Speaker Biographies Faten Ali Veronica Allan Currently, Veronica is in her second year of a Master’s degree in the sport psychology program at Queen’s University under the supervision of Dr. Jean Côté. Pending a successful thesis defense this summer, she will be continuing on with doctorate studies at Queen’s in the fall of 2014. Through her personal experiences as an athlete, in addition to working as a youth sport coach and program coordinator, her primary research interests lie in understanding the interpersonal relationships that exist in the youth sport environment, and how these relationships contribute to healthy physical and psychosocial development for young athletes. Megan Babkes-Stellino Megan Babkes-Stellino, Ph.D., is a Professor in Social Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity in the School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Northern Colorado. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Washington, an M.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Oregon, an Ed.D. in Kinesiology from the University of Northern Colorado, and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at UCLA in Social Psychology with the International Center for Talent Development before returning to Colorado. Dr. Stellino specializes in the area of social psychology of sport and physical activity. She teaches undergraduate and graduate level courses on the psychology of sport/exercise, sociology of sport/exercise, developmental kinesiology, research methods, applications of sport psychology, theories of motivation, and motor behavior (motor control, motor learning and motor development). She also teaches courses on technology for sports coaching, psychology of sports coaching and international perspectives for sports coaching for the M.A. in Sports Coaching program at UNCO. Dr. Stellino’s research focuses on the influence that significant others (parents, siblings, peers, coaches/teachers) have on the developmental psychosocial components (perceived competence, motivation, and emotional responses) of youth sport involvement and physical activity. Additionally, she studies social psychological factors associated with children’s school-based physical activity. Specifically, she is interested in the predictors of physical activity choices that children make during free time (e.g., school recess, before school) and the nature of social relationships relate to the physical activity and obesity and overweight link. Dr. Stellino is an active member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity and the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation. She is co-chair of the UNCO Institutional Review Board and runs two grant-supported before school physical activity programs at elementary schools in Colorado. Dr. Stellino is a former Division I collegiate gymnast, AFAA Certified Fitness Specialist and has coached individuals of various ages and ability levels in gymnastics, skiing, tennis, soccer, volleyball and for private non-competitive motor development organizations. She has two young sons and enjoys playing outdoors through hiking, skiing, running, biking, and in-line skating with her family. David Barton David Barton is the Athletic Director for Fresno High School in Fresno, California. David is a certified athletic administrator and holds a California Teaching Credential in physical education and a master’s degree in kinesiology. Mr. Barton has over 25 years of coaching experience in high school and college football and track and field. David Bellar Robbi Beyer Robbi Beyer, Ph.D., has been teaching for over 25 years and currently directs a Motor Development Clinic for training pre service teachers at her university. Research interests include pedagogy for special populations, changing attitudes of pre service teachers and coaches working with individuals who have disabilities, and the effects of early perceptual motor training on academic readiness. Gordon Bloom Dr. Gordon Bloom is an Associate Professor and director of the McGill Sport Psychology Research Laboratory (http://sportpsych.mcgill.ca) in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. A well-published scholar of scientific articles and book chapters, his primary area of research examines the knowledge, leadership skills, and behaviors employed by both elite and youth sport coaches that create a positive environment for excellence and participation in sports. This often involves strategies employed by coaches in terms of leadership, coaching style, and team building techniques. Dr. Bloom consults with coaches and sport organizations at the University, Olympic, and professional levels and serves as a youth sport coach in his community. Robyn Braun Robyn Braun, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology specializing in Sport and Exercise Psychology at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. She received her Doctorate degree from Florida State University in Sport Psychology in 2013. Dr. Braun earned a Master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Barry University in 2009. She graduated from the University of Florida in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Dr. Braun’s research interests revolve around the perception of effort and exertion in children as well as the use of sensory modalities in promoting exercise adoption and maintenance in the general population. Additionally, she has applied sport and exercise psychology experience working with both teams and individuals at all levels. Chelsea Brehm Chelsea Brehm is currently a Graduate Assistant in the Movement Science Department at GVSU. Prior to this position, she served as the Middle School Athletic Coordinator of Grand Rapids Public Schools where she coordinated 13 middle school athletic programs. Chelsea was employed by the district during the final implementation stage of the GRPS Coaching Standards and has organized and designed coaches’ professional developments. James Brenner Dr. Jim Brenner is Associate Professor of Health at West Chester University (WCU), where he has been teaching since 2002. He has earned degrees from WCU, The College of New Jersey, and Temple University. Dr. Brenner is a certified athletic trainer, has researched, written, and spoken nationally about alcohol use by college student-athletes. Contact Jim Brenner via email at [email protected] Dave Brunner Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Training Centers Dave Brunner has been a member of the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Training Center Directorate of Curriculum team since July 2012. Prior to joining SAIC, Brunner spent 24 years coaching football at the collegiate and secondary levels. He served as the head football coach at two different 4-A high schools in North Carolina and South Carolina, and as a position coach and coordinator at two different Division I collegiate programs; the University of Idaho and Charleston Southern University. Further, he authored curriculum and taught classes in coaching education, leadership, and the philosophy, psychology, and management of sport. Brunner received his Ph.D. from the University of Idaho in the Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology of Sport. He completed his undergraduate work at North Carolina State, and his graduate work in education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Robert Brustad Dr. Robert Brustad holds a Ph.D. and an M.A from the University of Oregon, in addition to a B.A. from University of California, San Diego. He is currently a professor at the University of Northern Colorado in the Sport and Exercise Science Department where his teaching areas include sport and exercise psychology, sociology of sport and physical activity, developmental and lifespan physical activity, motivation in sport and exercise and positive youth development. Dr. Brustad is also an affiliate faculty at University of Porto (Porto, Portugal) and at the University of Valencia (Valencia, Spain) and the co-director of the graduate program in Social Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity at the University of Diego Portales (Santiago, Chile). The primary focus of the graduate study at UNC is on the social psychology of sport and physical activity. Within this area of focus, strong interest is directed toward understanding the sport and physical activity behavior of children and adolescents, with particular influence dedicated to understanding the role of parents, peers, coaches, and siblings. Additional research within the social psychological framework focuses upon motivation and coaching behavior, physical activity across the lifespan, and group dynamics in sport and exercise settings. Furthermore, Dr. Brustad has numerous years of coaching track and field at the high school level and has also coached track and field athletes from the competitive youth level to international level and Olympic competitors. In addition, he has coached the sports of basketball, cross country, soccer and baseball at the youth or high school levels. Willie Burden Willie Burden, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Health & Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University. Also, he is Advisor to the Sport Management Major’s Club. His previous professional appointment was at North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro, where he served as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Instructor in the Department of Health and Physical Education. He received his Ed.D. from Tennessee State University in Higher Education