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Dr. Kimberly Palgrave

Kimberly Palgrave headshot.

Role: Chief Veterinarian for Community Veterinary Solutions, Dumb Friends League

How are you connected to Spur?

I will serve in the role of Chief Veterinarian for the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur.

When did you get involved with Spur and why is it important to you? 

I have been involved with the CSU Spur project in the planning and development phase of this second hospital location for the Dumb Friends League since 2019. I am thrilled to be a part of this project that will aid in furthering the understanding and sharing the value of improved animal health and the human-animal bond!

What outcomes have you seen or do you expect from work at Spur?  

The Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital at CSU Spur is an amazing opportunity to increase low-income community access to veterinary care for families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to seek care for their pets. We are excited to partner with CSU and other organizations to build understanding of STEM career pathways and further the One Health concept, which is a collaborative approach in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to attain optimal health for people, animals, and our environment. We also look forward to continuing to provide and expand our hands-on education opportunities in the incremental care approach to veterinary medicine for CSU Veterinary Students.

What would you like others to know about Spur?

We are excited to serve and interact with the community in the many science-on-display opportunities that will be available at the CSU Spur campus! There will be surgeries, dentals, and other veterinary procedures that members of the public can watch being performed, as well as humane education opportunities, including virtual reality experiences, to inspire children and adults.

KAREN SCHLATTER

Director, Colorado Water Center

Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.

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TOM VILSACK

Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation

Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.

In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.

He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.

Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.

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CSU Spur is turning 2! Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025.

It’s our anniversary!

It’s our anniversary! CSU Spur has been fully open to the public, sharing hands-on, family-friendly activities around food, water, and health for two years. Join us on Saturday, Jan. 11, for 2nd Saturday activities, including desserts, a mariachi performance, face painters, horses on treadmills, veterinarians in surgery, scientists in labs, and more. The celebration is from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and CSU Spur will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; no registration required, all public activities are free.

2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is presented by Canvas Credit Union.

We’ll see you Saturday!

2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (May 9), and this month, the theme is Spur in Bloom. Join us for flower-themed arts and crafts, horse demonstrations, interactive activities focused on topics like sustainability and gardening, the return of the Market at the Center, and more!

Explore 2nd Saturday activities