2026 Bridge Conference: Full Schedule

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10:15am PDT

All Bodies are Good Bodies: Building Weight-Inclusive Spaces to Protect Youth Development and Wellbeing

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Room 315, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Exposure to weight stigma, especially during the delicate time of adolescence, can have lifelong consequences. Youth today navigate relentless messages that their bodies are not “good enough”. This workshop helps youth-serving professionals to create safer, more inclusive spaces that better align with their organizational values and where all young people can thrive. Beginning with the history of weight stigma and its roots in anti-Black racism, participants will learn to identify the ways that youth encounter weight stigma day to day, from casual comments between peers to social media influences, and from health care to the locker room.

Speakers

Maayan Simckes (she/her)

Epidemiologist and Consultant, Wellspring Public Health Strategies

Dr. Maayan Simckes is an epidemiologist with over 15 years of public health experience, including ten in the Pacific Northwest. She earned her PhD and MPH in epidemiology and solves complex health problems through practical, innovative, and collaborative solutions. Dr. Simckes leads... Read More →

Robyn Evans (she/her)

Nurse Practitioner, Adolescent Medicine, Seattle Children's Hospital

Robyn Evans ARNP is a bilingual nurse practitioner with over 25 years experience in Adolescent Health with a long-standing focus on the care of marginalized youth. Her clinical practice focuses on decreasing the physiological and psychological effects of eating disorders on children... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Room 315, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Emerging Issues Self and Community Care

Content Area Emerging Issues, Self and Community Care
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Reimagining Resilience: Understanding Trauma & Creating Safer Environments

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Chambers Bay 1, Marriott (3rd Floor)

As our communities and education system are more stressed, BELONG Partners
supports the critical need for us to come together and connect in ways that build resilience and
center young peoples’ (and all peoples’) needs. Our time will be spent not only learning about the
impact of trauma on our developing brains and bodies but will also focus on restorative, and
antiracist strategies that create environments for young people to truly thrive.

Speakers

Aaron Norikane (he/him)

Facilitator, BELONG Partners

Aaron Norikane (he/him) has been pushing to transform our education systems (both in schools and in our communities) for young people in the Seattle area for over 30 years. As a facilitator with the BELONG Partners team working with schools and community orgs all over South King County... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Chambers Bay 1, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Racial Equity Emerging Issues

Content Area Racial Equity, Emerging Issues
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Building Knowledge Together: Data Equity from Early Learning to Early Adulthood

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Room 317, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Practitioners are often asked to collect data for funders rather than to build
knowledge for their own practice. This session reframes that relationship, treating every measure
as a mutually cultivated choice about what matters. We trace those choices across four phases of
the cycle of inquiry, each grounded in a current program: a community co-designed wage pilot for
engagement and co-design, a holistic measurement effort for data collection, a postsecondary
access program for mixed methods and learning cycles, and a housing pilot for storytelling.
Together, these examples surface what it takes to build data practices that hold rigor and humanity
at once. Rather than offering a finished framework, this session treats the room as a working
group: practitioners will discuss these examples, name what has strengthened trust and belonging
for the youth they serve, and contribute approaches worth exploring. Participants leave with
practical strategies and open questions to carry back into their own programs.

Speakers

Diana Parades (she/her)

Evaluator, King County

Diana Paredes is an Evaluator on King County's Performance Measurement and Evaluation team, supporting youth development and community development programs. She brings a background in applied research and evaluation focused on equitable development, civic engagement, and leadership... Read More →

Vanessa Quince (she/her)

Senior Evaluator in Youth Services, King County

Vanessa Quince is a Senior Evaluator in Youth Services on King County's Performance Measurement and Evaluation team. She specializes in mixed-methods evaluation, integrating participatory approaches to center community voices and assessing outcomes, with a cross-sector background... Read More →

Leah Grodinsky (she/her)

Senior Evaluator, King County

Leah Grodinsky is a Senior Evaluator on King County's Performance Measurement and Evaluation team, supporting youth development and out-of-school time strategies. She brings a cross-sector background spanning youth-serving direct service, community-based environmental and food systems... Read More →

Lauren Dinsmore (she/her)

Senior Evaluator, King County

Lauren Dinsmore is a Child Care Programs Evaluator on King County's Performance Measurement and Evaluation team supporting the Children, Youth, and Young Adults Division. She brings experience evaluating programs that advance maternal and infant health equity, having worked on Solano County's Black... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Room 317, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Racial Equity Multi-Sector Partnerships

Content Area Racial Equity, Multi-Sector Partnerships
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Serving Youth & Adolescents of Color Through Connection, Cultural Awareness, and Mental Health Support

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Stadium, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth often navigate layered stressors connected to
identity, community experiences, systemic inequities, and emotional wellbeing. These experiences can
directly impact behavior, academic engagement, relationships, and mental health outcomes. This
workshop examines how professionals can better serve youth by building authentic connections,
recognizing underlying stressors, and responding with culturally aware and supportive practices.
Through discussion, reflection, and practical application, participants will gain tools to
strengthen trust, support emotional regulation, and create environments where youth feel seen,
valued, and supported.

