As chair of Counseling and Higher Education, Leinbaugh will provide leadership in academic programming, course and program evaluation, curriculum planning and long-range planning in the department.

Leinbaugh has attained more than 35 years of experience in the counseling field and is licensed as a professional clinical counselor with a supervisor endorsement. She has been licensed as a school counselor and a school psychologist in three states.

"I am very pleased to be the department chair during such an exciting time at the university," said Leinbaugh. "This also provides me with an opportunity to develop my skills and take a broader view of higher education that is more inclusive. New challenges are always welcome, and this is a new challenge."

She earned her master's degree in community counseling and school counseling and a doctorate degree in counselor education from the University of Idaho. She also has a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

"I believe that Dr. Leinbaugh is uniquely qualified to serve as chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education," said Jerry Olsheski, the department's previous chair. "Her years of experience as a faculty senator have afforded her the opportunity to represent her colleagues on many important issues pertaining to faculty workload, employee benefits and overall working conditions. She is very familiar with the challenges that we face in higher education today."