Curriculum Vitae
Area of Expertise
My specific area of research interest focuses on understanding the motor development and physical activity behaviors of individuals on the autism spectrum across their lifespan. Through a radical pragmatic lens, I use my expertise in mixed methodology to employ both qualitative and quantitative methods in the search of high-quality intervention, assessment, and teaching strategies to reduce systemic barriers to physical activity and healthy behaviors. Through participatory research frameworks, I am interested in co-producing research that closely aligns with actual community need to ensure equal opportunity is provided to autistic individuals and their families.
Education
Western Michigan University
Special (Adapted) Physical Education
University of Michigan
Major: Physical Education; Minor: Health & History
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor
University of North Texas
Aug 28, 2017 → Feb 9, 2021
Graduate Researcher
Motivation Intervention Design Lab
Oct 1, 2016 → Apr 20, 2017
University Supervisor
Sep 1, 2014 → May 1, 2017
Doctoral Research & Teaching Assistant
Aug 28, 2013 → May 1, 2017
Assistant Researcher
Curriculum & Instruction Lab, University of Michigan
Jul 1, 2012 → Mar 20, 2021
Honors & Awards
2021 SHAPE Fellow, SHAPE America
2021 Mable Lee Award, SHAPE America
2020 Awarded “Top Faculty Paper", Commission on the Status of Women, AEJMC
2019 Elly D. Friedmann Young Professional Award, International Federation for Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA)
2019 — 2020 Mentoring Micro-grant ($1,500), Office for the Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, University of North Texas
2019 Travel Support ($1,000), Office of the Provost, University of North Texas
2017 Connect Learning Grant and Course Development Program ($750), Career Connect, University of North Texas
2017 Mary Catherine Ellwein Award, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia
2017 Adapted Physical Education/Activity Graduate Student of the Year, SHAPE America
2016 Linda K. Bunker Scholarship, Department of Kinesiology, University of Virginia
2010 Golden Key International Honor Society, Nominated & Inducted, Western Michigan University
Credentials & Certifications
- Certification in Mixed Methods Research, University of Michigan School of Social Work (2019), 30 CEU coursework in mixed methods research.
- Collaborative Institutional Training (CITI) (2018), Social & Behavioral Research.
- Apple Teacher A Certification (2017), Apple Teacher Program.
- Certified Adapted Physical Educator (CAPE) (2015), nationally certified as an expert in adapted physical education.
Other Relevant Professional Information & Development
2020 — Present Editor/Contributor, The Radical Pragmatist Newsletter
2020 Mixed Methods International Research Association MOOC Professional Learning Courses
2019 Co-host, #SaludTues twitter chat. Topic: #NationalDisabilityEmploymentAwareness
2019 Organizer, Community Movie Event (DAMN Good Time!) in collaboration with Texas Woman’s University.
2018 — 2019 Editor/Contributor, Meet Me in the Gym (Blog)
2018 Early Career Mentoring Workshop, International Society for Autism Research
2018 NIH K-Award Workshop
2018 — 2019 UNT College of Education, Research Development Fridays
2017 — Present National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity
2014 — 2016 Tomorrow’s Professor Today, University of Virginia Center for Teaching Excellence
Research
Scholarly Publication Record
Data-Based or Theoretically Refereed Papers
She’s a lady; he’s an athlete; they have overcome: Portrayals of gender and disability in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games “I mean I hate to say it's sink or swim, but…”: College course instructors’ perceptions of the adapted physical education content that they prioritize and teach. Sport Education & Society
“Just invite us”: Autistic adults’ recommendations for developing more accessible physical activity opportunities Social skill outcomes following physical activity-based interventions for individuals on the autism spectrum: A scoping review spanning young childhood through young adulthood Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
A grounded theory of adoption and maintenance of physical activity among autistic adults A multiple method review of accommodations to standardized assessments commonly used with children and adolescents on the autism spectrum Adapted physical educators perceptions of educational research Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
Building rapport: Improve interviews to capture detailed responses from parents of children with disabilities The effect of task modifications on the fundamental motor skills of boys on the autism spectrum Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities
Fundamental motor skill interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A literature review Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Community barriers to physical activity for families with a child with autism spectrum disorder. Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
A practical guide to the development of an online course in adapted physical education. Exploring the effect of gender and disability on gross motor performance in kindergarten children. Exploring the Interaction of Motor and Social Skills With Autism Severity Using the SFARI Dataset Perceptual and Motor Skills
The roll of dynamic systems theory in motor development research: How does theory inform practice and what are the implications for autism spectrum disorder? International Journal on Disability & Human Development
Effectiveness of quality physical education in improving students’ manipulative skill competency. Journal of Sport and Health Science
Make task constraints work for you: Teaching object control skills to students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Physical Education Recreation & Dance
“Try to do the best you can”: How pre-service APE specialists experience teaching students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. International Journal of Special Education
