Roles of Health Education Specialists in Chronic Disease Self-Management

Alexis Williams is Team Lead for the Health Education and Promotion Team in the Translation, Health Education, and Evaluation Branch of the Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She manages a team charged with developing, disseminating, and evaluating science-based and culturally-relevant health education and behavior change marketing resources, strategies, and interventions with a focus on underserved populations. Since joining DDT in 2009, she has developed health promotion tools and resources and provided training and technical assistance to help strengthen the capacity of DDT partners to deliver effective diabetes management and type 2 diabetes prevention programs, particularly in the areas of health promotion, marketing, and health equity. 

Prior to joining CDC, Alexis spent 7 years managing the national dissemination of Body & Soul: A Celebration of Healthy Living and Eating for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Body & Soul helped African American churches develop healthy eating programs for their congregations.  She was also a Public Health Advisor for the National 5 A Day for Better Health Campaign at NCI.  Before working with NCI, she was Manager of Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion for the National Home Office of the American Cancer Society, where she helped develop and disseminate cancer prevention programs focused on healthy eating, increased physical activity, and obesity prevention.

Alexis is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist and National Board of Medicine Certified Health and Wellness Coach. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Mills College in Oakland, California, and a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Emory University in Atlanta. She also has a Master of Science in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from Walden University. A native of Chicago, IL, Alexis currently lives in the Atlanta area.

Dr. Nicolette Warren Powe is Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health Professions and the Department of Graduate Studies in Health & Rehabilitation Sciences at Youngstown State University. She received a DrPH in Health Education from the Loma Linda University, an MS in Health Promotion/Human Sciences from North Carolina Central University, and a BS in Community Health Education/Healthcare Ethics from Kent State University. Dr. Powe is a public health scientist whose primary interest is behavioral risk factors for chronic disease prevention. Dr. Powe’s research investigates racial/ethnic and sex differences in adherence to cardiometabolic self-management practices, specifically in young adults. