Dr. Natalie Colabianchi - Director
Dr. Colabianchi’s research focuses on the role of environments and policies in facilitating physical activity behavior in children and adults. She has completed a number of federally-funded studies that have examined the influence of parks and playgrounds as well as school and neighborhood environments. She is also interested in physical activity measurement including accelerometry and direct observation.
Dr. Cathy Antonakos - Senior Research Area Specialist
Erica Twardzik - PhD Candidate
Ross Baiers - Research Assistant
Dr. Antonakos currently is a research area specialist for the School of Kinesiology. Her work involves data analysis for social science and behavioral research studies. Dr. Antonakos has worked as a data analyst at UM's Institute for Social Research, School of Social Work, School of Public Health, and the School of Nursing.
Erica is a PhD student within Kinesiology and Epidmeiology. She earned her Master of Science in Kinesiology from Oregon State University in 2016, and a Bachelor of Science in Kineisology from the University of Michigan in 2013. Her research interests broadly focus on the complex mechanisms by which neighborhood environments influence health. She is interested in the causes and consequences of disability and what role physical and social environments play in creating disability. Her future research will include answering questions about health disparities experienced by individuals with disabilities, and the impact place and time has on physical activity and health-related outcomes for individuals with and without disabilities.
Ross Baiers is a dual undergraduate and graduate student pursuing a BA in Environmental Studies and an MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education with a global health focus. His career interests focus on working with marginalized communities around the world in order to foster safe social and physical environments that benefit public health through ethical means. In the lab, Ross specializes in environmental auditing, qualitative data analysis, and spatial analysis.
Kara Callaghan - Research Assistant
Kara Callaghan is a Junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Creative Writing and Gender & Health. Kara hopes to pursue a career in Women’s Advocacy or Holistic Health in the future. Within the lab, Kara assists with environmental audits and literary research.
Katherine Bromm - Research Assistant
Katherine is an undergraduate pursuing a double major in Gender and Health and Biomolecular Science. She hopes to pursue a dual degree with a PharmD in the College of Pharmacy and an MPH in the School of Public Health. Within the lab, she has worked with environmental audits, data processing, and literature reviews.