NAKHE Newsletter
October 2026
2027 Annual NAKHE Conference: Blazing New Trails: Exploring Innovative Frontiers Through Bold Perspectives
January 5-8, 2027
Eldorado Hotel and Spa
309 W San Francisco St.
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Phone: (505) 988-4455
Hotel Website: https://www.eldoradohotel.com/
Conference Planner: Jeremy Elliott
Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico and the oldest U.S. state capital, is renowned for its distinctive Pueblo-style adobe architecture, rich Indigenous and Spanish heritage, and status as a major hub for Southwest art. Known as "The City Different," it features over 250 art galleries on Canyon Road, the Meow Wolf immersive art experience, and New Mexican green chile cuisine.
The historic Santa Fe Plaza, lined with adobe Talavera pottery shops, art galleries, Mexican restaurants, and the stunning Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (the oldest church in the United States), attracts roughly 1.5 million tourists each year. The heart of the city for nearly 400 years, the plaza is the perfect place to explore one of the state’s most remarkable cities.
Trip Advisor says, “Surrounded by city landmarks, including art and history museums, the Santa Fe Plaza is the heart and soul of the capital city. Sit back on one of the square’s benches to people-watch and take in the small-town feel. Then, set out to explore the countless art galleries, shops, and flea markets in the area. Try the local street food from the food carts, or if you’re in the mood to splurge, check out the dozen or so high-end restaurants. You can also sign up for a walking tour to learn more about the city’s rich history.”
Our conference hotel, the Eldorado Hotel and Spa, is ideally situated to make the most of Santa Fe’s attractions. The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, the largest collection of one of the 20th century's most influential artists, whose greatest work was inspired by New Mexico, is literally across the street from the conference hotel, and the Santa Fe Plaza is less than 4 blocks away (0.2 miles).
Click the picture to register for the up and coming conference.
President Nominee: Dr. Kacey Hopson, Elizabeth City State University
NAKHE Engagement
2026-2028 - NAKHE Bylaws Committee – Member
2026 – NAKHE Distinguished Teaching Award
2024-2027 - NAKHE Leader Mentor Grant Committee - Member
2022-2023 - Past Vice President of NAKHE
2021-2022 - Vice President of NAKHE – Hybrid conference – virtual and in-person conference.
2020-2021 - Vice President- Elect of NAKHE
2019-2020 - NAKHE Social Justice, Cultural Diversity Task Force Member – Member
2018- 2020 - NAKHE Publications Committee – Member
2016-2020 - Reviewer for the International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education (IJKHE)
2015- 2017 - Secretary of NAKHE
2013-2015 - NAKHE Membership sub-committee – Chair
2013-2016 - Associate Editor for The Chronicle of Kinesiology in Higher Education
2012- 2015 - NAKPEHE Membership sub-committee member
NAKPEHE/NAKHE Conferences attended – 2009 – 2026.
NAKHE Leadership Development Workshops attended – 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, & 2018.
NAKHE Strategic Planning Workshop - 2014
Other Leadership and Engagement Ventures
2021 – 2024 – Health and Wellness Promotion Program Coordinator, ECSU
2021-2022 - University of North Carolina System Faculty Assembly Executive Committee – Parliamentarian
2021 - BRIDGES Academic Leadership Program for Women, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2020-2021 - University of North Carolina System Faculty Assembly Executive Committee – 2 Delegate Caucus Representative
2020-2021 - Faculty Senate Executive Committee – Faculty Assembly Delegate
2020-2021 - NCAAHPERD-SM Professional Development Committee – Summer Series Organizer.
2019 – 2021 – Interim Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning, ECSU
2020-2021 - University of North Carolina System Faculty Assembly – Delegate (previous delegate retired)
2019-2020 - Faculty Senate Executive Committee – Faculty Assembly Alternate
2018-2019 - Elizabeth City State University Vice-Chancellor Leadership Academy
2018-2019 - American Association of State Colleges and Universities Emerging Leaders Program
2016 – 2018 – Kinesiology and Health Program Coordinator, ECSU
2015 – 2019 – Physical Education and Health Program Coordinator, ECSU
2014- 2017 - NCAAHPERD Student Majors’ Club Advisor
2013-2014 - North Carolina Association for Athletics, Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance, and Sport Management, North Carolina College Conference for Physical Education, President
President Nominee: Dr. Mark Tillman, Jacksonville University
NAKHE Engagement
I have been a NAKHE member since 2013 and have attended the national conference in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 (made presentations in 2014, 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2025). I also attended the Leadership Development Workshop from 2013-2017 and 2023-2026 and hosted the meeting at Jacksonville University in 2023. Most recently, I served as Department Head Certification Training Coordinator (2024-2026) and co-authored a publication in Quest. In addition, I have served in the following roles:
- member of the NAKHE by-laws committee from 2016-2018
- member of the NAKHE Marketing Committee from 2023-2024
- member of the NAKHE Conference Planning Committee from 2022-2023
- abstract reviewer for the national conference.
