Session Leaders
Dr. Kim Kidwell is a professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, where she leads the spring wheat breeding and genetics program.
She is also the instructor of HD 205[C], a high-enrollment undergraduate life skill enhancement course. Dr. Kidwell has captivated her Human Development students with her commitment to supporting them in expanding their personal development and improving their life skills. This course has soared in popularity, climbing from 93 students when she first taught it in Spring 2004 to more than 400 students in 2005-06.
Dr. Kidwell has earned numerous teaching awards and is in demand as a speaker at experimental education meetings.
She won the 2005 R.M. Wade Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the 2006 Marian E. Smith Faculty Achievement Award.
Scott Case, Ph.D., is the coordinator of the Employee Assistance Program and the Stress Management Program at WSU.
He received his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA in 2003.
He is affiliated with the Washington Counseling Association and the American Counseling Association.
Francis Morgan-Gallo has been facilitating personal and group development workshops since 1987.
Starting in youth leadership development with Catholic Youth Organization and WSU 4-H, he has researched and presented many models to help individuals and teams understand how they function and how to improve their processes.
Francis began working with adult populations in 1993 while studying at The Evergreen State College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in experiential education. He returned to WSU in June 2004 as the Challenge Program Coordinator.
Danielle Eastman received her Master of Arts in Exercise Physiology at the University of Northern Iowa. She is currently pursuing a second Master of Arts in the field of Health Education/Promotion.
Since 1998, Danielle has worked with a variety of academic, community, and corporate populations as a fitness instructor, personal trainer, personal growth workshop facilitator and wellness coach.
Her passion is to support and assist others on their journey toward enhanced personal and social wellbeing.
Kathleen L. Ruby is a licensed professional clinical counselor with more than twenty years experience in the counseling and educational fields.
She worked in private practice as part of Counseling Center of the Palouse prior to her tenure at WSU, specializing in assisting high achieving individuals achieve life balance and personal wellness.
She has been the head of WSU's College of Veterinary Medicine Counseling and Wellness Department and on the veterinary school faculty for the past ten years. In this capacity, she has counseled veterinary students and faculty, served as a faculty member teaching professional skills, and developed and conducted programs and workshops related to professionalism, communication skills, stress management, life balance, and leadership within the college.
Most recently, Dr. Ruby has joined with Dr. Richard DeBowes in bringing a unique personal leadership development program( the Veterinary Leadership Experience, VLE) to veterinary students and veterinary professionals in the US, Europe and Australia.
Richard M. DeBowes is the Professor of Surgery and Chair for the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University (WSU). He also currently serves as special assistant to the dean for leadership and professional development.
Rick holds a Masters Degree in Veterinary Surgery from Washington State ('82) and a DVM from the University of Illinois ('79) as well as BS degrees from Illinois and Massachusetts. He is a Diplomate of and Regent for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, a former chair of Clinical Sciences at Kansas State University a member of the AVMA House of Delegates, an active contributor to organized veterinary medicine and a past president of several national veterinary organizations including the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians and the North American Veterinary Conference.
Although formally trained as an equine clinician/surgeon and engaged for most of a 27year career as a veterinary clinical educator and academic surgeon, Dr. DeBowes has spent much of the past 6 years of his career focusing on changes in student and program needs in Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and specifically, how best to equip students with the skills they need for success and continued professional growth. This has led to the development and world wide presentation of the Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE) a leadership training program developed to help professionals become positive change agents in the world of Veterinary Medicine.