Professional Development Committee

The Professional Development Committee (PD) provides all Cypress College employees opportunities for professional growth. Employees include full-time and part-time classified staff, full-time and adjunct faculty, and administrators/ managers/coordinators/directors.

Professional development opportunities include but are not limited to: conference attendance funding; diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility events and training; technology training; health and wellness events; quality-of-work enhancement activities; current issues-focused activities; new employee orientations; online teaching.

Learning skills development courses; and course development and redesign seminars such as “CoRe.”

PD works toward enhancing the learning and teaching environment for all – students, staff, faculty and administrators. Its overriding purpose is to align with the Cypress College and NOCCCD Mission Statements, Strategic Directions, and related college and California Community College (CCC) initiatives. These initiatives include but are not limited to: Guided Pathways, Title V, DEIAA, SEA, and the CCC Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) “Vision 2030.”

PD coordinates FLEX activities at the beginning of each semester. The California Community College Chancellor’s Office defines FLEX as “activities (CCR, Title 5, Division 6, Chapter 6, Subchapter 8, Article 2, Section 55724, Item a-4) … not limited to…training programs, group retreats, field experiences, and workshops in activities such as course and program development and revision, staff development activities, development of new instructional materials, and other instruction-related activities.”

PD is charged with coordinating the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTX) and providing encouragement and practical support to faculty, staff and administrators in offering unique and timely workshops contributing to the general welfare and benefit of the college community.

PD makes regular reports to the Academic Senate, to the Vice President Office of Instruction, and to the President’s Staff.

These reports include FLEX activities, staffing and funding updates, the semester calendar of events, and related teaching/learning/conference events and activities.

PD also makes regular reports to the Planning and Budget Committee (PBC), the President’s Advisory Committee (PAC), the President, the NOCCCD PD Committee, and to the NOCCCD Board of Trustees. PD works in tandem with the following committees but does not report to them: Student Equity & Achievement (SEA); Diversity Equity Inclusion Anti-Racism & Accessibility (DEIAA); Title V and Guided Pathways; and Distance Education (DE).

• Coordinator and Committee Chair
• Administrative Assistant
• Management Representatives
• Full-Time Faculty Representatives
• Adjunct Faculty Representatives
• Classified Staff Representatives
• Student Representative

• Mary Helen Albrecht – Classified, Professional Development Administrative Assistant
• Melisa Chteoui – Classified, Science, Engineering, Mathematics
• Cari Jorgensen – Classified, Office of Campus Communications
• Summer Justice – Classified, Vice President of Instruction Office
• Elli Constantine – Management, Distance Education
• Dr. Kellori Dower – Management, Visual & Performing Arts
• Bryan Ventura – Management, Institutional Research
• LaRon Armstead – Faculty, Counselor, Science, Engineering, Math
• Abigail Awad – Faculty, Accounting
• Nancy Corrales – Faculty, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Jacqueline Aguet – Faculty, Professional Development Coordinator
• Angel Hernandez – Associated Students Representative

• The Coordinator serves for a three-year term or as assigned.
• Management Representatives serve for a three-year term.
• Full-time Faculty Representatives serve for a three-year term.
• Adjunct Faculty Representatives serve for a one-year term.
• Classified Staff Representatives serve for a three-year term.
• Student Representatives serve for a one-year term.

The fall 2025 and spring 2026 meeting dates are:

• Monday, September 22, 2025
• Monday, October 27, 2025
• Monday, November 17, 2025
• Monday, February 23, 2026
• Monday, March 23, 2026
• Monday, April 27, 2026
• Monday, May 18, 2026