Since joining NAKHE over 13 years ago, I have benefited from the unwavering support of the NAKHE membership which has in turn made it easy for me to support others. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to help the constituency as we assist each other as we work to serve students, promote each other’s successes, and advance our careers.
Other Leadership and Engagement Ventures
I have 27 years of experience in higher education and was appointed as the Dean of the Brooks Rehabilitation College of Healthcare Sciences on June 1, 2020. Prior to my current appointment, I served as Dean of the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services at Kennesaw State University, Dean of Health and Human Services at Troy University, and Chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion at Troy University. For over half of my career, I have served as chair or dean serving as chief administrative officer with fiscal oversight of teaching, scholarly, and service programs. Prior to holding these leadership positions, I served as an Assistant Professor and Associate Professor at the University of Florida over a 13-year period. Over that period, I taught over 10,000 undergraduate students and served on over 100 graduate student committees. My interdisciplinary work has resulted in over 80 refereed publications (most with student co-authors), 20 funded grants, and numerous scientific presentations. My specific leadership training includes participation in the Troy University Chancellor’s Fellows Program, NAKHE Leader Development Workshops, and serving as the Coordinator for the DHCT program. Outside of the university setting, I have served as a member on the following committees: First Coast YMCA Advisory Board, Hearts4Minds (hearts4minds.org) Advisory Board, and the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Community Board.
Vice President Nominee: Dr. Christopher Wirth, University of West Florida
NAKHE Engagement
I have been a member of NAKHE since 2021 and have attended the national conference from 2022-2026. I also presented at the national conference from 2023-2026. I was a member of the awards committee from 2023-2025, serving as the chair of that committee in 2025. I have attended the Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) from 2023-2026 and hosted LDW in 2025. I have served as an NAKHE abstract reviewer since August 2023. From 2024-2026 I participated in the Department Head Certification Training (DHCT) and I am currently serving as the DHCT Coordinator (as of July 2026).
Other Leadership and Engagement Venture
I am currently the Chair of the Department of Movement Sciences and Health at the University of West Florida, a position I have held since August 2021. In 2025-2026, I facilitated the NextGen Provost Fellows Program at the University of West Florida and helped design the leadership experience. I have served as the Co-Editor for the Journal of Health and Physical Literacy since 2025 and as an editorial board member from 2024-2025. I was a member of the American Kinesiology Association (AKA) Leadership Institute 5th Cohort, Class of 2024. I have served on the Board for West Florida Area Health Education Center (AHEC). I am an Associate Pastor at Pursue Life Church, in Pensacola, FL and have been in that role since 2018.
Secretary Nominee: Dr. Rick West-University of Tennessee at Martin
NAKHE Engagement
NAKHE Member September 2012 – June 2015; February 2021 – Present
NAKHE National Conference Attendee and Presenter: 2013, 2024, 2025, & 2026
NAKHE National Conference Attendee: 2014
Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) Attendee 2024, 2025, & 2026
Department Head Certification Training (DHCT) July 2024-January 2026
NAKHE Committee Member, Hellison Grant Awards Committee, July 2024 – Present
NAKHE National Conference Presentation Reviewer, 2025 & 2026
NAKHE Committee Member, Membership Committee, 2013–2015
International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education (IJKHE) Article Publication 2026
IJKHE Manuscript Reviewer 2026
Hellison Grant Award Recipient 2025
Joanna Davenport Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award Recipient 2013
Other Leadership and Engagement
University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM), Department Chair, July 2024-Present
UTM College of Education Health and Behavioral Sciences (CEHBS), Interim Dean January 2026-March 2026
West Liberty University, Director of Exercise Physiology, August 2012-July 2014
West Liberty University, Director of Graduate Education, January 2013-July2016
Fairmont State University, Physical Education Coordinator, August 2021-June 2024
Assistant to Associate Head Men’s Swimming Coach, West Virginia University, August 2015-June 2024
American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA), Mentor Committee Member, 2021-2024
ASCA Level III training course Physiology, Contributor and Reviewer 2023
College Swimming Coaches of America, Men’s Top 25 Poll Committee Member 2022-2024
TAHPERD Member & State Conference Attendee (2024-Present) and Presenter 2025
WVSHAPE Member, State Conference Attendee, and Presenter 2012-2021
CAEP Accreditation Reviewer 2021-2024
Secretary Nominee: Dr. Jafrā D. Thomas, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
NAKHE Engagement
Attendance, NAKHE Annual Conference (8 conferences; 2018, 2020 to 2026); NAKHE Member (2019 to Present). Presentations, NAKHE Conferences (10 presentations, plus 2 in review for the 2027 Annual Conference). NAKHE Reviewer, Conference Proposals (2025, 2026, and 2027 Annual Conferences). NAKHE Judge, Joanna Davenport Graduate Student Poster Competition (2024 Annual Conference). Publications, NAKHE Journals (3 in Quest, 3 in International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education). Editorial Board Member, Quest, 2023 to Present; 11 reviews completed. Reviewer of the Year, Outstanding Reviewer of the Year in 2022 for Quest. Associate Editor, International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 2022 to 2025. Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 2025 to Present. Committee Member, NAKHE Publications Committee, 2025 to Present. Committee Chair, NAKHE Social Justice & Cultural Diversity Committee, 2023 to 2026. Board of Directors Member, NAKHE, 2023 to 2026. Past Chair (unofficial role; transition support to new chairperson), NAKHE Social Justice & Cultural Diversity Committee, 2026 to 2027.
