Behind the Scenes - News

Dear ISBNPA member,

This page presents the candidates for the 2026–2027 Executive Committee elections, in their own words. Please read their profiles and cast your vote between 16 November and 14 December 2026. Terms start at the 2027 Annual General Meeting of the Members – planned for June 2027.

You can vote for one candidate for Treasurer-Elect and for up to two candidates for Member-at-Large:

• Treasurer-Elect (2027–2028): 1 seat, 1 candidate
• Member-at-Large (2027–2030): 2 seats, 9 candidates

How to vote: on 16 November you will receive your ballot by email. The voting link is personal and can be used only once, so please do not forward it. Your vote is secret. The same ballot includes the vote on the proposed By-laws amendments.

On behalf of the Nominations Committee, chaired by Philippe Gradidge.

Download all candidate profiles (PDF)

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Treasurer-Elect

Term 2027–2028 · 1 seat · vote for one candidate

The profile reproduces the text the candidate submitted.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

I have enjoyed my time as Treasurer since 2025. I look forward to continuing to strengthen the budgeting process and explore ways to grow the societies funds through investments.

Narrative CV

I am the Chief Operating Officer at the Center for Nutrition & Health Impact (CNHI) (www.centerfornutrition.org), headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. CNHI is a national nonprofit research institute, founded in 1973, and providing expertise in the measurement and evaluation of public health nutrition efforts. CNHI’s work helps to develop, enhance, and expand programs focused on promoting food and nutrition security, healthy eating active living and local food systems. My research interests include strengthening the school-food environment and the promotion of healthy food access across communities. I spend the majority of my time at CNHI on key administrative responsibilities, such as overseeing recruitment, fiscally monitoring large, multi-year federal cooperative agreements, working directly with our Board of Directors, and other strategic initiatives to further the mission of the organization. I received my Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2008 and my Master of Public Health from the University of Nebraska Medical Center with an emphasis in Community Health Education in 2012.

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Member-at-Large

Term 2027–2030 · 2 seats · vote for up to 2 candidates

Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by surname. Each profile reproduces the text the candidate submitted.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

As a member-at-large, I am eager to contribute to ISBNPA in a greater capacity and be more involved in the strategic direction of the society. In particular, I am interested in playing a key role in fostering an inclusive culture and growing the next generation of researchers.

With my strong International collaborative network and my research experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations and Indigenous communities, I plan to contribute to the ISBNPA Ambassadors program and work with colleagues to improve engagement of those from LMIC and priority populations. Some examples may include, strengthening ISBNPA membership with those from the Asia-Pacific region, identifying pathways to support cross-institutional visits, and supporting greater collaborations of ISBNPA members through virtual research ‘catch-ups’.

I also plan to assist with growing the next generation of researchers and am very excited to contribute to the ISBNPA mentorship program as a mentor. As part of this, I also plan to advocate and identify further opportunities for ECRs, including seed grant funding and co-applicants on research grants to help build a track record, co-supervision of research students to gain supervisory experience, and where possible, research visits with senior researchers for training and professional development.

Narrative CV

Cristina M. Caperchione is a Professor of Physical Activity and Health Promotion in the School of Human Performance, Rehabilitation and Population Health at University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Her academic career spans 20+ years, during which time she has worked across four institutions spanning across Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Her research closely aligns with the vision and mission of ISBNPA and is focused on the use of mixed methodologies to design, implement, and evaluate community physical activity interventions for those most vulnerable to chronic disease and poor health (e.g., Indigenous women, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, those from low socio-economic areas).

Prof. Caperchione attended her first ISBNPA conference as a PhD student in 2005 and has been a regular attendee since 2011. She was one of the first members of the Cancer Prevention and Management (CPM) SIG, of which she also held the role of Treasurer, Deputy Chair, and Chair. She was also contributed to many of the conferences over the years, as a member of the organising committee in Victoria, BC, Canada (2017), as the discussant for several of the SIG supported symposiums, and as a Chair/Co-Chair of several oral sessions, most recently in Cadiz.

