Our Staff
Brianna Forde, BA, Program Manager - Brianna was originally born and currently resides in the city of Boston. As a youth, Brianna spent a significant amount of her time playing sports at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in addition to traveling across the state which eventually landed her a full scholarship to the Bentley College woman’s basketball team. Upon graduating from Bentley with a B.A in communications, Forde took on the position as assistant woman’s basketball coach as well as the appointment as the Health Education and Wellness Specialist here on the UMass Boston campus.
Forde’s recent experience will include a two year stint as a youth program coordinator for the city of Boston, where she lead an all girls program and designed youth activities. Between the years 2000 to 2006, she served as a physical instructor for the Boston Celtics athletic camp in Waltham, Massachusetts. At this capacity Forde recruited participants for the camp, designed several sport related workshops and workout stations, managed the camp inventory, refereed and coached co-ed college bound athletes.
As an outstanding athlete for the city of Boston, Forde was a two time All American awardee for her achievements. Forde was a four- time Boston City All Star (1997-2000), a three time member of the Boston Globe and Boston Herald All- Scholastic team (1997-1999) and Boston Globes class of 1999 Dream Team selected. Forde was also voted a member of the first ever 1999 woman’s Boston Shoot Out team.
Forde enjoys working with youth and young adults in the areas of health education and fitness. Brianna strongly believes in self- empowerment and helping others to make healthier decisions and encouraging better lifestyles. Her goals will include working towards a master’s degree in education in addition to developing an outstanding reputation and career with GoKids Boston.
Kyle McInnis, ScD, Director, GoKids Boston - His professional activities and research interests focus on the role of physical activity in healthy lifestyles. Dr. McInnis is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in health and fitness programs and lifestyle approaches to weight loss and obesity management. His highly successful track record in organizing community coalitions with schools, organizations (including YMCAs in central Massachusetts, the United Way, Boys and Girls Clubs), and others in Greater Boston, and beyond is well established and will likely lead to significant opportunities for further collaboration.
An advisory board consisting of three representatives from UMass Boston and three from Children's Hospital will provide oversight for the center, while overall administrative responsibility will belong to Dr. Greer Glazer, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Dean Glazer will also serve as co-chair for the center's advisory board.
Sarah Picard, MA, CES, Exercise Physiologist - graduated summa cum laude from The cesBoston in 2000. She then went to Adelphi University in New York as a Graduate Assistant and received her Masters degree in Exercise Science. After graduate school she lived in Chicago, IL for nearly three years and managed a Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. A longing to return to the Boston area and a terrific opportunity at Children’s Hospital Boston brought her home in 2004. She worked in the Exercise Lab in Cardiology for three years performing cardiopulmonary exercise tests for children with a wide range of health challenges. It was also at Children’s Hospital that the opportunity presented itself for a collaboration between Children’s Hospital Boston and UMass Boston to develop exercise training opportunities for Children. What resulted from the initial collaborations between the two instutions is GoKids™ Boston; the State-of-the-Art Research and Training Center for children that exists today. Sarah is thrilled to serve as the Center’s Program Manager and Exercise Physiologist; and looks forward to creating quality exercise training programs for kids and teaching students about the opportunities that exist for them in the field of Exercise Science.
Sarah grew up on Cape Cod playing soccer and rowing, eventually coaching the men’s crew team at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. She met her husband, also from Cape Cod, here at UMass Boston in the Exercise and Health Sciences program. Together they have a little boy named Griffin. Running is her exercise of choice and she completed the Chicago Marathon in 2003, the Boston marathon in 2005, and numerous half marathons including the Walt Disney half marathon in 2005.
Dawn Ericson, MD, Medical Advisor - bio coming soon...