About

Kara Kehe joined the Sport and Recreation Management faculty in 2016 and became the program’s Director of Undergraduate Studies in 2023. Her professional career has been rooted in intercollegiate athletics, with areas of interest that include leadership development, peak performance, and sports coaching. She enjoys working with individuals, teams, and organizations striving to reach their potential and serves as the primary contact for the department’s Coaching Authorization classes that fulfill state licensure requirements with the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. In addition, Kara is the liaison for prospective distance education students seeking an online degree in Sport and Recreation Management.

Kara’s background has led to opportunities to support the education and development of current sports coaches across the country. After guiding softball teams at various levels for over 15 years, her professional network has grown as a Pinnacle Mentor for other members of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) since 2021. Kara, a graduate of the NCAA Women Coaches Academy co-hosted annually by WeCOACH, also became a Gold Mentor with that organization in 2023 to help women advance in athletics.

Courses Taught

• SRM:1060 Contemporary Issues in Sports
• SRM:3149 Coaching Theory, Body Structure and Human Development
• SRM:3155 Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries for Coaches
• SRM:3157 Managerial Operations in Sport and Rec
• SRM:3178 Communications and PR in Sports
• SRM:3700 Ethics in Sport
• SRM:4199 Independent Sport and Recreation Field Experience

Certifications

• Teaching Online Certificate, Quality Matters (QM)
• Sports Injury Specialist, National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA)
• Personal Fitness Trainer, National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA)

Presentations

• Presentation: Sparking College Student Interest in Coaching Interscholastic Athletics: Opportunities and Challenges in Educating Aspiring Professionals, United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE), North American Coach Development Summit, 2024
• Poster: Metacognition in Field Experience Courses: Meeting Students Where They Are, Guiding Them on Where They Want to Go (Jensen, A., Kehe, K., & Moran, P.), University of Rhode Island, Innovative Education Conference, 2024
• Presentation: High-impact Collaborations for Current and Future Coaches, Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Iowa, State Convention, 2023

Professional Organization Membership

• National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) 
• Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America 
• Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) Iowa 
• United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE) 
• WeCOACH (Women Coaches Organization) 

Stay Connected

More information can be found on LinkedIn.