Teaching and Learning Leads and Circles

Christina Flores

Christina Flores teaches composition and literature courses where she enjoys seeing students grow as writers and fostering curiosity and life-long learners. Outside of the classroom, she participates as a faculty co-advisor for The Outdoors Club and the Muslim Student Association (MSA). A strong collaborator and celebrator of fellow faculty, Christina will come in clutch to serve as an equity representative, substitute, and mentor. As a new TLL, she hopes to encourage inquiry, reflection, and collaboration to champion faculty and to promote student success.

Jenna Francisco

Jenna Francisco is a professor of English as a Second Language and is currently serving as department chair, coordinator of student assistants in ESL, and a teaching and learning lead at CRC. In her work as TLL, she brings a love for student-centered teaching and is focused on helping faculty explore new ways to improve the college experience for students and reduce equity gaps.

Ana Karen Mercado

Ana Karen Mercado (she/her/ella) is Communication Studies Professor, a mentor in the Cultivando Raíces Mentorship Program and a teaching and learning lead at CRC. Ana earned her Master’s Degree from Sacramento State, but her journey in higher education began here at CRC and is a proud CRC alum (Go Hawks!). As a first-generation immigrant and first-generation college graduate, she is passionate about creating supportive and inclusive learning environments where students can see themselves as capable and belonging in higher education. As a Teaching and Learning Lead, Ana looks forward to learning alongside colleagues, sharing ideas, and collaborating to explore teaching practices that support student learning and success.

Ryan Perez Adame

Ryan Perez Adame (he/him) is a Theatre Arts Assistant Professor and has taught at CRC since 2022. An actor, singer, director, and visual artist, he is deeply committed to consent-based and trauma-informed theatre and teaching practices. In his previous career, Ryan worked in both houses of the California Legislature on LGBTQ+, elections, and tenants’ rights issues before spending nearly two decades working for a health policy non-profit organization. The son of a former CRC custodian, Ryan has served as the PRIDE Center Faculty Coordinator here at CRC. He believes that education is the lifelong act of transformation through liberation.

Guided by recommendations from CRC faculty, the Collaborative Learning Circles are practical professional development opportunities for classroom faculty guided by the core principles of flexibility, scalability, compensation, practical application, and working in community. Eight Collaborative Learning Circles will meet in-person throughout the Spring 2026 semester. Each Collab, facilitated by a Teaching and Learning Lead, will learn how to analyze course success data as a starting point for exploring a variety of evidence-based teaching practices.

Each participant will share, learn, and adopt tested practices that intentionally focus on enhancing in-class learning experiences for all CRC students with the specific goal of increasing course success rates for disproportionately impacted students, especially Black/African American, Latinx, and Indigenous students. At the conclusion of the Spring 2026 semester, each CLC participant will share their project and learning with the wider CRC campus community in the culminating Showcase on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Facilitators

The current Teaching and Learning Leads will facilitate the Collaborative Learning Circles:

• Jose Alfaro
• Jenna Francisco
• Winnie Hung
• Jena Trench

Eligible Participants

All CRC full-time and part-time faculty teaching at least 3 units in the Spring 2026 semester, who did not participate in the Spring 2025 Collaborative Learning Circle, are eligible to join a Collaborative Learning Circle. Participants do not need prior training to join and FTE load limits are applicable (please contact your dean if you have FTE load limit questions).

Program Requirements

• Attend two in-person Flex week foundational sessions on Wednesday, January 14  (9:00 to 3:00 pm) and Thursday, January 15 (12:30 to 2:30 pm).
• Participate in all six pre-scheduled in-person Collaborative Learning Circle sessions. Participants will meet with their designated TLL facilitator for two hours during week 2, week 4, week 6, week 8, week 10, and week 12.
• Successfully share project and learning at the culminating May 1, 2026 Project Showcase.

If a participant is unable to attend a pre-scheduled meeting due to unforeseen circumstances, equivalent participation options may be arranged.

Compensation

The Collaborative Learning Circles are open to both full-time and part-time faculty at CRC. All participants will be compensated with a $2,000 ESA at the end of the Spring 2026 semester once they have completed the program requirements (see above). Only participants who complete all of the aforementioned milestones will receive compensation in the form of an ESA, which is attributable to faculty load. Please note, full-time faculty overload and adjunct faculty load limits still apply.

The Teaching and Learning Lead (TLL) co-creates theoretical and practical growth experiences for faculty to improve instruction and close achievement gaps for CRC’s most disproportionately impacted students. The TLL serves as an equity leader in the development, coordination, and facilitation of workshops and discussions that promote the improvement of teaching and learning using equity-minded, evidence-based, instructional practices. The TLL will assist faculty with building a culture that focuses on assessing, reflecting upon, and enhancing faculty teaching practices. The specific responsibilities will be determined by the concurrent needs of the college. The TLL’s focus aligns with the college’s Strategic Plan Goals, Student Equity Plan, and the We Won’t Fall Campaign. The TLL reassignment is one year, with the possibility to renew on an annual basis.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Teaching and Learning Lead assignment (up to 0.40 FTE per TLL) is under the general supervision of the Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Planning, while working in close coordination with the Professional Development Coordinator and instructional deans.

Key responsibilities of the TLL include:

• Works with the PD Coordinator and the other TLLs to maintain a collective focus on achieving the college-wide equity goals
  • Meets with the TLL group in a standing meetings on selected Wednesdays or Fridays during the academic year
  • Attends the TLL retreat the Monday of Fall and Spring Flex Week
  • Contributes in the creation of Convocation and flex week activities, including facilitating workshops
  • Participates in professional development opportunities (as a TLL group and/or individually) that focus on the process of assessing, reflecting upon, and enhancing faculty teaching practices ○ Leads professional development opportunities (as a TLL group or individually)
  • Interacts regularly with faculty to gather information on the professional development needs of full-time and part-time faculty members (i.e. office hours, individual meetings, division meetings, surveys, social events)
  • Utilizes disaggregated student outcomes data and related research in discussions and/or workshops with faculty to improve teaching and learning practices
• Works in collaboration with instructional Deans, including a minimum of a monthly meeting schedule with the Deans to:
  • Assist in identifying success strategies for increasing faculty engagement in growth experiences that focus on enhancing learning opportunities for CRC’s most disproportionately impacted students

Criteria for Candidate Selection

1. Has skills (or is willing to develop skills) and understanding of classroom-based strategies designed to improve student outcomes and close the achievement gaps among diverse groups of students, specifically Black and Latinx students.
2. Has skills (or is willing to develop skills) and understanding of how Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Anti-racism (DEIAA) impact teaching and learning, with an emphasis on equity-mindedness and racial equity.
3. Has skills (or is willing to develop skills) in facilitating and engaging in dialogue focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Antiracism and structural inequities.
4. Demonstrates effective communication skills, organizational and planning skills.
5. Demonstrates the ability to work well with individuals from diverse backgrounds including, but not limited to campus constituency groups, outside vendors, and community members.
6. Has knowledge (or is willing to develop knowledge) of local and statewide professional development strategies that respond to and/or support guided pathways implementation and student equity.
7. Has experience with presenting information to large and small audiences, and facilitating group discussions.
8. Be available to attend meetings and activities in-person.

Each TLL position is up to a 0.40 FTE (reassigned time) per semester position, categorically-funded by the Student Equity and Achievement Program, which is subject to funding availability.

Applications Materials

• Letter of Interest describing your qualifications and experience regarding the criteria as outlined in the job description.