About Dr. Tom Lobaugh

I'm Tom Lobaugh, a performance psychologist, researcher, speaker, author, and lecturer who has spent more than thirty years working alongside athletes, coaches, entrepreneurs, and organizations to help them discover what they are truly capable of.

I recently completed my Ph.D. at Grand Canyon University, where my dissertation examined how women collegiate track and field athletes describe their experiences of humor in practice and competition. What I found changed the way I think about performance psychology: humor is not a personality trait, a lucky break, or a distraction from serious competition. It is a deliberate, strategic, psychologically sophisticated tool that athletes use to manage anxiety, build belonging, and access their best performance. Eighteen women finally got to say what the literature had never asked them. They had a lot to say.

I am a Lecturer at Boise State University, where I teach Nonverbal Communication, Listening, and Ethics and Society. I am a member of APA Division 47: Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology, and my research was selected for presentation as a virtual poster at the APA 2026 Annual Convention.

Before my academic career, I served as an assistant track and field coach and in congregational ministry across the United States and internationally. Those two callings, coaching and community, have never left me. They show up in everything I do: the research questions I ask, the way I speak, the consultations I offer, and the belief at the heart of my work that every person contains more excellence than they have yet expressed.

My company, Inspire Excellence, has been coming alongside entrepreneurs, coaches, and student athletes for over twenty-five years with keynote presentations, workshops, and one-on-one coaching.

Credentials

Ph.D., Grand Canyon University — Performance Psychology / Qualitative Research

• Lecturer, Boise State University — University Foundations & Communication

• Member, APA Division 47: Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology

• Selected Presenter, APA Annual Convention 2026 — Virtual Poster

• 30+ Years as Track & Field Athlete and Coach

• Founder, Inspire Excellence

Areas of Expertise

• Sport psychology and humor research

• Team culture and cohesion

• Coach-athlete relationships and power dynamics

• Coping, anxiety management, and peak performance

• Qualitative research methodology

• Keynote speaking, workshops, and organizational consulting

I believe the best performance happens when people feel safe enough to laugh, connected enough to trust, and inspired enough to reach. That's the world I'm working to create.