Christy Bezanson, Director of Results Washington, would like to invite you to attend the 2021 Washington State Lean Transformation Conference! We will open this year’s conference with a land acknowledgement. Christy will then introduce Governor Inslee who will provide opening remarks for this year’s conference which will be 100% virtual using Zoom webinar. We are offering sessions over two weeks. Each tab below lists 4 sessions and includes a session description and bio for each presenter. The All Sessions tab allows you to see a summary of all of the offerings for this year's conference. For a quick tutorial on how to register click here. We look forward to learning and adapting together with all of you!
| Session Title | Date | Presenter | Registration/Password |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Welcome and Opening Remarks |
Oct 26, 2021 - 9:00am | Governor Jay Inslee |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Keynote Alfie Alvarado-Ramos |
Oct 26, 2021 - 9:15am | Alfie Alvarado-Ramos |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Lean And Respect For People's Principles |
Oct 26, 2021 - 11:00am | Anita Maguire |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Integrating Organizational Change Management Into Your Project |
Oct 26, 2021 - 1:00pm | Lenora Sneva and Aunna Moss |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Neuroscience, Changing Habits and LEAN! |
Oct 26, 2021 - 3:00pm | Peg Drummond |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Demystifying Visual Management |
Oct 27, 2021 - 9:00am | Heidi Loveall |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
How To Use Lean To Develop Leaders |
Oct 27, 2021 - 11:00am | Carlos Venegas |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Kick Some Ask™! 3 Steps to Asking Questions that Matter |
Oct 27, 2021 - 1:00pm | Amy Leneker |
|
|
Agile Development and Lean Transformation, a Practical Guide |
Oct 27, 2021 - 3:00pm | Scott Siderman |
Registration Lean2021 |
|
Trust Resilience – Engaging and Cultivating Growth |
Oct 28, 2021 - 9:00am | Wendy Fraser, PhD |
Registration Lean2021 |
Presenter:
Governor Jay Inslee
Washington State
Presenter:
Governor Jay Inslee
Washington State
Governor Inslee will provide the opening remarks for 10th annual Washington State Government Lean Transformation Conference. He will discuss the value of continuous improvement and Lean in Washington State government, and how it helps us to work more efficiently and effectively to serve our fellow Washingtonians. You can read Governor Inslee's invitation to attend this year's conference here.
About Governor Jay Inslee :
Jay Inslee is a fifth-generation Washingtonian who has lived and worked in urban and rural communities on both sides of the state. He grew up in the Seattle area where his father, Frank, was a high school teacher and coach. His mother, Adele, worked as a sales clerk at Sears & Roebuck. Jay worked his way through college and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in economics before earning his law degree at Willamette University. He and his wife, Trudi, then moved to Selah, a small town near Yakima where they raised their three sons. Jay worked as an attorney and prosecutor.
Jay first became involved in public service in 1985 when he and Trudi helped lead the effort to build a new public high school in Selah. Motivated to fight against proposed funding cuts for rural schools, Jay went on to represent the 14th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives. He continued serving communities in the Yakima Valley when he was elected to Congress in 1992. The Inslees later moved back to the Puget Sound area where Jay was elected to Congress in 1998, serving until 2012 when he was elected governor. He was re-elected in 2016 & 2020.
During his time in Congress, Jay became known as a forward-thinking leader, especially on issues of clean energy and the environment. He co-wrote a book, "Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean-Energy Economy," about a national program to fight climate change through clean energy innovation and job-creation.
Presenter:
Alfie Alvarado-Ramos
Director
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
Presenter:
Alfie Alvarado-Ramos
Director
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs
We are looking forward to Director Alfie Alvarado-Ramos providing the keynote address at our 10th annual Washington State Government Lean Transformation Conference. In conjunction with this year’s theme “Elevate, Encourage, Engage, Empower: A Decade of Continuous Improvement Together”, Alfie will be delivering an inspirational and uplifting message to attendees. More information to come!
About Alfie Alvarado-Ramos:
Lourdes E. Alvarado-Ramos, “Alfie”, serves as the Director of your Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department is the statewide advocate for our veterans and their families’ earned benefits and services.
Alfie was born in Puerto Rico and served 22 years on active duty retiring as the Command Sergeant Major of Madigan Army Medical Center and Troop Command, Joint Base Lewis McChord.
As Director, she is a member of Governor Jay Inslee’s Executive Cabinet and chairs the Washington State Military Transition Council. In this capacity, her agency leads statewide efforts for the seamless transition of service members and their families to Washington State’s communities. Alfie is currently the Executive Sponsor for the Latino Leadership Network, a state employee resource group seeking the professional development and upward mobility of Latinos in state government. She served as member of the Governor’s Results Washington Design Team and Healthy and Safe Communities Council Chair from 2013 to 2017.