Speakers

Toni Williams (she/her)

Mental Health Therapist

Toni brings extensive experience in K–12 education as both an educator and building leader, supporting students, families, and school communities through a lens of equity, belonging, and growth. With a background in mental health and youth development, Toni has worked to break down... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Stadium, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Racial Equity Youth Development Programming

Content Area Racial Equity, Youth Development Programming
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Design Organizations Where Hope Thrives: Creating the Conditions for Belonging and Impact

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Room 318, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Hope is more than optimism. Research shows it is a powerful driver of motivation,
well-being, and goal attainment for both young people and adults. Yet, hope does not emerge in
isolation. It grows in environments where people experience belonging, trust, meaningful
relationships, and pathways toward possibility. This interactive workshop explores how leaders can
intentionally create organizational conditions that cultivate hope and support relationship-rich
environments. Drawing on KBD Collaborative's 5 Key Drivers of Organizational Impact, Hope
science, and MENTOR Washington's Hope Rising collaboration, participants will explore strategies
that strengthen team culture, relational trust, staff well-being, and program effectiveness.
Attendees will leave with practical ideas to foster hope, belonging, and impact for both young
people and adults.

Speakers

Jolynn Kenney (she/her)

Executive Director & Hope Ambassador, MENTOR Washington

Executive Director by day. Professional hope-instigator by night. Leads MENTOR Washington corralling mentoring professionals like a benevolent chaos wizard, and will absolutely ask you to “just real quick reimagine the entire system” before lunch. Fueled by coffee, justice, and... Read More →

Sheely Mauck (she/her)

Facilitator & Managing Partner, KBD Collaborative

As Managing Partner for KBD Collaborative, Sheely draws upon two decades of experience in youth development, advancing racial equity, adult learning theory, nonprofit management, and cultural responsiveness to support equitable system building. Sheely is a facilitator, educator, leader... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Room 318, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Workforce and Systems Building

Content Area Workforce and Systems Building
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Inspiring Action: Crafting Stories with Purpose

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Whether you're writing a grant proposal or sharing a social media post, stories are one of the most effective ways to demonstrate your organization's mission and impact—but not all stories are created equal. While some stories inspire audiences to think or act differently, others leave audiences unsatisfied, unmoved, or unsure of what to do next. In this workshop, we'll go through a step-by-step process for creating stories that resonate, build trust, and compel your audience to act. Participants will define their own storytelling goals and opportunities, explore ethical considerations, and practice using the 3 C's of storytelling (Challenge, Choice, Change) to craft stories with purpose.

Speakers

Luca Savotsky (he/they)

Marketing Manager, School's Out Washington

With 12+ years of experience in non-profit marketing and communications, Luca (he/they) offers expertise in values-based storytelling, strategic branding and visual design, and social media management. Luca earned his Master of Communication in Communities & Networks degree from the... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Workforce and Systems Building Multi-Sector Partnerships

Content Area Workforce and Systems Building, Multi-Sector Partnerships
Level Emerging

10:15am PDT

Playworks Group Management

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT

Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Lay the foundation for creating a safe, healthy, and respectful environment. Utilize proactive group management strategies to set students up for successful group behavior, focusing on building rapport, attention getters and signals, rules and consequences and more. Playworks supports K-5 students at recess. This session is directed toward recess staff, and out of school time staff who support play at their site.

Speakers

Taylor Timms (she/her)

Associate Program Director, Playworks

Taylor was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from Arizona State University with a Criminal Justice Degree. Taylor decided to take a proactive approach to working with youth. She was determined to make a change in education and the way society views our youth; specifically... Read More →

Casey Gackle (he/him)

Partner Experience Manager, Playworks

From Tacoma, Washington, Casey began his journey with Playworks in November of 2022 as a Program Specialist in the Pacific Northwest Seattle area. Casey has his B.A. in Business Administration and a minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Western Washington University. During... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 10:15am - 11:45am PDT
Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Youth Development Programming Multi-Sector Partnerships

Content Area Youth Development Programming, Multi-Sector Partnerships
Level Emerging

12:45pm PDT

Mindsets Matter: exploring fixed, growth and benefit mindsets

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT

Stadium, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Why does mindset matter?
Join us for this dynamic workshop to discover three different mindset frameworks. Explore how to help youth and your team develop a sense of purpose, and how to cultivate a positive and supportive environment that fosters growth and learning. Examining our mindsets allows us to support young people, and your team to center non-judgmental and strengths-based perspectives towards growth supports. Leave with practical tools for supporting youth success in all areas of their lives.

Speakers

Sevan Bussell (they/them)

Training Content Manager, School's Out Washington

Sevan designs workshops for in-person, virtual and SOWA's self-guided platform. They apply an accessibility lens to their work and ensure that people who attend our workshops can fully engage.

Sevan has been in the youth development field for over 14 years and working with adult learners for over 18 years. Their time in direct service was spent supporting and uplifting LGBTQ+ youth and those with disabilities. Their work at SOWA is informed by those same passions; suppo... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT
Stadium, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Youth Development Programming

Content Area Youth Development Programming
Level Emerging

12:45pm PDT

Skills for Theatre, Skills for Life: incorporating social and emotional learning into the classroom through drama games and activities

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT

Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Theatre is for everyone! In this hands-on workshop, we will be using the transformative power of the arts to bring fun into the classroom. Through theatre games with a focus on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) we will explore concepts while doing! By intentionally incorporating SEL into the classroom we offer students an opportunity to cultivate empathy and
examine their self-awareness. SEL studies have shown positive outcomes that tie socialization to the promotion of emotional understanding and empathy. These activities are suitable for ALL educators and classrooms/afterschool programs, and will provide tools and activities to:
• Cultivate empathy and community care within the classroom.
• Incorporate practices that support humanity.
• Foster student engagement and a brave space.

Speakers

Janet Cole Hamilton (she/her)

Senior Education and Outreach Manager, Village Theatre's KIDSTAGE

Janet has been with KIDSTAGE since 2006. She developed her own, “Skills for Theatre… Skills for Life” through acting, directing, forming a theatre company, serving on boards for arts organizations, and time in corporate America working with freelance artists, graphic designers... Read More →

Blaire Smith (she/her)

Education Programs Manager, Village Theatre's KIDSTAGE

Blaire is a Washington based theatre artist and drama educator, who is excited to return to Village Theatre KIDSTAGE as the education programs manager! Although she calls Seattle home, she has shared her love of theatre on stages all over the world. She enjoys all aspects of theatre... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT
Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Youth Development Programming

Content Area Youth Development Programming
Level Emerging

12:45pm PDT

Youth Power in Practice: How Young People Are Leading Social Change Across Washington

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT

Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)

In 2025, Allen Family Philanthropies awarded grants to 10 organizations across Washington that are working to mobilize young leaders across Washington to support their work to strengthen youth leadership, civic engagement, and youth organizing in communities from Thurston County, to Seattle, to Spokane. In this session, you'll hear directly from a few of them about their different approaches, shaped by the communities they serve and the issues their young people care about. Together, they're answering the same core questions through their work: what does youth power actually look like in practice, and what does it take to build it with young people?
Come hear what's worked, what hasn't, and what these organizations have learned along the way.

Speakers

Olivia Thai (she/her)

Program Officer, Youth Development, Allen Family Philathropies

Olivia Thai, born and raised in Kennewick, WA, leads youth development strategy and grantmaking with Allen Family Philanthropies. She holds a degree in Sociology and a Master's in Social Work focused on administration and policy practice, both from the University of Washington. Prior... Read More →

Chetan Soni

Executive Director, Washington Youth Alliance

East African Community Services provides culturally-rooted youth and family wraparound programs that empower refugee and immigrant communities across South Seattle and King County.

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT
Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Youth Development Programming Emerging Issues

Content Area Youth Development Programming, Emerging Issues
Level Emerging

12:45pm PDT

Creating Ripples of Opportunity: Financial Aid Strategies that Advance Equity and Access

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT

Room 407, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

In this workshop presented by the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), we will discuss Washington state financial aid programs, statewide efforts, and how to support students applying for state financial aid. We will give you a sneak peek into the new Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA). In addition, we will explore systemic
barriers to financial aid equity and present strategies for facilitating student access. Participants will leave with free customizable resources they can use to develop their own financial aid access strategies.

Speakers

Christina Winstead (she/her)

Associate Director, College Access Initiatives, Washington Student Achievement Council

Christina Winstead serves as the Associate Director for College Access Initiatives at the Washington Student Achievement Council, where she advances equity-focused strategies that expand educational opportunity and support learners across pathways. With more than 25 years of experience... Read More →

Kathie Pham (she/her)

Program Associate for College Bound Outreach, Washington Student Achievement Council

Kathie Pham serves as a Program Associate for College Access Initiatives at the Washington Student Achievement Council, where she draws on over 15 years of experience in K–12 and higher education. She focuses on program management, communications, and equipping counselors and college... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 12:45pm - 2:15pm PDT
Room 407, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Youth Development Programming Multi-Sector Partnerships

Content Area Youth Development Programming, Multi-Sector Partnerships
Level Emerging

2:30pm PDT

Flowing Together: Coalition Clinics for Building Collective Power

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT

Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Young people thrive when organizations, families, schools, and community partners work together with shared purpose. Building authentic partnerships requires trust, shared leadership, and practical strategies for navigating change.