Inclusive and effective adapted physical education: Meeting the needs of each student. Successful intervention strategies for autism spectrum disorder and their use for the development of motor skills in physical education. Comparison of physical fitness performance between elementary-age students with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Data-Based or Theoretically Refereed Papers in Review or Preparation
‘Not everybody enjoys physical activity’: A qualitative Twitter study of the barriers experienced by autistic adults. A pilot investigation of potential modifications to gross motor assessment of boys on the autism spectrum Are we being inclusive? Stakeholders’ place in adapted physical activity research: A retrospective analysis of 35-years of Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly. Physical activity and individuals on the autism spectrum: Report from the first “physical activity” special interest group meeting at the 2019 INSAR annual meeting. Family perspectives of autistic child behaviors during a fundamental motor skills intervention. A systematic review of objective measures for physical activity in populations on the autism spectrum. The self-identified social network of autistic adults and their importance to physical activity engagement. Dynamic systems approach to building motor skills in children on the autism spectrum. Mixed methods analysis of a fundamental motor skill intervention for children on the autism spectrum. Make motor learning more accessible for children on the autism spectrum through task modifications. Socially-assistive robots and physical activity engagement among autistic youth: The possibilities and limitations. Books
Not Playing Around: Intersectional Identities, Media Representation, and the Power of Sport Book Chapters
Methodological strategies, planned motor activities and motor assessment in children and young people with autism spectrum disorder. Wellbeing of People with Neurodiverse Conditions Non-traditional Publications (Non-referred)
Adapted physical educators perceptions of educational research [Audio podcast] How physical activity can benefit your child with autism. Adapted physical educators’ perspectives of educational research [Audio podcast] Social justice in adapted physical education [Audio podcast] Grants & Contracts
External
Dynamic systems approach to build motor skills in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Examining service providers’ perspectives toward physical activity in children on the autism spectrum.
Association for Applied Sport Psychology
An examination of physical educators' views towards educational research
William T. Grant Foundation
Internal
UVA IDEA Dissertation Grant
UNT College of Education Collaborative Grant
Papers Presented
Invited
Navigating access: Modifying the environment to leverage the strengths of autistic youth Supporting autistic adults in physical activity: Stakeholder recommendations to improve access Task Modification to effectively build gross motor skills in autistic youth
Inclusion of autistic voices: Strategies to navigate the grey area of informed consent
Working with Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Oral presentation at the Content Teaching Academy.
Webinars
We are in this together: Improving research outcomes by including key stakeholders. Peer-Reviewed Abstract Presentations
International, National, & Regional Presentations Included
"Just invite us": Autistic adults' recommendations for developing more accessible physical activity opportunities In this together: Creating impactful partnerships between teachers and researchers. Affinity-based teaching: Modifying tasks to improve autistic youth motor outcomes. 'Not everybody enjoys physical activity': A qualitative Twitter study of the barriers experienced by autistic adults She’s a Lady; He’s an Athlete; They have overcome: Portrayals of Gender and Disability in the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.
Using a Socially Assistive Robot to Engage Children in Physical Activity: An Analysis of “What’s Possible” Using a Participatory Design Framework.
A conversation on Twitter: Autistic adults perspectives on physical activity.
Adapted Physical Educators’ Views Toward Educational Research.
Participatory research: Improving adapted physical activity outcomes by including key stakeholders.
Common modifications for youth on the autism spectrum during motor and physical fitness assessment.
Lifetime physical activity experiences of autistic adults: A grounded theory study.
Smart technologies for inclusive living aging with autism spectrum disorder (STILAS).
A new grounded theory of physical activity participation in autistic adults: Preliminary findings.
Experiences participating in community physical activity by families who have an autistic child: Findings and recommendations.
“Unless you deal with the sensory stuff, nothing else matters”: Autistic adult’s experiences with physical activity and recommendation for better inclusion.
What autistic adults say about their physical activity experiences and why we should listen.
A systematic review of social skills common to physical activity-based interventions for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Measurement of physical activity of young adults on the autism spectrum.
Barriers to physical activity participation in the community for families with a child on the autism spectrum.
A mixed methods analysis of a fundamental motor skill intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder.
“Nothing about us, without us": A building session for using participatory design frameworks in adapted physical activity research.
Examining physical activity in children on the autism spectrum from service provider’s perspective.
A fundamental motor skill intervention using a dynamic systems approach.
Improving motor performance in children with ASD using task modifications.
Importance of gross motor skill programming for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and strategies to be effective.
Task modifications to improve motor performance in children with ASD: A pilot study using a dynamic systems approach.
