She has experience as a researcher about the history of the development of recreation services in Canada and as a practitioner and consultant in recreation and parks planning. She is president of the Canadian Association for Leisure Studies (CALS) and served as chair for both the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) editorial committee and the Wolfville Recreation Commission. Markham-Starr wrote the CPRA Research Policy and coedited its 50th-anniversary publication. She also wrote the City of Halifax Recreation Master Plan and is a member of CALS and World Leisure.