Alfie is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and alumni of Harvard University’s Senior Executives in Government program. She currently serves as Judge Advocate for the National Association of State Veterans Homes and Immediate Past President of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs.
She is recipient of the Army Legion of Merit Medal and a member of the Military Order of Medical Merit. She has state and national awards that include the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, Governor’s Distinguished Management Leadership Award and the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary’s Leadership Award.
The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs has 28 programs that range from connecting veterans and eligible family members to their benefits through state and contract service officers, services to veterans without homes, incarcerated veterans, four long term care facilities, counseling and wellness programs, a state cemetery, to a veterans farm. Please look up YOUR WDVA at www.dva.wa.gov for more information. YOU SERVED, YOU DESERVE to access all the benefits for which you and your family members may be eligible.
Presenter:
Anita Maguire
Continuous Improvement Manager
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Presenter:
Anita Maguire
Continuous Improvement Manager
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Are your staff and leaders suffering from “culture building methodology” burnout? My presentation will exemplify how the 12 Lean Principles, when followed conscientiously and strategically, naturally encompass Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as well as Change Management ideals. The presentation will show that within each of the 12 Lean Principles (Operating "Just-in-time", Quality at the source, Standard work, Eliminating waste, Value added activities, "Flow" & "Pull", Communication, Training continuously, Employee recognition, Engaging everyone, Personal safety and Fostering security) EDI and CM are at the core and are key to gaining efficiencies and successful standardization of work. When we build a culture of Lean within our organizations and focus on the value for our customers, the work we do will always encompass a respect for people’s principles, experiences, diversity and individuality driving the business justification for Lean Continuous Improvement culture to be embraced and celebrated. The concepts will be exemplified within a project scenario. Attendants will leave with a project planning checklist spotlighting critical points within a project to confirm EDI and CM expectations are being met within the flow of the project and not as separate entities. This approach helps mitigate “culture methodology fatigue” for the stakeholders.
Session Materials:
Lean Project Checklist (Handout)
Gemba Walk Questionaire and Checklist (Handout)
About Anita Maguire:
Anita Maguire is the Continuous Improvement Program Manager at the Department of Social and Health Services. She has been serving in this role since 2019 and with the agency since 2017. Anita is a professional Lean consultant who holds Lean Six Sigma, PROSCI Change Management and Diversity Professional certifications. Prior to State service Anita spent 20 years as a Chef, Serve Safe and HACCP trainer and restaurant consultant for the National Restaurant Association.
Presenter:
Lenora Sneva and Aunna Moss
Office of Financial Management
Presenter:
Lenora Sneva and Aunna Moss
Office of Financial Management
We will discuss how to integrate organization change management, lean and project management into your small and large projects with a focus on the first phase of change – preparation. Preparing for change involves three key components: learning about the change from leaders; staff and customers; clarifying roles; and planning communication activities.
Session Materials:
Stakeholder Interview Questions (Handout)
Washington Recovery Group one-pager (Handout)
Organizational Change Management Best Practices (Handout)
About Lenora Sneva and Aunna Moss:
Lenora Sneva - Organization Performance Director, Washington State Office of Financial Management
Lenora serves as the organizational performance director for the Office of Financial Management. In this role she collaborates and advises leaders and staff on how to plan, communicate and transition to new changes. She also is the One Washington agency support team lead and facilitates the Washington Recovery Workforce Development Workgroup. She has worked for the state of Washington for 10 years and holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Washington. Her free time is consumed with family, shuffling her teen daughters to competitive volleyball practices and tournaments, and realizing that we can all do hard things.
Aunna Moss - Organization Performance Manager - Washington State Office of Financial Management
Aunna Moss is the Organization Performance Manager for the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). In this role, she collaborates with and advises leaders and staff on how to plan, communicate, and transition to new changes. She also manages the strategic plan and an internal community of practice for OCM, Lean and Project Management and co-leads a statewide OCM community of practice. Prior to joining OFM in April of 2021, Aunna worked for the Washington State Department of Social & Health Services for almost eight years and held various positions focused on organizational development. Aunna is a graduate of St. Martin's University, is a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt and is Prosci Change Management certified.
Presenter:
Peg Drummond
SuperTeams
CEO
Presenter:
Peg Drummond
SuperTeams
CEO
Remember a project, where thorough research, data, and effective planning all pointed to a path that would make things SO much easier and better, and yet the project fell apart - the people impacted weren’t implementing the plan? Seems crazy right? Why do human beings resist changing from something that isn’t working well, to a new and better way - often costing precious time, lost energy, morale and millions or billions in dollars? In this highly interactive, PowerPoint-free, session, we will model Accelerated Learning tools to keep your team focused and engaged online, while simultaneously exploring what Neuroscience tells us about our brains and Habit Formation. Next we’ll look at how to apply this critical information in our Process Improvement projects through engaging our teams and building environments of trust and respect.