Facilitators and barriers to physical activity in the community in families with children who have autism spectrum disorder.
Task modifications to improve motor performance in children with ASD.
Designing Purposeful Task Modification to Improve the Success of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in P.E.
When we assess, do they understand? A pilot study to make assessments more accessible for children with ASD
Parent perceptions of the physical ability of children with ASD: An excerpt from a mixed methods dissertation of a FMS intervention
The effect of task modifications on fundamental motor skills of children with ASD: Preliminary results of a pilot study.
Analyzing how autism severity affects motor and social skills: An exploration using the SFARI Base dataset.
Practical strategies to successfully assess children with autism spectrum disorder.
Developing modifications for assessment in children with ASD: Preliminary Results.
The roll of dynamic systems theory in motor development research: How does theory inform practice and what are the implications for autism spectrum disorder?
Making task constraints work for you: Teaching motor skills to children with autism spectrum disorder.
Utilizing a dynamic systems approach to building functional motor skills in children with ASD.
Building a protocol for utilizing the TGMD-3 with children with autism spectrum disorder: Preliminary results.
Evaluating fidelity in online professional development for physical educators.
Utilizing evidence-based practices to teach motor skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Effect of gender and disability on gross motor performance in kindergarten children
Preservice adapted physical education teacher challenges when teaching motor skills to children with autism spectrum disorder.
Developing a protocol for use of the Test of Gross Motor Development, TGMD-2, with children with autism spectrum disorder.
Comparison of fitness performance between children with and without ADHD.
Comparing selected international K-12 physical education programs.
Evidence-based autism intervention strategies and their potential to develop motor skills.
Theory to Practice: inclusive practices for physical education teachers
Journal Activities
Editorial Board
Member
Jan 1, 2017 → Feb 9, 2021
Member
Revista de Sobama: Journal of the Brazilian Assoc. of Adapted Motor Activity
Jan 1, 2019 → Feb 9, 2023
Reviewer
2020 — Present Frontiers Psychology
2020 — Present Research in Autism Spectrum Disorder
2019 — Present Autism Research
2019 — Present Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour
2019 — Present Journal of Advanced Academics
2019 — Present Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
2018 — Present Exceptional Children
2018 — Present Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
2018 — Present Perceptual and Motor Skills
2017 — Present Research in Developmental Disabilities
2016 — Present Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly
2018 Journal of Teaching in Physical Education
2017 Journal of Motor Learning and Development
2016 British Journal of Visual Impairment
Teaching
My instructional areas of expertise include: adapted physical education/activity, teaching pedagogy, disabilities (specific focus on developmental disabilities and autism spectrum disorders), measurement and assessment in teaching and physical education, motor development, and research methods (specific focus on qualitative and mixed methods). I am trained and proficient in providing instruction in-person, hybrid, and online.
Courses Taught
Pedagogical Skills, Strategies and Management in Physical Education and Movement for Children
KINE 5900
Special Topics (Independent Study - Grad)
KINE 2900
Special Topics (Independent Research - Lower UG)
KINE 4900
Special Topics (Independent Research - Upper UG)
KINE 5910
Special Topics (Independent Research)
KINE 5920
Special Problems (Culminating Research Experience)
Movement for Individuals with Disabilities
KINE 3020
Movement for Special Populations
KINE 3020
Movement for Special Populations
KINE 3020
Movement for Special Populations
KINE 3020
Movement for Special Populaitons
KINE 3020
Movement for Individuals with Disabilities
KINE 3020
Movement for Individuals with Disabilities
KINE 3020
Movement for Special Populations
KINE 3020
Movement for Individuals with Disabilities
Research Perspectives in KHPR
KINE 3020
Movement for Individuals with Disabilities
KINE 3550
Elementary Teaching Methods
Research Perspectives in KHPR
Workshops
Task modifications for building motor skills of autistic children.
Gross motor assessment and goal development.
Service
Membership
MAHPERD
Jan 1, 2009 → Jan 1, 2011
AERA
Jan 1, 2020 → Feb 9, 2021
NAFAPA
Oct 1, 2014 → Feb 9, 2021
SHAPE Colorado
Jan 1, 2011 → Jan 1, 2012
TXAHPERD
Jan 1, 2017 → Jan 1, 2019
SHAPE America
Jul 1, 2014 → Feb 9, 2021
VAHPERD
Jan 1, 2015 → Jan 1, 2017
NCPEID
Jul 11, 2014 → Feb 9, 2021
INSAR
Nov 1, 2017 → Feb 9, 2021
MMIRA
Aug 22, 2018 → Feb 9, 2021
IFAPA
Jun 18, 2019 → Feb 9, 2021
Professional Service
Virtual Poster Subcommittee
Member
Annual Conference Planning Committee
Service to the University