Drawing on 12+ years of coalition-building at the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC), this interactive workshop uses Coalition Clinics—small-group problem-solving sessions based on real partnership challenges. Participants will explore scenarios focused on building trust, sharing power, sustaining engagement, navigating conflict, and aligning diverse partners around common goals.

Using practical coalition-building tools, they will map stakeholders, examine power dynamics, and develop strategies to strengthen collaboration. Participants will leave with adaptable frameworks for building resilient, equitable partnerships that center youth, families, and community voice.

Speakers

Liz Huizar (she/her/ella)

Executive Director, Southeast Seattle Education Coalition

Liz Huizar is the Executive Director of the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC). She has dedicated her career to advancing education justice for communities historically excluded and underserved by formal systems. Liz brings years of experience working at the intersection... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT
Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)

Workforce and Systems Building Multi-Sector Partnerships

Content Area Workforce and Systems Building, Multi-Sector Partnerships
Level Emerging

2:30pm PDT

Flow by Design: Creating the Conditions Where People and Teams Thrive

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 317, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

What if thriving teams aren't built by changing people, but by creating the conditions where people can do their best work? This interactive workshop introduces a practical, researchinformed framework for designing environments where trust, psychological safety, shared purpose, meaningful participation, and collective intelligence can emerge. Drawing on insights from organizational psychology, systems thinking, leadership, and real-world experience in communitybased organizations, participants will explore how the conditions surrounding a team shape learning, collaboration, innovation, and well-being. Through reflection and practical tools, participants will leave with actionable strategies to cultivate belonging, strengthen collaboration, and create environments where people—and the communities they serve—can thrive.

Speakers

Bill Wells (he/him)

Leadership Development, Youth Development and Human Services, Allocentric Consulting

Bill has spent over two decades serving in leadership roles where he has helped others build and practice psychological safety. He began his career working with disadvantaged youth which provided him with insights into the importance of humility, empathy, and adaptability. These guiding... Read More →

Darla Vidger (she/her)

Leadership Development, Allocentric Consulting

Darla Vidger is a seasoned leadership development facilitator and coach with a passion for reimagining leadership in a way that leverages the latest research in brain science and social anthropology to reveal how we think and work best together. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Political... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 317, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Workforce and Systems Building Self and Community Care

Content Area Workforce and Systems Building, Self and Community Care
Level Emerging

2:30pm PDT

Art With, Not About: Building Ethical Art-Making and Storytelling Practices

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT

Room 318, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

This workshop equips educators (arts and non-arts alike) with strategies for sociallyconscious art-making and storytelling for high-school aged youth. Through examining ethical considerations in place-based art, we'll explore how to respectfully engage with subject-matter and break down the power dynamic that can exist when creating artwork about others or subject matter outside the artist’s personal experience. During the workshop, participants will engage with challenging topics like cultural appropriation and power and privilege and consider activities for youth to learn and shape the narrative of what makes an "ethical" artist or storyteller. Participants will leave this session with activities that honor the humanity and dignity of an artist's subjectmatter and the confidence to support youth in shaping their own narratives and applying an ethical lens to their storytelling.

Speakers

Jae Eun Kim (they/them)

Visual Arts Program Developer, foundry10

Jae Eun Kim (they/them) is an arts educator and creative project manager who strives to fill gaps in arts access for youth and community partners through program development, network support, and community building. They have previously used their curriculum development, facilitation... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT
Room 318, Greater Tacoma Convention Center

Youth Development Programming Racial Equity

Content Area Youth Development Programming, Racial Equity
Level Emerging

2:30pm PDT

Designing Our Own Learning (DOOL): Building Belonging, Invigorating Student Voice and Practicing Shared Power

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT

Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Join middle school youth and educators, as they share insights from DOOL, a schoolbased program that builds inclusive communities, shifts power-dynamics and inspires communitycentered change. This is an engaging, interactive, and inspiring workshop that models shared power and youth leadership. Prepare to leave with new tools that can help you to transform your youth program communities and systems for the better.

Speakers

Alan Wong (he/him)

Facilitator, BELONG Partners

Alan Wong (he/him) is a lifelong Seattleite who has dedicated his life to helping youth, educators, and communities to grow. Alan began his career in education, working as a reading tutor at Sanislo Elementary, in the very same South Seattle neighborhood where he grew up. Over the... Read More →

Monday October 26, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm PDT
Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)

Youth Development Programming Racial Equity

Content Area Youth Development Programming, Racial Equity
Level Emerging

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