Session Materials
Facilitator Welcome Letter (Handout)
Team Welcome Letter (Handout)
Per-Work-Checklist (Handout)
About Peg Drummond:
A seasoned facilitator bringing focus, energy and motivation, engaging people to take action and change culture. 97% of participants rate trainings with Peg as “the best” or “one of the best” they have attended in their life!
Highlights - LEAN Training/Consulting:
Presenter:
Heidi Loveall
Strategy & Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Presenter:
Heidi Loveall
Strategy & Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Have you ever heard people talk about visual management and wondered what it really even is? Or decided to get started but found yourself staring at a blank whiteboard? Or spent time developing a system only to find that it doesn't get updated or used? Visual management is a powerful Lean tool that can dramatically improve communication and performance on your team, but getting started can be overwhelming and making it stick can be a challenge. This session will cover an introduction to the different types of visual management, give examples of how each type can be used, and go into tips for addressing the human side of making visual management useful and enduring. You will leave with the knowledge you need to get started or improve your current visual management efforts.
Session Materials
Visual Management Checklist (Handout)
About Heidi Loveall:
Heidi Loveall is a Strategy & Performance Consultant with Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. She is experienced in facilitation, training, consultation, coaching, and applying Lean principles and tools. With over 10 years in state government, she is passionate about public service and the vision of making government better for Washingtonians. When not at work, she is spending time with her four children, cooking, planning epic parties, and enjoying the Northwest rain.
Presenter:
Carlos Venegas
Principal
Carlos Venegas / CarlosVenegas.com
Presenter:
Carlos Venegas
Principal
Carlos Venegas / CarlosVenegas.com
Have you ever wondered why so many Lean initiatives take off only to lose momentum, or worse, nosedive after a promising start? Here's what many don't know: leadership development is a crucial part of getting a Lean program off the ground. To get lasting results—productivity and engagement—leadership development needs to be integrated into Lean training. Leadership is about convincing people to work together to reach a goal they share, and Lean is about how to get there. Lean provides the wings, and leadership development provides the lift. We'll show you exactly what we've done to develop Leaders through Lean training, why we've done it that way, and the kind of results you can get. We'll explain how Lean makes your leadership development training measurable, and how leadership development—with Lean—can improve engagement and support inclusion. We'll also give you tips on how to integrate leadership development with Lean in your own organization.
Session Materials
About Carlos Venegas:
Carlos Venegas has helped organizations improve and simplify their work for over 25 years. A published author, Carlos wrote the book Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements, published by Taylor and Francis. Carlos has also written articles for Productivity Press and Quality Digest. His client list includes Yamaha, the EPA, the State of Texas, Maxcess International, Washington State, the City of Seattle, and King County. Carlos has a Master's in Applied Behavioral Science.
Presenter:
Amy Leneker
Leadership Consultant
The Leneker Team, LLC
Presenter:
Amy Leneker
Leadership Consultant
The Leneker Team, LLC
Consider a recent day at work - how much time did you spend talking vs listening? How many meaningful questions did you ask? In this fun and informative workshop we will explore the three steps to asking questions that matter. We will look at evidence-based strategies to inform and improve our ability to ask questions. What are you waiting for? Let's Kick Some Ask™!
Session Materials:
About Amy Leneker:
Amy Leneker is an optimistic, joy-seeking, recovering perfectionist. She is also a Leadership Consultant and a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator. Amy was born and raised in the Midwest where she learned to work hard, tell the truth, and be kind. Although she left Ohio long ago, those Midwestern values are still very much a part of who she is and how she works. With over two decades of experience in leadership development in the public sector, Amy founded a consulting firm and now works with leaders and teams all over the world. She and her husband have two wonderful kiddos and three wacky dogs and make their home in the Pacific Northwest.
Presenter:
Scott Siderman
Manager
TokuSaku Consulting
Presenter:
Scott Siderman
Manager
TokuSaku Consulting
Change is only valuable if it is implemented in a way that assures lasting improvement. Also, long, large scope milestone-driven projects inevitably fail to live up to expectations. Agile Development provides a way for large-scale system development to avoid this pitfall. But what of Lean? Typically, Lean takes an incremental approach to improvement, or Continuous Improvement, to implement change. But what do you do when your organization needs an order of magnitude (or larger) improvement? Peppered with real-life experiences, this presentation will start by providing a grounding in the fundamentals of both Agile Development and Lean. It will then present how to use Lean to design transformational process improvement. Next, we explore how Agile Development principles can be applied to closing the gap between current and future state processes, yielding measurable interim, and lasting final, performance improvement. In addition, the impact of this approach on managing change will also be discussed.
Session Materials:
About Scott Siderman:
For over twenty years, Scott has helped organizations transform performance. His approach is simple: Ask provocative questions while forging high-performing teams. Starting by applying Just-in-time to the Banking industry, his career now includes process improvement/redesign, measurement, change management, and organizational design in Banking, Insurance, Government, Criminal Justice, Customer Care, Behavioral Health, Utilities, Higher Education, and Healthcare. Scott is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence, PROSCI® Change Manager, and Project Management Professional.
Presenter:
Wendy Fraser, PhD
Chief Inspiration Officer
Fraser Consulting, LLC
Presenter:
Wendy Fraser, PhD
Chief Inspiration Officer
Fraser Consulting, LLC
Worldwide, we are all having a shared experience, but it is affecting each of us in different ways. Our responses to the pandemic range from people feeling unsteady and unsafe to others seeing it as it as an opportunity to show up and do work differently. Customers can seem ungrateful or demanding, but also patient and understanding. Resilience and trauma research show us that negative experiences can influence positive growth and this session will focus on pragmatic ways to harness this growth opportunity. We will explore strategies to strengthen trust with our customers and each other as we work to recover from this pandemic crisis (which is still ongoing).
Session Materials:
About Wendy Fraser, PhD:
Wendy mentors the collective wisdom in organizations by engaging the talents and hearts of people. She fosters and builds capacity by strengthening relationships and systems, so groups and organizations thrive. She brings fresh approaches with a flare of humor and gets results. Wendy works with clients in the US and abroad. She is the author of the book Trust Repair: It IS Possible, and is a speaker, consultant, mentor, volunteer, and international humanitarian.
Presenter:
Carrie Basas, Sarah Arvey, Warren Lybbert and Julian Robinson
Presenter:
Carrie Basas, Sarah Arvey, Warren Lybbert and Julian Robinson
In 2018, the Governor’s Office of the Education Ombuds, teachers, disabled students, disabled filmmakers, and researchers came together to create the first iteration of a disability history and pride project for K-12 schools in Washington. While the legislature passed a law requiring schools to teach about disability every October, it wasn’t fulfilled because of lack of funding. Disabled adults and youth decided to own the story. Through an intentional co-design process of stakeholders with multiple perspectives and cross-sector roles, the team launched "The-One-Out-of Five Project"-- a series of student storytelling videos, learning resources, and lesson plans to support educators in promoting cultures of school and community inclusion. In the current iteration of the project, the team is studying its implementation in classrooms and the impacts on both students new to it and the storytellers. Join us to learn more about how continuous improvement and co-design processes that are intergenerational and cross-cutting can impact both participants and project outcomes.
Session Materials:
About Carrie Basas, Sarah Arvey, Warren Lybbert and Julian Robinson:
Carrie Basas, Esq., M.Ed. (she/her) -Director - WA State Governor's Office of the Education Ombuds
Carrie is a former civil rights and labor law attorney. For many years, she was a law professor, specializing in disability rights, criminal justice, and ethics. She has taught at the University of North Carolina School of Law, Penn State University, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Tulsa College of Law, and Saint Joseph's College of Maine. In 2014, Carrie returned to graduate school to attain a MEd in Education Policy, Organizations, and Leadership from the University of Washington. Carrie is also a graduate of Swarthmore College (Honors B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology/Anthropology) and Harvard Law School (Juris Doctorate degree).
Sarah Arvey (she/her) - PhD Candidate and Teacher - University of Washington, College of Education
Sarah is a co-developers of "The-Out-of-Five Project": Disability History and Pride learning resources (freely available at http://bit.ly/One_Out_of_Five). She was a classroom teacher in a variety of special education settings for eight years and an avid education activist. Her current teaching and research focuses on disability history and identity and ableism in schools with attention to intersectionality and critical pedagogy.
Warren Lybbert (he/him) - High School Student - Quincy High School
Warren is a student storyteller as part of "The-One-Out-of Five Project".
Julian Robinson (he/him) - High School Student - Student Washington School for the Deaf
Julian Robinson was a student storyteller as part of "The-One-Out-of Five-Project". Julian describes himself as a Black Deaf young man that desires equality for all to achieve success.
