Setting Sail! Conference Opening and Keynote Address

Dr. Natalie Vazquez Riverside City College In today’s rapidly evolving higher education landscape, professional learning must be more than a series of disconnected workshops — it should be a strategic, equity-driven system that supports all employees in advancing student success. In this keynote, Dr. Natalie M. Vazquez introduces the Professional Learning Hierarchy of Needs, a research-based framework designed to help colleges build strong foundations, expand access, foster engagement, and cultivate leadership across every role. Attendees will gain insights, strategies, and practical tools to assess their institution’s current capacity, identify gaps, and create sustainable professional learning plans that drive meaningful, campus-wide impact.