Cristina M. Caperchione (BHK Hons., MHK, PhD) is a Professor in the School or Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation within the Faculty of Health. Her research program is focused on using mix-methodologies aimed at understanding socio-cultural mechanisms to design, implement and evaluate community level health promotion interventions. This research is particularly focused on physical activity and lifestyle behaviours in populations at highest risk of developing chronic disease and most vulnerable to overall poor health. 

She has led a number of multi-year, multi-institutional research projects and currently leads 1) TIDDA Talk, a co-designed/co-delivered physical activity and social and emotional health program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls, (funded by Department of Health-Australia), 2) The HATTRICK program, a physical activity, healthy eating and mental fitness community intervention for men in Australia (funded by Commonwealth Government of Australia), and 3) Cancer Care Workforce Project, examining the cancer workforce’s capacity to implement exercise counselling and an exercise referral pathway in Sydney, NSW (funded by the Translational Cancer Research Network-NSW Cancer Council). In addition to her community based projects, she also works with athletes, coaches, and high performance support staff in devising practical strategies for empowering coaches to identify and support athlete mental health (funded by Australian Institute of Sport).

A large component of her work involves building strong community relationships with industry partners and local community members for greater program dissemination and sustainability. Professor Caperchione collaborates extensively with International and National colleagues specific to research concerning physical activity and exercise for the prevention, management and reduction of chronic disease.