Page 45 - Chair Academy's 26th Annual Conference Program

MARION SYNNOTT
Academic Chair, CORE Education, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology,
Calgary, AB

Marion Synnott cares about people, her students, faculty, and staf. She leads by
example, and creates a sense of community, collaboration and camaraderie. From
working with the library to develop and host a website and resources supporting
students’ academic integrity, to bringing the voices of industry into SAIT’s class-
rooms through her 63-video Video Speaker’s Bureau initiative, to ofering leader-
ship seminars to SAIT’s students, she engages and inspires all those around her.
Her passion for learning and for student success is matched only by her unending
drive and commitment to always improve and make things better. She empowers
her faculty to refect on their teaching practices, and challenges them to take risks
in delivering their material in innovative ways.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TEAM - JOHNSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Jason Brunkan, Sr. Engineer & Event Specialist, Audio Visual Services, Angie Claussen, Counselor,
Student Services, Keith Davenport, Manager, Student Activities, Donna Dufey, Professor,
Entrepreneurship, Debbie Eisenhower, Coordinator, Staf and Organizational Development,
Kim Manifold, Manager, Help Desk, Marilee Nickelson, Legal Assistant, Ofce of General Counsel,
Dianna Rottinghaus, Associate Professor, Reading, Elisa Waldman, Regional Director, JCCC Kansas
Small Business Center, Kathy Wing, Manager, HRIS & Compensation

The Employee Engagement Team was assigned Goal 1,Task 5 (Foster a culture that inspires college employees
to proactively support students) of the JCCC Strategic Plan. Debbie Eisenhower is the chair of this team of
dedicated employees. The team was charged with researching best practices in employee engagement,
selecting an employee engagement assessment, implementing the assessment, training managers and tracking
progress. In an efort to support managers, they have shared best practices of others on campus and created
support materials that are sent out weekly.

The team met all their timelines and they are now working on the implementation of year two. The group is
made up of employees from a variety of departments and they represent a variety of jobs. We are proud of the
dedication, collaboration and commitment of the Employee Engagement Team.

The Chair Academy’s 26th Annual International Leadership Conference 43