Assistant Professor at UNT

Creator of the ADAPTED Project

Host of Disability, Movement, Etcetera

My specific area of research interest focuses on understanding the socio-environmental and political barriers to the physical activity and sport engagement of disabled individuals across their lifespan. Through a radical pragmatic lens, I use my expertise in mixed methodology to employ both qualitative and quantitative methods in pursuit of justice-oriented strategies and policies that reduce the systemic barriers to physical activity and sport. Through participatory/emancipatory frameworks, I am interested in co-producing research that closely aligns with the actual community needs of disabled individuals and their families to ensure that equal opportunities are provided.

Presently, I am an Assistant Professor at the University of North Texas. There, I also act as the Director of the Physical Activity & Motor Skills Program and as the Head of the Disability & Movement Research Collective. Currently, I serve on the Advocacy and Policy Committee for the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID), and I am a member of the editorial board member for, both, PALAESTRA and Revista de Sobama: Journal of the Brazilian Association of Adapted Motor Activity.

In 2019, I was awarded the Elly D. Friedmann Young Professional Award from the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity, and, in 2021, the Dr. Doris R. Corbett Johnson Leaders for Our Future Award from SHAPE America. In April 2021, I was inducted as a fellow of the Research Council of SHAPE America.

When not working, I can be found outside—mountain biking, climbing, hiking, and spending time with family.

If you’d like to be notified when I add events, check out my community on Lu.ma.

If you missed my last livestream, you can listen to these great conversations as podcasts—see below for the most recent episode!