Kiara Buford has been a Behavior Interventionist for nine years, helping students seek success in their high school experience by building relationships, setting goals, and developing a positive community. She also currently works with EmpowerLeadership Academy and ON Point Elite as a Leadership Coach.

Peyton Owens is in his 13th year with Golden Gopher Athletics. He currently oversees Student-Athlete Development (all education provided to student-athletes, including career readiness, personal development, community outreach and risk reduction), Diversity & Inclusion, the M Club and our Women’s Golf program. Owens has been instrumental in the vision and implementation of Leadership U, which he has had oversight of since its launch. This collaboration with Land O’Lakes Inc. provides leadership development and emotional intelligence education and support to student-athletes, assistant coaches, head coaches and athletics staff. To support this initiative and others like it, he is responsible for cultivating, soliciting and stewarding donors for endowment and annual support of Leadership U, the W.I.L.L. program (Women Invested in Leadership and Learning) and more. Owens is also an ambassador for athletics on campus, bringing the voice of Golden Gopher Athletics to several critical groups. He is a member of the President’s Initiative on Preventing Sexual Misconduct, the Faculty Oversight Committee on Athletics (FAOIAC), and campus’ Equity & Diversity Subcommittee. His commitment to collaboration and strategic partnerships, both at the University and in our broader Twin Cities help champion all that is Maroon and Gold.