Lara Andrews

Dr. Lara Andrews serves as a Lecturer in Physical Activity & Wellbeing (Teaching) at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Health, where she is also Co-Director of Te Hau Kori – Centre for Physical Activity and Wellbeing. A Māori academic of Ngati Ruanui descent, she brings unique expertise from her dual career as an elite athlete (95 international caps for NZ White Sox softball team) and scholar. Her work focuses on developing culturally responsive physical activity programs that integrate mātauranga Māori with contemporary wellbeing science.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Human Development and Family Science, University of Delaware (2010-2022)
• Master of Science in Human Development and Family Science, University of Delaware (2013-2015)
• Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science, University of Delaware (2015-2013)

Dr. Andrews' research centers on physical activity promotion across the lifespan, with emphasis on youth development through sport, whānau (family) engagement in physical literacy, and culturally capable workforce development. Her work uniquely bridges academic scholarship with practical sport applications, informed by her experience as the first NZ female to play professional softball in the United States. She specializes in creating pathways to higher education through sport while building youth confidence, self-esteem, and skills.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent focus on family involvement in sport and physical literacy development, with recent work emphasizing culturally responsive approaches to physical activity promotion. The 2022 publications particularly highlight Māori perspectives on whānau engagement in sport settings and their impact on rangatahi (youth) development.

Among her professional recognitions:

• Te Kei - Māori Academic Development Programme (2023)
• Te Arawai Ako Fellowship (Associate Fellow) (2022)
• Advance HE Associate Fellowship (2023)

Dr. Andrews currently supervises doctoral research on physical activity experiences among Cook Islands women in Aotearoa New Zealand and leads significant grant-funded research including a Health Research Council project on Pacific Peoples' physical activity participation and development of an Adolescent and Child Physical Activity Questionnaire. She serves on multiple committees including the VUW University Blues Sports Committee and Sport NZ Balance is Better Champion program.

As Co-Director of Te Hau Kori, she provides strategic leadership in designing and developing teaching programs, with particular focus on the newly established Master of Physical Activity and Hauora (MPAH) and related postgraduate qualifications developed in consultation with Sport New Zealand.