What if you could confidently create a vibrant, impactful social learning space anywhere you go?
Sound exciting? Then join us for Building our Creative Confidence in October!
During this accessible, practical workshop we will build our leadership toolkits and mindsets by:
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Integrating creative confidence methods from Social Clowning, the Art of Hosting, and Social Presencing Theater into our leadership practices;
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Practicing with powerful social learning and systems convening tools like Talk Tiles and Design Clinics;
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Support each other in designing our next bold, persistent, and durable social learning leadership adventures.
The workshop will include engaging with and learning alongside students at Options High School and Community Engagement Fellows from wide-ranging organizations.
We won’t just talk about this work – we’ll do it!
A few details to help you plan:
Our primary workshop site will be WWU's Lakewood Boathouse in Bellingham, Washington.
The workshop cost is $200 and includes snacks, and lunches each day.
For additional questions about the State of the Art programming, please email Travis Tennessen directly at travis.tennessen@wwu.edu.
Workshop Schedule Overview (Tentative):
Monday, October 12th: Holding Space for Generative Dialog
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Convening Wheel
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Powerful Questions
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Social Clowning
Tuesday, October 13th: Noticing the Value Being Created
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Engaging Boundaries
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Convening Identities
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Value-Creation
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Talk Tiles
Wednesday, October 14th: Solving Problems Together
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Design Clinics
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Open Space
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Planning our Next Convening Adventures
Facilitators:
Heidi Madsen and Travis Tennessen, both Fellows of the Wenger-Trayner Social Learning Lab, will serve as the primary workshop designers and facilitators. They created the vision for this workshop during a deep discussion on an afternoon ferry ride to Washington's Bainbridge Island.
Heidi Madsen has transformed JP Morgan & Chase Bank's approach to skill development, social learning, and inclusion through over 20 years of innovative leadership. The PRIDE Navigator Circles that she established have mobilized hundreds of senior leaders around the planet, setting a new standard for mentoring and community-building. She's also co-owner of the Super Art League, which uses visual and performance art to build leadership skills and confidence for people of all ages.
Travis Tennessen is a public geographer and social learning artist, and directs Western Washington University's Center for Community Learning. He initiated the Community Engagement Fellows (CEF) program in 2015, which creates bridges and collaborations between higher education and local, regional, and global community organizations. CEF serves as a social learning innovation hub, where tools like Talk Tiles and Design Clinics continue to be refined.
Lakewood Boathouse
Western Washington University
2410 Lake Whatcom Blvd, Bellingham, WA 98229
Getting Here:
Air:
Nearby Airports: BLI (Bellingham, WA), PAE (Paine Field Everett, WA), SEA (Seattle, WA), and YVR (Vancouver, Canada)
Land:
Bus: Ride the WTA bus
Bellair Airporter Shuttle from SEA and BLI
FlixBus, Amtrak, and Greyhound serve Bellingham, with connections by local bus or shuttle.
Sea:
Ferry: Washington State Ferries provide service between the mainland and the San Juan Islands.
Where to Stay:
We are excited to host the retreat in Bellingham, WA. Check out places to stay.
Local Area Highlights:
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Check Bellingham Tourism page for up-to-date information and links to other handy resources.
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The City of Bellingham is located on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe, whose presence and stewardship of this place continue today.
Bellingham History from Below Virtual Tour
Bellingham Racial History Timline
Local Coast Salish Information: We’re Still Here
Coast Salish Place Names of the "San Juan Islands"
International Travel:
Traveling into Canada or the U.S.? Find the latest information and border crossing requirements for both Canadian and American travelers.
Previous Retreats
November 18-21, 2025: CE Fellows State-of-the-Art, 10th anniversary edition (Anacortes, WA)
June 24-27, 2025: Communities of practice and systems convening
(Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA)
July 2024: Communities of practice and systems convening
(Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA)
May 10-12, 2023: State of the Art: System Convening (Lakewood Center Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
October 22, 2022: Learning Together in the Cascade Foothills (Deming, WA)
Co-hosted with Whatcom County Libraries
July 19-22, 2022: Cultivating Communities of Practice (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
Facilitated by Beverly & Etienne Wenger-Trayer
July 26-29, 2022: System Convening Across Boundaries (Tacoma, WA)
Facilitated by Beverly & Etienne Wenger-Trayer
February 19-21, 2020: State of the Art
(Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
Co-hosted with Eastern Washington University, University of Puget Sound, and Whiteswan Environmental
September 20, 2019: Learning Through Place from the Start (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
Co-hosted with Geneva Elementary School
August 22, 2019: Learning Together in the Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA)
Co-hosted with the University of Puget Sound
June 13-14, 2019: Community Engagement Fellows Coalition Gathering (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
May 4-5, 2019: Learning Together in the Salish Sea,
(Galiano Island, BC)
Convening Team: Community Engagement Fellows, Galiano Conservancy, Whiteswan Environmental, WWU Center for Canadian-American Studies, and WWU Salish Sea Institute
April 12, 2019: Learning Together in the South Sound (Chambers Bay, WA)
Co-hosted with Northwest Indian College and the University of Puget Sound
March 9-10, 2019: Learning Together in the Salish Sea (Friday Harbor, WA)
Co-hosted with Children of the Setting Suns Productions, Friends of the San Juans, Whiteswan Environmental, and WWU Salish Sea Institute
August 1-3, 2018: Community Engagement Fellows Retreat (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
Co-hosted with Whatcom Community College and Whiteswan Environmental
June 14, 2018: Salish Sea Engagement Retreat (Bellingham (Xwotqwem), WA)
"CE Fellows completely
re-oriented the way I think about community partnership and introduced me to incredible friends and allies."
