Karla Drew

Karla Drew is a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, where she contributes to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. She holds a PhD from Liverpool John Moores University (2016-2020) and has dual professional qualifications as a BPS Chartered and HCPC-registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist. Her research focuses on career transitions in sport (e.g., junior-to-senior transitions, retirement), talent development, and applied interventions to enhance athlete performance and wellbeing.

Education:

• PhD in Sport Psychology (Liverpool John Moores University, 2020)
• MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (Sheffield Hallam University, 2015)
• BSc Psychology (Sheffield Hallam University, 2014)
• PGCert in Higher Education (2022)

Research interests span performance psychology, with emphasis on understanding and mitigating challenges athletes face during career transitions. Her work integrates academic research with applied practice, informed by her elite athletic background as a former GB Heptathlete and 100m Hurdler (2009-2017).

Teaching roles include leading the MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology programme and teaching modules like 'Practice of Sport and Exercise Psychology' and 'Applied Sport Psychology.'