Dr Siona Fernandes OLY
Interdisciplinary Professional
PhD Exercise, Sport, Health • Olympian • Accredited Exercise Professional
Bridging sport, movement, and culture to foster health, wellbeing, and belonging.
I work at the intersection of sport, exercise, and health. I bring together research, practice, and lived experience to advance wellbeing and belonging. This work is shaped by my experiences as a professional Bharatanatyam artist (BA Performing Arts), elite Olympic boxer, and academic scholar across India (MSc Psychology), New Zealand (MSc Sport & Exercise), and Australia.
This is a space where the fragments of my journey are progressively being pieced together under one platform – my website. As with my web design skills, the platform is a work in progress. Anticipating that my story continues to evolve, this platform will evolve with it.
My ‘journey’ starts in India, through New Zealand, and into Australia. Built around themes of sport, classical Indian dance, and elite Olympic participation, I briefly capture that journey at each transition, and embed some media highlights at the end for those who may be interested. An image gallery is a likely future addition.
I also use this website as a platform to share my original research publications in sport and physical activity concerning Indian migrants. I aim to make this information – journal articles, reports, and related work, easily available in accessible formats for fellow academics, policymakers or those interested in evidence specifically across New Zealand and Australia.
Bridging theoretical evidence with practical solutions to support the health and wellbeing of individuals is something I am passionate about. I remain committed to serving as an accredited exercise practitioner coaching adults and mentoring youth. For over 15 years, serving the exercise and fitness industry remains my most fulfilling contribution to the health and wellbeing of people and places. Testimonials reflect some of these experiences, across New Zealand and Australia supporting young to older adults, men and women, beginners, recreational movers, and sporting individuals.
From time to time, I share reflections from the in‑between places: the transitions, the questions, the lessons that come from (re)building a life across continents and countries shaped by years in sport, study, and the ongoing work of becoming myself. I write slowly, but with intention, and everything shared in this space comes from a place of learning, failing, growing; the lived experience. Some pieces appear as blog posts, others as interview transcripts, and accompanying images help tell the story. As a reader, I welcome your thoughts and offer space for you to share your comments.
Thank you for stopping by to discover some of my work.
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