Board of Directors
Catherine Draper
President 2018-2020
Catherine Draper is a Senior Researcher in the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand…
Jasper Schipperijn
President-Elect 2020-2022
Jasper Schipperijn is an Associate Professor with the Research Unit for Active Living at the University of Southern Denmark. His research focuses on studying the relation….
Charlie Foster
Past President 2016-2018
Charlie Foster, PhD is a global leader in systematic reviews and meta-analysis of the evidence base for physical activity, with reviews on epidemiology, correlates, interventions and evaluation…
Charlie Foster
Past President 2016-2018
Charlie Foster, PhD is a global leader in systematic reviews and meta-analysis of the evidence base for physical activity, with reviews on epidemiology, correlates, interventions and evaluation of natural experiments. He has published over one hundred and fifty research papers including in the Lancet, BMJ, and Cochrane Collaboration. Charlie is a leader of physical activity and public health in the UK and is the current Chair of the UK’s Chief Medical Officers Expert Committee for Physical Activity which provides advice to national government. He has global policy and advocacy experience working with WHO, EC, and CDC USA.
Jasper Schipperijn
President-Elect 2020-2022
Jasper Schipperijn is an Associate Professor with the Research Unit for Active Living at the University of Southern Denmark. His research focuses on studying the relation between the built and natural environment and human behavior, and in particular evaluating the effect of changes to the environment on behavior. One of his interest lies in developing methods to objectively describe behavior and the environment that behavior takes place in. Much of his work builds on intervention studies or natural experiments that involved changes to the built environment, e.g. creating or renovating schoolyards, urban green spaces, public open space, and bicycling facilities.
Jasper has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles and numerous reports and popular publications and he is associate editor for the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Jasper has an extensive international network with ongoing collaborations with various international partners, in particular with the University of California, San Diego, the University of Western Australia, Perth, and Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
Catherine Draper
President 2018-2020
Catherine Draper is a Senior Researcher in the MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand, and is also affiliated to the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Catherine has a background in Psychology and the social sciences, and obtained her PhD in Public Health in 2005. Her research interests have included the development and evaluation of school- and community-based physical activity interventions for children and youth, including sport-for-development programmes. Catherine is particularly interested in movement behaviours and cognitive development in preschool children from low-income settings in South Africa, and is working on the Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative to promote health and development in early childhood, starting preconception. She led the development of the South African 24-hour Movement Guidelines for Birth to 5 Years, and is currently leading dissemination of these guidelines.
Paul Kelly
Treasurer
Paul Kelly is a lecturer in Physical Activity for Health at the University of Edinburgh. He is based in the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC) which is led by…
Lisa Cadmus-Bertram
Vice-Treasurer
Lisa Cadmus-Bertram is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (USA). She earned her Ph.D. in Epidemiology…
Jacqueline Mair
Communications
Dr Jacqueline Mair completed her PhD in Exercise Physiology at University College Dublin in 2013 before joining Ulster University as a Lecturer in Exercise & Health…
Jacqueline Mair
Communications
Dr Jacqueline Mair is a Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at Edinburgh Napier University. Jacqueline’s research focusses on ways to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour using digital technology and explores what impact digital interventions have on health outcomes. Her PhD work examined the health and fitness benefits of low volume vigorous intensity exercise in middle aged and older adults and involved a technology-delivered workplace exercise intervention in which 3-minute exercise ‘snacks’ improved physical fitness and mobility in middle-aged office workers after just 4 weeks. She has progressed her interest in technology and workplace health to examining how mobile and pervasive technologies can be used to monitor and promote healthy behaviours in different settings and with different populations.
Jacqueline was the Congress Representative for the ISPAH Early Career Network in 2018 before becoming Chair of the ISPAH Communications Committee in October 2018.
Lisa Cadmus-Bertram
Vice-Treasurer
Lisa Cadmus-Bertram is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (USA). She earned her Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Psychology at Yale University and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington in Seattle, in conjunction with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She worked at the University of California, San Diego from 2009-2014 before to moving to Wisconsin.
