Gray Selected for American Kinesiology Association's Leadership Institute

Photo Submitted

Professor Michelle Gray

Michelle Gray, professor and interim head of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation at the U of A, was recently selected to be a fellow in the 2023 American Kinesiology Association's Leadership Institute.

The association introduced the Leadership Institute in 2019. The mentorship model includes a full year of training and networking for new department chairs, associate chairs and emerging faculty leaders. Only 10 fellows are accepted into the program each year.

"I am elated to be a part of AKA's Leadership Institute," Gray said. "This is a unique opportunity to be mentored by a highly regarded leader in the field of kinesiology."

Gray juggles ambitious research, teaching, one-on-one mentoring and a full slate of duties associated with leading the College of Education and Health Professions Honors Program. She serves as the regional chapter representative for Central States Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine and is a reviewer for seven journals. Gray is also part of a task force exploring collaborations between the U of A and UAMS. She's also involved in one of the longest-running faculty-led study abroad trips, Health Teams Abroad.

Gray joined the faculty of the College of Education and Health Professions in 2010. In 2021, Gray was appointed as interim head of the U of A Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation. The department offers degree programs in exercise science — also known as kinesiology — public health, recreation and sport management, athletic training, and teaching K-12 physical education and health.

The 2023 AKA Leadership Institute cohort also includes Pamela Beach, SUNY College at Brockport; Steve Elmer, Michigan Technological Institute; MaryCatherine Harmon, Houston Baptist University; Michael Hemphill, University of North Carolina Greensboro; David Hydock, University of Northern Colorado; Scott Lawrance, Purdue University; Gina Mabry, Jacksonville State University; Andrea Mason, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Tyra Mitchell, Tulane University; and Antonio Williams, Indiana University.

The AKA promotes and enhances kinesiology as a unified field of study and its members are from kinesiology departments in colleges and universities across North America. The organization advocates for kinesiology and kinesiology departments, facilitating communication among faculty and providing opportunities for educating and serving members.