Meet the WIPAHS team

Professor Mackintosh leads the Exercise, Medicine and Health Research Group at Swansea University and is Co-Chair of the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS). She has been on numerous Chief Medical Officer physical activity and health expert working groups and is particularly interested in long-term health outcomes. Kelly specialises in assessing and promoting physical activity across the health spectrum and lifespan, with a particular focus on children and adolescents. Much of her work utilises technology, encompassing novel ways to visualise physical activity, such as 3D printing, and fundamental movement skills to aid individuals’, and significant others’, understanding. Intervention strategies have ranged from curriculum-based to high-intensity interval training, with a key emphasis of their associated evaluations.

Melitta specialises in cardiorespiratory fitness across the health, fitness and lifespan with a particular interest in paediatric and clinical populations and the evaluation of interventions to promote physical activity and health. Her recent work has focused on the development of interventions such as the visualisation of physical activity using tangible objects, and inspiratory muscle and high intensity interval training for people with asthma, cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. Melitta is also interested in the interactive effect of training and maturity on the bioenergetic responses of children and adolescents. This work has recently expanded to consider the development of skill proficiency during childhood and the influence of the concomitant processes of growth and maturation on the development of such skills and prevention of injury.

Owen Hathway is Assistant Director at Sport Wales. In this role Owen oversees the organisations insight, policy, public affairs and investment work.  This range of work ensures that from community investment at the local level, to articulating policy change and evidence to national government, Owen has a breadth of understanding of the sporting landscape.  Prior to joining Sport Wales, Owen led the communications and policy work for the National Education Union in Wales, developing a background in education policy. 

Diane is a Professor in Exercise and Health and Director of the (soon to be launched) Centre for Health, Activity and Wellbeing Research at the Cardiff Metropolitan University. Her expertise lies in the area of the design, delivery and evaluation of health promoting interventions in primary and secondary health care, and in the community. She has published internationally in the areas of exercise referral scheme evaluation, mental health promotion, arts for health and in physical activity pathway intervention evaluations. She has presented both nationally and internationally on these subjects, in both English and Spanish. Much of her work is undertaken with health professionals in the NHS and with regional and local government officers, in both the UK and EU. As a consequence has specific application to practice and is used regularly in the development of evidence based practice. She is a member of the British Association for Sport and Exercise Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.

Diane currently regularly participates competitively or recreationally in sprint triathlons, tennis league, both road and mountain biking, and skiing. Previously she has been a successful county and regional athlete in football, badminton and throwing the javelin. 

Professor Gareth Stratton is Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor of Paediatric Exercise Sciences and health and wellbeing theme lead at the Awen Institute for older people at Swansea University. Professor Stratton also acts as lead export on Physical Activity in the National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) quality standards advisory committee for childhood obesity and chair of the PH17 Promoting physical activity in children and families. Professor Stratton is an expert advisor on the Chief Medical Officers physical activity guidance and UK physical activity surveillance groups and was European representative on the Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for children. In Wales, Gareth founded the Active Healthy Kids Wales Network in 2014, is Sport and Exercise Sciences lead on the National Cardiovascular Research Network and an institutional representative of the Welsh Institute for Physical Activity Health and Sport.

Gareth has two main areas of research, children maturation and physical activity and physical activity, fitness and health across the life course. He has been involved in physical activity measurement studies for three decades and continues his interest in the development of novel sensor technologies and analytics to detect and stimulate changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Gareth’s current interdisciplinary research investigates the interaction of the physical and social environments on the quality and quantity of movement. Working with engineers, natural and social scientists, he has funded projects running in Kenya (British Academy), Nigeria (GCRF) and Australia (MRC-NHMRC), where he continues his role as adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia.

Gareth was recipient of the European Childhood Obesity Group award (2011), for his work on the Sportslinx programme, the Nursing Times innovation award for the Liveability programme for older people (2011) and the BASES research award (2004) for his work in health promoting playgrounds. Gareth holds fellowships with BASES, ECSS, RSA and is the first Sport and Exercise Scientist to be awarded a fellowship of the Learned Society of Wales.

