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California JPIA Launches Inaugural Supervisor Academy

The California JPIA hosted its inaugural Supervisor Academy from January 14 to 16 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego. Designed as a comprehensive training experience, the Academy guided participants through the entire employee lifecycle, equipping supervisors with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage employees at every career stage.

“During 2024, we launched our Supervisor Essential Skills Training Program, which consists of nine courses covering topics such as communication, feedback, team building, and employee performance management,” said Training Manager Ryan Thomas. “The program’s success led us to reconsider our Management Academy and ultimately develop the Supervisor Academy as a complementary offering.”

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Each session in the Academy focused on a different phase of an employee’s journey, from recruitment and onboarding to career development and succession planning. “We wanted supervisors to walk away with a holistic understanding of their role in guiding employees through these stages,” Thomas said.

The three days of programming featured a wide variety of speakers and sessions designed to build practical leadership skills. Topics included:

• Starting Your Journey: Recruiting and Selection, presented by Marcella Marlowe, experienced city manager and senior adjunct professor of public management and leadership at the University of La Verne
• Are You Ready to Harvest: Employee Development, led by Sharonda Bishop, managing partner at Bishop Consulting
• Setting Your Compass: Change Management, presented by Bishop
• Curtain Calls: Transitioning Out of the Role or Organization, led by California JPIA Employment Practices Manager Kelly Trainer Policky and Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP Partner Monica Sanchez-McQueen

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. “I very much enjoyed the speakers and topics that were discussed,” said Leslie Arias, community services manager at the City of Paramount. “Anyone who is in management should definitely consider taking part in this academy!”

Thomas noted that the Authority had achieved its primary goal of encouraging stronger collaboration between supervisors and human resources departments. “At the end of the Academy, many attendees echoed one of our key learning outcomes: that supervisors should work closely with human resources to be effective people managers,” he said.

The Authority will offer the Supervisor Academy again in 2026. “We hope managers take what they’ve learned and apply it within their workplaces,” said Thomas. “If they share these insights with their teams, the impact will be even greater.”

Members interested in learning more about the Supervisor Academy and other training opportunities can visit the California JPIA’s training webpage or contact Training Manager Ryan Thomas or Training Coordinator Michelle Aguayo.

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