About Me
Dr. Jo Line has spent over a decade studying team building from a socio-cultural perspective. They are the Program Director for Community-Engaged Research and Learning, a Lecturer in Comparative American Studies, and the Co-Chair for the Sport Studies & Management Integrative Concentration at Oberlin College. They are also the Athletics Inclusive Climate & Belonging Senior Specialist for the nonprofit Athlete Ally, as which they consult with college and university athletic departments nation-wide to promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion in sport. They apply an intersectional approach to examine facilitators and barriers to athletes’ participation in and enjoyment of sport, with the aim of facilitating inclusive and collaborative team cultures that enable every team member to thrive. Jo’s expertise in cultivating coactors is informed by their personal experience navigating competitive and recreational sport environments around the world as a competitive distance runner, coaching NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, USCAA, and post-collegiate competitive and recreational athletes, teaching undergraduate and graduate Sport Management courses, facilitating mutually-beneficial partnerships as a community engagement professional, and their academic training in Exercise and Sport Studies, American Culture Studies, and Trauma-Informed Education. Jo is dedicated to helping coaches nurture team members’ individual and collective capacity by encouraging each team member to identify and apply their unique strengths as they work toward shared goals.
Jo continues to train and compete as an elite distance runner. They are also passionate about yoga and strength training and are sponsored by sister businesses Yoga Squared and Akron Athletic Collective.
Cultivating Coactive Teams 