www.washingtonpassportnetwork.org

Pierce Kitsap Regional Passport Meeting- in person
2024-05-02 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Catholic Community Services, 7050 S G St,, Tacoma, WA, 98408, United States
If you are interested in learning more, please email us at passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

Western Regional Passport Group Meeting - virtual
2024-05-09 11:00 - 12:30

2024 Passport to Careers State Conference
2024-05-14 09:00 - 16:30 | Virtual, United States
You won’t want to miss this annual opportunity to grow your professional network, learn from experts and enjoy the camaraderie of other caring adults who are working to create educational parity for students with experience in foster care or unaccompanied homelessness.
Get more information

Eastern Regional Passport Group Meeting - virtual
2024-05-14 14:30 - 16:00

Passport Leadership Team Q1 Meeting
2024-08-19 09:00 - 13:30 | Pacific Tower, 1200 12th Ave. South, Seattle, WA, 98144, United States
Quarterly Passport Leadership Team meetings are open to all members of the PLT. Composed of a cross-sector of student-support practitioners and stakeholders from across the state, the PLT is dedicated to enhancing the program design, implementation and quality of the Passport to Careers program. Specific agenda items will be shared with attendees prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

Western Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2024-08-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the Western Washington region for a collaborative discussion. Specific agenda items will be shared prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

South Central Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2024-08-22 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-10-24 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the South Central region for a collaborative discussion. Specific agenda items will be shared prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

Pierce/Kitsap Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2024-08-22 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport network members from the Pierce/Kitsap region for a collaborative discussion. Specific agenda items will be shared prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

King County Passport Consortium Social
2024-08-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Rhein House, 912 12th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Join Passport network members from the King County region for a social gathering event. This is a great opportunity for members in this region to connect and network with each other in-person. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

Webinar: Passport Student Support Funds Utilization
2024-09-25 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join us for a webinar on Passport Student Support Funds Utilization, which includes a panel discussion with Passport campus leaders and financial aid administrators from two-year and four-year institutions. In this panel discussion, we will hear from various Passport campus staff about their program’s funding utilization and budget sustainability strategies for this academic year in continuing support services for their students’ higher education outcomes.
At the end of this webinar, attendees will learn about how different campuses have used their PSSF budget in the last year and how they plan on managing funds this year due to reduced Passport funding and student awards.
Register Now

Presenters
Dawn Cypriano-McAferty
Assistant Director for Passport to Careers, Washington Student Achievement Council
Dawn Cypriano-McAferty serves as an assistant director at the Washington Student Achievement Council and is responsible for the development and implementation of the Passport to Careers program and the SETuP program. She is committed to working with campuses and community partners to develop support services for students and is especially passionate about working with students who have experienced foster care.

Panelists
Kathy Albin
Director of Learning Support
Spokane Falls Community College
Kathy currently serves as the director of learning support at Spokane Falls Community College where she is responsible for providing leadership, coordination, and evaluation of critical Spokane Falls Community College learner support programs including: Workforce Transitions (BFET, WorkFirst, Worker Retraining), Opportunity Grant, Passport to College, Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (SSEH), Student Emergency Access Grant (SEAG), Basic Needs, along with Library Administration, Career Education, and Academic Coaching.
Crystal Cardona
Program Manager – Diversity and Equity Center
Saint Martin’s University
Crystal Cardona is the Program Manager of the Diversity and Equity Center. She enjoys working with students and collaborating with faculty and staff. She graduated from Saint Martin’s with a bachelor of arts in sociology and cultural anthropology, and a master’s degree in social justice from Loyola University of Chicago. She started her career working in non-profits which focused on working with people who were unhoused and people living with mental health diagnosis. Crystal is originally from California.
Angie Hobbs
Assistant Director, Scholarships
University of Washington
Angie Hobbs has worked in financial aid for 16 years; nine of those years at the University of Washington. She has worked in all aspects of the UW financial aid office, and has served as the assistant director of scholarships for nearly three years. Angie works closely with all UW Passport students, helping them navigate financial aid and campus resources. She is passionate about helping students understand financial aid, knowing it can be especially daunting for students who do not have family support. Angie and her team help identify Passport-eligible students, update WSAC about eligibility and notify other support staff on campus so they can reach out to these students. Their biggest goal is to help remove barriers for students so they can receive a world-class education just like every other student at UW.
Priya Osborne
Director of Student Success, Equity & Diversity
Spokane Community College
Priya Osborne is a proud Black woman and a first-generation college graduate from Gonzaga University, where she earned her bachelor of arts in psychology with a minor in biology. She works at Spokane Community College as the director of student success, equity, and diversity, and serves as the Passport to Careers designated support staff, supporting foster and unaccompanied homeless youth. Priya is passionate about advocating for underserved populations and empowering everyone to achieve their goals.
Lexi Schaar
Assistant Director for College Success Programs
Washington State University
Lexi Schaar is the assistant director of college success programs with the Office of Academic Engagement. Before beginning her role with Passport to College in September of 2023, Lexi served as an academic advisor at Washington State University and the University of Idaho. Her primary role with Passport at WSU is to support the administrative aspects of the program.

