2025 District Day of Learning Agenda

Locations

The following schedule is for both in-person (Bulpitt Auditorium, Phoenix College) and virtual (via Webex) participation.

Agenda

Time Session
8:30 a.m.  Check-in / sign-in
9:00 a.m.

Opening Remarks

  • Dr. Steven Gonzales, Chancellor
  • Dr. Lisa Armour, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
  • Ms. Kim Boege, Adjunct Faculty Group President
9:15 a.m.

Keynote

Dr. Michelle Yeo

During this session, the keynote speaker will provide participants with an overview of the Decoding the Disciplines (DtD) framework. More specifically, the address will focus on identifying student bottlenecks, places in the class where students often get “stuck,” and the role that a DtD framework can help students navigate that bottleneck.

10:15 a.m. Break
10:25 a.m.

Decoding Demo

During this session, the keynote speaker will conduct a Decoding interview, which is a structured process used to identify and address bottlenecks in student learning. This will involve interviewing an expert in a discipline (Biology) to uncover specific mental operations, strategies, or ways of thinking that are essential for mastering the subject but may not be immediately apparent to learners. By breaking down these implicit processes, participants can develop targeted interventions to help students overcome challenges in their own disciplines.

10:55 a.m. Break
11:05 a.m.

Panel

This session will focus on a panel discussion. Each panelist will discuss the varied ways that they have implemented a DtD approach in their own contexts. The purpose of this panel is to provide participants with different models to operationalize the DtD framework.

Panelists:

  • Ms. Tenisha Baca
  • Mr. George Gregg
  • Mr. Michelle Jung
  • Dr. Meredith Warner
     
11:50 a.m.

Closing

  • Dr. Alex Arreguin, District Faculty Developer Committee Chair
12:00 p.m. FPG Signout

Panelist Bios

Tenisha Baca is Residential Faculty for the Communication and World Languages Department at Glendale Community College. She has been a curriculum developer, faculty developer, and faculty senate president. She has a Master of Arts in Communication Studies and a Master of Education in Higher and Post-Secondary Education. Her specific areas of expertise are public speaking, interpersonal communication, small group communication, and educational management and leadership. She also has an extensive background in collegiate speech and debate and is a multiple national and international champion in the activity. Over the years, Tenisha has been a featured presenter for the Boeing Corporation, Arizona State University, Glendale Community College, Southwestern College, the Arizona Bureau of Land Management, the Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. She has also presented at multiple national and regional conferences. She is also the co-host of the Two Profs in a Pod podcast.

George Gregg is a residential faculty in Chemistry at GCC, where he also serves as the college’s Director of Strategic Planning and represents faculty on the FEC. As a first-generation college student, George has a deep respect for the transformational nature of education and a commitment to improving access and student success. He has taught thousands of students while serving on committees in strategic planning, assessment, accreditation, resource allocation, compliance, sustainability, and open pedagogy, among others. He has been recognized by his colleagues with the NISOD Faculty Excellence Award and the Sustainability Excellence Award, and has presented on strategic planning and open pedagogy at multiple national and international conferences. Prior to working in academia, George successfully directed strategic planning and organizational change in senior leadership roles in business and international development efforts across multiple countries. He holds a Certificate in Applied Linguistics, a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Chemistry, and a Master’s in Education.

Michelle Jung is an educator, researcher, and community advocate with a deep commitment to health, wellness, and education. As Residential Faculty at Mesa Community College, she designs and delivers engaging coursework in exercise science, health sciences, and physical education, emphasizing evidence-based practice and real-world applications. Michelle holds a Master’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus on motor development from Arizona State University.

Beyond the classroom, Michelle is deeply involved in community service and outreach. She has worked with organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona, and UMOM New Day Center, providing health and fitness education and coordinating events that promote wellness and inclusion. She has also directed community-based programs, including health and fitness workshops for women's shelters and youth-focused events that encourage active lifestyles.

A proud first-generation American with Japanese and Chinese heritage, Michelle’s personal journey informs her work as a mentor and advocate for diverse and underrepresented communities. She is a proud parent of a multi-sport high school student-athlete, an animal lover with a house full of rescue pets, an avid consumer of all types of performing arts, and an adventurous foodie who loves exploring new cultures and cuisines.

Dr. Meredith Warner currently serves as the Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at the Maricopa Community College District Office. Prior to serving as Associate Vice Chancellor, Dr Warner served as the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs at South Mountain Community College, the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs at Phoenix College, and the Dean of Students at Mesa Community College. In her current role, Dr. Warner oversees system-level Curriculum Development, Grants Management, Compliance and Accreditation, Healthcare Education, Workforce Education programs, International Education and Study Abroad, Guided Pathways Implementation, as well as Academic and Student Systems. Prior to her commitment to the Maricopa Community Colleges, Dr.Warner worked for the University of Advancing Technology, Yale University, and New York University.

Dr. Warner earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, her Master’s in Educational Theatre from New York University, and her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership in Higher Education from Grand Canyon University. In her free time, Dr Warner enjoys too many outdoor activities to count, but namely swimming, cycling, and running; as a result, she has participated in dozens of triathlons and Ironman events around the country. She also cherishes time with her husband, Matt, her 16-year-old stepdaughter, Grace, and her beautiful rescue dog, Charlie!