AspirePCC is the College’s year-long leadership institute that helps Lancers like you enhance their confidence and capacity to be the leader they want to be.  Whether that means growing in your current position, advancing into a new role, joining a committee, or inspiring leadership in others, AspirePCC is for you.

AspirePCC is rooted in a simple set of assumptions:

  • PCC’s commitment to equity, and other institutional goals, requires impactful leaders on multiple fronts
  • Impactful leaders are made, not born
  • Becoming an impactful leader requires ongoing learning
  • Connecting to a network of leaders enables access to new ideas and support that in turn fosters innovation

"Aspire PCC helped me feel more confident in my leadership role and helped me feel more connected to PCC."
- AspirePCC Participant

 
Apply Now for AY 26-27
 

AspirePCC is for Classified Staff, Faculty, and Administrators. 

AspirePCC will build your theoretical knowledge and skillsets related to leadership.  As part of a 25-person cohort, you will explore literature on various leadership topics, engage with a wide range of leaders from inside and outside PCC, and collaborate in designing solutions for real PCC organizational challenges.  Through these experiences, you will refine your leadership identities and broaden your leadership network within and beyond PCC.  Whether you are seeking to advance into a formal leadership role or simply expand your capacity for leading within your current position, this program will prepare you for greater success.

In AspirePCC, you will learn about and spend time practicing a variety of leadership actions (e.g., analyzing data, fostering engagement, giving and receiving feedback, managing conflict, presenting/facilitating, etc.), and you will do so through a framework that recognizes the ways in which race, gender, sexual orientation, and other forms of identity intersect with leadership.  You will also examine some of the core aspects of the California Community College System and their relevance when leading at an institution like PCC.  The following texts will be key resources when pursuing these learning objectives, and you will be provided with a copy of each book:

  • Reframing Organizations, 8th Edition (2026) – Bolman and Deal
  •  A Blueprint for Equity-Driven Community College Leadership (2024) – Eddy and Vanderlinden
  • From Equity Talk to Equity Walk (2020) – McNair, Bensimon, and Malcom-Piqueux

AspirePCC will occur from 9:00am-4:00pm, on each of the following Fridays:

September 18
October 9
November 6
December 4
February 26
March 26
April 23

Lead facilitator: Dr. Jason Robinson is the inaugural Director of Professional and Organizational Development at PCC and has been at the College for almost five years.  Prior to PCC, Jason completed stints as a research assistant at USC’s Center for Urban Education, and a Vice Principal in Shanghai, China.  Jason’s leadership approach draws heavily on a coaching model that calls for authentic listening, providing feedback and support, and empowering others to identify their own solutions and next steps.  He holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education Policy and a M.S. in K-12 Education Leadership.  Jason grew up on a farm in Canada and currently keeps busy chasing his two young boys.

Co-facilitator: A proud alumni of PCC, Carrie Starbird completed her Master’s Degree in Mathematics at Cal Poly Pomona, before returning to PCC as a full-time mathematics faculty member.  After 10 years in the classroom, she took the plunge into administrative work and became Dean of Mathematics shortly after giving birth to her second child.  Carrie believes that building and sustaining relationships that have a foundation of mutual respect and trust is the key to being an effective leader.  Carrie has returned to the role of a student at PCC where she is finishing up her Yoga Teacher Training certification.

Co-facilitator: Joyce Miyabe retired from PCC in 2021 after nearly 30 years in the California Community College System. Her career started at Citrus College, where she led the transition from a legacy information technology system (ITS) to Banner.  At PCC, Joyce guided the ITS team in a major Banner upgrade and then the transition to cloud hosting.  Joyce emphasizes relationship building in her leadership approach and has broad experience developing relationships that are helpful for achieving work-related goals at the local level and across the California Community College system.  Joyce’s parents were interned during World War II, and she was the first in her family to attend college.

Co-facilitator: Dr. Raquel Torres-Retana joined Pasadena City College in 2015, serving as the inaugural chief administrator for PCC Rosemead.  Having grown up in working class communities of the San Gabriel Valley, establishing the PCC Rosemead campus as a vital access to higher education was a noteworthy professional accomplishment. Through the years, Raquel’s adapted to the changing landscape of PCC. She currently provides leadership for Distance Education, Educational Partnerships, and the Shatford Library, all within Instruction. Prior to joining PCC, Raquel worked at the University of Southern California (USC) for 15 years within the division of Student Affairs and still teaches at the USC Rossier School of Education, where she earned her doctorate degree. Raquel is the youngest of 9 children, born to Mexican immigrants. A first-generation college student, she is the first and only family member to earn a doctorate degree. Raquel has been married for 34 years, and has three adult children.

Co-facilitator: Dr. Tameka Alexander has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and currently serves as Associate Dean of Transfer, Honors, and Completion at Pasadena City College. She began her higher education career at Cal Poly Pomona and has dedicated her career to expanding transfer opportunities, strengthening university partnerships, developing faculty and staff, and using data-informed strategies to advance equitable student outcomes. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in collaboration, relationship building, and empowering others to reach their full potential, with a strong commitment to developing and cultivating future leaders. Dr. Alexander holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California and is a proud Cal Poly Pomona alumna. Her connection to Pasadena City College and the local community is deeply personal: she is a graduate of Pasadena Unified School District and a former PCC dual enrollment student.

  • You will enhance your confidence and leadership skillsets
  • You will gain access to a community of similarly oriented leaders and build enduring relationships with these individuals
  • You will receive leadership books to support you on your leadership journey
  • You will have the opportunity to collaborate in designing solutions to real PCC problems, including those related to equity

If you are interested in being part of the 5th AspirePCC cohort, please complete our online application by the end of day Friday, September 4.

 
Apply Now for 26-27
 

If you have questions, contact prodev@pasadena.edu