Meet the LEAD Team

Former faculty at Georgia State University and US Fulbright Scholar to Honduras, Kris came to Purdue in 2016 and helped to found the Center for Intercultural Learning, Mentorship, Assessment and Research. She holds a masters in Linguistics and a PhD in Communication and is a well-published thought leader in transformative learning, assessment, and leadership development. She is also an award-winning instructor and curriculum designer and is certified as a PCC-level International Coaching Federation and Gallup Strengths coach.

Kris takes the lead on: 

• Strategic planning and new initiatives
• Team management 
• Campus partnerships and donor relations  
• Research and grants 

Fun fact: With the help of her draft horses and mules, Kris produces nearly all her family's diet, including meats, veggies, dairy, bread, honey and more. Her Jersey cow Miss Molly is very friendly, if you ever want to come visit for some cow cuddling.

Jesus has been at Purdue for the last decade serving as a leadership educator in multiple capacities. He has an M.A. in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Western Michigan University and a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego. Jesus is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach so he loves hearing students talk about their Top 5 CliftonStrengths and having those “a-ha” moments. 

 Jesus is responsible for: 

• Gallup CliftonStrengths Liaison
• LEAD Staff Operations 
• Student Life Collaborations 
• Alumni Engagement 

Fun Fact: During his free time, Jesus loves supporting local small business and walking to the Farmer’s Market in Downtown Lafayette (ask him for food recommendations). 

Journey Reabe is a Purdue alum with a B.A. in Communication. Formed by her past experience as a Steps to Leaps student leader, she is fascinated by the intersection between leadership, well-being, and success. She is passionate about building programs that allow students to define leadership in their own terms. As a lifelong learner, Journey hopes to bring varying perspectives to the table with a collaborative and student-centered approach.   

Journey’s LEAD projects include: 

• Signature programs (LEAP, EMV Retreat, etc.)  
• Student facilitator training and coordination  
• Leadership development at Purdue Indianapolis 
• Assessment and program evaluation 

Fun Fact: When not at work, Journey enjoys playing DnD and hanging out at her local game store. Journey commonly plays characters that are sneaky rogues, mischief makers, and crafters of chaos. Journey welcomes other adventurers to talk about their craziest campaign exploits and will gladly share her own.

With over a decade of professional experience in higher education across both private and public institutions, Manabu has built a career as a student affairs professional focused on educating, empowering, and supporting students. He earned a masters in Higher Education and Student Affairs in 2018. He was the recipient of the 2022 Daniello Balón Mentoring Award from the Asian Pacific American Network of the American College Personnel Association and the 2024 Jefferson Public Service Award from Multiplying Good. 

Manabu’s portfolio focuses on: 

• Curriculum development 
• LEAD Lunch & Learn Series 
• Professional Development Day 
• Executive Leadership Initiative Mentoring Program

Fun Fact: Manabu enjoys traveling to small towns across the Midwest and visiting local coffee shops.

Leslie Fairchild returned to Purdue University in 2026 to support leadership development initiatives in Leadership and Professional Development within Student Life. She previously worked at Purdue in Agricultural Education and the John Martinson Honors College. Leslie brings more than 20 years of experience in agricultural education and authored a national food science and safety curriculum for agricultural educators. She recently completed a master’s degree in Agricultural Education at Purdue. 

Leslie’s main responsibilities include: 

• Executive Leadership Initiative Workshops and Coaching Program 
• Leadership Summit 
• LEAD Portraits and other events

Fun Fact: Leslie enjoys collecting early fruit jars and hunting for historic pieces to add to her collection. When she’s not searching for the next find, she’s usually keeping up with her two Labrador Retriever puppies and a little yap dog. 

Jeremy Chen is currently working towards a PhD in Aviation Technology Management investigating the role of culture on safety perception in aviation maintenance training. He is a Purdue alum, having graduated from the Aeronautical Engineering Technology (AET) program in 2018. He also has an M.S. in Aviation Management and Technology. He has been awarded an Honorable Mention award for the annual Transportation Research Board Airport Cooperative Research Program for his team's proposal investigating the use of Alternative Energy Ground Service Equipment for Airport Operations.

Jeremy's main responsibilities include:

• Social Media
• Essential Career Skills Alumni Speaker Series 

Fun Fact: Jeremy enjoys photography in his free time. When he's not in the darkroom developing or printing photos, he can often be found fixing up old cameras.