January 26, 2023 By CDHD Welcome, Dr Erik Luvaas Join us in welcoming Dr Erik Luvaas to the CDHD! Erik is our new Director of the Interdisciplinary Training Program. He is also a Clinical Faculty member in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences within the Department of Movement Sciences. As a native Idahoan and proud Vandal, Erik is excited to be back on the Palouse with his family. He joins us after four and a half years at California State University, Sacramento. He worked as an Assistant Professor of Recreational Therapy in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration. Prior to academia, he worked in recreational therapy in Oregon. He was the Program Director and Recreational Therapist at Shriners Hospital for Children. He served as a Youth Sports Program manager for Adaptive Sports Northwest – a nonprofit Paralympic Sports Club. He was also a Qualified Mental Health Professional for the Telecare Crisis and Treatment Center in Portland. Erik is also a certified Forest Therapy Guide, facilitating nature experiences for students and clients. This passion for nature and outdoor recreation also influences his research. It focuses on the mental and physical benefits of engaging with nature. It also covers the effectiveness of different types of recreation therapy, and how diversity affects access to recreation and leisure services. We are pleased to have him as part of the CDHD. We know his depth of knowledge will be an asset to our team. We look forward to seeing his experience at work in our Interdisciplinary Trainee Program.