Prof. Caperchione has considerable committee experience, including the Chair or elected member of Human Research Ethics Committee and Behavioural Research Ethics Board, Academic Board, Health Research Committee.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

Ever since I began my research career, I have been deeply fascinated by human behavior and the mechanisms driving healthy lifestyle adoption. My work has primarily focused on exercise and eating cross-behavior regulation, self-determination theory, and behavior change interventions’ design and implementation across clinical and general populations.

Since attending my first annual meeting in 2007, I have watched ISBNPA grow while maintaining its welcoming, values-driven community. My commitment has evolved from presenting research – across 8 annual meetings and several publications in IJBNPA – to active service as a founding member of the DareToShare Committee.

I am eager to step into the role of Member-at-Large to support ISBNPA’s growth and strategic priorities: I intend to leverage my experience in behavioral regulation to help translate and maximize the real-world impact of our research. Building on my experience in the DareToShare initiative, I will be dedicated to foster inclusive research networks and discussions across regions and career stages, and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration. Having benefited from ISBNPA’s supportive environment, I aim to contribute to the development of mentoring, leadership and skill-building opportunities for early- and mid-career researchers. Finally, I intend to support ISBNPA’s commitment to integrate sustainable practices into physical activity and nutrition research and related societal activities.

Narrative CV

I am an Assistant Professor at Lusófona University and researcher at CIDEFES with over 15 years of experience in physical activity, eating and behavioral regulation. I specialize in applying Self-Determination Theory and the COM-B framework to design scalable lifestyle interventions across general and clinical populations. I coordinate two Master-level units, serve on university Scientific and Pedagogical Councils, and regularly evaluate FCT doctoral scholarship panels.

I have led competitive research projects, serving as PI of the FCT-funded PAC-WOMAN project and co-PI of HomeCombo, developing exercise counselling and training manuals for cancer survivors. I have contributed to major EU-funded projects (e.g., SPOTLIGHT, NoHoW) and co-coordinated KoR digital intervention design/testing. I additionally served on the EASO Physical Activity Working Group, co-drafting EASO’s first PA recommendations for adults with obesity.

Dedicated to capacity building, I actively supervise numerous Master and PhD candidates, bridging academic rigor with practical execution. I am active in international scientific societies, contributing to knowledge transfer and community outreach. My background as a certified exercise physiologist in health clubs enables me to translate complex behavioral evidence into real-world practice and healthcare integration.

I am a full-time mum of two and a passionate amateur dancer, who successfully balances personal life with a demanding academic career.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

I am standing to represent Africa and the Society’s LMIC membership on the Executive Committee, and to bring networks into the room that ISBNPA currently reaches only at second hand.

Three priorities.

Dues and participation costs. The Executive Committee sets dues. I would use that vote to argue for salary-indexed membership tiers and a multi-year LMIC rate, and for invitation documentation issued 120 days before the Annual Meeting as standing practice. Visa refusal is a recurring, fixable reason African members do not attend.

Institutional bridges. ISBNPA’s reach into Africa depends on relationships with bodies that already convene the continent’s researchers — the African Physical Activity Network, regional universities, and the African research diaspora in Europe, where I work. I would pursue formal cooperation with those organisations rather than individual outreach, and report on it annually.

Reviewer and editor capacity. My portfolio in the Open Journal working group covers the ECR peer review academy and systematic-reviewer recruitment. Reviewer supply is the constraint on every journal ambition the Society has, and it is the one place where widening participation and raising quality are the same task rather than competing ones.

I already do this work, in the Open Journal working group and on the Strategy to Action 2026 Task Group. I am asking to do it where the decisions are made, for the full three years.

Narrative CV

Within ISBNPA I sit on the Open Journal working group, where my portfolio in the Editorial and Scope work package is the ECR peer review academy and systematic-reviewer recruitment. I also serve on the Strategy to Action 2026 Task Group on engagement barriers for LMIC members. The Annual Meeting Committee selected me as an invited One-to-Watch speaker in Cádiz in 2026, where I spoke on intersectionality and on rebuilding sampling, nomenclature and classification so health equity is measurable, not asserted.

