2026 Bridge Conference

2026 Bridge Conference

10:15am PDT

From Compliance to Collaboration: Empowering Families, Students, and Staff Through Intentional Partnership Point Defiance, Marriott (3rd Floor)Dr. Elena Kelley (she/her/ella) • Mary Williams (she/her/ella) Belonging Before Leadership: Creating Communities Where Every Young Person Can Lead Room 316, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterGreg Barker (he/him) Belonging: The Impact of Difference Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)Sheryl Blessing (she/her) • Bao Huong Doan (she/her) LGBTQI+ Inclusive and Affirming Programs: Using an Intersectional Lens Chambers Bay 2, Marriott (3rd Floor)Tracy Flynn (she/her) Fixing our Fixed-Math Mindsets! Room 407, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterAnnelise Strobel (she/her) • Jordan Koch (she/her)

12:45pm PDT

KC CONNECT: Restorative Responses to Harm Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)Fergie Rodriguez (she/her) • Sharon Moon (she/her) From Staff Learning to Youth Impact: Building a Community of Practice for Continuous Improvement Room 318, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterDr. Kelly Hudson (she/her) • Sheely Mauck (she/her) The Wild Current: Moving with Purpose in Work That Asks So Much Room 315, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterAnna Folsom (she/her)

2:30pm PDT

Advocacy 101: Creating Your Advocacy Toolkit Stadium, Marriott (2nd Floor)Gabriel Linares (he/him) • Malea Sary (she/her) Riding Upstream: Showing Up When the Current Gets Strong Room 315, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterSheryl Blessing (she/her) • Bao Huong Doan (she/her) Tuning In: Building Feedback Loops and Amplifying Youth Voice Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)Ella Kim (she/her/hers) • A.S. Pualani (he/him/his) Engage IRL: Building Student Belonging Through Meaningful Engagement Room 316, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterAaliyah Ashley-Meek • Austin Johnson • Crystal Medina (she/her/ella)

9:45am PDT

Walking Hart’s Ladder: Strengthening Authentic Youth and Adult Partnerships for Lasting Engagement Chambers Bay 3, Marriott (3rd Floor)Brian Brandt (he/him) Make Belonging a Daily Practice: Simple, Off-Screen Games for Busy Programs Room 316, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterNegar Yaghoobi

10:30am PDT

The Art of Facilitation: Leading through Emotions in Discourse about Race Room 317, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterDr. Caprice Hollins (she/her) • Ilsa Marie Govan (she/her) Finding the Current: How Black Male Mentor-Educators Build Trust, Brotherhood & Belonging Point Defiance, Marriott (3rd Floor)Kristian Jones (he/him) • Shelby Cooley (she/her) Why Grief Matters and how we might respond Chambers Bay 1, Marriott (3rd Floor)Lisa Duke MSW (she/her) • Paulette Juarez • Mat Ledin • Paula Blanchard The Water We Don't See: Building Belonging Across Race, Culture, Ability, and Identity Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)Eseosa Paula Ajala (she/her)

2:30pm PDT

School-Community Partnerships: A Blueprint to Improve Youth & Family Food Security Commencement I & II, Marriott (2nd Floor)Haley Ballenger (she/her) • Angel Swanson (she/her) • Romajean Thomas (she/her) • Theresa Williams (she/her) Community Data in Practice: Who Owns Your Story? Union, Marriott (3rd Floor)Leah Wainman (she/her) • Maayan Simckes (she/her) Build the Village: Circle Practices That Grow Belonging, Resilience, and Youth Leadership Chambers Bay 2, Marriott (3rd Floor)Alex Craighead (he/him) • Davis Luanava (she/her) Flow Forward: Help Youth Build Identity, Belonging, and Career Pathways Room 315, Greater Tacoma Convention CenterSophia Downs (she/her)