SHAPE America Board of Directors
The governing body of SHAPE America is an 11-member Board of Directors. The Board is composed of 11 professional
members, including the president, past president and president-elect. The Board may also appoint up to two (2)
non-voting members who are not professional members of SHAPE America.
Directors serve at-large and represent the whole membership. The chief executive officer serves as an ex-officio
director without vote.
Should you have any questions for the SHAPE America board, please send to [email protected].
2022-2023 Board of Directors
President
Kymm Ballard
HPETE Coordinator
Campbell University
Buies Creek, NC
Term ends: 2024
Kymm Ballard is an assistant professor and HETE and PETE coordinator at Campbell University. Her professional experiences include service for more than two decades as a health educator, physical educator, and school administrator, and 11+ years at the state level as Healthful Living Education & Athletics consultant in the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Also, she has nine years of experience in corporate and non-profit arenas collectively. These experiences have increased her capabilities in understanding budget, leadership and commitment. Her passion and direct service to children also influence her work at the national level today.
President-Elect
Sarah Benes
Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT
Term ends: 2025
Sarah Sparrow Benes (she/her) is currently an Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator of the School Health Education program at Southern Connecticut State University. She transitioned from her role as an Associate Clinical Profession at Merrimack College in fall 2022. She has an Ed.D. in curriculum and teaching, an Ed.M. in human movement, a master’s degree in public health, and a B.S. in athletic training. Sarah started her career at Boston University as an athletic trainer before transitioning to the role of Physical and Health Education Teacher Prep Program Director. Sarah works in schools locally and nationally, and writes and presents on various health education topics.
Past-President
Terri Drain
Founder and Coordinator, Health and Physical Education Collaborative
Physical Educator - retired
Murphys, California
Term ends: 2023
Terri Drain is a National Board Certified physical educator who is dedicated to excellence in health and physical education. She’s taught all levels K-12, and earned Teacher of the Year honors from CAHPERD, the Southwest District, and Pleasanton USD. Well-known as a K-12 physical education presenter, Terri has made over 200 presentations at the local, state, national and international level. In addition, she is the founder of the Health and Physical Education Collaborative, a California-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing high quality professional development for health and physical educators. Terri has served SHAPE America as a member of the Board of Directors, Physical Education Council, and 50 Million Strong Assessment Task Force.
CEO
Stephanie A. Morris
Stephanie A. Morris brings nearly 20 years of diverse experience in marketing, communications and association management to SHAPE America. In her most recent role as deputy executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), she provided leadership and oversight for five major departments: marketing and membership; corporate strategic alliances; content strategy and development; conferences and meetings; and the customer care center. In addition to the NAEYC, Stephanie has held executive positions with the American Council on Education, Widmeyer Communications, Venture Communications and the National Women’s Business Council.
Megan Adkins
Associate Professor & Curriculum Coordinator for Health & Physical Education
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE
Term ends: 2023
Megan Adkins currently serves as an Associate Professor and program coordinator for the Health and Physical Education program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Within her tenure at UNK, Megan has taught courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in the areas of adapted and mainstream Physical Education both face to face and
online; She helped pioneer a year-long home school teaching lab for undergraduate Health and Physical Education students which has received national recognition, and conducts research in the areas of teacher preparation, physical education, physical activity, technology integration, and diverse populations.
Jo Bailey
Physical Educator
D.C. Everest Senior High School
Weston, WI
Term ends: 2023
Jo Bailey has been teaching physical education for 23 years, the past 15 of which have been at D. C.
Everest Senior High
School in Weston, WI. Born in England, Jo moved to Hong Kong at age 11 and experienced her secondary schooling in a unique environment surrounded by people from all corners of the globe. Jo has worked with WHPE, firstly as a district coordinator and later to serve as WHPE President from 2012-14. She gained her National Board Certification in Early Adolescence/Young Adulthood in 2013 and was also named SHAPE America Midwest High School Teacher of the Year in 2013. Jo’s innovative approach to using technology to support learning in physical education led to her being selected to attend the prestigious Google Teacher Academy in 2013; Jo continues to be a Google Certified Innovator.
Joe Deutsch
Professor
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND
Term ends: 2024
Joe Deutsch began his career teaching elementary, middle school and high school physical education on the Standing Rock Reservation. He then returned to Fargo, ND, where he taught elementary physical education at the lowest socio-economic school in the city. After completing his master’s degree and making significant progress toward his Ph.D., he joined the ranks of higher education to help prepare future physical educational teachers and coaches. Deutsch has been an active member of NDSHAPE for more than 20 years, serving in several roles including treasurer, higher education representative, health. moves. minds.® committee member, and president. He has also served as president of SHAPE America Central District.
Cara Grant
Supervisor, HPE
College Park, MD
Term ends: 2024
Cara Grant has been working in the field of education for more than 19 years, beginning in 2001 as a health and physical education teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools (MD). She has had the opportunity to work in higher education as well as preK-12 education. In higher education, she developed the coursework for the Physical Education Master’s Certification Program at the University of Maryland College Park. In preK-12 education she has worked collaboratively supervising and coordinating teams of teachers to revise the preK-12 framework in health and PE. She has experience as a curriculum writer on a local county level, state level, and nationally through developing content and curriculum for Discovery Education and the National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health.
Jaimie McMullen
Associate Professor
University of Hawaii at Mānoa
Honolulu, HI
Term ends: 2023
Jaimie McMullen currently teaches at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in the Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, and is a Research Associate in the University of Northern Colorado Active Schools Institute. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, Jaimie engages in research and service to the profession. Her research seeks to consider participant-voice and ways to impact the physical activity culture of schools. Jaimie is currently the Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, and also holds various other leadership roles within the United States and internationally.
Victor Ramsey
Educational Administrator
New York Department of Education
Brooklyn, NY
Term ends: 2025
Victor Ramsey joined SHAPE America (then AAHPERD) as an undergraduate at York College. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education, he began teaching. In his professional career of more than 32 years, Victor has been a physical education teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, and regional director for fitness and physical education. Along the way he also earned a doctorate in curriculum and instruction. In his current role as educational administrator, he trains and supports health and physical educators. He recently served as a member of SHAPE America’s EDI Committee and Recruitment and Retention Task Force.
Robin Richardson
Health & Physical Educator
Jefferson County Public Schools
Louisville, KY
Term ends: 2025
Robin Richardson is extremely active in promoting wellness in her school and her school district. She serves as team lead for her department and leads the staff wellness program. Robin’s passion and dedication to the field of health and education are evident in her willingness to serve in any capacity that will improve the quality and quantity of life of all those around her. During her tenure as president of KYSHAPE (2020-2021), she led the board to hosting the first in-person convention since the beginning of the pandemic. Robin recently served as a member of the SHAPE America Physical Education Council.
Luciana Zuest
Associate Professor
Towson University
Towson, MD
Term ends: 2024
Luciana Zuest started her career as a K-12 health and physical education teacher at an American school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During the 10 years she worked at this school she developed a passion for providing youth with quality physical education. In 2011, she came to the United States to pursue a doctorate in kinesiology with the goal of becoming a teacher educator. She earned her Ph.D. in coaching and teaching studies from West Virginia University. Zuest has been active in WVAPHERD, SHAPE FL and SHAPE America. In 2020 she received the Helen M. Heitman Young Scholar Award from SHAPE America and currently serves on the Strategies Editorial Board.