Presenter:
Brett M Cooper
President
Integris Performance Advisors
Presenter:
Brett M Cooper
President
Integris Performance Advisors
Work is very different than it was at the optimistic outset of 2020. Our lives were turned upside down and for many of us, our workday went from cubicles and commutes to pajama pants, homeschooling, and trying to meet deadlines with the constant background noise of home life. For those who were not able to say home, work suddenly included masks, sanitizer, and social distancing – giving “work stress” a whole new meaning. A recent study uncovered that only 18% of respondents are “very satisfied” with their work/life balance, while a whopping 38% reported feeling neutral, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied. You of course aren’t above these stresses. You likely experience them too. But your role as a leader in an organization trying to build, expand, or maintain Lean efforts demands that you alter your behavior to address this new reality. In this session, we’ll dive into what the research is telling us and - most importantly - what you as a leader can do to support your people and keep your Lean efforts on track.
Session Materials:
Ebook (handout)
About Brett M Cooper:
Brett M. Cooper, Co-Founder of Integris Performance Advisors and Co-Author of Solving The People Problem: Essential Skills You Need To Lead & Succeed In Today’s Workplace, has been supporting Washington State’s Lean Journey since 2011. The Integris team has trained several thousand agency employees how to implement Lean efforts more successfully, which has helped people across Washington government learn to work together in more productive, more effective, and more human ways.
Presenter:
Jennifer Phillips
Strategy and Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Presenter:
Jennifer Phillips
Strategy and Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Are your standard problem-solving approaches proving inadequate or too incremental for some of your projects and operational issues? It’s time for a dash of theory about why we get in a rut with the usual ways of thinking along with introduction to methods that can help us boost the level of creativity and innovation. These are fast to learn, flexible (use them in a hybrid environment, individually or in groups) and can help to elicit diverse perspectives and experiences. In this session, participants will consider opportunities for use within their projects and teams, be introduced to 5 methods and complete rapid practice with one. Additional methods and resources will be provided as take-aways.
Session Materials:
About Jennifer Phillips:
Jennifer Phillips is a Strategy and Performance consultant with the Department of Enterprise Services. Before joining DES, a majority of her career has involved applying and teaching improvement, innovation and creative thinking in healthcare at Western State Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center.
Presenter:
Jared Thatcher
Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Program Manager
Port of Seattle
Presenter:
Jared Thatcher
Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Program Manager
Port of Seattle
Agile is more than a software development methodology, it is a way of thinking. Like the name suggests, it is flexible, versatile, and adaptive in how work is performed. At the core of Agile is an iterative process for providing value to the customer with the subtext being the need to eliminate waste from the system in order to achieve this objective. In this sense, Agile and Lean have more similarities than they do differences. As Lean professionals there is so much we can learn from Agile that can help us to improve the way that we facilitate Kaizen events, or how we implement our improvements projects. Check out this session as Jared shares his experiences about how understanding the Agile Methodology and implementing Agile tools can help you get better results in your Lean journey.
Session Materials:
About Jared Thatcher:
Jared Thatcher is a CPI Program Manager at the Port of Seattle. He has built a Lean network with other US Ports, hosts an annual Virtual Lean Summit, coaches other Lean professionals, and is an Amazon Best Selling author with his book, “Parenting the Lean Way”. He holds a B.A. in Japanese from Portland State University and an International MBA from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, is a PMP and a Certified Scrum Master.
Presenter:
Susan Hayden, James Thompkins and Nicole Nisbet
Washington State Department of Licensing
Presenter:
Susan Hayden, James Thompkins and Nicole Nisbet
Washington State Department of Licensing
Introduction to 5S: The Lean methodology 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) is sometimes seen solely as a way to keep things neat and tidy. Let's debunk that myth by learning together how the humble, yet mighty 5S can be the very foundation for any improvement work you do at home, in the office or virtually! We'll engage learners in a fun activity to help Lean practitioners of all levels use 5S to better meet the needs of their customers. We'll also explore how the 6th "S" (Safety) works in tandem with 5S to create a safe, functional, inclusive environment for everyone!
Session Materials:
Leader Standard Work (Handout)
Huddle Board Sample (Handout)
Implementation Action Plan Sample (Handout)
About Susan Hayden, James Thompkins and Nicole Nisbet:
Susan Hayden - Continuous Improvement Consultant - Washington State Department of Licensing
Susan is a Continuous Improvement Consultant with the Washington State Department of Licensing's (DOL) Enterprise Project Management Office. She coaches and develops staff of all levels in Lean Six Sigma tools and methods. Prior to joining DOL, Susan held the roles of Lean Six Sigma Sensei at the Veteran’s Administration Palo Alto Healthcare System and Lean Implementation Manager at the San Mateo Health Care System. Susan is certified as a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
James Thompkins - Continuous Improvement Consultant - Washington State Department of Licensing
James is a Continuous Improvement Consultant with the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) Enterprise Project Management Office. James earned his Lean Six Green Belt in August 2014 and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in Dec 2014. He works with all levels of staff in DOL in development, coaching and learning of Lean Six Sigma tools.
Nicole Nisbet - Continuous Improvement Program Administrator - Washington State Department of Licensing
Nicole is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with a background in human resources management and employee development. Nicole has a passion for facilitation, teambuilding, and process improvement.
Presenter:
Gary Vansuch, Michelle Malloy and Stacy Stoffregen
Colorado Department of Transportation
Presenter:
Gary Vansuch, Michelle Malloy and Stacy Stoffregen
Colorado Department of Transportation
At Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), we are seeking to make business improvement projects more successful and create transparency within our organization. We envision a culture of continuous improvement supported by a fully-integrated program that will promote CDOT’s values of Customer Service and Excellence. To do this we have developed an initiative called Concept to Project, or C2P. C2P focuses on business improvement projects that impact how people work, such as projects that are designed to improve business, process improvements, and restructures. Business improvement projects can originate all over our organization and it is important to provide transparency and support to make these projects as successful as they can be. C2P’s initial goals are to
Session Materials:
About Gary Vansuch, Michelle Malloy and Stacy Stoffregen:
Gary Vansuch - Director, Office of Process Improvement - Colorado Department of Transportation
As a member of the CDOT top executive team, Gary directs efforts to improve the organization’s operations and to make government more effective, efficient and customer-focused. He has over 40 years of business improvement and change leadership experience in the energy, financial services and governmental services sectors.
Michelle Malloy - Process Improvement and Change Management Program - Colorado Department of Transportation
Michelle has been a devoted Colorado State Employee for nearly 15 years. In that time, she has dedicated herself to being the best servant leader possible. Michelle’s expertise lies in strategy, program management, project management, change management, process improvement, facilitation and working with people. Michelle believes that people are the government’s #1 asset and any improvements to the products and services we aim to provide would not happen without them.
Stacy Stoffregen - Intern - Colorado Department of Transportation
She is a doctoral candidate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Kansas State University. Stacy is passionate about improving the workplace.
Presenter:
Jessica Mobbs
Strategy & Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
Presenter:
Jessica Mobbs
Strategy & Performance Consultant
Washington State Department of Enterprise Services
As the world is evolving around us, it is vital to attract and retain the best employees for your organization. One key way to do that is by creating a formalized mentorship program for the employees in your organization. Mentorship programs are proven to increase retention and job satisfaction as well as build leadership and management skills at all levels of an organization. Mentorship programs also encourage the thinking that is key to promoting the principles that underlie Lean methodology. In our session, you will learn why mentorship programs are an integral component to developing and growing a Lean culture while promoting the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will follow the journey of the creation and implementation of the Department of Enterprise Services’ first ever agency-wide mentorship program which officially launched in July 2021. We will talk about everything it takes to create your own mentorship program including how to get leadership buy-off, how to develop a compelling mission for your program, and how to put it all together. We’ll talk about lessons learned and get you excited about creating your very own mentorship program.
Session Materials:
About Jessica Mobbs:
Jessica Mobbs is a Strategy & Performance Consultant at the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services in Olympia, Washington. Jessica has her Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University as well as her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from the University of Washington Tacoma. Jessica has nearly 15 years of experience working in state government, and she is passionate about service to her fellow Washingtonians.
Presenter:
Katie Anderson
Founder
Katie Anderson Consulting
Presenter:
Katie Anderson
Founder
Katie Anderson Consulting
We all want to lead innovative, creative teams. Ones that are capable, confident, and engaged. But most of us have a habit that is getting in the way: we are in the habit of telling. Giving others the answers -- or what you think are the answers -- feels quicker, plus you have experience and knowledge to offer and there is so much to get done! But in doing so, you find that you become the bottleneck for projects. Your team feels disempowered, & they stop thinking for themselves. And innovation and engagement give way to status quo. If you are a leader, coach, or collaborate with others on a team, learning to ask more effective questions is the most important skill that you can develop! If you can learn to break your “telling habit” -- and start tapping into the power of effective questions -- you open up whole new horizons of possibility for your organization, your team, and yourself! During this session, you’ll learn how to lead with intention by using powerful questions to make your leadership and coaching more effective and empowering, freeing you from of having to be the expert who has to have all the answers, and teaching your team how to learn and create solutions that far exceed what any one person could come up with alone.
Session Materials:
About Katie Anderson:
Katie Anderson is an internationally recognized leadership coach, speaker, and author of bestselling book “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn”, known for helping individuals and organizations lead with intention. She has over 20 years of experience in supporting change and improvement across diverse industries. In 2013, Katie founded her consulting practice to work with leaders at all levels to connect and align their purpose, process, and practice to achieve higher levels of performance.
