In-Person Only

CPDA's Public Defender Management Seminar: Cultivating Leadership in Public Defender Offices

Date
Friday, May 1, 2026
Location
Cal State Long Beach, Horn Center
MCLE Credit
1 hr Elimination of Bias & 1 hr Wellness Competence
CPDA Members
$170

Agenda (subject to change)

8:15 a.m.
Registration & Check-in, Breakfast (included with registration)
8:45 – 9:00 a.m.
Introduction and Welcome
Brendon Woods, Public Defender, Alameda County
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Increasing Your IEQ: Inclusion Via Emotional Intelligence
Elimination of Bias — 1.0 hr MCLE
La Mer Kyle-Griffiths, Los Angeles County Public Defender Training Division Director
10:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15 – 11:15 a.m.
Wellness and the Zen of Leadership
Wellness Competence — 1.0 hr MCLE
Ricardo Garcia, Public Defender, Los Angeles County
11:15 – 11:30 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Client Centered Leadership from System Impacted People at Project Rebound
Irene Sotelo, Project Rebound Director, CSU Long Beach
Carlos Castro, Project Rebound Intern, CSU Long Beach
Adrian Vasquez, Parole Success Advocate, UnCommon Law
Moderator: Dr. James Binnall
12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Lunch Break (Lunch provided)
1:45 – 2:45 p.m.
Hard Conversations Done Horribly Wrong
Brendon Woods, Public Defender, Alameda County
2:45 – 3:00 p.m.
Break
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
You Are a Supervisor — Now What? A Panel of New Supervisors Share Lessons Learned
Prisca So, Supervising Deputy Public Defender, San Bernardino County
Jo Super, Chief Deputy, Primary Public Defender Division, San Diego County
David Hammond, Assistant Public Defender, Orange County
Moderator: Heather Rogers, Public Defender, Santa Cruz County

Faculty

Brendon Woods Brendon Woods Public Defender, Alameda County ⓘ Bio
La Mer Kyle-Griffiths La Mer Kyle-Griffiths Training Division Director, LA County Public Defender ⓘ Bio
Ricardo Garcia Ricardo Garcia Public Defender, Los Angeles County ⓘ Bio
Irene Sotelo Irene Sotelo Project Rebound Director, CSU Long Beach ⓘ Bio
Carlos Castro Carlos Castro Project Rebound Intern, CSU Long Beach ⓘ Bio
Adrian Vasquez Adrian Vasquez Parole Success Advocate, UnCommon Law ⓘ Bio
Dr. James Binnall Dr. James Binnall Professor, CSU Long Beach and ED, Project Rebound ⓘ Bio
Prisca So Prisca So Supervising Deputy Public Defender, San Bernardino County ⓘ Bio
Jo Super Jo Super Chief Deputy, Primary Public Defender Division, San Diego County ⓘ Bio
David Hammond David Hammond Assistant Public Defender, Orange County ⓘ Bio
Heather Rogers Heather Rogers Public Defender, Santa Cruz County ⓘ Bio
Reserve Your Spot
Register Now