Erica Bender is the Director of Academic Assessment at University of the Pacific, where she leads institutional assessment efforts and supports academic programs with meaningful assessment of student learning. She designs and facilitates educational devlopment programs that build faculty capacity in equitable, sustainable assessment practices.  Erica brings optimism, empathy, and pragmatism to her work, believing that assessment is best when it builds community, opens productive dialogue, and connects educators with deep fascination about their work.