Presenter:
Kevin Hall and Zach Lutes
Starbucks
Presenter:
Kevin Hall and Zach Lutes
Starbucks
Our team has been running virtual remote kaizens since April 2020 in response to the pandemic--about 3 per month for the last 18 months. These have been as effective, and in some cases more effective than our in-person kaizens. We want to share what we have learned as we innovated this practice and have to iterate again as we anticipate a partial return to office in the future while maintaining the best of both.
Session Materials:
About Kevin Hall and Zach Lutes:
Kevin Hall - Program Manager - Starbucks
Kevin is a lean deployment leader with a team of lean practitioners. Together we support facilitating improvements across the enterprise thru a variety of approaches, from Kaizens, to Kata, to coaching that drive change from the back office to the engine of the business--our stores.
Zach Lutes - Senior Project Manager - Starbucks
Zach lives to help solve problems for his fellow partners! Zach is a twelve-year employee serving as a Senior Project Manager on the Starbucks Continuous Improvement Team. He helped convert the team’s 100% in-person kaizen workshop model to 100% virtual using whiteboard tools such as Miro. Through the new model, the CI team delivers business transformation throughout the enterprise.
Presenter:
Elizabeth (Beth) Adams
Outcome Improvement Specialist
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Presenter:
Elizabeth (Beth) Adams
Outcome Improvement Specialist
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Data measurement can feel overwhelming with all those fancy-sounding statistical terms and the math. But it doesn’t have to be! Gathering data and measuring efforts can be simple and accessible. This workshop is geared toward those who are new to data gathering, want a refresher, or just want some inspiration! All of this will be presented in the context of how the ALTSA Home and Community Services’ Outcome Improvement Specialists in the Wellbeing, Improvement, and Nursing (WIN) Unit got started with tracking data. Learn how they started using SharePoint in 2018 to track their projects and their journey since, including their most recent PDCA activity in the summer of 2021 doing a “Check/Study” of their tracking system.
Session Materials:
About Elizabeth (Beth) Adams:
Beth’s colleagues call her an Excel and data visualization wizard. While Beth wouldn’t go that far (aspiring apprentice, maybe) she does love helping others how to understand and present their data. Beth has a MA in Gerontology, a LSSGB and is working on a LSSBB, and over 25 years’ experience in the field of aging in a variety of settings from direct service to management. She has been in her current role since June 2018.
Presenter:
Montana Johnston and Amy Besel
Presenter:
Montana Johnston and Amy Besel
Accountability and Feedback are integral, interdependent features of every organization, workplace, and team. The quality of the feedback we give and receive shapes our workplace cultures, and determines the culture of accountability on each of our teams. This workshop is designed to build awareness of the relationship between accountability and feedback and provide hands-on experience working with tools and techniques to develop great feedback and promote cultures of high accountability.
This workshop is designed for leaders who are accountable for the work of others, whether they occupy formal leadership/supervisory roles or are challenged to lead others without formal authority. Participants will develop a feedback plan during the workshop that they can implement immediately, and are encouraged to share their experience and results with their peers and colleagues.
Session Materials:
About Montana Johnston and Amy Besel :
Montana Johnston - Outcome Improvement Specialist - Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Montana Salvoni holds a master’s degree in Semiotics and is certified as a leadership coach and Lean Six Sigma green belt. She has been a public servant for six years, helping to create better futures at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, Department of Health, and Department of Social and Health Services. For the past two years Montana has served as an Outcome Improvement Specialist in the DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.
Amy Besel - Organizational Development Administrator - Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Amy is an authentic, passionate, and engaging leader with a demonstrated commitment to the pursuit of excellence. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, certification in Project Management, and is a Lean Six-Sigma Blackbelt. With nearly 20 years of dedicated state service, Amy believes in the wholistic culture of Lean; continuously improving our processes and the people who do them, thereby ensuring the best possible outcomes for the people we serve. Amy currently leads the DSHS Aging and Long Term Support Administration's Lean Engagement & Innovation team as ALTSA’s Senior Organizational Development Administrator.
Presenter:
Tim Creasey
Chief Innovation Officer
Prosci
Presenter:
Tim Creasey
Chief Innovation Officer
Prosci
Have you ever mapped the value stream perfectly and still struggled to get engagement from the organization? Have you ever run a high impact 5S event only to return 30 days later to total mess? Have you ever improved the flow of a key process where employees returned to the old way of doing things after you left? In the end, a solution that isn’t engaged, adopted and used by our people does not deliver the value of our Lean Transformation Initiative. But, we do not need to leave the people side of change to chance. Change management emerged as a discipline to provide a structured and intentional approach to elevating adoption challenges, encouraging empathy, engaging participation and empowering people to take charge of their change journeys. In this session, learn how to combine the Prosci ADKAR model of individual change with Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis to deliver more value by surfacing and removing people side change obstacles. You will learn and apply a powerfully practical approach for amplifying the driving forces of successful change and reducing the restraining forces at each adoption milestone.
