Dr.

Ayers is a Professor of physical education teacher education at Western Michigan

University in Kalamazoo. Dr. Ayers earned her BS from Winthrop College, her MS from the
University of Florida and her PhD from the University of South Carolina. Before attending
graduate school, she taught K-7 physical education and coached in South Carolina. Dr. Ayers has
been involved in professional organizations in South Carolina, West Virginia, Michigan and
widely on the national level. Dr. Ayers Chaired the NASPE Physical Best Committee and served
on the NASPE Board of Directors. She has presented and published her work on test
development, fitness and cognition in state, national, and international journals. She was coeditor of the 3rd edition of the NASPE text, Physical Education for Lifelong Fitness: The
Physical Best Teachers Guide and is currently one of the contributing authors to the 4th edition
of that same text. Dr. Ayers has been recognized for her scholarship, service and teaching from
her universities and the SHAPE America Mid-West District and was selected as a Research
Consortium Fellow in 2007 and as a Distinguished Alumni in Physical Education from her
undergraduate institution in 2013. Dr. Ayers currently serves as the President of the WMU
Faculty Senate. In her free time, Dr. Ayers likes to be active doing almost anything outside or
reading murder mysteries. She is an avid golfer and runner.