9th ANNUAL WCDA
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
"Integrating Emotional and Artificial Intelligence"
Friday, May 17 2024
IN PERSON, CWU Campus, Ellensburg, WA
Keynote Speaker: Andy Parks
EQ Coach, Senior Lecturer, Central Washington University
Registration/Cancellation deadline May 10
9:00am - 4:30pm
Join the Washington Career Development Association at this in person event featuring industry-leading professional speakers, interactive discussion, and professional networking. This PDI combines new and updated career development topics with the latest trends in Washington State and your region.
Registration includes a parking fee, refreshments and a meal card!
NCDA CE units and K12 Clock Hours may be available. Sign up onsite with completion of evaluation.
Agenda (subject to change):
8:15-8:45 Registration & Refreshments
8:45-8:55 Welcome/Introductions
9:00-9:50 Self-Awareness: Integrating Emotional Intelligence & Your Authentic Self to the Workplace
In this keynote address, Andy Parks will share his leadership journey through corporate America and the role that Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness played. He will also discuss the role of bias, code-switching, and imposter syndrome and ways to mitigate these.
9:50-10:00 Break
10:00-11:00 Workshop: Communicating with Purpose: Building Authentic Bonds in the Workplace
11:00-11:30 Business Meeting & Cal Crow Award
11:30-12:30 Working Lunch Discussion (Lunch $ Provided)
12:30-1:30 Breakout Sessions
Room 1: ChatGPT 101: Intro to Generative AI for use in Career Services
Room 2: Self-Awareness and Career Development
1:30-1:45 Break
1:45-2:45 Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Crafting Cover Letters with ChatGPT
Room 2: Overview of the Growth in Technology and Generational Differences
2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-4:00 Breakout Sessions
Room 1: Mindful Moments; ‘The Art of being Present’
Room 2: AI and Career Assessment: Too Fast Too Furious?
4:00-4:30 Adjourn
Get Involved:
2024-2025 WCDA Board Member Nominations are now open!
Nominate a coworker or yourself to gain leadership experience and support the development of the WCDA community professionals. We are looking for nominations for the following positions:
- President
- President Elect
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Member at Large
- Member at Large
- Member at Large
- Member at Large
Executive Board members play a critical role in providing continued educational opportunities and information to career development professionals and planning our biggest event, the Professional Development Institute. We are a collaborative and supportive Board that recognizes the ebbs and flows of life. We are here to support one another.
Cal Crow Leadership Award Nominations still accepted!
The Cal Crow Leadership Award was established in 2021 to provide an opportunity to recognize and celebrate an individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the career development field in our state. Often, these people are quietly making a difference and do not receive a great amount of attention, but you know who they are!
We need YOU (or any WCDA member) to bring them to light! The person for whom we are looking for:
- May be an individual or group
- Is someone who has demonstrated a strong commitment to career development and made a significant contribution to the field, especially within the state of Washington.
- The contribution may be at a local level or a broader, statewide level.
- Relevant information considered includes length of experience in the field, leadership role(s), breadth of influence, specific accomplishments/contributions, and impact.
- Recipient cannot be a current WCDA board member.
To nominate someone, complete the WCDA Award Nomination Form, write a letter detailing the contributions made by the nominee, and get one other person (does not need to be a WCDA member) to do the same.
The recipient is chosen by the WCDA Executive Board or a committee designated by the Board. The award recipient is announced and recognized at the annual PDI.
Welcome to Ellensburg!
"Welcome to CWU Ellensburg, where you'll find a vibrant academic community nestled amidst the natural beauty of central Washington. As you explore our campus, you'll be captivated by its lush greenery, inviting outdoor spaces, and stunning mountain views. Stroll through the tree-lined pathways, leading to both modern academic buildings equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and CWU landmarks steeped in history, all purpose-built to support your academic journey...Whether you're just beginning your journey with a tour, pursuing a degree, or enriching your education, CWU welcomes you and promises an enriching, fulfilling experience" (cwu.edu).
400 E. University Way, Ellensburg, WA 98926
Student Union and Recreation Building (SURC); Campus Ballroom
Enjoy your Stay:
Just a 5 minute drive from campus and in the heart of Ellensburg, stay in the original footprint of the 1920's Lodge 1102, now Hotel Windrow. Let them know you're here for the WCDA Conference, and ask for a government rate ($107/night)!
Hotel Windrow, 502 N Main St., Ellensburg, WA 98926
509-962-8000 or https://hotelwindrow.com/
Meet the Keynote Speaker:
Andy is a strong believer in the role that emotional intelligence (EQ), mindfulness, and organizational awareness play in personal, leadership, and career success. Andy enjoyed a 30-year career in the consumer products industry working for companies such as Pfizer, Diageo and, eventually, The Coca-Cola Company, where he retired in 2017.
While working for Coca-Cola, Andy had the opportunity to lead teams in the sales, field marketing, category management and global customer development departments. Halfway through his career, he became an avid study of emotional intelligence and mindfulness; in what he calls “the turning point,” he began to incorporate both into his professional and personal lives.
After retiring from The Coca-Cola Company, Andy followed his passion and began teaching in Central Washington University’s Management and Marketing Department. He also is the co-founder and instructor of “Emotional Intelligence for Professionals,” a course offered to CWU students and supervisors, and emerging business leaders. Andy is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and also serves on the board of the Seattle National Pan-Hellenic Council and as co-chair of the Black Talent Development Task Force for the Washington Employers for Racial Equity. His current focus is the merging of emotional intelligence and mindfulness into diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) discussions and training.
Andy currently speaks and conducts workshops on his journey through race and corporate America and the role that EQ and mindfulness played. He has developed an introspective and contemplative approach to DEI training through an anti-racist emotional intelligence training program that is currently offered to CWU faculty and staff. Andy is most excited about his current training program through the Washington Employers for Racial Equity, where he has coordinated four partner universities to teach leadership skills to BIPOC employees and their mentors/sponsors. He is also developing a similar training program in partnership with the University of Washington-Bothell for BIPOC student interns and their managers.
Aside from his EQ and mindfulness work, Andy has served as the keynote speaker at several events, including the Kappa Alpha Psi Western Provence C. Roger Wilson Leadership Conference and the Washington State Student Senate Engagement Network. He frequently conducts workshops with corporate employee resource groups, such as Boeing’s Black Employee Association, Africans at Microsoft, and Amazon’s Black Employee Network.
In the fall of 2022, Andy was a panel guest on a Harvard Business Review Ideacast episode, where he discussed emotional intelligence and its importance in DEI work. He is certified as an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner and Assessor and in Mindfulness Instruction. Andy has a B.A. in Economics from Illinois State University and an MBA with Distinction from Keller Graduate School of Management. He also has a Certificate in College Teaching and Learning in Hispanic Serving Institutions. Originally from Chicago, Andy and his wife Adele live in the Seattle, Washington, area and enjoy travel and spending time with family.
The WCDA Annual Business Meeting will be held May 17!
The annual Business Meeting is apart of the PDI Day, held in-person at Central Washington University. Register today to attend!
