Adapted Physical Education Presenters

This page features workshop presenters whose expertise is showing you how to more effectively teach and include children who have disabilities into physical education classes.

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Justin Haegele
Justin Haegele
Location: Norfolk, VA (Old Dominion Univ.)
Grade Levels: K-12 Adapted PE
Willing to present locally, in the USA and Internationally. Can present throughout the year.
Bio:
Justin A. Haegele, PhD, CAPE is an assistant professor at Old Dominion University in the Department of Human Movement Sciences. He received his Bachelors in Physical education and Masters in Adapted Physical Education from the College at Brockport, State University of New York, and his PhD in Adapted Physical Education from The Ohio State University. Prior to pursuing his PhD, he was an adapted physical education teacher at a school for children with autism spectrum disorder in Queens, NY. In addition, he has been a co-director of Camp Abilities Alaska, a one-week developmental sport camp for children with visual impairments, since 2009. In 2012, Dr. Haegele was selected as the New York State Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year from NYSAHPERD. More recently, he received the 2015 David P. Beaver Adapted Physical Activity Young Scholar Award from NCPEID.
Adapted Presentation Topics:

  • Inclusion
  • Impact of Laws/ Regulations on APE
  • Instructional strategies for inclusion
  • Assessment and students with disabilities
  • Disability Specific Content (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Visual Impairment, etc.)


Beth Hersman
Beth Hersman
Location: Dayton, OH (Wright State Univ.)
Grade Levels: PreK - 12 Adapted Physical Education
Teaching Experience: 14+ Years
Presentation Experience: 12+ Years
Willing to present locally, in the USA and Internationally and is willing to do 3 hour/6 hour/or two day presentations. Can present year round.
Bio:
Beth received her doctorate degree at The Ohio State University in 2007 in Adapted Physical Education, and her undergraduate and master's degrees at West Virginia University in Physical Education Teacher Education in 2002 and 2003. Beth also completed her second masters degree at Wright State University in Educational Technology, which has helped her to develop her online APE endorsement program at Wright State. Beth is active at the state and national levels in several professional associations, and was voted in as the Secretary for the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities. She is also a Certified Adapted Physical Educator and volunteers regularly at various disability sporting events in Central Ohio.
Presentation Highlights:

I have presented at OAHPERD, SHAPE America, NAKHE, and at an international conference in June 2016. I have also presented several times in Puerto Rico.


Presentation Topics:

  • Adapted Physical Education (APE)
  • Assessment in APE
  • Disability sport
  • Adapting and modifying activities for individuals with disabilities

Jennifer Houston
Jennifer Houston
Location: Mesa, AZ (Mesa Public Schools)
Grade Levels: Adapted PE, K-12 PE and college PE Teaching Experience: 15+ Years Public School teaching Presentation Experience: 10+ Years
Willing to present locally and in the USA. Can present throughout the year.
Bio:
Taught K-12 physical education for 12 years, including 5 years in adapted physical education. Earned NBCT in 2006. After earning PhD in curriculum and instruction in physical education in 2014 from Arizona State University (ASU), taught higher ed PETE and other kinesiology courses for six years at ASU, Texas A&M San Antonio, and Northern Arizona University (NAU). Currently working as an adapted physical education specialist, preK-12, for Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, AZ. Have presented at SHAPE, Southwest district as well as our AZHPE state organization several years in a row.
Presentation Highlights:

  • SHAPE, St. Louis - presented "What are your students really learning", which addressed appropriate and purposeful assessment in physical education.
  • National APE Conference, Burlingame, CA - presented on writing appropriate goals for students with severe multiple disabilities (SMD)
  • AZHPE (formerly AAHPERD) -presented a lecture/activity session on successfully implementing Sport education into a physical education program.
  • AZHPE - presented a lecture/activity session on implementing TGfU into secondary physical education


Keynote Presentation Topics:

  • The importance of assessment, as well as appropriate assessments in physical education; Updating your physical education program - teaching physical education in this day and age is NOT the same as it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. As physical education teachers we must have the ability to remain relevant (NOT teaching as we were taught by old school 'ball rollers'.
  • The importance of using standards (SHAPE and state) to guide your curriculum and student learning outcomes


Presentation Topics (expanded presentation descriptions):

  • Adapted Physical Education
  • Secondary physical education methods
  • Purposeful introductory games for K-12
  • Technology in physical education
  • Implementing IEP goals into GPE
  • Health club model for secondary physical education
  • Student created portfolios for student learning documentation
  • TGFU
  • And More...!

