Ashley Lesniak

Ashley Lesniak serves as Associate Professor and CU-IRB Chair in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania. Her teaching portfolio includes foundational courses such as Human Anatomy & Physiology, Physiology of Exercise, Applied Sport & Exercise Science, Clinical Exercise Physiology, and Professional Field Experience in Health Science.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Exercise Science — University of Kentucky
• M.S. in Exercise Science — East Stroudsburg University
• B.S. in Exercise Science — East Stroudsburg University

Dr. Lesniak's research program centers on exercise physiology with dual emphases on tactical populations (particularly firefighters) and endurance performance. She investigates physiological responses to occupational stressors including personal protective equipment, heart rate variability correlations with job performance, and nutritional interventions for athletic enhancement. Her work bridges laboratory findings with real-world applications to optimize human performance in high-demand professions and athletic contexts.

Analysis of her 2016-2022 publications reveals consistent focus on firefighter occupational performance metrics, physiological adaptations to load carriage, and ergogenic aids in cycling. Recent work increasingly incorporates perceptual measures like RPE and explores music's influence on resistance training. These studies demonstrate methodological diversity spanning controlled laboratory experiments and field assessments of tactical athletes.

Dr. Lesniak actively mentors undergraduate researchers as evidenced by numerous student-directed publications and conference presentations. Her mentees have investigated music tempo effects on exercise performance, physiological responses to load carriage, and ergogenic aids like beetroot juice. She contributes professional service through the MARC ACSM Research Committee, supporting evidence-based practices in exercise science.