SHAPE America Program Councils

SHAPE America's program councils carry out SHAPE America's mission by organizing task forces, carrying out and accomplishing work on behalf of the organization and communicating with the membership at large about the needs of the profession and the resources that SHAPE America should provide.


SHAPE America currently has five program councils. Click on the council name to learn more.

  • Health Education Council — Addresses the areas of health education teacher education (HETE), preK-12 school health education, and state/district health education administration.
  • Physical Activity Council — Addresses the areas of lifespan physical activity, dance, sport, adapted physical activity, and outdoor adventure education.
  • Physical Education Council — Addresses the areas of dance, physical education teacher education (PETE), preK-12 physical education, adapted physical education, and state/district physical education administration.
  • Professional Preparation Council — Identifies and discusses needs/issues related to professional preparation for HETE and PETE, college and university instructional physical activity programs, academic content knowledge, and strategies for addressing the needs/issues related to those areas.
  • Research Council — Addresses the areas of curriculum and instruction, exercise science, motivation and psychology, motor behavior and measurement, physical activity and health, sociocultural and social justice, and sport and coaching.

 

What do the program councils do?

The charge of each of the five programs councils includes the following:

  • Advise and make recommendations to SHAPE America staff and the SHAPE America Board of Directors about appropriate programs, products and services related to the respective focus areas, considering overall impact, member benefit and return on investment.
  • Provide recommendations to SHAPE America staff and the SHAPE America Board of Directors on existing programs, products, services, and activities in relation to the organization’s strategic plan and recommend continuation, revision or elimination. Help guide new initiatives through the review process and recommend task forces and ad hoc committees needed for completion.
  • Build communication with related SHAPE America special interest groups (SIGs).
  • Provide reports/updates prior to each SHAPE America Board of Directors meeting and/or upon request.

 

SHAPE America program councils primarily conduct their business through regular conference calls and email exchange. Council members begin their term in the month of the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo and end their term three years later, also in the month of the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo.

Current Members

Holly Alperin (Chair), University of New Hampshire, NH

Mary Connolly, Cambridge College, MA

Charlie Rizzuto, Oyster Bay High School, NY

Chia-Liang (Leo) Dai, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, NV

Stacy Furness, University of Wisconsin River Falls, WI

Rachael Gibson, NYC Department of Education, NY

Kristin McGurl, Chappaqua Public Schools, NY

Christopher Pepper, San Francisco Unified School District, CA

Cara Grant (BOD Liaison), Supervisor HPE, MD

Lisa Paulson (Chair), University of Northern Colorado, CO

Kristian Ellingsen, Columbia Heights Education Campus, Washington, D.C.

Jana Moran, New York City Department of Education, NY

Allison Ross, Arizona State University, AZ

Ann Paulls-Neal, Highland High School, NM

Kyle Bragg, Anasazi Elementary School, AZ

Rose Haggerty, Executive Director, TAHPERD, TX

Francina Hollingsworth, Houston ISD, TX

Rick Howard, West Chester University, PA

Victor Ramsey (BOD Liaison), New York Department of Education, NY

Nilo Ramos (Chair), Coastal Carolina University, SC

Nicole Lindgren, University of Central Missouri, MO

Janet M’mbaha-Zarnesky, Alabama A&M University, AL

Patty Kestell, Thorson Elementary School, WI

Robert Holmes, Jefferson County Public Schools, KY

Adriana Lucero, University of New Mexico, NM

Joe Velardi, Connecticut Association of Schools, CT

Jo Bailey (BOD Liaison), DC Everest Senior High School, WI

Elizabeth Sharp (Chair), Colorado Mesa University, CO

Erin Centeio, University of Hawaii, HI

Benjamin Schwamberger, Minnesota State University, MN

Jan Bishop, Central Connecticut State University, CT

Leah Ketcheson, Wayne State University, MI

LeAnn Olson, East Tennessee State University, TN

Tashanna Gillenwater-Catron, Thornton District 205, IL

Megan Adkins (BOD Liaison), University of Nebraska at Kearney, NE

Paul Wright (Chair), Northern Illinois University, IL

Paul Rukavina, Adelphi University, NY

Ali Brian, University of South Carolina, SC

Nancy Getchell, University of Delaware, DE

Paul Wright, Northern Illinois University, IL

Tao Zhang, University of North Texas, TX

Kevin Andrew R. Richards, University of Illinois, IL

Tan Leng Goh, Central Connecticut State University, CT

Ana West (student), University of North Texas, TX

Robin Richardson (BOD Liaison), Jefferson County Public Schools, KY