NASPA Western Regional Conference

By the time attendees gathered in Palm Springs last month, the 2025 Western Regional Conference had already been more than a year in the making. What unfolded over those days was the visible result of months of collaboration, care, and thoughtful planning across Regions V and VI.

The journey began in August 2024 with the announcement of conference leadership, followed by a call for committee members who would help bring the vision to life. At the 2024 WRC in San Diego, our Chair and Co-Chair, Josie Ahlquist and Kim Holapa, were introduced, and the planning work truly began.

Throughout the year, the committee met regularly to shape a conference rooted in belonging and community. In May 2025, members of the logistics, local arrangements, and indigenous representation teams traveled to Palm Springs for a site visit. They met with the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, learned about the land and its history, and walked the Riviera Resort with intention—imagining how attendees would gather, connect, and experience the space. Those conversations helped ground the conference in place and purpose.

The full committee returned to Palm Springs in July for an immersive on-site planning session, and from that point through November, continued refining the program virtually until the regions came together again in person.

The 2025 WRC reflected the steady, collective work of so many.

To every volunteer, partner, committee member, and contributor: thank you for helping build a conference that carried the spirit of our community in every detail.