Preparing to Meet SOPHE's Teacher Preparation Standards

M. Elaine Auld, MPH, MCHES, is the chief executive officer, emerita, for the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). As SOPHE’s chief executive officer from 1995 to 2021 she oversaw the organization’s portfolio in professional preparation, professional development, research, publications, and advocacy. Over her more than 40-year career, Ms. Auld has published some 50 journal articles and book chapters on the profession’s role in community and school health education, health equity, national and international workforce development, and public policy. With regard to the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, Ms. Auld was principal investigator on several Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cooperative agreements that provided training and materials development for professionals, promoted the model as part of the National Task Force on the Future of School Health Education, and helped establish SOPHE’s School Health Teacher Education Standards used in credentialing.

As CEO of two professional associations, the Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) and the American School Health Association (ASHA), Susan Goekler (aka Susan Wooley) oversaw operations and represented the association, its members and the field. She has co-authored/co-edited several school health-relevant publications that include book chapters, encyclopedia articles, peer reviewed journal articles, and books, including Health Is Academic: A Guide to Coordinated School Health Programs.  She has worked in academia, schools, hospitals, non-profit agencies, associations, and government.  She is currently living in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and enjoying retirement from full time work while taking on projects of interest. One such project was co-chairing the Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards Writing Group for SOPHE and now serving as a part time consultant. She has served as a folio reviewer for NCATE and then CAEP since 1989, has chaired the AAHE NCATE Committee, trained other reviewers, and co-authored the 2008 iteration of the Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards.  She received her bachelor’s degree with honors in biology from Case Western Reserve University, a master’s degree in health education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Ph.D. in health education from Temple University.  She is a Retired Master Certified Health Education Specialist (RMCHES).

Dr. Donna Bernert is an Associate Professor in the Health Education and Promotion program at Kent State University. She has had a passion for school health education for over 35 years as a health educator, sexuality education specialist, and disability professional in public schools, universities, community organizations, and professional nonprofit associations. She currently coordinates and teaches in the graduate school health licensure programs offered at Kent State University. Dr. Bernert has published and presented internationally and nationally on developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, ability centered, inclusive, and skills based health education. In addition, she has served as a SPA reviewer of health education teacher preparation programs since 2008, and currently serves as a member of the National Committee on the Future of School Health Education with the Society for Public Health Education. She is licensed in Ohio to teach special education, elementary education, early childhood education, and health education.

Jacqueline V. Jackson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science at Jackson State University.