About Us
Staff
Associate Dean Reneé Collins, Ed.D.
Western's Leadership Advantage is a partner with the Karen Morse Institute under the direction of Dr. Joe Garcia, and LEADS which is under the direction of Associate Dean Dr. Reneé Collins within the Division of Enrollment & Student Services.
Joanne DeMark, Ph.D., Leadership Development Specialist
On a daily basis, the program is directed by Joanne DeMark, Ph.D., Leadership Development Specialist. Dr. DeMark came to Western Washington University after successful tenures as a co-founder and co-administrator of a 16-year leadership development and prejudice reduction non-profit, a decade as a human resource development executive in a healthcare software and services firm, and 15 years as an assistant management professor, adjunct, in the Health Policy and Management Masters program at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, the Woodruff Health Sciences Center. Dr. DeMark has consulted to dozens of organizations across the United States focusing on leadership, team and organizational development, communication skills, conflict resolution, and cross-culturally competent leadership. As a non-profit co-administer, Dr. DeMark helped her organization obtain funding from the Kellogg Foundation, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the Arthur Blank Foundation, and the United Way among others. During her work in healthcare software and services, Dr. DeMark managed a direct budget of 6 million dollars and managed 23 employees. She helped implement a performance management system and a leadership curriculum in a post-merger environment that resulted in smoothing the transition of three company cultures into one; she received awards for her work. Dr. DeMark obtained her Ph.D. in an APA-approved program in Counseling Psychology from the University of Florida.
Christina Carlson, Secretary Senior
Christina Carlson supports the LEADS finances and website.
Student Staff
Each year, Western's Leadership Advantage is a vibrant learning environment where graduate and undergraduate scholar leaders learn through various assistantship, internship and independent study opportunities. Western Leadership Advantage benefits from the contributions of these student leaders, alumni, and volunteers.
Maggie Chappel
Maggie Chappel successfully completed the program as a Western Leadership Scholar in her freshman year at Western. She also participated in the inaugural SAA 340 LeaderCorps class, launched Fall 2011, and is the student coordinating LeaderCorps in the LEADS programoffice. In addition to serving as a student program assistant in the LEADS office, Maggie has been an Orientation Student Advisor, and is a double major studying political science and environmental education.
Badatu Dawud
As a freshman Badatu Dawud completed successfully her program as a Western Leadership Scholar at WWU. Sophmore year, Badatu was a leadership coach for the incoming cohort of Western Leadership Scholars, and Badatu is a LeaderCorps peer leadership educator. Currently, she is a program assistant in the LEADS program office, and pursuing her undergrad degree in Communications. Among the leadership roles in which Badatu has participated on and off campus, she has been a leader in the Muslim Student Association, an Ethnic Student Center club.
Chris Martindale-Shaw
Chris Martindale-Shaw is a program assistant in the LEADS program office. He is also a Senior at Western enrolled in the Financial Economics major. He enjoys leadership positions within WWU affiliated ministries that function by serving Western students. Before college Chris spent four years on his High School's student government.
