Colleen Helmers
Recruitment and advising coordinator
colleenhelmers@ksu.edu

Tracey Hurt
Operations manager
tmhurt@ksu.edu

Colette Pecenka
Academic program specialist
colettep@ksu.edu

Amy Peerson
Building and events assistant
amypeerson@ksu.edu

Kim Ralston
Communications program administrator
kimralston@ksu.edu

Del'Sha Roberts, MPH
Administrator of student programs
delrob15@ksu.edu

Mac Benavides, Ph.D.
Assistant professor
mb2008@ksu.edu

Mike Finnegan, Ph.D.
Assistant professor, director of K-State Strengths
mikefinn@ksu.edu

Chance Lee, Ph.D., CNP
Assistant professor, nonprofit leadership program director
chance@ksu.edu

Drew Pearl, Ph.D.
Assistant professor, leadership and community-engaged learning
apearl@ksu.edu

Kerry L. Priest, Ph.D.
Professor, leadership communication program director
kerryp@ksu.edu

Keyhan Shams, Ph.D.
Research assistant professor
keyhan@ksu.edu

Mary Kay Siefers, Ph.D.
Teaching professor, global food systems leadership program director
marykay@ksu.edu

Timothy Steffensmeier, Ph.D.
Assistant vice president and director of engagement and outreach; Professor
steffy@ksu.edu

Andrew Wefald, Ph.D.
Associate professor
wefald@ksu.edu

Josh Brewer, jobrewer@ksu.edu
Amanda Cebula, acebula@ksu.edu
RJ Youngblood, youngblood@ksu.edu

Patti H. Clayton, Ph.D.
Visiting scholar,
campus and community engagement

Tara Coleman

Associate Professor and Programming Services Coordinator, Kansas State University Libraries

Macharia Gatundu

Visiting Practitioner: Leading Change Institutes

Roberta Maldonado Franzen, Ph.D.

Director, Talent Acquisition and Recruitment

Jillian Martin, Ph.D.

2021-2023 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Ghana, West Africa University of Cape Coast Institute for Educational Planning and Administration

Chuck Warta

Operating Partner at Lewis and Clark Agrifood Fund, Board Member and Retired Cargill Executive

Maggie Fontanini
Graduate research assistant, University Honors Program
maggiejfontanini@ksu.edu

Muthoni Kiunga
Graduate teaching assistant
mkiunga@ksu.edu

Catherine Obiribea Ofori-Bahegan
Graduate research assistant
cooforibah@ksu.edu

Jess Ramirez
Graduate research assistant
jessmramirez@ksu.edu

Elham Salehi (Ellie)
Graduate research assistant
elhamsalehi@ksu.edu

Carlie Snethen
Graduate research assistant
csnethen@ksu.edu

Food Security Scholars

• Pedro Morinigo Ferreira
• Andrew Le
• Jadhida Resendiz

Global Food Systems Leadership

• Adelaide Easter
• Jenna Wallace

HandsOn Kansas State | handson@ksu.edu

• Campbell McNorton

K-State Strengths | strengths@ksu.edu

• Hannah Andringa
• Isaiah Faerber
• Finley Holleran
• Cece Jowdy
• Luci Knopik
• Abby Meter
• Gabe Morell
• Suzette Navarro
• Deyton Odneal
• Alex Potburg
• Abby Vanderford

Nonprofit Leadership

• Sarah Hemenway
• Mia Wells

PR Team

• Nada Hatamleh
• Zara Thomas

Service Teams

• Alternative Breaks | altbreak@ksu.edu
  • Erin Flax

• International Service Teams | intlteam@ksu.edu
  • Sadye Patterson
  • Rachel Sebesta
  • Kerston Sipes
  • Jenna Wallace

Staley School Recruitment Officers

• Sarah Hemenway
• Kate Lennon
• Kiersten Schmalz

University Honors Program

• Camille Carrier

Lynda Bachelor

Lynda directed HandsOn Kansas State, a student-led volunteer action center that promotes civic learning and leadership through service and service-learning activities. She promoted leadership through community involvement. Her non-profit and for-profit experience brought a practitioner's view to the Staley School's classes and programs. Lynda was exceptional at involving students and community members in meaningful service through coursework, trainings, group activities and volunteer opportunities that benefitted the community and helped students develop the civic leadership skills they need to become community leaders.

Olivia Collins, Ph.D.

Olivia joined K-State in 1988 and, in 2003, began as an instructor with the Staley School. She oversaw the nonprofit leadership minor and served as director of the American Humanics program until she retired in 2010 as assistant professor emerita. She was recognized with many leadership and service awards, including the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award and the Susan M. Scott Community Leadership Award in recognition of her lifelong mission to inspire others to carry out their call to action. Her colleagues and former students feel her loss, just as we felt her care and connection. You may find Olivia's obituary at this link.

Candi Hironaka

Candi began her work at K-State in 1996 as a learning skills specialist with the Academic Assistance Center. In 2000, she moved to the Staley School where she served as senior associate director and instructor. Candi is known for her caring acts of leadership, and is a developer of people who provided direction, mentoring and support to thousands of K-State students. While at K-State, she also served as co-chair of Cultural Community Harmony Week and faculty advisor for Mortar Board Senior Honorary. She was selected for the Commerce Bank Presidential Faculty/Staff Award for Distinguished Service to Minority Students.

Irma O'Dell, Ph.D.

Irma joined the Staley School in 2005, serving as associate professor until her retirement in 2018. Irma taught several core courses for the minor, including LEAD 212: Introduction to Leadership Concepts, LEAD 405: Leadership in Practice and LEAD 450: Senior Seminar in Leadership Studies. As a faculty member, she was influential in the Staley School's curriculum and program assessment. Irma encouraged her students to be their authentic self, help create a learning community and engage in critical thinking.

Susan Scott, Ph.D.

Susan served as the founding director of the Staley School of Leadership Studies until January 2009. Prior to this position she held the lead position in the Dean of Student Life office and served as a counselor in University Counseling Services. She developed and taught three of the four core courses for the minor. Additionally, she published in the area of credibility and co-authored a book entitled, Leadership Lessons from Bill Snyder. Susan led the effort to secure 11 million dollars to build a home for the Staley School, and oversaw the 36,000 square foot building project. Susan is an associate professor emerita at Kansas State University. Susan passed in 2023, and you can read an entry on our blog about her work with the School at this link.

Bob Shoop, Ph.D.

Bob co-founded the Staley School, developing the initial courses for the undergraduate minor. He later served as director of K-State's Cargill Center for Ethical Leadership, housed within the school. His primary teaching responsibility focused on ethics and leadership. Recognized for his commitment to creating a positive learning environment, Bob received both K-State's Outstanding Graduate Professor and Outstanding Undergraduate Professor awards. Bob is also a nationally-recognized expert in the area of leadership and school law, serving as a testifying forensic expert and a consultant in the areas of standards of care, and harassment and abuse prevention. He has published extensively and his work has been featured in numerous newspapers and popular magazines worldwide including the London Times, New York Times, USA Today, Education Week, Reader's Digest, Rolling Stone and Oprah's O magazine. Bob is a professor emeritus at Kansas State University.

Dorothy Smith

Dorothy began at K-State in 1972 with extension information. She joined the Staley School in 2009 as executive assistant to director Mary Tolar. Dorothy served the university for over four decades and worked as an administrative assistant to several K-State leadership positions, including university registrar Don Foster, vice president of student life Chet Peters, vice president for institutional advancement Bob Krause and vice provost for undergraduate studies Steve Dandaneau.