Francis M. Kozub
Mike Kozub
Location: Brockport, NY (SUNY Brockport)
Grade Levels: K-12 Adapted PE Teaching Experience: 26+ Years Presentation Experience: 20+ Years
Willing to present locally, in the USA and Internationally. Can present throughout the year and is willing to do Keynote presentations.
Bio:
Dr. Kozub is a full professor at the College at Brockport and has taught at the University level since 1997. His primary research interests have focused on teaching children with disabilities, motivation and physical activity behaviors in individuals with and without disabilities. In the late 1980's and early 90's, Dr. Kozub was a physical educator in the public schools of New York and coached football, baseball, and basketball. Dr. Kozub is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA) and has competed nationally in both powerlifting and olympic style weight lifting. He has been a powerlifting coach for athletes with intellectual disabilities for the past four years and has prepared lifters for regional and state powerlifting meets.
Presentation Highlights:

Presented internationally, nationally, and regionally over 100 times since 1985.


Keynote Topics:

Role of assessment in today's educational climate, physical activity behaviors in children with disabilities, ethical concerns in including children with disabilities and program planning for individuals with disabilities.


Presentation Topics:

  • Adapted Physical Education
  • Assessment
  • Strength & Conditioning
  • And More...!


Matthew D. Lucas, Ed.D., Professor of Physical and Health Education
MattLucas
Location: Longwood Univ., Farmville, VA
Grade Levels: PreK - 12 Adapted Physical Education
Teaching Experience: 26 years including elementary adapted/general physical education and university teaching. Developing and running three free sports and recreation programs for children with disabilities in low-income areas – began in 2009.
Presentation Experience: 27 Years
Presenting in-person most of the year, locally, state level, national level and at the international level. Zoom is also often an option to save money.
Bio:
Dr. Matthew D. Lucas serves as a Professor in the Department of Health, Recreation, and Kinesiology at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Dr. Lucas holds an Ed.D. in Adapted Physical Education from the University of Virginia. He has worked for over 25 years in education including ten at the elementary school level. In addition he has created and runs three free sports/recreation programs for children with disabilities in the Farmville, VA area. The first program, Buddy Baseball/T-Ball was started in 2009. Two additional programs have been added, Buddy Bowling (2011) and Buddy Basketball (2015). Dr. Lucas also serves on the editorial boards of five journals including the international adapted physical education journal, Palaestra, three special education journals, Journal of American Academy of Special Education Services, Special Education Research Policy and Practice, and Journal of International Association of Special Education, and the state physical education and recreation journal, Virginia Journal. Dr. Lucas has published about 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts in state, national, and international physical education, special education, and adapted physical education journals and presented about 30 presentations at the international, national, state, and local levels. Dr. Lucas also has published an e-monograph/e-course with a major publisher on the inclusion of individualized education programs in physical education.

Presentation Highlights:

  • Adapted Physical Education (APE)
  • IEPs in physical education
  • IDEA as it pertains to APE
  • Grading in APE
  • Creating and running adative sports programs.

Takahiro Sato
Takahiro Sato
Location: Kent, OH (Kent State Univ.)
Grade Levels: Middle School-College Physical Education
Teaching Experience: 10+ Years
Presentation Experience: 5+ Years
Willing to present locally, in the USA and Internationally. Can present in the fall and the summer and is willing to do Keynote presentations.
Bio:
Takahiro Sato is a Japanese native and an associate professor of Adapted Physical Education in the School of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum Studies at Kent State University. Takahiro's scholarly interests focus on physical education teachers' beliefs on teaching students with disabilities, diversity and social justice of students and teachers of color in physical education, and international students' experiences in higher education. He is a nationally certified Adapted Physical Educator and a Fellow of the Research Consortium of SHAPE America. He is currently offering Ohio APE graduate endorsement approved by Ohio Department of Education. His program develops collaborative relationships with interdisciplinary faculty colleagues, students, and PE and APE teachers engaging in the program examination of learning.
Presentation Highlights:

  • Sato, T., Samalot-Rivera, A., & Kozub, F. M. (April, 2016). New graduate students’ transition: Academic experiences of adapted physical education Programs. Paper is accepted for presentation at SHAPE America Convention, Minneapolis, MN, 2016.
  • Sato. T., Hodge, S. R., Samalot-Rivera, A., Volmar, V. (October, 2014). Physical Education Teacher Candidates’ Perspectives about Instructing Children with Disabilities in Adapted Aquatics. Abstract is accepted for the presentation at North America Federation of Adapted Physical Activity Symposium at University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI, 2014.
  • Sato, T. (July 2013), Modified Physical Activities, Games, and Sport. Global approach of Adapted Physical Education Workshop, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
  • Sato, T. (October 2010). Placement Decision of Students with Disabilities in Physical Education - Workshop, Hudson City, Schools, Ohio


Keynote Topics:

  • Adapted Physical Education
  • Social Justice and Diversity
  • International Students


Presentation Topics:

  • Inclusion/Adapted PE
  • Assessment
  • Online APE Professional Development
  • Culturally Relevant in Teaching
  • Practicum
  • Diversity and Social Justice
  • English Language Learners
  • International Students


Cathy Smith
Dave Senecal
Location: Mary Esther, FL (Retired)
Grade Levels: Elementary/Middle/High School and Adapted PE
Presentation Details: Presentation Workshop Topics with descriptions (PDF)
Willing to present locally, all over the USA and the World. Can present throughout the year including the summer.
Bio:
Cathy L. Smith has been a teacher since 1975 until 2015. She taught middle and high school regular PE in Los Angeles City Schools then started teaching Adapted PE in 1982 until 1988. She move to Colorado where she taught for Denver Public Schools as the districts Special Olympics Coordinator and Adapted PE. She was the adapted PE teacher of the year for the state of Georgia 2000 to 2003 and runs the website adaptedPE.net. In 2000 she moved to Georgia where she taught Adapted PE for 10 years and regular Elementary PE for 5 years. She has presented at the National Adapted PE Conference for over 10 years. She as also presented at GAHPERD, AAHPERD, and Southern District AAHPERD conferences. Cathy was the Southern District AAHPERD Adapted PE chairperson in 2003 and the Georgia AAHPERD chairperson in 2013-15. She is currently CAPE certified. Cathy is retired but still presents at conferences and works with disabled adults with Guided Tours. Cathy is an avid volleyball player and competes at senior games in Florida and competed at USA Volleyball national 2016 in Orlando, FL. She also plays beach volleyball competitions in Florida. Cathy is also a disabled ski instructor and worked as a volunteer for the National Sports Center for the Disabled from 1988 - 1998. She has also been a ski instructor for the Shining Stars for over 26 years, which is for kids with cancer or life threatening illness, in Aspen, CO.

Presentation Highlights:

  • National Adapted PE Conference - Special Olympics Unified Sports - 1994 Ontario, CA
  • National Adapted PE Conference - Inclusive Rhythm and Dance in your Classroom - 1999 Costa Mesa, CA
  • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Elementary Workshop - Summer 2004 Adapted PE activities and inclusion ideas for general physical education
  • National Adapted PE Conference - Social Dance, 2010 Monterrey, CA
Presentation Topics:
  • Adapted PE/Inclusion
  • Elementary activities
  • Dance


Dana Zimmerman
Dana Zimmerman
Location: River Falls, WI (University of Wisconsin, River Falls)
Grade Levels: K-12 PE and Health Teaching Experience: 6 Years Public School, 1 Year at College Level. Presentation Experience: 10+ Years
Willing to present locally and in the USA. Can present throughout the year including the summer and is willing to do Keynote presentations.
Bio:
Dana Zimmerman is the new Assistant Clinical Professor at University of Wisconsin River Falls, River Falls, WI for Adapted Physical Education. He was born with cerebral palsy, but hasn’t let a disability prevent him from pursuing his dreams. Dana ran track, cross county, and cross country skied for his “abled-bodied “high school and college teams. He won the N.O.V.A. CARE Award and was selected as the M.I.P. skier on the team. Dana was also selected as the BEST Ropes Course Director at Camp Zanika. He has been a member of 2 Paralympic teams and won a silver medal in Sydney, Australia for the 1500m race for track. He has taught Adapted Physical Education for 6 years. Dana has a wealth of information about working with students with disabilities and would love to share it with you.
Presentation Topics:

  • Teaching Physical Education with a Physical Disability
  • Bully Prevention
  • Starting a Disability Sports Program in Your Area
  • Teaching Adapted Physical Education with Feeling
  • Human Value & Building Strong Self-Concept
  • Becoming a Paralympian & Beyond
  • Disabilities Don’t Stop Me
  • Including “ALL” Students into your Physical Education classes
  • Fun Ice Breakers for Everyone
  • And More...!


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