Webinar: Healing-Centered Engagement
2024-10-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join us for a webinar on healing-centered engagement and learn how to incorporate an asset-based approach to trauma informed practices. More details to come.

Eastern Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2024-11-04 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-01-13 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the Eastern region for a collaborative discussion. Specific agenda items will be shared prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.

Western Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2024-11-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the Western Washington region for a collaborative discussion. This month’s program spotlight is on Olive Crest, a dedicated Independent Living Skills (ILS) provider. Hear about the organization and the resources they provide from Program Director Angela Youtsey. Find the agenda here.
Register now
To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org

Speaker Bio
Angela Youtsey has been working with children and families for more than 20 years. After graduating from USC’s School of Social Work with her MSW in 1999, she worked as a pupil services and attendance counselor for the Los Angeles Unified School District for six years. She then moved into the child welfare arena and facilitated Child Protection Team meetings in Kitsap County. For the past twelve years, she has worked as a program director with Olive Crest. Angela has overseen Olive Crest’s West Sound Foster Care program on the Kitsap Peninsula. More recently, she has transitioned to the program director role in Olive Crest’s Independent Living Skills and Housing programs. These programs provide support to youth exiting foster care in 13 counties in Washington. Angela is passionate about keeping children safe and currently keeps busy raising three redheads of her own!

Webinar: Financial Aid 101 for Support Staff
2024-11-20 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Join us for a webinar on understanding and navigating the financial aid application processes for Passport-eligible students. In this session, there will be an overview of understanding the FAFSA Simplification Act, best practices in overcoming application barriers for these youth populations, and guidance on additional verification processes to receive financial aid. We will also share resources to support you as you help students take their next steps in their post-secondary education.
At the end of this webinar, attendees will learn about the different federal, state, and school-based financial resources available to students. Attendees will also better understand how students access financial aid resources, how aid is awarded, and how financial aid offices build cost of attendance budgets and prioritize aid awarding.
Register Now

About the Presenter
Maria Rebecchi is director of scholarships and financial aid education at College Success Foundation. Over the course of 30 years, she built a career at postsecondary institutions and nonprofit organizations with the goal of helping low-income, first-generation students and their families navigate the complexities of financial aid.
Her prior work experience includes director of programs and evaluation at TheDream.US, interim director of financial aid at South Seattle College, director of programs at The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, associate director of financial aid at Bastyr University as well as WorkSource-affiliate coordinator and employment case manager at the YWCA in downtown Seattle.
Maria is co-founder of Universidad YA!/College NOW!, a task force of the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis geared towards addressing the needs of DREAMers in their quest for postsecondary education in the Midwest. She worked with United Way of Greater St. Louis to develop ‘Get on Board’, a program that provides comprehensive training for BIPOC leaders interested in serving on nonprofit boards. She was also a board member of the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis and chair of the John F. Garganigo Scholarship Committee. More recently, Maria served as a scholarship board member of the Latino Leadership Initiative, a joint effort of Edmonds College, Skagit Valley College and the University of Washington-Bothell.
Maria received her master’s degree in human services from St. Edward’s University, a bachelor’s degree in sociology with an emphasis in diversity from the University of California-Irvine, and certification in print journalism from the University of California-Los Angeles. Her extensive volunteer experiences range from supporting community health initiatives to intensive work with immigrant and refugee families in matters of education and social services to volunteer tax preparation for low-income individuals. Inclusion, equity, and educational opportunity have been consistent themes in much of her work.

