2024 Board of Directors Call for Nominations
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].
2023-2024 Board of Directors
President
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.
President-Elect
Cara Grant
Supervisor, HPE
College Park, MD
Term ends: 2026
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.
Past-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.
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.
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.
Tari Garner
Physical Education Instructor (retired)
Plattsburg, MO
Term ends: 2026
Tari Garner taught physical education and adapted physical education for 40 years and has experience with elementary through college-age students. She taught at the high school level for 19 years and was a head coach for two sports for 20+ years. A National Board Certified Teacher, Tari was the 2013 SHAPE America Central District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year. She is CAPE certified and has taught as an adapted specialist and an adapted consultant. Tari is currently the outdoor adventure coordinator for the Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation. She is a past president of MOSHAPE and SHAPE America Central District, chairperson for MOSHAPE Membership Services, and has been involved in a variety of leadership positions during her career. She promotes physical education and health for all students and works to encourage an inclusive environment in all that she does. Tari is an advocate for teachers across the nation.
Andrew Milne
Kinetic Health & Wellness Teacher
New Trier High School
Winnetka, IL
Term ends: 2026
Coaching and education has taken Andy Milne to four continents, teaching in six schools on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean since 1994. Originally from London, Andy has taught health and kinetic wellness for the past 11 years at New Trier High School in Illinois. He has been recognized for his innovative use of technology in the classroom and in 2017 was named SHAPE America National Health Education Teacher of the Year. A highly sought-after presenter and speaker, Andy served as the state-level health representative for IAHPERD and sat on the National Advisory Board for Answer. Andy created the #sendateacher initiative to raise funds to send teachers to the SHAPE America National Convention & Expo, and he also runs the #slowchathealth blog site that seeks to amplify the voice of health and physical education teachers across the globe.
Will Potter
Physical Education Teacher
Serendipity School
Belmont, CA
Term ends: 2026
Will Potter has been teaching physical education since 2002 and has been at Serendipity School since 2005. In 2013, he served as director for the Elementary Physical Education Workshop at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. In 2019, Will was named the California AHPERD (CAHPERD) Elementary Teacher of the Year and in 2020 was named the SHAPE America National Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year. In 2021-2022, he served as CAHPERD president, promoting professional development and advocacy programs for health and physical education.
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.