Office of Accreditation and Planning retreat highlights individual strengths and collaboration

From left, Tim Gilbert, Ed.D.; Russ Cantrell, MSCIS, MBA; Wendy Wheeler; Julie Estis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP; Melisa Pierce, Ed.D.; David S. Williams, Ph.D.; and Angie O’Neal, M.Ed.

The Whiddon College of Medicine Office of Accreditation and Planning recently held an off-campus retreat focused on deepening collaboration, understanding team dynamics, and mapping out next steps in their commitment to excellence.

Facilitated by Julie Estis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, interim associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and executive director of academic enhancement, the session guided the team through meaningful self-reflection and group discussion. Estis, who brings extensive experience in accreditation, QEP leadership, and student learning strategy, led the team in applying the Patrick Lencioni's Working Genius model to uncover how each member contributes to the arc of a successful project — from idea to execution.

The Working Genius model is a team-based productivity framework that identifies individual strengths across six key areas: wonder, invention, discernment, galvanizing, enablement, and tenacity. By understanding which types of work energize us — and which tend to drain us — the team explored how we can work more effectively together, reduce burnout, and increase impact across the college.

“It was inspiring to facilitate this retreat with the Office of Accreditation and Planning and witness the team's commitment to understanding their strengths and exploring how to leverage them to advance their organizational mission,” Estis said. “Through thoughtful dialogue and collaborative activities, they explored critical questions and engaged in effective planning processes. Their enthusiasm and dedication set the stage for continued excellence across the college.” 

In addition to team building and strengths exploration, the retreat served as a launch point for advancing department-wide initiatives, aligning key goals and responsibilities related to their core work in student support, accreditation, assessment, planning, data governance, and service.

As part of this planning process, the team also began refining short- and long-term goals tied to LCME site visit success in October 2026, reaffirming the department’s role in leading quality improvement and supporting a culture of excellence at the Whiddon College of Medicine.

The retreat reinforced the department’s guiding statement: “We exist to guide data-driven quality improvement for excellence in medical education.”

By leaning into individual strengths and team synergy, the Office of Accreditation and Planning is more equipped than ever to lead strategic initiatives that serve students, support faculty, and elevate institutional outcomes.