Meet the Trainers
Patrick Edgar
Professional Background:
Dr. Edgar is the new Director of the Professional Development Center, State Human Resources Division, Department of Administration.
He has worked for a variety of agencies including the Department of the Navy, the Veterans Administration, and Dawson Community College in eastern Montana. Dr. Edgar also taught at the University of Montana. He operated his own consulting firm for over 20 years, providing services to state agencies and local governments throughout the Northwest. Consulting projects spanned a wide variety of topics from housing studies and plans, and citizen satisfaction surveys to morale interventions and an analysis of administrative strategies.
Dr. Edgar was most recently the Director of the Master of Public Administration program and Associate Professor at Southern Arkansas University. He was the founder of the MPA program and developed it from the ground up. His professional career has been rather broad in both the public and private sectors, including a variety of management positions. These many years have shown him that being a public servant is a very honorable vocation and that we all benefit from being life-long learners.
Educational Background:
University of Southern California, Doctor of Public Administration
University of Montana, BA History/Political Science and Master of Public Administration
Franciscan School of Theology, Berkeley, California, Master of Divinity
John Moore
Professional Background:
Director of Professional Development Center (PDC), State Human Resources Division, Montana Department of Administration, since May 1990. Member of PDC staff since April 1984.
Directs centralized training program for State of Montana. Develops and provides management and supervisory training to state and local government agencies, as well as private organizations. Areas of specialty: Wrongful discharge, Privacy and the Right to Know, Administrative Rules, Ethics, Disciplinary Procedures, Hiring, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Writing Conflict Management.
Directly Involved in staff training since 1976 in a variety of positions, all with the State of Montana. Most recent position before joining PDC was Director of Staff Development, Montana Developmental Center, Boulder, Montana (1982-1984).
Educational Background:
University of Notre Dame, BA English, BA Psychology (1975)
Specialized in training in several areas of human resource management and development.
Alter Egos:
Musician, graphic artist, grampa, co-founder and director of Lost & Foundation, Ltd., a nonprofit charitable corporation.
Chance Eaton
Professional Background:
Mr. Eaton is a Management Trainer for the Professional Development Center. Prior to working for the State of Montana, Mr. Eaton worked several years in higher education as a University Lecturer in Psychology & Organizational Behavior, and College Instructor in Agriculture Marketing & Financial Analysis. He has background in human services working as an Adolescent Treatment Center Counselor and owner of Human Resource Solutions International, a coaching-therapy practice. His management background includes Human Resource Director, non-profit Executive Director and farm-ranch management.
Educational Background:
Other Interests:
Outside of work, Mr. Eaton’s interests are in leadership theory/practice, business coaching, emotional intelligence, anomalies research, energy psychology, existential philosophy, consciousness studies, meditation, peak performance, and community agriculture.
Most of all, Mr. Eaton enjoys time with his wife of 9 years and two young children, 3 and 6 years old.
Jane Rhodes
Professional Background:
Management Trainer: Professional Development Center, Montana State Human Resources Division, Department of Administration since June, 2005. Conducts management and communications training offered to state and local governments as well as private organizations and businesses.
Adjunct Professor: Developed and conducted Math and Science workshops to pre-service and graduate students in the teaching profession. Women's conference speaker dealing with life issues.
An educator in the state of Montana for 29 years with elementary and secondary endorsements.
Educational Background:
BS Secondary Education, Western Montana College; Elementary Education Endorsement, MSU-Northern; ME, MSU-Northern; "Reach for the Sky" grant presenter.