Faculty

Karen L. Francis, PhD, is a Professor and Co-chair in the Kinesiology Department at the University of San Francisco. She teaches courses in Motor Control and Motor Learning and Neuroscience. Dr. Francis's research interests are focused on how we control and coordinate movement and how aging and disease affects our ability to control movements. Dr. Francis is currently the President of the American Kinesiology Association. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Big City Mountaineers; a...

Shannon Siegel teaches courses in the areas of growth, maturation, motor development, and measurement. She researches methods to get and keep youth physically active; much of her current research involves teaching inactive and/or overweight youth to rock climb. Professor Siegel is an active member of both ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) and NASPEM (North American Society for Pediatric Exercise Medicine). In addition, she is a section editor for the International Journal of Exercise...

Sarah Camhi’s educational and research training as a clinical exercise physiologist and physical activity epidemiologist has given her a unique perspective on examining the associations between lifestyle behaviors, obesity, and cardiometabolic risk.

More specifically, her research has examined the role of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and/or diet in modifying cardiometabolic risk within obese individuals across the lifespan. Professor Camhi’s current research explores barriers and...

Stephanie Cooper, PhD is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology. She has taught a variety of courses within the field, including Exercise & Sport Psychology, Lifetime Fitness & Wellness, Measurement & Statistics, and Principles of Strength & Conditioning. Her research examines the psychological antecedents and consequences of exercise. She is primarily interested in the efficacy of exercise as a means to enhance mental and physical well-being.

Dr. Cooper is an active member...

Gerwyn Hughes, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology Department at the University of San Francisco. He teaches courses in Biomechanics and Anatomical Kinesiology. Prof. Hughes’s main area of research is gender differences in landing and/or cutting biomechanics associated with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament injury. He has also published research in the areas of golf ball kinematics during putting, the biomechanics of simulated ankle sprains and the use of mobile technology for...

Diana Lattimore, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology Department at the University of San Francisco. The main courses she teaches include Sport & Exercise Psychology, Exercise and Healthy Kids, Exercise and Health Promotion, and Introduction to Kinesiology. Dr. Lattimore's research interests focus on examining the psychological aspects of sport, and specifically the psychological impact of injury on athletes. Currently she is examining the impact of communication between athletes...

Kae McCarty, PhD (she/hers) is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology. She has experience working in rehabilitation, health education programming, biomechanics, policy, and personal training. Her research focuses on disability justice within Kinesiology, specifically related to adaptive sports. She is passionate about how disability paradigms intersect with health and fitness, and advocating for health equity. She also plays roller derby for Peninsula Roller Derby.

Julia Orri, PhD, is a Professor in the Kinesiology Department at the University of San Francisco. She teaches Exercise Physiology, Exercise and Disease Prevention, Anatomical Kinesiology, and Statistics. Dr. Orri's research interests focus on chronic disease prevention in postmenopausal women. Currently, she is conducting a study on sleep quality, dietary patterns, and injury prevalence in postmenopausal runners. Past research has included the influence of exercise intensity on cardiovascular...

Professor Thompson has published several scientific publications on exercise programming for older adults in peer-reviewed journals such as the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, and Journal of Applied Research.

Professor Thompson is engaged in numerous research and community projects investigating the effects of exercise programming on the physical function of older adults, including his work with the city-wide Always...

Laura Sachs, BA, ACE, RYT, NCTMB, a mind/body expert with over 20 years experience in the health and fitness field is the creator of the E-MOTION ® Body/Mind Fitness Video, Relaxation and Yoga Walk (CD) Programs. She has created fitness content for Soma Management’s, somagirls.tv/health web site. She has presented workshops for IDEA and has written workouts and articles for IDEA Source, Shape, Fit Yoga, Natural Health, and American Fitness Magazine. Her article, “Firm Buttocks or Self...

Neil Laughlin is professor emeritus in the Kinesiology Department. He taught at USF from 1971 to 2017. His research interests are character development in judo and gender-based differences in sport. He served on the university's Promotion and Tenure and Disabilities Committees and was on the advisory board of New Life, a San Francisco-based residential drug treatment program.

Geraldine Lauro, EdD, University of San Francisco (1992) is an emeritus professor in the Kinesiology Department who began teaching in the department in 1970. She taught Foundations of Exercise and Sport Science, Motor Development Across the Lifespan, Elementary School Physical Education Curriculum and Instruction, and other courses that prepared students for a physical education teaching credential program. She was the Coordinator for the Kinesiology Department's physical activity program...