Leadership
The Pregnancy and Postpartum Special Interest Group (PP-SIG) was founded in 2018 and is led by a Chair, a Steering Committee, and Sub-Committee Chairs. Leaderships has responsibilities that include, liaising with ACSM leadership, communicating with members, organizing the annual committee meeting, implementing awards committee procedures, providing student awards, seeking funding from fundraisers, provide mentorship to young professionals, and managing social media and outreach.
Chair
Linda May, Ph.D., FACSM
Dr. Linda May has been a Co-Chair for the PP-SIG since its inception in 2018. She is an Associate Professor of Anatomy at the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine, teaches dental students and is adjunct faculty assistant professor of exercise physiology for Health and Human Performance as well as obstetrics and gynecology for the Brody School of Medicine. Dr. May conducts research on topics relating to the influence of maternal exercise during pregnancy on child development before and after birth.
Sub-Committee Chairs
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Fund Raising
Cathy Cramm, MSc.
Catherine Cram is an exercise physiologist and a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. She is the owner of Comprehensive Fitness Consulting, a company that provides pre- and postnatal fitness certifications and information to hospitals, health and wellness organizations, and the military. Comprehensive Fitness Consulting offers the most current, evidence-based fitness information to pregnant and postpartum women and their healthcare providers.
Awards
Taniya Nagpal, Ph.D.
Dr. Taniya Nagpal is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on adherence to physical activity during pregnancy, obesity in the reproductive years and prevention of weight bias. Taniya's research applies a person-oriented framework with the overall goal to improve inclusivity in prenatal physical activity and to measure the downstream effect on maternal and child health.
Social Media Outreach
Kirina Angrish, Ph.D Candidate.
Kirina is a dedicate PhD Candidate in the Faculty of Applied Health Science (specialization in Behavioral and Population Health) at Brock University. With a strong background in Kinesiology, Kirina's research focuses on the intersection of body image, physical activity, and maternal well-being. Her work aims to create feasible and safe physical activity interventions that help new expectant mothers improve their body image through tailored physical activity programs.
International Efforts
Anna Szumilewicz, Ph.D.
Anna Szumilewicz associate professor at Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport (AWFiS), Poland. Her research interests are bi-directional. She analyses the areas of knowledge, skills and competencies of exercise professionals in relation to the concept of European Qualification System. In the experimental studies she assess the influence of various exercise programmes on women’s health, including women in the pre- and postnatal period. Based on the results of scientific research and practical experience she has developed special training program “FemFit Mama” and “HIIT Mama” for women in pregnancy and postpartum, carried out in fitness clubs in Poland and abroad.
Steering Committee
Michelle Mottola, Ph.D., FACSM
Dr. Mottola has been the Chair of PP-SIG since its inception in 2018. She is a Professor in Kinesiology and Anatomy & Cell Biology, and Chair of the Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Health Division of the Children’s Health Research Institute at Western University in Canada. She is the Director of R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation - Exercise and Pregnancy Laboratory - which was one of the first labs in North America to specialize in the area of exercising pregnant and post-partum women. She is an anatomist and exercise physiologist, who, for the past 30 years, has conducted research on the effects of maternal exercise on both the mother and the developing fetus
Margie Davenport, Ph.D.
Dr. Davenport is an Associate Professor and Christenson Professor in Active Healthy Living in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta in Canada. She was the Chair of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC)/Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy, and the upcoming SOGC/CSEP Canadian Guideline for Postpartum Physical Activity. Her research over the last 20 years has focused on the impact of physical activity during and following pregnancy on the lifelong health of pregnant/postpartum individuals, and their babies.
Check out her laboratory's website here.
Brittany Allman, Ph.D., EP-C
Dr. Allman is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center researching the metabolic programming of obesity and how exercise (specifically resistance training) can be used as a tool to prevent the programming of obesity and disordered glycemic regulation. She is also the Senior Innovative Scientist for Breakout Lifestyle Fitness - a new gym in the Little Rock area that merges fitness and research. Dr. Allman has been a fitness instructor for over 12 years and is a Head Coach at OrangeTheory Fitness in Little Rock, AR.
Check out her professional site here.
Jennifer Huberty, Ph.D.
Jennifer Huberty is an Associate professor at Arizona State University in the College of Health Solutions, Exercise and Wellness program and is an Associate Professor, Research Scholar in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Arizona, College of Medicine. Her research interests include using digital interventions (online, mobile apps) to deliver complementary approaches (e.g., yoga, meditation, physical activity) to improve mental and physical health in women (i.e., middle-aged, stillbirth mothers, pregnant women) and cancer patients.
Samantha McDonald, Ph.D.
Dr. McDonald is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State University. Her research focuses on the effects of exercise during pregnancy on the health of the mom and baby. Specifically, she examines its effects on maternal and offspring metabolism, body composition and future health trajectories.
Marie Haggart
Nicholas Thomas Broskey, Ph.D.
Dr. Nicholas Broskey an Assistant Professor in the department of Kinesiology, at the College of Health and Human Performance at East Carolina University.​
He is a translational scientist focusing on skeletal muscle physiology. Particularly, Dr. Broskey is interested in the role of mitochondria in health and disease and how exercise interventions can help ameliorate conditions of metabolic disease through mitochondrial biology. Dr. Broskey has worked on interventions involving exercise training in elderly individuals at risk for diabetes and now focuses on the opposite side of the age spectrum in infants. He is interested in how maternal health during pregnancy programs infants in utero for future metabolic health outcomes
Sara Santarossa, Ph.D.
Dr. Sara Santarossa is an assistant scientist in the Department of Public Health Sciences, working closely with the Mom and Baby Research Studies and the Center for Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research (CAAIR). She is also the scientific director of the Patient-Engaged Research Center (PERC). She is committed to using diverse participant-driven methodologies that combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches and has expertise in engaging with diverse communities to improve patient-centered outcomes. She is is committed to translating research to create knowledge mobilization outcomes and impacts (e.g., infographics, interactive workshops/handouts, webinars).
Rachel Tinius, Ph.D.
Dr. Rachel Tinius (Associate Professor, Exercise Science, Western Kentucky University) is an American College of Sports Medicine-Certified Exercise Physiologist who has 12 years of experience and over 25 peer-reviewed publications conducting clinical research with pregnant and postpartum women. She has studied the many effects of exercise during pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes, as well as designed community-based interventions for pregnant and postpartum women
Janet Shaw, Ph.D., FACSM
Dr. Shaw is Interim Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs, College of Health, and Associate Professor, Department of Health and Kinesiology, and is Adjunct faculty in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, and in the College of Nursing at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on physical activity and women’s health.
And, Drs. Linda May, Taniya Nagpal, Anna Szumilewicz, Cathy Cram, & Kirina Angrish!
