Conference Agenda

WAVES 2023 – Peppermill, Reno Nevada (July 10th – 12th, 2023)
Agenda

WIFI: PEPPERMILL_GUEST  |  Press: Free WIFI

July 9th

1:00 – 5:00 PM

Registration
Florence Suite (2nd Floor)

5:30 – 7:30 PM

Welcome Reception (light hors d’ oeuvres served)
Capri Ballroom


July 10th

7:00 – 8:00 AM

Registration/Refreshments Provided (Registration also open during breaks)
Florence Suite (2nd Floor)

Refreshments Provided
Tuscany Ballroom D-F

8:00 – 10:00 AM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

New SCO Training* – Marit Solem, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

Advanced SCO Training* – Sharon Seidl, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

Certification Process for NCDs* – Chelsea Jackson, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 5-6

10:00 – 10:30 AM

Break

10:30 – 11:00 AM

WAVES Welcome, Chris Henthorn, WAVES President
(General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

11:00 – 11:30 AM

Muskogee RPO Updates – Shannon George, Assistant Education Officer (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

11:30 – 12:00 PM

State Approving Agency Introductions – Cheryl Iannello, NASAA West Region VP
(Alt.)/Assistant Deputy Secretary, Chief of Postsecondary Education for the
state of CA
(General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Lunch On Your Own

1:30 – 2:30 PM

Enrollment Manager* (Shay Norton-Leonard)
(General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

2:30 – 3:45 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

Flight at Institutions of Higher Learning* – Heather Cates, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

Education Benefits w/ Yellow Ribbon* – Sharon Seidl, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

Hybrid Teams in the Modern Certification Environment
Summary: Employing hybrid working teams (challenges and best practices)
Presenters: Melissa Barber, Erika Busbee, and Maddy Anderson, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

California Community Colleges and Beyond
Summary: Strategies, activities, and outcomes of the CA Military Articulation Platform (MAP) initiative
Presenters: Samuel Lee, Norco College
Tuscany Ballroom 5-6

3:45 – 4:15 PM

Break – Refreshments Provided

4:15 – 5:30 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)
Flight at Institutions of Higher Learning* – Heather Cates, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

Education Benefits w/ Yellow Ribbon* – Sharon Seidl, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

Hybrid Teams in the Modern Certification Environment
Summary: Employing hybrid working teams (challenges and best practices)
Presenters: Melissa Barber, Erika Busbee, and Maddy Anderson, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

California Community Colleges and Beyond
Summary: Strategies, activities, and outcomes of the CA Military Articulation Platform (MAP) initiative
Presenters: Samuel Lee, Norco College
Tuscany Ballroom 5-6


July 11th

7:00 – 8:00 AM

Registration
Florence Suite (2nd Floor)

Refreshments Provided
Tuscany Ballroom D-F

8:00 – 9:00 AM

Student Veterans of America – Jared Lyon, SVA National President, and CEO (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

9:00 – 9:30 AM

Break

9:30 – 10:30 AM

VA Central Office/Federal Updates* – James Ruhlman, Deputy Director of Program Management, VBA – Education Services
(General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

10:30 – 11:30 AM

VA Central Office Q&A* (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

11:30 – 1:00 PM

Lunch On Your Own

1:00 – 2:15 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

Compliance Surveys* – Malanienne Davis, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

VA Work Study* – Courtney White, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

Who is Student Veterans of America – Tammy Barlet, SVA VP of Government Affairs
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

Cultivating a Military Engaged Campus Community
Summary: Creating awareness for engaging with military connected students.
Presenters: Chai Cook and John Pratt, University of Nevada, Reno
Tuscany Ballroom 5-6

Non-traditional Focused Institution
Summary: Best practices in administering non-traditional education programs.
Presenters: Joey Gamez and Basma Kenaya, National University
Tuscany Ballroom 9-10

2:15 – 2:30 PM

Break

2:30 – 3:45 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

Compliance Surveys* – Malanienne Davis, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

VA Work Study* – Courtney White, VA National Training Team
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

Who is Student Veterans of America – Tammy Barlet, SVA VP of Government Affairs
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

Cultivating a Military Engaged Campus Community
Summary: Creating awareness for engaging with military connected students.
Presenters: Chai Cook and John Pratt, University of Nevada, Reno
Tuscany Ballroom 5-6

Non-traditional Focused Institution
Summary: Best practices in administering non-traditional education programs.
Presenters: Joey Gamez and Basma Kenaya, National University
Tuscany Ballroom 9-10

3:45 – 4:15 PM

Break – Refreshments Provided

4:15 – 5:30 PM

State Specific Overview– SAA Representatives
(Roundtable Discussions)

California
Tuscany A-C

Washington State, Oregon, New Jersey, and New York
Tuscany 1-2

Texas
Tuscany 3-4

Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, and Wyoming
Tuscany 5-6

Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and South Carolina
Tuscany 7-8

Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Alabama
Tuscany 9-10

New Mexico, Nevada, and Nebraska
Tuscany 11-12

6:30 – 8:30 PM

President’s Dinner
Tuscany Ballroom D-F


July 12th

7:00 – 8:30 AM

Refreshments Provided
Tuscany Ballroom D-F

8:30 – 9:30 AM

WAVES Business Meeting and Awards – Chris Henthorn, WAVES President (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

9:30 – 10:00 AM

Break

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Debt Management Center* – Julie Lawrence, Chief of Operations, Treasury, Education, External Relations
(General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

11:00 – 12:00 PM

VR&E – Nick Pamperin, Veterans Readiness & Employment Executive Director (General Session)
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Lunch on your own

1:30 – 2:45 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

National Guard – Donald Sutton, National Guard Education Programs
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

SAA Approval Process – John Murray, NASAA Secretary/WA State Approving Agency
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

Education Benefits Overview – Aliki Escoe, VA Training Coordinator
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4

2:45 – 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 – 4:15 PM

(Breakout Sessions – Select one to attend)

National Guard – Donald Sutton, National Guard Education Programs
Tuscany Ballroom 1-2

SAA Approval Process – John Murray, NASAA Secretary/WA State Approving Agency
Tuscany Ballroom A-C

Education Benefits Overview – Aliki Escoe, VA Training Coordinator
Tuscany Ballroom 3-4


*Sessions Count Toward The VA’s SCO Annual Training Requirement And Will Be Available To Certify Via The SCO Training Portal After Post-Conference.
(Agenda is subject to change, meeting rooms and presenters to be announced)

Thank you for attending WAVES 2023, have a safe trip home.

Follow us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/western-association-ofveterans-education-specialists/

Get in Touch

Chris Henthorn
WAVES President
Veteran, Residency & Registration Advisor
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064

831-459-2910
chenthor@ucsc.edu

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