Department

Health & Wellness Design

Education

• University of Idaho, Ph.D., 2017

• University of Texas Brownsville, M.Ed., 2012

• Texas State University, B.E.S.S., 2007

Background

Position/Grant/Award/etc.

• Digital Content Editor, ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 2017-Present
• Editorial Board Member, ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 2017-Present
• Clinical Exercise Physiologist, KRH: The Summit Medical Fitness Center, 2016-2019
• Professional Award, Top 20 Under 40, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, 2018
• Outreach Grant, HRSA Rural Health Care Services, Montana Journey to Wellness, 2017-2019
• Lecturer, Health & Human Performance, University of Texas Brownsville, 2011-2012
• Graduate Research Award, Texas ACSM Regional Chapter, 2012

Scholarly Interest

Research interests focus on improving measurement of psychological and physiological variables in clinical, wellness, and fitness programs to help optimize physical activity experiences that promote sustainable health behaviors.

Selected Publications

Articles

Kercher, V. M. (2018). International Comparisons: The Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 22(6), p. 24-29.

Start, A., Pickering, M. A., Martinez, V. M., Taylor, K., Hoomiratana, A., Vidic, Z., & Burton, D. (2017). Brief Report: Multi-Group Measurement Invariance Analysis of the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 48(6), p.610-624.

Vaarstra, M., Kercher, V. M., Start, A., Brown, A., Peterson, M., & McGrath, R. (2017). Understanding why Undergraduate Students Declare and Continue to Study an Exercise Science-Related Major. International Journal of Exercise Science, 10(5), p. 807-817.

Montoya, J.A., Wittenburg, D., & Martinez, V. (2016). Alcohol use among Hispanic College Students Along the US/Mexico Border. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Encompassing All Addictive Disorders, 42(6), 2016.

Presentations

Kercher, V.M. (2019). Achieving Clinical Excellence Through Self-Care & Resiliency. Oral presentation at the Kalispell Regional Healthcare Continuing Nursing Education, Montana Nurses Association, Kalispell, MT.

Kercher, V.M. (2018). Patient Engagement for Lifestyle Improvement. Oral presentation at the University of Washington School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education Conference Series, Kalispell Regional Healthcare, Kalispell, MT.