Dr. Cadmus-Bertram has 15 years of experience delivering physical activity interventions. Her current research centers on exercise and health promotion in cancer survivors and rural populations, with a special focus on technology-based interventions and health informatics. She is particularly interested in the development and evaluation of interventions that involve the integration of patient-generated data streams into the electronic health record (EHR). She is an associate editor at the Journal for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour and serves as the chair of the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s Behavioral Informatics and Technology (BIT) Special Interest Group. She also leads the American College of Sport’s Medicine “Exercise is Medicine On Campus” team at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Paul Kelly
Treasurer
Paul Kelly is a lecturer in Physical Activity for Health at the University of Edinburgh. He is based in the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (PAHRC) which is led by Prof Nanette Mutrie. Paul’s research interests focus on evaluation of physical activity initiatives and improving the way we try to measure physical activity and sedentary behaviour. This will improve our evidence base and help identify the interventions and policies that work best to improve activity behaviour and health. Current projects include the evaluation of a new 20mph Scheme in Edinburgh and Belfast, research into physical activity messaging, and understanding the mental health benefits of different activities. From 2008 to 2014 Paul worked at the University of Oxford and completed his PhD in measuring walking and cycling under the supervision of Prof Charlie Foster. His favourite physical activities are table tennis, dog walking, and operating canal locks.
Anna Chalkley
Councils
Anna is a physical activity and public health ‘pracademic’, supporting the translation, dissemination and implementation of academic research into practice. Much of Anna’s work…
Trevor Shilton
Advocacy
Trevor is Director of Cardiovascular Health at the National Heart Foundation of Australia (WA) and the Foundation’s National Lead for Physical Activity. He is also…
Karen Milton
Governance
Karen is a Lecturer in Public Health within the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia. Prior to commencing this role she held research positions in physical activity and public…
Karen Milton
Governance
Karen is a Lecturer in Public Health within the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia. Prior to commencing this role she held research positions in physical activity and public health at the University of Oxford, University of Sydney, and Loughborough University.
Karen’s primary research interest is in population approaches to physical activity promotion, through different sector and multi-sectoral approaches, and how to translate effective interventions into national policy and action. Her PhD (Loughborough University, UK) examined the facilitators and challenges to developing and implementing national policy and large scale action to promote population levels of walking in England.
Karen was the Secretariat for ISPAH (since 2014) before becoming the Board lead for Governance in April 2016. Karen is also a Steering Committee member for the European Network for Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA Europe) and a member of the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Expert Committee for Physical Activity.
Trevor Shilton
Advocacy
Trevor is National Director – Active Living at the National Heart Foundation of Australia. He is also Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Curtin University and Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Population Health, at the University of Western Australia. His principal research and health promotion interests are in NCD prevention, advocacy, policy and programs relating to physical activity and obesity, workforce development and social marketing. Trevor has directed major community-wide initiatives, including social marketing campaigns in obesity, physical activity and tobacco, as well as state-wide and national initiatives in workplace health and school health.
Trevor was the founding National President of the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) and is a Life Member of AHPA. Internationally he is Global Vice President for Advocacy of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), and manages that organisation’s global advocacy. He is also Chairman of the ISPAH Advocacy Council. Trevor has over 30 years’ experience in health promotion practice, policy and research and has published book chapters and over 70 papers in peer reviewed journals. He has given many national and international conference presentations and workshops. He has participated in guideline and policy development in Australia, Canada and the United States and at a global level.
Anna Chalkley
Councils
Anna is a physical activity and public health ‘pracademic’, supporting the translation, dissemination and implementation of academic research into practice. Much of Anna’s work has focused on the school setting as a target for physical activity and health promotion. Anna is currently completing a PhD within the Physical Activity and Public Health Research group at Loughborough University focusing on the implementation of physical activity programmes in primary education. Anna has been a member of staff at the University, within the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health, since 2003 and has extensive experience in leading national projects and programmes relating to the promotion of physical activity for children and young people. Anna joined the ISPAH board as Secretariat in 2016, she is also a member of the steering committee for the European Network for Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA Europe) and co-chairs the Working Group for Children and Youth.