Session Materials:
About Tim Creasey:
Tim Creasey, Prosci Chief Innovation Officer, is a dynamic presenter, researcher and thought leader on managing the people side of change initiatives to deliver organizational results and outcomes. He has advanced the discipline of change management from the “soft and fuzzy” toward a structured, rigorous approach for driving benefit realization and value creation. Tim coauthored the book “Change Management: The People Side of Change” and has led Prosci's benchmarking studies for two decades.
Presenter:
Nathaniel Higby and Shawna Whipple
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Presenter:
Nathaniel Higby and Shawna Whipple
Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
To make lasting progress in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, we can’t just treat the symptoms; we must address the underlying condition, which is systemic inequity. Healthcare leaders have an opportunity and a responsibility to prioritize these efforts. In this session, we will share how Virginia Mason Franciscan Health took a systems approach to DEI by purposefully embedding equity concepts in lean practices and training. We will present tools for preparing and engaging leaders, team members and patients in co-designing improvement efforts that are centered on the experiences of historically marginalized and under-represented communities to support culturally responsive, safe care and participants will walk away with strategies to address inequities in their lean practices.
Session Materials:
About Nathaniel Higby and Shawna Whipple:
Nate Higby - Virginia Mason Production System Specialist - Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
Nate oversees various quality process improvement initiatives, including work to systematize equity into the management system. In addition to this role, Nate co-chairs Virginia Mason’s LGTBQIA+ affinity group, ProudlyVM. Outside of Virginia Mason, Nate is a commissioner for the Seattle’s LGTBQ+ Commission. Nate Higby holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Whitman College.
Shawna Whipple -Virginia Mason Production System Specialist -Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
After spending the 1990s as an activist and social worker in Seattle, Shawna Whipple needed a career change. She became a phlebotomist at Virginia Mason in 1999, hoping that poking people with needles would be easier. When VM introduced its new management method (VMPS), VMPS soon became her passion, her new form of activism. She made the move to become a VMPS Specialist in 2008 in the Kaizen Promotion Office and has been there since.
Presenter:
Janina Oestreich and Rachelle Jennings
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Presenter:
Janina Oestreich and Rachelle Jennings
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
On our Lean journey to create a continuous improvement culture, we have been forced to think a little deeper about not just the technical side of change which includes the Lean tools and project management concepts, but also the people side. You may have heard the phrase, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast” by Peter Drucker. As we evolve, we are learning to incorporate both change management principles along with the process/metric focused Lean Six Sigma methodology to construct a more robust problem solving approach within our organization. In this session you will find some useful templates to help guide your group to address both sides of the continuous improvement coin.
Session Materials:
Communication Plan (Handout)
Change Management Canvas (Handout)
About Janina Oestreich and Rachelle Jennings:
Janina Oestreich - Planning and Performance Manager - Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Janina provides consultation in the use of tools and techniques to improve processes and report outcomes. She has 25+ years of experience in project management and leadership roles working with both State and Federal programs. Janina is a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and is Prosci certified. She has developed and managed a Lean Green Belt Certification Program since 2016.
Rachelle Jennings - Management Analyst 5 - Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
Rachelle is a Management Analyst 5 for Washington’s Division of Child Support. She provides Lean process improvement consultation supporting the Division’s continuous improvement efforts. She has been practicing Lean since 2012 and currently helps manage DCS’s Green Belt Certification program. Rachelle is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Prosci certified change practitioner.
Presenter:
Jennifer Haury
Organizational Anthropologist
All Angles Consulting LLC
Presenter:
Jennifer Haury
Organizational Anthropologist
All Angles Consulting LLC
Lean culture is based on two key principles: (1) Continuous Improvement of Customer Value and (2) Respect for People Come explore tangible ways to integrate Respect for People into your continuous improvement practice. Jennifer will cover traditional methods for showing respect for people including process walks, rounding, and coaching kata, as well as some innovative methods to incorporate respect for people into your practice. In this session, you will leave with easy-to-implement ideas and tools to boost your ability to bring Respect for People to an all-time high. Not a leader? Yes, you are! Still come. You don’t need a title to show Respect for People!
Session Materials:
About Jennifer Haury:
Jennifer Haury is an Organizational Anthropologist Lean Six Sigma Master Blackbelt who brings joy and intention to organizational culture and leadership practice. She helps build teams and systems designed to get results and help people thrive. Jennifer lives in Olympia on traditional lands of the Nisqually people--now home to the Haury Family- amazing humans who have taught her how to apply her talents in an environment always in learning mode!
