Mary Fortman Kirk

Mary Fortman Kirk, PhD, is a professor of physical education at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). She was an NKU department chair for eight years and is a former coordinator of the health and physical education programs. She also taught physical education at the high school level for 10 years. Dr. Kirk has given many presentations on portfolios and alternative assessment at conferences, including those of SHAPE America and the National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education. She was appointed by the Kentucky commissioner of education to serve on the state task force for the development of physical education assessment and performance assessment of new teachers.

Dr. Kirk earned an MA in motor learning and physical education from Michigan State University in 1973 and a PhD in motor development and teacher preparation from Ohio State University in 1989. She is the author of two books on pre-sport development programs for the National Alliance for Youth Sports and for the Girl Scouts of the USA.