Andrew Pitchford

Andrew Pitchford, PhD, CAPE, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Oregon State University’s School of Exercise, Sport, and Health Sciences. His research focuses on addressing health disparities among individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder, by advancing equitable fitness assessments and designing community-based interventions. He is the principal investigator (PI) of a $900,000 Autism FIRST grant to integrate disability-specific fitness standards into the FitnessGram assessment tool, aiming to improve equity in school-based physical education.

Dr. Pitchford’s educational background includes a PhD from Oregon State University, where he specialized in adapted physical education. His work emphasizes mixed-methods research, blending qualitative insights from individuals with disabilities with quantitative analyses of health outcomes.

Key collaborations include partnerships with Special Olympics International, Special Olympics Oregon, and academic networks across six institutions. He leads the Inclusive Physical Activity Laboratory (iPAL), fostering innovative research on motor skill development, health promotion, and inclusive programming for individuals with disabilities.

His research spans topics such as physical activity trajectories in autistic children, motor competence interventions, and the health benefits of inclusive sports programs. Notable outcomes include longitudinal studies demonstrating the efficacy of community-based programs for improving quality of life for families affected by autism.

Dr. Pitchford advocates for policy changes to address health disparities, including integrating motor skill assessments into diagnostic criteria for autism and refining fitness standards for disabled youth. His work has been featured in academic journals, news articles, and public health initiatives.