Theme: “From Data to Human Impact”
Day 1: June 9, 2026
| Activity | Facilitators | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Registration and Breakfast | - | 8:30–9:00 a.m. |
| Welcome and Introductions | Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza | 9:00–9:15 a.m. |
| Creating Conditions for Honest Dialogue | Dr. Leah Weiss | 9:15–10:15 a.m. |
| Break | - | 10:15–10:30 a.m. |
| West Valley's Regional Context: The Silicon Valley Ecosystem | Russell Hancock | 10:30–12:30 p.m. |
| Lunch and Group Photo | - | 12:30–1:30 p.m. |
| Data is Personal: A Visual Art Experience | Rachell Doorley | 1:30–3:00 p.m. |
| Where We Stand: Progress on College-Wide Plans | Dr. Shusaku Horibe Tanya Anderson Andrea Vizenor |
3:00–4:15 p.m. |
| Day 1 Integration and Reflection Day 2 Expectation |
Dr. Leah Weiss | 4:15–4:25 p.m. |
| Team Dinner (RSVP Only) | - | 5:00–7:00 p.m. |
Session Descriptions
- West Valley’s Regional Context: The Silicon Valley Ecosystem – This session explores West Valley College’s place within the broader Silicon Valley ecosystem and highlights the key forces shaping innovation, employment, community health, and individual well-being. Participants will gain a shared understanding of how partnerships drive collective success in addressing Silicon Valley’s challenges.
- Data Is Personal: A Visual Art Experience – In this hands-on session, participants create data-driven artwork using symbols that represent personal identities and life experiences. Inspired by the Dear Data project and the book Observe, Collect, Draw, this session demonstrates how data can be expressive, meaningful, and deeply human.
- Where We Stand: Progress on College-Wide Plans – A focused update on where West Valley College stands on its key institutional commitments — including the Strategic Educational Plan, the Institutional Equity Plan, and our College Excellence Indicators. This session establishes a shared picture of our progress, our targets, and the work still ahead as the foundation for our conversations throughout the retreat.
Day 2: June 10, 2026
| Activity | Facilitators | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | - | 8:30–8:50 a.m. |
| Welcome and Introductions | Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza | 8:50–9:00 a.m. |
| Rhythmic Team Experience | Jeni Swerdlow | 9:00–11:00 a.m |
| Break | - | 11:00–11:10 a.m. |
| Starting Strong: Exploring College Excellence Indicators for Student Onboarding | Dr. Shusaku Horibe Alison McGann San Newman |
11:10 a.m.–12:10 p.m. |
| Lunch | - | 12:10–1:00 p.m. |
| Stronger in Sync: Unit OKRs and Finding Opportunities for Synergy | Dr. Shusaku Horibe | 1:00–2:45 p.m. |
| Break | - | 2:45–3:00 p.m. |
| Applied Improv Session | Jeff Kramer | 3:00–4:00 p.m. |
| Day 2 Integration and Reflection Closing and Next Steps |
Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza | 4:00–4:25 p.m. |
Session Descriptions
- Rhythmic Team Experience – This high-energy drumming experience brings creativity, communication, and connection to life. Through shared rhythm and interactive participation, campus leaders translate individual contributions into a cohesive collective outcome—mirroring how data and human insight come together in effective leadership. Guided by expert facilitators, the session deepens communication and fosters team alignment in an engaging, memorable way.
- Starting Strong: Exploring College Excellence Indicators for Student Onboarding – Grounded in our own data and real student experience, this session takes a close look at two leading indicators of student success: first-term persistence and first-year educational plan completion. Through group work, we’ll develop a shared diagnosis of where and which students are losing momentum in their first term — and each identify one concrete thing within our reach to do differently.
- Stronger in Sync: Unit OKRs and Finding Opportunities for Synergy – Each major college unit shares the goals and key results driving their work this year. In this interactive gallery-style session, we move beyond our own units to discover where our efforts connect, overlap, and can amplify one another — leaving with a clearer sense of how we can collaborate more intentionally toward shared outcomes
- Applied Improv Session – As the retreat transitions from insight to action, this applied-improv session emphasizes presence, adaptability, and collaboration. Through experiential exercises, campus leaders translate ideas into meaningful human connection—building trust, strengthening communication, and energizing the leadership team to act with purpose.