After 24 years, Leslie Kempthorne is leaving her role as a research manager with the UW Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBIMS) on August 31. Kempthorne joined UW in 1999, and moved to TBIMS in 2000, where she has contributed to a wide array of research studies focused on traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fortunately, while she is leaving our department, she is staying at UW. Kempthorne will be starting a new role at the School of Social Work, where she will collaborate with Dr. Megan Moore.
Kempthorne was initially hired into the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine by Sureyya Dikmen and worked for many years under the guidance of former Project Director Kathy Bell. For the past 10 years, she has worked with current Project Director Jeanne Hoffman. Over the years, Kempthorne’s role has evolved significantly. She started her journey handling recruitment and enrollment for TBI studies, then expanded her responsibilities to include follow-up calls, study coordination, and eventually research management. Her leadership has been instrumental in the success of numerous TBI studies, including all TBIMS module and local projects, the Amantadine study, the Late Effects of Brain Injury (LETBI) studies, and the BRITE study.
Since 2017, Kempthorne has found a niche in research engagement. This is seen particularly in her work on the Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Improving the Transition Experience (BRITE) study, which is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Her work focuses on engaging community members and encouraging them to be part of the research process, thus ensuring that the voices of patients and their families are central to the research. In fact, Kempthorne was the second author on a recent paper about patient and caregiver satisfaction with the approach of the BRITE Study in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.
This commitment to patient-centered research continues in two newer studies: the Department of Defense-funded I-HEAL project and a PCORI engagement study aimed at creating a National Brain Injury Research Dissemination Network. Kempthorne will continue this work in her new role at the School of Social Work.
Throughout her career, Kempthorne has not only contributed to the advancement of TBI research but has also trained and supported numerous research staff, many of whom have remained with TBIMS for years. Her genuine interest in the professional and personal growth of her colleagues is evident in the long-term relationships she has maintained with former staff members, who frequently keep in touch to share updates on their careers.
Kempthorne’s departure marks the end of an era for the TBIMS team, but her important contributions to the team will continue to have impact. We wish her the best in her new role in the School of Social Work!
