Classified Professional Learning Day

8.30 am – 9 am

MEET AND GREET – Coffee, tea, and light breakfast

9 am – 10:20 am

Welcome and Opening Session featuring Keynote Speaker Shanell Tyrus: 

In this empowering keynote, Shanell presents a revolutionary approach to professional development that puts heart at the center. Drawing from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Strengths-based philosophy, this keynote will introduce College of Marin Classified Staff to the transformative concept of the "Unique Area of Care" – the sweet spot where personal passions, lived experiences, and the needs of those you serve intersect. Through engaging storytelling and evidence-based frameworks, participants will gain a new perspective on how understanding fundamental human needs can reveal deeper meaning in their daily work and illuminate pathways to greater professional purpose and satisfaction.

Professional Learning Committee
Shanell Tyrus

AC 255

Mapping Your Unique Area of Care: Interactive Workshop

Building on the concepts introduced in the keynote, this interactive breakout session guides participants through practical exercises to identify and map their own "Unique Area of Care." Through structured reflection prompts, small group discussions, and personalized mapping activities, participants will uncover the specific intersection of their natural talents, accumulated wisdom, and the needs they're uniquely positioned to address. Through collaborative dialogue that helps staff members articulate their distinctive contributions to the campus community, we'll develop concrete strategies to align daily work with deeper professional purpose. Participants will leave with a visual map of their professional sweet spot and actionable insights for bringing more meaning and intention to their service.

Session Outcomes

• Explore how their personal experiences and perspectives shape their approach to professional service
• Learn to identify and leverage their natural talents and passions in creating impactful approaches
• Understand the importance of addressing specific human needs in higher education
• Discover strategies for developing personalized, culturally relevant initiatives that resonate with internal and external customers

Shanell Tyrus

AC 240

Raise Your Voice: Building Public Speaking Confidence in Your Professional Life

As a student, did you experience anxiety or hesitation about speaking in front of your classmates? As a professional, have you experienced anxiety or hesitation about interviews, evaluations, or speaking up at Senate and team meetings? In this workshop, we'll discuss how to become more comfortable as a public speaker through strategies that focus on connection and engagement: not on formal address or memorization. This session will include information about recognizing and managing common sources of speech anxiety, models and techniques that help engage audience members, and the chance to draft your own speech outline about a professional need within your own department.

Session Outcomes

• Identify strategies for managing and speaking past speech anxiety
• Apply techniques for connecting with and engaging audience members
• Create a speech outline that uses narrative, framing, and audience connection

Victor Cameron Coronado

AC 239

Financial Wellness

Learn the fundamentals of financial wellness to spend less than you earn and steps to take a well rounded approach to financial wellness today and the steps you can take for a healthier financial future.

Session Outcomes

• Understand what is financial wellness and why it is important
• Take practical steps to manage your finances better

Jeff Isley
Financial Advisor, Corebridge Financial

Cafeteria Patio

Professional Development Resource Fair and Community Building

This time provides an opportunity to explore a variety of professional development resources—both internal and external—through informative resource tables, helping you discover tools and opportunities to enhance your career growth. Beyond resources, this event is also a time to connect, recharge, and build community with your colleagues. Engage in fun and meaningful activities to relax and have fun with others.

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AC 238

Understanding Racial Justice and White Supremacy 101: Reflecting Inward to Create Supportive and Safer Spaces

White supremacy is often discussed as a "thing of the past" or a “taboo topic.”  With the pandemic came the stark understanding of how deeply rooted systemic racism and oppression is for marginalized communities, stemming from practices and policies steeped in White supremacy. Join us in a continued conversation about how institutions of higher education are rooted in White supremacy and how we can embody Angela Davis' quote of individually and collectively working to dismantle racist systems. We will strategize on how to create equitable access and support for students and communities who historically and currently experience the most impact.

Session Outcomes

• Learn about the historical and current context of White supremacy and racial justice in the U.S. higher education system.
• Reflect on current practices in teaching and/or positions at the college.
• Take away tips and tools to actively dismantle oppressive practices in teaching and/or professional positions.

Teresa Perales 
Sadika Sulaiman Hara

AC 240

AI Assistance: Strategies for Getting the Most Out of Chatbots

Learn practical strategies for using AI chatbots effectively in your work. This hands-on workshop teaches you how to craft clear prompts, refine AI responses, and thoughtfully apply AI tools to workplace writing and research tasks. You'll practice using AI chatbots' web search capabilities to find current, reliable information. Through guided exercises, you'll develop skills for both basic and advanced interactions with AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude. No technical background required.

Session Outcomes

• Compose clear, specific prompts that communicate their needs to AI chatbots
• Guide AI chatbots in searching and synthesizing current web information
• Apply iterative refinement techniques to improve AI responses
• Evaluate AI outputs critically and identify when revisions are needed

Anna Mills

AC 239

Charting Your Career Path: Exploring Pathways to Meet Your Goals

Have you thought about wanting to grow professionally or explore what pathways are open to you? This session will guide participants through how to create goals and some of the various resources College of Marin can provide to help you explore what you want to do. Start to develop your next steps so you can get to where you want to be in the future!

Session Outcomes

• Understand SMARTIE goals and how to make a goal you can reach.
• Learn about community education, career pathways, and education advancement offered through College of Marin.
• Develop an action step to move toward your goals.

Alyssa Graff

Gina Cullen

Alina Varona

AC 255/ AC Quad

Join your colleagues for Social Hour to wrap up Classified Professional Learning Day.

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