Dr. Cassie Ellis is an Assistant Professor at Western University. Cassie teaches leadership and leader character classes for Ivey Business School as well as for the department of Kinesiology in fields of physical activity, health, and leadership. Cassie received her Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Western, which focused on making physical activity more pleasurable, with a focus on manipulating music to enhance the exercise experience. Her postdoctoral work was spent with the Leadership Institute at Ivey and studied the effects of using music to activate leader character. Cassie is currently studying various ways to develop leader character through exercises such as music, mindfulness, and improvisation. Along with her collaborators, Cassie has helped develop a theory that explains the interconnectedness of our anatomical systems and ability to activate and control our demonstrative behaviour, regardless of context. In addition to her academic life, Cassie is a health and wellness advocate. She teaches a variety of group fitness classes, including Yoga and Pilates, and coaches the strength and conditioning programs for the local Club and Varsity swim teams.