How can building our creative confidence transform our work?
Social learning leadership requires good methods and tools, but also something more foundational -- belief in our own capability to convene and hold space for profound learning and persistence through uncertainty and difficulty.
So often we don't transform our work and communities as deeply as we might because we aren't confident we're the right people for the job, or we hold back or lose steam when something doesn't go right.
This workshop is about finding and growing the creative confidence needed to transform your work and your communities even more deeply, and to keep at it!
Together we will:
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Practice with powerful social learning and systems convening tools like Talk Tiles and Design Clinics,
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Integrate creative confidence methods from Social Clowning, the Art of Hosting, and Social Presencing Theater into our leadership practice,
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Support each other in designing our next bold, persistent, and durable social learning leadership adventures to prepare our community builders for the roles of the future…
A few details to help you plan:
Our primary workshop site will be WWU's Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington.
The workshop cost is $400 and includes snacks, lunches each day, and transportation for place-based field excursions to the nearby San Juan Islands.
A limited number of dorm-style rooms at Shannon Point Marine Center are available for workshop participants, for an additional $200 total flat rate up to four nights (October 11-15). For in-town accommodations, there are several options to explore in Anacortes.
Workshop Schedule Overview (Tentative):
Sunday, October 11th (optional):
Mid-Afternoon/Evening: Informal group dinner, settle into dorms at Shannon Point MC (for those staying there)
Monday, October 12th:
9:00 am - 4:30 pm: Workshop Activities (Theme: Our Pathways)
Tuesday, October 13th:
9:00 am - 4:30 pm: Workshop Activities (Theme: Our Possibilities)
Wednesday, October 14th:
9:00 am - 2:00 pm: Workshop Activities (Theme: Our Plans)
~2:00 pm - 7:00 pm San Juan Islands Adventure (flex with weather...may do this on Tuesday)
Thursday, October 15th (optional):
Morning: Breakfast, informal reflection, packing up and departing
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.
Shannon Point Marine Center
Western Washington University
1900 Shannon Point Road
Anacortes, WA 98221 USA
Getting Here:
Air:
Nearby Airports: SEA (Seattle, WA), BLI (Bellingham, WA), PAE (Paine Field Everett, WA), and YVR (Vancouver, Canada)
Land:
Bus: Bellair Airporter Shuttle from SEA and BLI
FlixBus, Amtrak, and Greyhound serve Mount Vernon (about 20 minutes from Anacortes), with connections by local bus or shuttle.
Sea:
Ferry: Washington State Ferries provide service between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands.
Where to Stay:
We are excited to host the retreat in Anacortes, WA! A limited number of dorm-style rooms on site at Western Washington University's Shannon Point Marine Center are available for workshop participants, for an additional $200 total flat rate (up to four nights). For local accommodations, we recommend exploring hotel options on TripAdvisor.
Local Area Highlights:
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Check Anacortes Tourism website page for up-to-date information and links to other handy resources.
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The City of Anacortes is located on the ancestral homelands of the Samish Indian Nation and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, whose presence and stewardship of this place continue today.
Local Coast Salish Information: We’re Still Here
Coast Salish Place Names of the "San Juan Islands"
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
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."
