Psychological Dynamics of Physical Activity

Diane L. Gill, PhD, is a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She held faculty positions at the University of Waterloo and the University of Iowa before moving to UNCG. At UNCG, she has served as associate dean of the School of Health and Human Performance and head of the department of kinesiology; from 2010 to 2015 she was the Linda Arnold Carlisle Distinguished Excellence Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies. She has more than 40 years of experience as a faculty member in kinesiology and specifically in sport and exercise psychology. Gill has been engaged in research and scholarly activity in sport and exercise psychology throughout her career. She has more than 100 scholarly publications on sport and exercise psychology topics and has given many presentations at major national and international conferences. She serves on several editorial boards and is the former editor in chief of Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. She is a fellow of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Kinesiology. She is a former president of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) and of Division 47 (Exercise and Sport Psychology) of the APA. In 2014, Gill received the NASPSPA Distinguished Scholar award; in 2015, she received the Distinguished Contributions to Science and Research award from APA Division 47. She received both her MS and PhD degrees from the University of Illinois and her undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Cortland.

Erin J. Reifsteck, PhD, is a tenured associate professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), where she serves as the director of the online sport and exercise psychology master’s program and as the faculty fellow for student veteran well-being. Reifsteck’s current research focuses on promoting physical activity and health through sport, military, and life transitions, with an emphasis on translating theory into practice. Reifsteck served as principal investigator for two NCAA-funded studies to develop and evaluate the Moving On! program, which is based on a theoretical framework that integrates sport and exercise psychology principles to help student-athletes transition to a healthy lifestyle. In recognition of her work, Dr. Reifsteck received the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Dorothy V. Harris Memorial Award in 2019. She is a fellow of AASP and serves on the editorial board for Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. Reifsteck received her PhD and MS in kinesiology (sport and exercise psychology concentration) with a doctoral minor in educational research methodology from UNCG. She also received a graduate certificate in women’s and gender studies from UNCG and a health coach certificate through UNCG’s department of public health education. She earned her BS in psychology with a minor in neuroscience from Saint Francis University (Pennsylvania), where she played field hockey and was a two-time Academic All-American and was named Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

DeAnne Davis Brooks, EdD, is a clinical associate professor and director of the applied science in kinesiology doctoral program at Old Dominion University. She was previously an associate professor and director of graduate programs in kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Davis Brooks’ scholarship focuses on equity in higher education and athletics. She has written book chapters and articles centering the experiences of Black female athletes, student veterans, and students of color in the field of kinesiology. She has also delivered workshops to student-athletes, coaches, and athletics administrators on the topic of transitioning from competitive athletics to lifelong physical activity. Along with Erin Reifsteck, she codeveloped the Moving On! program to help athletes make healthy transitions to life after sports. Davis Brooks received her EdD in kinesiology from UNCG along with a graduate certificate in women’s and gender studies. She earned an MEd in clinical exercise physiology from the University of Georgia and a BA in exercise and sport science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a four-time All-American in the triple jump, was Atlantic Coast Conference MVP, and was named Southeast Regional Athlete of the Year for track and field. Davis Brooks is a certified exercise physiologist, strength and conditioning coach, and yoga instructor and has coached track and field at the youth and collegiate levels for over 20 years.