BPE, MPE
Instructor
heathermacleod@capilanou.ca
Education
MPE, University of British Columbia and University of California, Berkeley, 1990.
BPE, University of British Columbia, 1988.
"I believe learning is a reciprocal process between the teacher and student and I strive to provide an inclusive, caring environment for this to happen."
Bio
Heather MacLeod Williams (MPE, University of British Columbia, 1990) has extensive experience working in the health promotion and public health fields. Over the past 20 years, she has worked as a consultant for public and private sectors across the province helping them to design, implement and evaluate health promotion and public health programs and initiatives.
Teaching has always been a passion for MacLeod Williams, which led her to the School of Human Kinetics where she currently teaches in the area of health promotion. Her aim is to use her field experience to make learning more meaningful for students.
MacLeod Williams' field of practice include recreation and parks, primary health care renewal, health promotion and public health, chronic disease management, and research and evaluation. She has a Masters Degree in Physical Education from the University of British Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health.
Having spent a significant amount of my career practicing in the field, I understand the importance of linking education to practice. This is particularly important in the field of Human Kinetics as the field requires a multitude of competencies, many of which are very 'hands on'.
Human Kinetics graduates are expected to assess, design and implement a variety of programs to facilitate health behaviour change, leading to improved healthy lifestyles and prevention of chronic diseases.
My role is to ensure that students can confidently apply their learning to do this in real world settings.
My research agenda has been varied within the health field and has ranged from primary care health renewal to medical education to impacts of health promotion efforts, such as smoking cessation, physical activity and school initiatives. My current research focus is on physical activity programs for older adults and their impact on physical activity levels and degree of social connectedness.
Publications
Joan Wharf Higgins, Patti Jean Naylor, Heather MacLeod Williams, Trina Sporer. Knowledge Translation Process: Developing a community-based evaluation toolkit. In: Knowledge Translation in Context: Indigenous, Policy and Community Settings. Edited by Elizabeth M. Bannister, Bonnie J Leadbeater, and E. Anne Marshall University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division, 2011.
Wilson R, Trinh L, Wilson R, MacLeod Williams H, Sum AJ, Naylor PJ. Physicians promoting physical activity using pedometers and community partnerships: A real world trial. Br J Sports Med. Published Online First: 31 January 2011 doi:10.1136/bjsm.2009.069567, 2011.
Wharf Higgins, J., MacLeod Williams, H., Bellows, K., Scott, J., & Drummond, J. Tracing your steps: Evaluating the Active Communities Initiative. BC Recreation and Parks Magazine, 17-18, winter, 2008.
Research/Consultation Reports
MacLeod, H. Shared Use Agreement Guide. Submitted to the BC Recreation and Parks Association, 2011.
MacLeod, H., & Wharf Higgins, J. Step-by-step: a workplace walking resource. Submitted to the BC Recreation and Parks Association, 2010.
MacLeod Williams, H., Hunter, D., Wharf Higgins, J., & Buller, L. Physical Activity Strategy for BC. Commissioned by the BC Healthy Living Alliance, 2007.