Passport Leadership Team Q2 Meeting (virtual)
2024-12-02 09:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, United States

Webinar: Trauma-Informed Practices for Postsecondary Education
2024-12-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual, United States
Postsecondary students represent a wide spectrum of ages, backgrounds, and life experiences, and many have already navigated trauma in their lives when they start their postsecondary education journey. This presentation is intended to raise awareness of trauma and resilience in the context of postsecondary education, help educators understand how trauma affects learning and development into adulthood, and highlight the ways trauma intersects with stress related to basic needs, discrimination, and social exclusion.
Participants will hear ideas and strategies grounded in core principles of trauma-informed practice that can benefit learners with varying levels of exposure to trauma, and learn to manage their own stress and compassion fatigue through self-care. Throughout the presentation, participants are encouraged to connect the content with their own experiences and reflect on the importance of relationships in protection, healing, and growth from trauma.
Register Now
Presenter
Shannon Davidson is a leader in applied research and evaluation at Education Northwest and the author of “Trauma Informed Practices for Postsecondary Education: A Guide.” Shannon has delivered trainings in TiP for postsecondary education at the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine as well as a variety of higher education institutions including Columbia College, Clackamas Community College, and North Dakota State University. Shannon also leads formative, summative, and developmental evaluation and technical assistance projects for state and local education agencies and postsecondary institutions including Wenatchee Valley College and Portland State University. A former classroom teacher, Shannon is dedicated to helping partners translate research and data into meaningful action to promote learning and well-being. Shannon holds a Ph.D. in International and Comparative Education from Stanford University and has a background in both domestic and global issues in education.

Pierce/Kitsap Regional Passport Meeting (virtual)
2024-12-11 14:15 - 15:45 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport network members from the Pierce/Kitsap region for a collaborative discussion. This month’s program spotlight is on Olive Crest, a dedicated Independent Living Skills (ILS) provider. Hear about the organization and the resources they provide from Program Director Angela Youtsey. Additional agenda items will be shared prior to the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.
Register now

Speaker Bio
Angela Youtsey has been working with children and families for more than 20 years. After graduating from USC’s School of Social Work with her MSW in 1999, she worked as a pupil services and attendance counselor for the Los Angeles Unified School District for six years. She then moved into the child welfare arena and facilitated Child Protection Team meetings in Kitsap County. For the past twelve years, she has worked as a program director with Olive Crest. Angela has overseen Olive Crest’s West Sound Foster Care program on the Kitsap Peninsula. More recently, she has transitioned to the program director role in Olive Crest’s Independent Living Skills and Housing programs. These programs provide support to youth exiting foster care in 13 counties in Washington. Angela is passionate about keeping children safe and currently keeps busy raising three redheads of her own!

South Central Regional Meeting (virtual)
2024-12-12 11:00 - 12:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport network members from the South Central region for a collaborative discussion. This month’s program spotlight is ANEW. Hear from Passport to Careers Apprenticeship Navigator Halley Shriber about ANEW’s apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs available to your students. No registration necessary; follow the link below to join the meeting. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org.
Join the meeting

Lunch and Learn with Treehouse
2024-12-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, United States
Join us for a Lunch and Learn collaboration with Treehouse! The purpose of our new Lunch and Learn pilot project is to increase statewide coordination and quality of supportive services for youth from foster care and unaccompanied homeless youth by highlighting different organizations and providing informal opportunities to closely connect for partnership building.
During this event, we will receive high-level information about the various programs that Treehouse offers to eligible foster youth, as well as have an opportunity to network with Treehouse staff and other professionals to cultivate partnerships with one another. At the end, attendees will learn about Treehouse programs, services, and resources for eligible foster youth. Attendees will also learn about opportunities for partnership building to strengthen supports for the foster youth population.
Register now

About Treehouse
Treehouse creates opportunities for young people in foster care to thrive. Treehouse provides academic and other essential support for more than 6,000 youth in foster care across Washington state each year. We invest in the unique educational needs of children, youth and young adults who have experienced foster care and create a strong network of support as they make the difficult transition into adulthood. We work to ensure every child, youth and young adult who has experienced foster care has access to essentials such as clothing, school and job supplies, extracurricular activities and even car insurance. Learn more >>
Panelists
Kateri Joe (she/her)
Co-Director, Graduation Success
Kateri Joe, an enrolled member of Swinomish and Halalt First Nations, is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and education. With a master’s in social work from the University of Washington, Kateri serves as one of three co-directors for graduation success at Treehouse. Beyond her professional endeavors, Kateri actively participates in cultural activities like canoe pulling, dancing, beading, and sewing, emphasizing the importance of preserving traditions.
Alyosha Van Dusen (he/him)
Regional Manager, Graduation Success
As a regional manager that has been at Treehouse for over 8 years, Alyosha finds it an honor that he gets the opportunity to work with a team of folx who are just as passionate about supporting young people experiencing foster care as he is. When he’s not working in the community, he enjoys painting, reading books, and spending time with family, friends, and his cat.
Victoria Kutasz (she/her)
Director, Resources & Operations
Victoria has been working with Treehouse’s Resource programs since 2013. With a background in community engagement, she is passionate about building strong networks and identifying ways that communities can come together to support young people. In her free time Victoria can be found walking her dog, reading a good book or trying out a new craft project.
Amy Navarro (she/her)
Director, Launch Success
Amy has been with Treehouse since July 2023, and previously worked with college access programs at the high school and college levels. Her passion is supporting staff to connect young adults with educational opportunities. Amy is a working mom, a board game enthusiast and loves a good walk in the woods!

