Kymm Ballard Bio
Dr. Kymm Ballard is an Assistant Professor at Campbell University where she serves as the Health and Physical Education Teacher Education Coordinator and is President Elect at SHAPE America. Kymm is the former Executive Director and Partnership Development Specialist for SPARK/School Specialty. She has been successful for helping to initiate and facilitate millions of dollars to schools to address obesity prevention. Recently, she created Kymm Ballard ConsultingTM to assist others in the implementation of quality programs and policies in effort to provide quality research based physical education/activity to schools and organizations around the country.
Below are some highlights of her work:
A strong advocate for physical education and for providing support to help young people make healthy lifestyle choices, Kymm provides guidance to schools, corporations and other national and state organizations to help them provide resources for quality physical education programs and policies.
Kymm most recently (2015) obtained a certification in "Sport Philanthropy" from George Washington University. She obtained a doctorate in Education through the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a focus on LEP students in Physical Education in 2008. A 1985 graduate of Appalachian State University in Physical Education and Health Education, Kymm also holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education with a focus in Sport Administration from Appalachian.
Below are some highlights of her work:
- In her work with SPARK, she secured several high-level funding negotiations and celebrity partnerships including women’s professional golf icon Annika Sorenstam’s ANNIKA Foundation, and Pierre Thomas' "I Can Foundation" to educate America’s youth about the benefits of physical fitness and proper nutrition.
- Kymm is also the former Physical Education, Athletics and Sports Medicine Consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Her professional experiences include service for more than a decade as a physical education teacher and athletic director, several years as an administrator and the co-developer of North Carolina’s first high school demonstration school. Kymm’s direct service to children influences her work at the national level today. She drafted advocated for and promoted the first Healthy Active Children Policy of the NC State Board of Education and lead a team in the state’s revision of the Healthful Living Essential Standards for Physical Education.
- In addition to being the Past-President of the Society of State Directors for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (now Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education), she also served as the Chair for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE now SHAPE America) Public Relations Committee and on numerous committees representing physical educators through updates, meetings and workshops.
- Just prior to leaving the NC Department of Public Instruction, Kymm partnered with NCAAHPERD to retool the physical education teachers with SPARK statewide training the trainer model more currently known as “IsPod” (In School Prevention of Obesity Diseases). She now shares this philosophy and strategy for SPARK statewide as an intervention for obesity prevention and part of a solution to decreasing health care costs.
- Awards
- As a result of such accomplishments, Kymm was awarded with the National 2002 P. E. 4 Life Advocate of the Year award for her work both in North Carolina and in Washington, DC and continues to advocate today.
- As the SPARK Partnership Development Specialist, she and her team were honors as the Partnership for a Healthier America Lets Move Active Schools Partner of the Year Award in 2016.
- Other recognizable awards include Kymm as North Carolina’s first and only teacher to receive both the Physical Education Teacher of the Year and Health Education Teacher of the Year Awards in the same year.
- Kymm has received the NC Coach of the year and the highest Honor Awards in North Carolina AAHPERD and in her national professional organizations.
- Among her most notable awards, Kymm was awarded the Channing Mann, National Administrator of the Year by her colleagues in National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).
- Moreover, at the same national conference, she was awarded the highest honor award of the Society of State Directors for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, the Si McNeely award.
- Kymm has additionally been presented with a lifetime membership to the NC PTA.
A strong advocate for physical education and for providing support to help young people make healthy lifestyle choices, Kymm provides guidance to schools, corporations and other national and state organizations to help them provide resources for quality physical education programs and policies.
Kymm most recently (2015) obtained a certification in "Sport Philanthropy" from George Washington University. She obtained a doctorate in Education through the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a focus on LEP students in Physical Education in 2008. A 1985 graduate of Appalachian State University in Physical Education and Health Education, Kymm also holds a Master’s degree in Physical Education with a focus in Sport Administration from Appalachian.
