NASPA Western Regional Conference

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November 7-10, 2026 | Vancouver, BC

The 2026 NASPA Western Regional Conference brings us together in Vancouver to share ideas, build community, and move forward with clarity and confidence.

✨ WRC 2026 is coming! ✨Join colleagues from Regions V and VI in Vancouver this November for a space to reflect, reconnec...
03/19/2026

✨ WRC 2026 is coming! ✨
Join colleagues from Regions V and VI in Vancouver this November for a space to reflect, reconnect, and reimagine the future of student affairs.
📍 Vancouver, BC
📅 November 7–10, 2026
Save the date—full details coming soon!

As we close out the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference, the team simply wants to say thank you.Thank you for showing...
12/19/2025

As we close out the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference, the team simply wants to say thank you.

Thank you for showing up in Palm Springs — with your questions, your stories, your honesty, and your care for this work. Your energy and engagement made WRC 2025 a space where our community could reconnect, reflect, and renew our purpose together.

This conference has always been about more than sessions or schedules. It’s about people. And this year reminded us — once again — why this community matters so deeply.

As we wrap this chapter, WRC is already looking ahead. Planning is underway for WRC 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia, in partnership with the University of British Columbia — and we’re honored to officially pass the torch to the 2026 leadership team: Conference Chair Samantha Reid and Co-Chair Rick Treviño.

If you’ve ever thought about helping shape this experience — contributing to a conference that is inclusive, inspiring, and rooted in our shared values — we hope you’ll consider joining the planning team.

To everyone who invested in themselves and in our collective growth by attending WRC 2025: thank you. Your presence truly made the difference.

We’re signing off with full hearts, deep gratitude, and a lot of pride in what we built together.

Cheers, happiest holidays to you and your loved ones — and see you in Vancouver. 💙
— Your 2025 WRC Conference Committee

A Letter from the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference ChairAs I close this chapter, I want to pause and speak from th...
12/19/2025

A Letter from the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference Chair

As I close this chapter, I want to pause and speak from the heart.

Serving as Chair of the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my professional life. This role asked me to lead with vision, steadiness, and care — and it was held and supported by a community that met that energy every step of the way.

What unfolded in Palm Springs wasn’t just a conference. It was a reminder of what’s possible when people show up fully — with curiosity, honesty, humor, and heart. I watched conversations unfold that mattered. I felt the room breathe together. I saw people reconnect with themselves, with one another, and with the purpose that brought us into this work in the first place.

To everyone who trusted me with this year — our planning committee, presenters, partners, sponsors, and participants — thank you. Your belief, effort, and generosity shaped every moment.

There is something special about WRC. It asks us to slow down just enough to be seen — to listen more closely, to lead with humanity, and to remember that community is not accidental. It is built, moment by moment, by people who care.

This year will stay with me. Not as a checklist completed, but as a season of leadership, trust, and deep gratitude.

Thank you for walking this with me.

With appreciation,

Josie Ahlquist
2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference Chair

A message from Kim Holapa, 2025 WRC Co-Chair: Thank you for investing in yourself and making time to attend WRC. The sha...
12/16/2025

A message from Kim Holapa, 2025 WRC Co-Chair:

Thank you for investing in yourself and making time to attend WRC.

The sharing, learning, sense of community, and resilience on display reminds me of why Student Affairs professionals are simply the best.

We are each called to serve students and support their journey. By making WRC what it was, you took time to support your own journey—and students will ultimately benefit.

Before we fully turn the page, we invite you to share your feedback by completing the 2025 WRC Evaluation.🕒 Takes just 1...
12/15/2025

Before we fully turn the page, we invite you to share your feedback by completing the 2025 WRC Evaluation.

🕒 Takes just 10–15 minutes
📅 Open through December 18, 2025
📩 Check your inbox for the email titled “Action Requested: Western Regional Conference Evaluation”

Your insights directly shape what comes next for WRC and help ensure future conferences continue to meet the needs of our region.

And a few reminders as you revisit the experience:
📲 The WRC app and session materials will remain available through January 20, 2026
🎤 Presenters, please be sure your materials are uploaded so others can continue learning
📸 The conference photo gallery is open if you’re craving a little Palm Springs sunshine: https://katihartwigmedia.shootproof.com/gallery/naspawrc25

Thank you for being part of this year’s gathering and for helping us carry the work forward.

12/11/2025

By the time attendees gathered in Palm Springs last month, the 2025 Western Regional Conference had already been more than a year in the making. What unfolded over those days was the visible result of months of collaboration, care, and thoughtful planning across Regions V and VI.

The journey began in August 2024 with the announcement of conference leadership, followed by a call for committee members who would help bring the vision to life. At the 2024 WRC in San Diego, our Chair and Co-Chair, Josie Ahlquist and Kim Holapa, were introduced, and the planning work truly began.

