Kanae Haneishi

Kanae Haneishi is a Professor in the Recreation, Exercise & Sport Science Department at Western Colorado University, specializing in Exercise & Sport Science and K-12 Physical Education. She holds an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Sport Pedagogy, and master’s degrees from Smith College and the University of Memphis. Her research focuses on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) in physical education and sport coaching, with a career spanning academia, athletic coaching, and international initiatives.

She has held roles as Associate Professor at Valley City State University and Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Mount Holyoke College. Professional affiliations include Secretary General of WomenSport International and roles on international advisory boards. Her awards include the Don Hellison Interdisciplinary Grant and the Presidential Award from the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education.

Dr. Haneishi’s teaching includes courses on curriculum development, physical activity programming, and game-based pedagogy. Her work emphasizes fostering life skills through sport, promoting equity in physical education, and leveraging game-centered approaches to enhance athlete development.

She has published extensively in journals like Quest and authored chapters on coaching methodologies and youth soccer development. Her international projects include U.S. State Department-funded sports initiatives and advocacy for gender equity in global sport.