RISE Scholars - Kerri Vanderbom, PhD, MA

Kerri Vanderbom, PhD, MA
University of Alabama at Birmingham
RISE Cohort 4

 

I will be transitioning into a faculty position for the UAB School of Health Professions, Department of Occupational Therapy. My research is focused on health promotion for people with disabilities- specifically related to physical activity and nutrition. My other research interests include knowledge translation, adapting evidence-based guidelines to be inclusive of persons with disabilities, and health promotion research specific to children and adults with Spina Bifida.

 

I received my PhD in Exercise Sport Science from Oregon State University in 2013. I have been involved in the American Public Health Association Disability Section since 2008. In addition, I am also a member of the National Spina Bifida Association Health Guideline Committee, and a board member of the Spina Bifida Association of Alabama. Most recently, I was chosen as a participant for the 2015 KT Canada Summer Institute, a highly competitive program.

I have worked with and conducted research with persons with disabilities for over 20 years. People with disabilities are one of the most health disparate populations and I am passionate about improving health in this population. Implementation Science is a very important field for disability in order to help speed up the promotion and integration of research findings and evidence into practice. My current research which is focused on adapting existing and new evidence-based health promotion programs, policies, and initiatives to be inclusive of individuals with disabilities is on the forefront of where health promotion for this group needs to go. I am very excited to learn as much as I can about implementation science in order to move disability health promotion research forward.