Sjaan Gomersall
IT Systems
Sjaan Gomersall is currently a researcher with the Centre for Research on Exercise, physical Activity and Health at The University of Queensland, Australia…
Tracy Kolbe-Alexander
Education
Tracy Kolbe-Alexander is a Research Fellow in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland. Tracy has more than 10 years experience in designing…
Maria Hagströmer
Membership
Dr Maria Hagströmer is an Associate Professor (docent) at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. She has a bachelor in…
Maria Hagströmer
Membership
Dr Maria Hagströmer is a Professor at the Department of Health Promoting Science at the Sophiahemmet University, Stockholm, Sweden. She has a bachelor in Physiotherapy, a master in Public Health, defended her PhD thesis on objective measures on physical activity in 2007, became Associate Professor in Physiotherapy in 2010 and full Professor in Health Care Sciences 2018. She combines teaching with research and has a strong interest in medical pedagogics. The research area is mainly focusing on measurement of physical activity, epidemiology and interventions to increase physical activity among individuals with disabilities. Dr Hagströmer is a principal investigator and co-investigator of several research grants funded by for example the Swedish Research Council. She serves as an associate editor and in the editorial board for some international journals in the field of physical activity. In addition, she is actively involved as a co-editor for the Swedish evidence based book for health professional “Physical activity for disease prevention and disease treatment”.
Tracy Kolbe-Alexander
Education
Dr Tracy Kolbe-Alexander is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland; an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, and an honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town (South Africa).
The focus of Tracy’s research is the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. Using various strategies and approaches to influence positive lifestyle behaviours, she has developed, implemented and measured the effectiveness of these programs in different settings (schools, workplace and community). Much of her current research has focused on shift workers, as this group has been shown to be at increased risk for non-communicable disease and are less likely to engage in health-seeking behaviour.
One of her main objectives is to promote the translation of research into practice. Tracy has experience in working with the private sector, NGO’s and local government (South Africa) on various initiatives which aims to promote physical activity, especially to those from previously marginalized communities. She has delivered courses on the WHO’S Global Action Plan for Physical Activity and is leading the development of ISPAH courses that can be delivered in different countries and settings.
Tracy serves on the International Society of Physical Activity and Health’s (ISPAH) board, and is Chairperson of their Education Committee. She has previously served as a scientific advisor to the Heart Stroke Foundation of South Africa and on the African Physical Activity Network executive. Dr Kolbe-Alexander was invited to be part of the judging panel for the Global Healthy Workplace Awards in 2013, 2014 (African Judge) and 2019 (Asia-Pacific Judge).
Sjaan Gomersall
IT Systems
Sjaan Gomersall is currently a researcher with the Centre for Research on Exercise, physical Activity and Health at The University of Queensland, Australia. Sjaan has a BPhysio (Hons) (2008) and a PhD (2013) from the University of South Australia. Her current research focuses on the measurement of physical activity and use of time and how to facilitate behaviour change in these two key areas for improved health outcomes.
Sjaan became a member of the Board in 2016 and is the Board lead for the ISPAH IT systems. Sjaan is also a member of the ISPAH Communications Committee.
Matthew Mclaughlin
Early Career Network
Matthew Mclaughlin (Tepi) is a PhD Student at the University of Newcastle, a Research Assistant at Hunter New England Population Health, the Chair of the ISPAH Early Career Network…
Simone Tomaz
Secretariat
Simone is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Division for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Simone recently completed her PhD focussing on physical activity…
Simone Tomaz
Secretariat
Simone is a post-doctoral research fellow in the Division for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Simone recently completed her PhD focussing on physical activity and gross motor skills in preschool children, supervised by Dr. Catherine Draper. She is currently working with several colleagues, both South African and international, on developing 24-hour Movement Guidelines for South African children aged 0-5 years.
Simone has previously been involved in the Network of Early Career Researchers and Students of the International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (NESI) and joins the ISPAH board as secretariat from 2018.
Matthew Mclaughlin
Early Career Network
Matthew Mclaughlin (Tepi) is a PhD Student at the University of Newcastle, a Research Assistant at Hunter New England Population Health, the Chair of the ISPAH Early Career Network. Tepi also holds a number of consultancy positions in social media, including Social Media Editor of the Journal of Sports Sciences.
His avid interest is in getting physical activity and sedentary behaviour evidence into practice. Tepi’s core research focus is in the implementation, scaling and dissemination of efficacious physical activity interventions. In 2017, Tepi completed his Sport and Exercise Science BSc (Hons) at Loughborough University and the University of Western Australia. In 2015, Tepi took a year out of study to complete a one year work placement in research, a Diploma of Professional Studies.
Tepi is very active on Twitter (@HealthTepi), get in contact! For Tepi’s research activities, please see his ResearchGate.