Throughout the year, the committee met regularly to shape a conference rooted in belonging and community. In May 2025, members of the logistics, local arrangements, and indigenous representation teams traveled to Palm Springs for a site visit. They met with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, learned about the land and its history, and walked the Riviera Resort with intention—imagining how attendees would gather, connect, and experience the space. Those conversations helped ground the conference in place and purpose.

The full committee returned to Palm Springs in July for an immersive on-site planning session, and from that point through November, continued refining the program virtually until the regions came together again in person.

The 2025 WRC reflected the steady, collective work of so many.

To every volunteer, partner, committee member, and contributor: thank you for helping build a conference that carried the spirit of our community in every detail.

What an extraordinary year for the NASPA Western Regional Conference. Together, we welcomed over 600 registrants, offere...
12/08/2025

What an extraordinary year for the NASPA Western Regional Conference. Together, we welcomed over 600 registrants, offered 75 educational sessions, hosted 7 institutes and pre-conference workshops, and gathered around 4 inspiring keynote speakers.

Thank you to our regions for bringing your energy, brilliance, and heart to WRC. The conversations, the connections, and the joy between sessions made this year truly special. With representation from every NASPA region, Palm Springs truly became an oasis—a space we created and held together for learning, reflection, and community.

We’re deeply grateful to our WRC committee for helping bring “See you in Palm Springs” to life in such a meaningful way.

Relive the moments through our official photo gallery, captured by Kati Hartwig ➡️ link in bio!

A huge thank you to the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference Planning Committee! They are the heart behind every momen...
12/05/2025

A huge thank you to the 2025 NASPA Western Regional Conference Planning Committee! They are the heart behind every moment of this year’s WRC – volunteers who shared their time, talent, and passion to bring it to life.

📚 Programming — Alejandra Delacruz Hong (.allydelight) & Daniel Welter ()
🎓 Pre-Cons & Institutes — Nick Whitesell, Destany Charles (), DJ Kelly-Quattrocchi, Sonia De La Torre (), Shaina Phillips, Miguel Angel Hernandez () & Lea Jarnagin ()
🎤 Major Speakers — A. Jordan Fischette ()
💬 SA Speaks — Tim Alexander (.0h.thee)
🩵 Registration — Julia Heck () & Lucy Rinard ()
🤝 Engagement & Volunteers — Katya Armistead () & Priscilla Arungwa ()
🏜️ Local Arrangements — Kelly Dries () & Marcus Rodriguez ()
🏨 Hotel Liaison — Ariana Robles ()
📣 Marketing & Communications — Clarissa Mae C. (), Erin Carroll (.b.carroll) & Marnelli Joy Ulep ()
📚 KC Reps — Rhea Duncan & Sheena Harvey ()
🏆 Awards — Lexer Chou & Sarah Kutten
🤝 Sponsors & Exhibitors — Joanna Royce-Davis (.joanna), Allison Jerome () & Betzabel Martinez Bleech
🌿 Indigenous Advisor — Panda Armendariz ()
📊 Assessment — Martha Enciso (.enciso)
📎 NASPA National Office — Sydnney Hall
✨ Executive Team — Josie Ahlquist (), Kim Atkinson Holapa (), Meghan Grace (), Rick Trevino, Dr. Eboni Ford-Turnbow () & Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black ()

The magic of WRC lived in the in-betweens. ✨The chats between sessions, the sun-soaked breathers outdoors (on the days i...
12/05/2025

The magic of WRC lived in the in-betweens. ✨

The chats between sessions, the sun-soaked breathers outdoors (on the days it didn’t rain!), the group selfies that grew and grew as more friends walked by.

These moments weren’t on the schedule, but they’re the ones that made this community feel so alive.

Here’s to the small, sweet pauses that connected us — and to the people who filled them.

A little rain couldn’t dim the WRC glow. ✨Our Saturday Social moved indoors, but the energy stayed bright — a cozy kicko...
12/04/2025

A little rain couldn’t dim the WRC glow. ✨

Our Saturday Social moved indoors, but the energy stayed bright — a cozy kickoff filled with new hellos and familiar faces.

Then came Monday’s region receptions… a celebration of Region V and Region VI and the incredible work happening across our campuses. Community showing up for community — the perfect way to wrap our time in Palm Springs.

Swipe through the moments that warmed the week. 🌴

Wanna know some of the MVPs of WRC?Look no further than the Regional Directors, Dr. Eboni Ford-Turnbow (Region VI) and D...
12/02/2025

Wanna know some of the MVPs of WRC?

Look no further than the Regional Directors, Dr. Eboni Ford-Turnbow (Region VI) and Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black (Region V).

Throughout the Conference, they brought steady guidance, warmth, and a genuine commitment to community.

Both leaders hosted region meetings and receptions that created space for connection, networking, and celebration. They welcomed new attendees, uplifted long-standing members, and helped ensure every person felt seen and supported.

Thank you, Dr. McConnell-Black and Dr. Ford-Turnbow, for leading with purpose and heart — your impact was felt in every corner of this year’s WRC.

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