates as an independent nonprofit professional credentialing organization, separate from any training provider. The Board is governed by a Board of Directors comprising talent management professionals, creator economy executives, legal professionals, and industry stakeholders.

The first approved preparation program is The Roster Method, offered by OVO Talent.