Lee Palmer, PhD
In Pursuit of Learning, Connection, Health, and Love
I made this page for fellow learners, colleagues, and loved ones as a glimpse into my personal, professional, and spiritual journey. Welcome to my world. I'm glad you're here.
"The two most important days of your life are the day you are born, and the day you find out why"
- Mark Twain
My basic philosophy is that we are all creators. We choose to either create darkness and scarcity, or we get to create joy and healing. Whether it involves people, dogs, horses...I am here to improve lives. I can't always predict how that will manifest, but I will keep trying my best every day.
Feel free to explore the pages on this site if you are curious about my journey.
Explore these links for more info...
I was born and raised in the Pacific NW and grew up on Orcas Island - which is off the coast of Washington near the Canadian border. I had a tight family - loving parents, and grew up with my older brother, Blair, (and nearby but in different households) my older half-sister Oona, and my 'god-sister' Anna. My childhood was spent on boats, riding horses, and exploring the outdoors. My parents divorced when I was 11yo and soon after my mother's remarriage took me to high school in Central Washington.
In 1998, I moved to California to pursue my dreams in equestrian sports, hoping to one day compete in the Olympics as a showjumper. Disillusioned by the realities of what it took to succeed in that world and discovering how the horses were mistreated in service of winning, I turned my focus to college and worked through my undergraduate degree in Psychology in Seattle.
In 2000, my father was contacted by a man who turned out to be his biological son, so I gained an older brother!
Eventually, I discovered Natural Horsemanship (see more details here) which allowed me to travel the world helping people and animals. I traveled, lived, and worked in many US states, Australia, the UK, and Europe. Through these years I witnessed and supported my father in his battle with addiction and cancer, until his death in 2015.
In an effort to advance my impact on the world, I returned to academia to obtain a Master's degree in Human Development and a Ph.D. in Organizational Development, Evidence-based Coaching, and Leadership Studies. This led me to consulting, coaching, and facilitation work within the corporate and business world. As a Learning and Development (L&D) professional, I've owned my own business as an independent contractor and also worked for major tech companies. Recently I've stepped away from this work to focus on more heart-based endeavors.
- My first name is Laura, but I’ve gone by my middle name Lee my entire life.
- I love roadtripping and traveling! I've been to many countries and in the US, I've explored the majority of the 50 states. (~45 and counting)
- Growing up on an island, boating became one of my favorite pasttimes. I also love SUPaddleboarding with my dogs. One of my tattoos is an ode to being on the water as my sanctuary.
- I've owned 4 guitars in my life - three of which I've left in different countries - but never actually learned to play.
- I got my motorcycle license/endorsement in 2005.
- I once trained a Zedonk (zebra+donkey) when I lived in Florida. I've also worked with llamas, mules, donkeys, dolphins, goats, and cattle.
- In 2000, I discovered I had an older brother. He’s now one of my best friends.
- I've had several broken bones in my life due to my mischievous nature - including my arm, nose, foot, hand, ankle, and right collarbone twice. Sprinkle in some sprains, strains, stress fractures and dislocations for good measure.
- I turned 8yo on 8/8/88 at 3:33pm. Someone once told me those are Chinese lucky numbers.
- I'm a truck gal. They're not for everyone, but I feel good in big rigs. And over the years i've learned to drive a skidsteer, john deere tractor, batwing mower, zero-turn, sport chassis, 8-horse trailer, excavator, forklift, 40+ ft trailers, etc.
