Kathryn is currently a Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity, Exercise and Health, Institute of Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure, Leeds Beckett University, UK.
After completing a BSc in Sports Science and Social Science and an MSc in Physical Activity and Health, both at Loughborough University, Kathryn joined Liverpool John Moores University, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences (LJMU SPS) as a practitioner-researcher in August 2009.
Kathryn managed the Everton Active Family Centre (LJMU SPS satellite centre based at Goodison Park) and established and co-ordinated Everton in the Community’s ‘Premier League Men’s Health’ programme. The Premier League Health programme used the power of a Premier League football club as a vehicle to engage hard-to-reach men in Liverpool in physical activity and health-related behaviours. On a daily basis Kathryn worked with men who have some of the poorest health statistics in the UK, including men experiencing homelessness, recovering drug and alcohol users, men who are long-term unemployed and men who had recently been released from prison.
Alongside her role as a project manager and practitioner, Kathryn undertook research (PhD) within Liverpool John Moores University. This research was predominately qualitative and adopted an ethnographic approach. Kathryn’s work examined men’s barriers to engagement in physical activity and health-related behaviours and explored the psychosocial impact of engagement in a Football in the Community programme. Upon completion of her PhD Kathryn joined the University of Bolton as a Lecturer in Sport and Physical Activity Development (August 2013- August 2014) before moving to Leeds Beckett University (August 2014-Present).
Kathryn’s teaching, research and consultancy focuses on investigating the effectiveness and efficiency of community physical activity and health inventions with individuals and groups traditionally referred to as “hard-to-reach”. These include men and those experiencing homelessness. She regularly presents her research at International, European, National and regional conferences. Kathryn’s work and research using football as a vehicle for physical activity and health engagement with socially disadvantaged men has been championed by the World Health Organization as an example of best practice.