Kat Adams
Third-year Doctoral Student
Biography
Kat Adams is a Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow and third-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University (USU). Before coming to USU, Kat earned a Master in Public Health with a concentration in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Emory University and a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Virginia. Following her master’s degree, Kat worked at the national headquarters of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) where she led the development of resources, curricula, and trainings for nutrition, physical education, and sport. During this time, she served as BGCA’s representative for the Affiliated Organizations Council of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee from 2018-2020, advocating for increased access to Olympic sports for youth in marginalized communities. Kat’s research interests stem from her experience in gymnastics as an athlete, judge, and coach and focus on how the culture within judged, performance sport communities affects coach behaviors and athlete experiences. She is also interested in exploring how big data analysis can be used to protect athletes from abuse and improve sporting culture. Kat serves as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate section of Marriage and Family Relationships. Outside of academia, Kat enjoys watching all of the sports with her husband and cat, voraciously reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, and doing home improvement projects.