I am a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Fellow at Glasgow Caledonian University in the LABDA network, funded by Horizon Europe and endorsed by UKRI as Global Talent. My work builds a universal taxonomy of 24-hour movement behaviour from wearable-sensor data, diaries and large language models, with explicit work to reduce WEIRD bias, and I co-develop the LABDA open-source toolbox so the methods stay usable outside well-resourced settings. I am first author of a systematic review of multidisciplinary team care in type 2 diabetes (Current Diabetes Reviews, 2021) and of linked qualitative work on health-system barriers in Morocco (Int J Equity Health, 2023).

I trained as a physiotherapist at University of Maiduguri, then added an MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (Antwerp), an Advanced MSc in Public Health Methodology (ULB), and a postgraduate degree in applied AI (Brussels). I maintain networks across African universities and the African diaspora in Europe.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

I am honored to be nominated for the ISBNPA Executive Committee and welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Society’s strategic direction, global reach, and continued growth. As a behavioral nutrition researcher with experience in interdisciplinary collaborations, research leadership, mentoring, and professional service, I am committed to advancing ISBNPA’s mission and strengthening its scientific community.

If elected, I would focus on enhancing member engagement and ensuring that diverse perspectives, particularly those of members from underrepresented geographic regions and early- and mid-career researchers, are reflected in the Society’s priorities and decisions. I would support opportunities for international collaboration, mentorship, professional development, and meaningful involvement of students and emerging investigators.

I would also serve as a strong link between the membership and Executive Committee, actively seeking member input and translating feedback into actionable initiatives. Drawing on my expertise in behavioral nutrition, community-engaged research, and implementation science, I would contribute to scientific programming, working groups, and initiatives that strengthen the translation of research into policy and practice. Above all, I hope to help foster an inclusive, connected, and impactful global ISBNPA community.

Narrative CV

I am an Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Nutrition at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center (CNRC), Baylor College of Medicine. My externally funded research program focuses on improving nutrition and health among children and families through behavioral nutrition, community-engaged research, and implementation science. Key areas include food and nutrition security, food assistance programs, Food Is Medicine, and interventions to improve diet quality and prevent and manage chronic diseases. My work involves interdisciplinary and international collaborations across academic institutions, healthcare systems, and community organizations.

My leadership and professional service include Associate Director of Engagement, Communication, and Enrichment at CNRC; Associate Editor of the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity and Nutrition Journal; and service on ISBNPA’s Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and Annual Meeting Committees (2024 and 2025), as well as committees of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) and Society for Pediatric Research. I am a Fellow of ASN and have participated in national research leadership development programs. I actively mentor students and early-career researchers, organize scientific programming, and foster collaborative research networks.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

ISBNPA has helped shape my career, from presenting my first research as a master’s student in 2008 to now chairing a SIG. I want to serve on the Executive Committee to help more members, at every career stage and from every setting, know that same benefit. Leading a SIG has shown me where society-level support would make the biggest difference.

If elected, I would focus on three areas:

1. Communication across SIGs. SIG leaders often lack a quick, regular way to share plans and ideas, with each other and within their own SIGs. I would work with the SIG Committee to set up a shared channel and regular leaders’ check-ins, so that joint work does not depend on infrequent conversations.
2. Clear mentorship expectations. Mentoring works best when both people know what to expect. Drawing on my experience mentoring students, ECRs, and community-based practitioners, I would help develop simple guidance on goals, time commitment and review points to strengthen ISBNPA mentoring.
3. Reach. My research on the digital divide shows that online interventions often miss the people who need them most. I would apply the same lens to ISBNPA, using membership and event data to see who our webinars and meetings reach and who they miss, and testing changes such as rotating time zones and recorded sessions.

I would also take on the committee’s routine work, including annual meeting planning, abstract review and communications.

Narrative CV

I have attended ISBNPA conferences since 2008 and have held SIG leadership roles for over a decade. In the Cancer Prevention and Management SIG, I have served as Communications Officer, Secretary, Deputy Chair and since 2025, Chair. I have organised SIG symposia at the 2025 and 2026 annual meetings, participated in SIG symposia in 2020 and 2023, and contributed to SIG seed-funded projects. As Chair, I have co-led cross-SIG work with the e- & mHealth and Socioeconomic Inequalities SIGs.

At society level, I have been a member of the SIG Committee since 2018, served as Social Media Officer on the Communications Committee (2018 to 2021), and have reviewed conference abstracts since 2016. I was a member of the Editorial Board of IJBNPA for three years before becoming an Associate Editor in 2025.