King County Passport Consortium Meeting (virtual)
2025-01-28 10:30 - 12:00 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the King County region for a collaborative discussion. DCYF’s Veneza Tena will give a presentation about the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program for this month’s partner spotlight. See the agenda. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org
[button link=” Join Meeting

Webinar: Storytelling for Advocacy
2025-01-29 15:30 - 16:30 | Virtual, United States
Join us for a unique WPN webinar geared toward students. Sierra Rogers and Darian Isom from The Mockingbird Society will help young advocates understand how getting involved in policy and using their voices and stories can make a lasting impact. They’ll provide background about The Mockingbird Society, an organization that provides meaningful opportunities for youth across Washington state to participate in the social justice effort to improve the foster care system. They will also outline the process for how legislation gets passed and provide helpful tips and advice on how young people can share their own stories while still protecting themselves, advocate for their communities, and help change lives.
This webinar is geared toward students, but practitioners and support staff are welcome to attend as well!
Register now

Presenters
Sierra Rogers (she/her) currently serves as director of youth programs for The Mockingbird Society, curating youth development and support networks locally and nationally. Sierra was the deputy project administrator for Bitfocus and Clarity Human Services. She assisted King County in its data quality and training in HUD data requirements. For many years, Sierra has committed to ending youth homelessness as a lived expert, including being part of the development and implementation of the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project for the Office of Homeless Youth, and being a part of the Y4Y board. Additionally, she has contributed to helping service providers implement Coordinated Entry, shared understanding of HUD requirements, equitable practices in spaces, disability support services and advocacy, crisis intervention practices, trauma & empathy informed approaches, TA support for agencies to thrive, and dedicated time to legislative advocacy to help support those experiencing homelessness, housing instability and foster care systems.
Sierra was born and raised in the beautiful Evergreen State, living in all corners of Washington. She currently resides in central Washington where she has access to all the state has to offer. In her free time, you can find her in nature or traveling in the company of friends and family.
Darian Isom has been working in the youth homelessness sphere for almost four years in Washington state. In this time, she has worked as a youth advocate at Ryan’s House for Youth in Island County, and has been a member of the Youth for Youth, Y4Y, board with the Office of Homeless Youth. She is the outreach and engagement coordinator at The Mockingbird Society, and previously served as the northern engagement coordinator. Darian has a passion for travelling the state and connecting with community organization in order to learn from lived experts.
Darian is originally from Idaho but has had the joy of living in Washington for the past four years. Currently she resides in the northwest corner of the state and loves to curl up with a good book on those rainy days!

Passport Office Hours
2025-02-03 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, United States
Drop in for virtual office hours with the Passport to Careers team on the first Monday of every month. Got a quick question about program eligibility, need technical assistance, or just looking for help brainstorming strategies? Staff from both the college and apprenticeship pathways will be here to help with all this and more!

No registration necessary, simply follow the Zoom link below to join.

Join Office Hours

Pierce/Kitsap Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2025-02-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the Pierce/Kitsap region for a collaborative discussion. Agenda coming soon. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org

Western Regional Passport Group Meeting (virtual)
2025-02-05 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, United States
Join Passport Network members from the Western Washington region for a collaborative discussion. Agenda coming soon. To learn more, contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org

Passport Leadership Team Q3 Meeting (virtual)
2025-02-11 09:00 - 11:30 | Virtual, United States

Lunch and Learn: Apprenticeship Search Tool
2025-02-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual, United States
Learn to use the apprenticeship search tool on the LNI website to help the young people you work with discover state-registered apprenticeship opportunities across various industries. Halley Shriber, apprenticeship navigator at ANEW, will walk us through how to find opportunities that match students’ skills and career goals, understand the application process, and familiarize you with the occupation-specific curriculum. By the end of the session, you’ll be equipped to help students access valuable workforce development pathways and discover the nuances to each apprenticeship program!
Register now

Passport Office Hours - March
2025-03-03 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, United States

Passport Office Hours - April
2025-04-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual, United States
