Rodney B. Dieser, Ph.D., currently is Professor of Leisure, Youth, and Human Services in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services at the University of Northern Iowa. Beyond his academic work Rod works is a licensed mental health counselor (tLMHC) 10 hours a week at a community mental health clinic. His research and teaching interests include: cross-cultural therapeutic recreation/inclusive recreation and leisure service delivery, leisure and mental health, and the historical and philosophical foundations of leisure, youth, and  human services. Rod has authored or co-authored three academic textbooks in Leisure Services, has written over 70 peer-reviewed academic articles and has authored over 30 professional journal or newsletter articles. Rod currently serves as an associated editor for the Therapeutic Recreation Journal and Leisure/Loisir (academic journal of the Canadian Association of Leisure Studies) and served as guest editor for a 2015 World Leisure Journal special issue on global issues in therapeutic recreation. In 2006 he received the Outstanding Professional Research Award by the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (USA. In 2007 he received a Presidential Citation by the Society of Parks and Recreation Educators (USA) for his work as the SPRE Professor editor.  He received outstanding research and writing awards by the Alberta Therapeutic Recreation Association (Canada) and the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association respectfully. In 2010 Rod was inducted as a Senior Fellow in the American Leisure Academy and in 2012 was inducted as a Senior Fellow in the World Leisure Academy.