Faculty

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A former professional figure skater and from a family of competitive hockey players, Dr. Kelly Bonnar's passion for health is strong. She has a Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in Public Health from Purdue University. Her work has evolved from the study of mental imagery to improve sports performance, to how the delivery of health information can be used in the promotion of physical activity. More recently, Dr. Bonnar's research has examined the social determinants of health among rural populations and the role of policy in the prevention of sexual violence. Dr. Bonnar earned Duluth Model Facilitator (an intervention program for those who commit intimate partner violence) and Rape Crisis Counselor/Advocate certifications and is a former foster parent who worked with children exposed to domestic violence. An avid advocate for applied learning, Dr. Bonnar regularly involves students in her research projects. She has supervised numerous students through Undergraduate Honors Theses, Graduate Professional Projects, as well as Presidential Scholar's and Kilmer projects.