After graduating with a Sport Science degree and working as a freelance Outdoor Activities Instructor for some years, Jamie returned to academia to complete his PhD in clinical exercise physiology. He is now Head of School of the School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences at Bangor University. This role involves supporting a team of academics, technicians, administrators and students to achieve their mission: ‘To guide the future of sport, health, exercise, and human performance science’.

Jamie’s work in clinical exercise physiology is of particular relevance to his role in the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport. He has an honorary contract with his local Health Board and leads a kidney disease exercise rehabilitation and research program for Gwynedd Hospital Renal Unit. Jamie views working with this population as rewarding but challenging, as these patients have multiple comorbid conditions and many barriers to physical activity participation. This work has given Jamie experience and confidence to facilitate behaviour change and enhance physical activity participation in a variety of populations and public health settings.

Jamie is currently involved in two National Institute of Health Research-funded studies, PEDAL and BISTRO, and two Welsh Government/Sport Wales/Public Health Wales-funded projects, via the Healthy and Active Fund. These studies have given Jamie insight into project and budget management skills in the health sector. In his role as Chair of the Kidney Research UK Exercise and Lifestyle Clinical Study Group, and in his membership roles of the Wales Kidney Research Unit and the Wales Renal Clinical Network Health and Wellbeing Professionals Group, Jamie has learnt advocacy and communication skills, equipping him to collaborate and negotiate with various stakeholders in public health.

Jamie’s overarching philosophical approach is to utilise a model of equal expertise, engaging stakeholders, patients and the public to co-develop research and impact activities surrounding physical activity. Jamie is looking forward to utilising this approach in my work with the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport, in particular to drive its activity in North Wales.

Paul is the Academic manager for the Sport Coaching and Sport at the  University of South Wales. His role entails overseeing the development and management of the subject area, curriculum design and strategic partnership . His background is within the area of Physical Education and participation in physical activity of young people and his research profile includes; fundamental movement skills, physical literacy and physical education. Current projects have considered the role of both primary and secondary PE teachers in supporting the transition from primary to secondary school of young children and the impact of this on fundamental movement skill and physical activity.

Dr Liba Sheeran is Reader at School of Healthcare Sciences and Research Theme Lead for Population Health at Cardiff University. She is also a Consultant Physiotherapist at Welsh Athletics, where she works with Commonwealth and British Athletics funded athletes. Her expertise is in developing innovative interventions to help people with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain active and functional. Liba’s main interest is management of low back pain and spinal injury is sport and occupational setting. Her Health and Care Research Wales Postdoctoral Fellowship explored the utility of wearable sensors and video-tracking for work-based ergonomic assessment and exercise feedback. She led on the UK Government Health Challenge Fund project involving a rapid development and implementation of a digital platform called BACK-on-LINETM delivering personalised self-management to help people with back pain to stay in work. Livba has established national and international collaborations across different countries and disciplines with the aim to design evidence-based interventions to prevent development of MSDs into chronic, disabling and life-shortening conditions. She speaks nationally and internationally and runs expert tutor workshops on the management of complex low back pain. 

Rhys received a BSc (Hons) degree in Sport Science from the University of Teesside in 1996 before undertaking an MSc at Loughborough University. Following his MSc he returned to the University of Teesside and began work on a PhD thesis examining the impact of Soccer match play on the immune system. During this time Rhys provided Sports Science support to Middlesbrough Football Club before taking a lecturing post in Exercise Physiology at the University of Teesside. Having successfully completed his PhD in July 2001 he moved to Kingston University before joining the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (Aberystwyth University from 2007) in August 2003. Rhys is a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and a senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy as well as a BASES accredited Sport and Exercise Scientist. He is actively involved in research into the role of diet and exercise in the prevention and management of chronic disease states, with a specific interest in preventing the development of diabetes. Rhys has established research collaborations with Hywel Dda University Health Board, the North Ceredigion GP Cluster, colleagues in a number of HEIs across Wales and the UK as well as industry partners. He has supervised nine PhD and four MPhil stunts to completion, has over thirty peer reviewed publications and has been successful in grant capture from a number of sources.

