PWA Conference 2025

Resilience!

Building and Sustaining Mindful Action

Our conference is guided by the following questions:  How can we become involved change makers? What does it look like to advocate for ourselves and others? How can we empower ourselves in our personal and professional lives? How can we help to empower others? How can we encourage ourselves and one another? What does it look like to encourage one another within the professional context?

Our workshop sessions reflect PWA's three fundamental pillars: Engage, Empower, Encourage. Our workshop presenters are sought after experts on-campus and in our local community. Our previous presenters have included professionals from a variety of industries including business, higher education, marketing, and health & wellness.

Conference Information

Friday, May 9, 2025 | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | Loma Pelona Center | $25 Registration Fee

9:00 AM - Refreshments & Mingling / Professional Clothing Swap Opens

ENGAGE

  • 9:30 AM - Welcome / Land Acknowledgment

  • 9:45 AM - Workshop: From Overloaded to Balanced: Personal Strategy 101 with Katie Mankins, Director for Process Management, Office of the CIO and Jen Johansen, Academic Personnel Manager, College of Creative Studies

  • 10:15 AM - Workshop: The Human Side of Change: Building Skills to More Effectively Navigate Change & Transition with Heather A. Heyerdahl, Director of Training and Organizational Development

 EMPOWER

  • 11:00 AM - Keynote: Resilience: You Can Do Hard Things with Dr. Pati Montojo, Associate Ombuds

  • 12:00 - 1:00 LUNCH

  • 1:00 PM - Chancellor’s Remarks

  • 1:15 PM - Unsung Hero/ine Awards & Book Grant Award

  • 1:30 PM - Self-Defense Workshop with Amber Paresa, 805 Defense Santa Barbara

ENCOURAGE

  • 2:00 PM Workshop: Writing Through: Community-based Reflection and Professional Resilience with Camille Despain, M.Ed., Associate Director South Coast Writing Project

  • 2:30 PM Workshop: Cultivating Self-Preservation & the Safeguarding of Others During Traumatic Times through Self-Compassion & Parts Work with Lex Brand, MS, LMFT, Director of Student Support & Advocacy UCSB’s Resource Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity

  • 3:00 PM Closing Remarks

  • 3:15 - 5:00 PM Off-Campus Networking Event (Location TBD)

Thank you to our Sponsors

CAmpus Sponsors

Office of the Chancellor

Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor

College of Creative Studies

College of Engineering

Development

Office of Research

Graduate Division

Office of Administrative Services

Office of Student Affairs

College of Math, Life, Physical Sciences

Gevirtz Graduate School of Education

Department of Chemical Engineering

Department of Feminist Studies

Summer Sessions