Franziska Loetzner, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Health and Human Sciences at Indiana University Indianapolis and the director of Adapted Movement Programs. She is an adapted physical activity researcher whose work in inclusive health promotion, Special Olympics evaluation, and community‑based physical activity programming supports improved motor development, physical activity, and overall health for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Prior to beginning her appointment as faculty at the School of Health and Human Sciences, Loetzner was a postdoctoral scholar in the Inclusive Physical Activity Lab at Oregon State University from 2024 to 2026, where she worked closely with Special Olympics International on sport and health research initiatives for people with disabilities. Before that appointment, Loetzner served in research and instructional roles within the HAPPY Lab and the PLANE program at Wayne State University and contributed to Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Screenings and Unified Sports. Loetzner graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology and received her M.S. in Kinesiology from Wayne State University. She earned her doctorate in kinesiology with an emphasis on adapted physical activity from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.
Loetzner focuses on inclusive health promotion and adapted physical activity. Through the Adapted Movement Programs, she leads a family‑centered, community‑based set of clinics that provide individualized physical activity, fitness, and motor skill development opportunities for children, youth, and adults with disabilities. Her work integrates Special Olympics evaluation, Universal Design for Learning, and accessible data collection methodologies aimed at improving the quality, inclusivity, and real‑world relevance of health and physical activity assessment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She leads the SHINE project (Supporting Health through Inclusive and Navigable Evaluation), funded through Special Olympics Inclusive Health with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which focuses on redesigning self‑reported health measures to be more accessible and equitable for Special Olympics athletes. Her broader scholarship spans physical activity, motor development, and health‑related fitness, emphasizing athlete‑centered assessment, implementation science, and the development of scalable, community‑embedded health promotion programs that reduce barriers and expand opportunities for meaningful physical activity participation for people with disabilities.