Rhys spends most of his down time trying to photograph wildlife, watching or reading sci fi and fantasy, and collecting Star Wars memorabilia.

Nalda is passionate about helping people move well, in laying the foundation for a life of physical activity and better mental and physical health. She is an internationally recognised expert in physical literacy and has extensive experience in physical education. Nalda worked as a primary school teacher for 14 years and was associate advisor for Physical Education in Pembrokeshire, before undertaking doctoral research to investigate the implementation of the play-based Foundation Phase curriculum in Wales. This initiative encourages children to be creative, imaginative and active whilst learning to make education more enjoyable and effective. Nalda focused on the role of playful pedagogy in developing physical literacy. Findings from this research led to development of the SKIP-Cymru professional development programme which trains staff to support motor development, the MiniMovers resources that support and empower parents and the FAW-Trust Footie Families programme.

Nalda is director of the Wales Academy for Health and Physical Literacy (WAHPL) at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), and managed the Welsh Government’s Physical Literacy Project for Schools in the region. She regularly works with numerous partners to deliver research with real impact. Nalda is highly committed to the development of inclusive approaches that develop and support physical literacy, and her research is at the forefront of charting progress in this area. She is also programme director for the Masters in Physical Education, Sport and Physical Literacy at UWTSD and co-director of the International Physical Education Research Methods Summer Institute.

In her leisure time, Nalda enjoys surfing, mountain biking and snow-boarding. She regularly sea swims and takes part in triathlons and cyclosportif events, having completed both Ironman Wales and the Marmotte Grandfondo.

Dr Sharon Wheeler is the programme Leader for the BSc (Hons) Public Health and Wellbeing and MSc Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing at Wrexham Glyndŵr University. She has been lecturing for over 10 years, beginning at the University of Chester and moving to York St John University and Edge Hill University before joining Wrexham Glyndŵr University in 2019. Drawing predominately on the disciplines of sociology and psychology, Sharon’s research expertise and interests span a number of area, including: developing active lifestyles; a life-course approach to physical, mental and social health; green exercise, green space and wellbeing; social inequalities and social justice; families, health, education and leisure; and the links between health and happiness. She is passionate about learning and her mission is to help people live happier and healthier lives.

James is a Research Assistant at Swansea University and the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS), he is currently working on a trial to explore the use of inspiratory muscle training in individuals recovering from COVID-19. His primary research interest included clinical exercise physiology and physical activity assessment and promotion, specifically in individual with Cystic Fibrosis, having recently completed a PhD in this area. James is also the Chair of the Cystic Fibrosis and Exercise Network. 

Liezel is a Research Assistant at Swansea University and the Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS). She is currently working on a Welsh Government funded study that aims to determine the effects that COVID-19 related restrictions have on children's physical activity levels, mental health and wellbeing. Liezel's primary research interest lies in children's physical activity and sedentary behaviours. 

Nicola is a Professor of Forensic & Clinical Psychology. She works as a clinical-academic in both Swansea University and Swansea Bay University Health Board. Nicola’s expertise lies in mental health and how it impacts on behaviour, both positive and negative. This includes the prevention and intervention of risks to the self (e.g. via suicide prevention and self-harm), and risk to others (e.g. via violence, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and offending behaviour). Nicola has also worked on the implementation and evaluation of mental health interventions in the workplace and in schools. Nicola has published widely across many areas of relevance to mental health and behavioural change, including best practice in the evaluation and prevention of future risks to self and others. She is a registered practitioner psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, and Chartered Forensic Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS). Nicola is a strong believer in the adage that there is no health without mental health, and in the importance of a dual focus upon both physical and mental determinants of health outcomes. In her downtime Nicola is a keen cyclist and enjoys walking in the beautiful Gower countryside.