Outside ISBNPA, I sit on the Editorial Board of npj Exercise Medicine & Health and have served on review panels for Cancer Research UK, the Irish Cancer Society and World Cancer Research Fund. At Hull York Medical School, I am Academic Lead for postgraduate research admissions and co-lead two research themes. I supervise PhD and medical student research, lead and support undergrad and graduate teaching, and mentor a community-based practitioner in using research.

I am a Senior Lecturer at the University of Hull, UK. My research, funded by over £1.7 million as PI, develops remotely delivered activity and nutrition programmes for people with cancer, with a focus on equitable access.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

ISBNPA has been an incredible platform for my learning and research connections, supporting collaborations and personal friendships. I would be honoured to give back to a community that has shaped my career, and to help it continue thriving as the leading international research community in behavioural nutrition and physical activity.

As a Member-at-Large, I would bring energy, follow-through and a genuine enjoyment of bringing people together. I am particularly keen to contribute to the Membership Committee, supporting the work of Umar Hassan and Jordan Curry, our Student and Early Career Representatives, to support ISBNPA’s priority of Growing the Next Generation. This would mean helping extend opportunities for connection and professional development throughout the year, so that members at every career stage feel welcomed and supported. I would also enjoy spreading the word about ISBNPA to researchers and students who haven’t yet discovered it, helping more people experience the same sense of community that has meant so much to me. I would also like to contribute to the Scientific Program Committee, drawing on my conference organising and workshop facilitation experience to help shape engaging content for our Annual Meetings. I am committed to ISBNPA’s Inclusive Culture priority and would prioritise strengthening existing connections and building new ones with under-represented Pacific colleagues, building genuine pathways into the Society.

Narrative CV

I am a Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology and a New Zealand Registered Dietitian. My work bridges nutrition, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep, giving me a broad, practical lens on behavioural health research. I have had the privileged of representing ISBNPA as a NESI Officer since 2024, facilitated NESI workshops at the 2025 and 2026 Annual Meetings, and was invited to speak in the One-to-Watch session at the 2026 meeting.

Beyond ISBNPA, I have built a strong record of service to Oceania-based societies, including co-chairing the Federation of Oceanic Nutrition Societies Early Career Task Force, serving as Secretary of the Asia Pacific Society for Physical Activity Special Interest Group Committee, and contributing to conference organising committees and webinars for the Nutrition Society of New Zealand since 2022 including time as the Student Representative on its Council.

I will bring a somewhat distinctive perspective to this role as a Registered Dietitian based in Aotearoa New Zealand. I combine a clinical lens with the energy and outlook of someone earlier in their research career. I would be proud to bring this combination of experience and enthusiasm to support ISBNPA’s continued growth.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

As Member-at-Large, I would work with ISBNPA committees and members on three connected priorities. First, I would strengthen engagement across Latin America and other underrepresented regions by connecting research networks with ISBNPA, listening to barriers to participation, and supporting accessible webinars and opportunities for collaboration. I would advocate for regional perspectives in scientific programmes and committee discussions. Second, I would support inclusive mentoring through ISBNPA’s existing initiatives, connecting students and early career researchers with mentors across countries. I would contribute training in epidemiology and measurement, with particular attention to researchers facing racial, gender and resource inequities. Third, I would encourage collaboration across physical activity and behavioural nutrition, bringing expertise in 24-hour movement behaviours, obesity and health inequities. Drawing on my experience with Brazil’s Report Cards and public health research, I would help develop exchanges on translating evidence into practical messages for schools, health services and policymakers. Across these priorities, I would bring members’ concerns to Executive Committee discussions and help assess progress through participation, mentoring engagement and collaborative outputs, supporting ISBNPA’s mission to improve human and planetary health.

Narrative CV

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, where I have worked since 2012. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the Federal University of Sergipe and master’s and doctoral degrees in Physical Education from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. My research connects physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, obesity and population health, with particular attention to children, adolescents and health inequities. I lead Brazil’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents and serve on the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance Board as Latin American representative and a member of its Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. These roles have strengthened my experience in international collaboration, regional representation and collective decision-making. I collaborate with researchers in Canada, Portugal, Spain, Australia and the USA, contributing to international research and knowledge exchange in physical activity and health. I have supervised 15 master’s graduates, five doctoral graduates and six postdoctoral researchers. I would bring this combination of leadership, mentoring and public health experience to ISBNPA.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

I would welcome the opportunity to give back to ISBNPA, a community that has shaped my research and international collaborations. Through regular conference participation, serving on the 2025 Auckland organising committee, chairing the e- and mHealth SIG and contributing to the Inclusivity and Diversity Working Group, I have seen how practical, member-led initiatives can strengthen the Society.

I would focus on fostering collaboration across SIGs and disciplines; creating opportunities for early-career researchers and colleagues from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to contribute to research, conference activities and Society discussions; and making research findings accessible to members and wider audiences. Within the e- and mHealth SIG, collaborative publications have brought together researchers across countries and career stages. I would build on approaches like these, listen to members’ priorities and work through existing structures rather than duplicate efforts.

I would bring a constructive, dependable approach and a commitment to making ISBNPA an inclusive, connected and valuable community.

Narrative CV

I am a Senior Research Fellow at Adelaide University, specialising in physical activity, digital health, behaviour change and evidence synthesis. My involvement with ISBNPA includes regular conference attendance, presentations at international meetings, a “One to Watch” keynote in Auckland (2025), and service on the 2025 Auckland conference organising committee.

I currently chair ISBNPA’s e- and mHealth SIG, through which I have led two published international collaborative papers (npj Digital Medicine, 2024; Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2025) and am leading two further manuscripts. I also serve on ISBNPA’s Inclusivity and Diversity Working Group, contributing to initiatives that supported a greater than 15% increase in membership from low- and middle-income countries during 2024–2025. In 2023, I received an ISBNPA Pioneer Grant supporting exercise oncology research.

Beyond ISBNPA, I have experience organising international conferences, mentoring researchers, leading government-funded evidence reviews, contributing to major NHMRC/MRFF-funded projects, and communicating research to broad audiences.

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Planned key contributions to ISBNPA

Since taking on my first ISBNPA role in 2018, I have contributed continuously across almost every career stage the Society serves. I chaired the Network of Early Career Researchers and Students (2018-2022), served as Student Representative on the Executive Committee (2020-2022), co-chaired the Mentoring Program (2022-2024), and co-chaired the Building Future Leaders program, which supported 23 mid-career researchers globally in 2025. In my current term as Member-at-Large I have continued this work, and have recently been appointed Chair of the Membership Committee, which oversees all of these programs. What I aim to contribute now is to bring these initiatives together, so that they operate as a single coherent membership offering rather than in parallel, and so that membership holds greater value for more of our members.

If re-elected, I will pursue two priorities. The first is to consolidate what the Society offers its members, so that our programs form a clear pathway across career stages, supported by consistent communication and broader opportunities for members to become involved. The second is to contribute to the redevelopment of the Society’s website, including a members-only area offering exclusive content, where members can identify collaborators, advertise opportunities and communicate directly with one another. Together these priorities will ensure that ISBNPA membership delivers real value at every stage of a member’s career.

Narrative CV

I am a Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Deakin Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Melbourne, researching 24-hour movement behaviours and health across childhood. I have published 39 peer-reviewed papers, hold an h-index of 15, and have secured over AUD$2.5 million in funding. My work is cited in WHO, Dutch and French movement guidelines and policy documents. I am an Associate Editor of the Journal of Activity, Sedentary and Sleep Behaviors. I have organized the 2020 ISBNPA conference (online XChange) and review for IJBNPA.

I started my ISBNPA service during my PhD studies and continuously volunteered for the past eight years across most parts of the Society:

• 2026-current: Chair, Membership Committee
• 2024-current: Member-at-Large, Executive Committee (elected)
• 2022-2026: Chair, Building Future Leaders Course
• 2022-2024: Co-chair, Mentoring team
• 2020-2022: Executive Committee Student Representative (elected)
• 2020: Committee Member, Organizing Committee, first online Xchange meeting
• 2018-2022: Chair (2020-2022) and Committee Member (2018-2022), Network of Early Career Researchers and Students
• 2018-2022: Committee Member, Communications Committee

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