Other Leadership and Engagement
Chair, Department-level Frost Program Research Fund Committee (Department of Kinesiology and Public Health)
Endowed Research Mentoring Program of the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics (William and Linda Frost Fund), California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2024 to Present.
Co-Coordinator, Department-level Summer Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program (Department of Kinesiology and Public Health)
Endowed Research Mentoring Program of the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics (William and Linda Frost Fund), California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2024 to Present.
Member, Department Peer Review Committee, Department of Kinesiology and Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2025 to Present.
Founding and Current Member, Working Group for Opportunity, Representation and Diverse Perspectives, International Journal of Exercise Science, 2023 to Present.
Member, Executive Committee, Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness, 2023 to Present.
Treasurer, Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness, 2023 to Present.
Co-Coordinator, 2025 Annual Conference, Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness, February to October 2025.
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Kinesiology and Wellness, 2024 to Present.
NAKHE members can vote from September 15th until October 15th. NAKHE members must log in to the NAKHE website to cast their vote.
The NAKHE Marketing Committee would like to highlight our members in our social media and newsletter! Please fill out the information form by clicking here to be considered as our next featured member. If you have any questions, please contact Haley Blount (the committee chair) at blounth@nsula.edu.
Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
NAKHE Marketing Committee
Get Published!
Consider publishing in NAKHE's Journals!
NAKHE partners with Taylor & Francis Group to publish professional journals addressing kinesiology issues, research, and best practices in higher education leadership, administration, and teaching.
Close the loop from presentation to publication by clicking here
Integrating a Fitness-Based Software App within a College Resistance Training Class to Foster Learning and Motivation
Education for Empathy in Physical Education: A PRISMA Review
Assistant Professor of Exercise Science (Tenure Track) - The University of Alabama in Huntsville
State: Huntsville, AL
Position: Assistant Professor of Exercise Science (Tenure Track)
Deadline: October 30, 2026
Exercise & Sport Science, Assistant / Associate Professor, Teaching - Wayne State University
State: Detroit, MI
Position: Exercise & Sport Science, Assistant / Associate Professor, Teaching
Deadline: October 24, 2026
Lecturer or Teaching Assistant Professor in Kinesiology - Appalachian State University
State: Boone , NC
Position: Lecturer or Teaching Assistant Professor in Kinesiology
Deadline: October 16, 2026
Assistant Professor of Sport Management - Sam Houston State University
State: Huntsville, TX
Position: Assistant Professor of Sport Management
Deadline: October 15, 2026
Visiting Lecturer in Physical Education and/or Health Education - North Dakota State University
State: Fargo, ND
Position: Visiting Lecturer in Physical Education and/or Health Education
Deadline: December 1, 2026
Assistant Professor-Tenure Track - Appalachian State University
State: Boone , NC
Position: Assistant Professor-Tenure Track
Deadline: December 31, 2026
Multiple Positions (see description)
Assistant Professor – Tenure Track Appointment Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Sport Management) - Morehouse College
State: Atlanta, GA
Position: Assistant Professor – Tenure Track Appointment Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Sport Management)
Deadline: October 14, 2026
Link to full job description: https://rb.gy/3iuobv
Endowed Professor and Department Chair - Tenure Track Appointment for the Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Kinesiology) - Morehouse College
State: Atlanta, GA
Position: Endowed Professor and Department Chair - Tenure Track Appointment for the Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Kinesiology)
Deadline: October 14, 2026
Link to full job description: https://shorturl.at/y7BOv
Assistant Professor – Tenure Track Appointment Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Exercise Science) - Morehouse College
State: Atlanta, GA
Position: Assistant Professor – Tenure Track Appointment Department of Kinesiology, Sports Studies, and Physical Education (Exercise Science)
Deadline: October 14, 2026
Link to full job description: https://shorturl.at/tW41n
Assistant Professor of Sports Management - Kentucky State University
State: Frankfort, KY
Position: Assistant Professor of Sports Management
Deadline: December 11, 2026