Joanne is a British Psychological Society Chartered and HCPC Registered Psychologist in Sport and Exercise Psychology, in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University. She is the sub-theme lead for Health and Well-being in the Awen Institute, which is a collaboration of researchers led by Swansea University, in partnership with the University of South Wales and University of Wales Trinity Saint David and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government. She has authored and edited five texts, published 58 peer reviewed articles and supervised 12 PhD students to completion. Joanne specialises in understanding and enhancing physical activity and exercise experiences in older adults, and in the novel application of reversal theory in sport, exercise and physical activity contexts. Her current research on older adults includes partnerships with Bridgend County Council, Pobl Housing Group and Grenoble and Cumbria Universities. These projects are exploring the impact of existing community based interventions for older adults, developing interventions to enhance older adults’ physical and mental well-being, understanding perceptions of ageing, future self views of ageing, and, the roles of transitions and age stereotypes in relation to physical activity.

Britt is a Lecturer in Health and Wellbeing Psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University where she also leads the University’s Public Health and Wellbeing Research & Innovation group, a main research theme within the new Centre for Health, Activity and Wellbeing Research (CAWR).

Her research focuses on the psychological and social factors that shape health behaviours in the population, notably substance use (i.e. alcohol use, smoking and vaping) and physical activity. She is also interested in how leisure time activities (e.g. hobbies, community groups and extra-curricular activities) in sport and non-sport settings contribute to health and wellbeing in both supportive and adverse ways.

Britt has expertise in intervention development and evaluation methodology and has contributed to guidance on conducting feasibility/pilot studies and adapting interventions. She has a wealth of experience collaborating with community organisations and policy makers.

Richard is a physiologist with research interests that span the integrative physiology of exercise and nutrition. His primary research focus is on the health benefits of time-efficient high-intensity interval training (HIT). This strand of research aims to ‘optimise’ HIT protocols for sedentary populations by making them shorter and easier while retaining the associated health benefits. Ongoing studies are focusing on the effects of HIT in type 2 diabetes and cancer.  

Richard is currently a Senior Lecturer within the Applied Sport Technology, Exercise and Medicine (ASTEM) Research Group at Swansea University. He graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 2010, and subsequently completed his PhD at The University of Bath (2010-2015) under the supervision of Dr Niels Vollaard and Prof Dylan Thompson. He joined Swansea University in October 2017, after 3-years working as a Lecturer in Exercise and Health at Ulster University in Northern Ireland (2014-2017). 

Kelly is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Development, Evaluation, Complexity and Implementation in Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), a Public Health Research Centre of Excellence within the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University.

As a transdisciplinary public health researcher, her expertise in physical activity spans across the life course with attention to physical and mental health outcome priorities. A key focus of her work is to develop innovative methods to assess equity of access among existing health improvement programmes across the UK, including mixed methods approaches and the integration of data linkage.

Current projects include a feasibility trial of school-based community linked role-model program (CHARMING) to increase and promote PA among pre-adolescent girls and the co-design of new resources for expectant mothers to support confident, safe and healthy choices for PA during pregnancy. Her Health and Care Research Wales Postdoctoral Fellowship used a mixed-methods design to evaluate the long-term implementation and patient outcomes of the National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) in Wales.

Kelly is Deputy Lead for the Healthy Ageing theme within Cardiff University’s strategic partnership with the Office for National Statistics and is a member of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health.

Kelly has 44 International caps representing Team Wales in netball at a number of international competitions including Commonwealth Games (Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018) and World Championships (2016). She is a keen runner, enjoys triathlons, beach volleyball and teaches yoga.

Katherine is a health economist based at the Swansea Centre for Health Economics (SCHE) at Swansea University. She has experience in a variety of areas of health including type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, and pain management, as well as antenatal care, children’s health, and mental health. After completing her MSc in Economic Evaluation in Healthcare, Katherine worked for a health economics consultancy before moving to work as a health economist on a number of national clinical guidelines in chronic conditions and then in women’s and children’s health for the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence clinical guidelines programme. Katherine has been working at SCHE since 2016 on a variety of studies with researchers across the UK developing literature reviews and economic evaluations based on clinical trial evidence and national datasets.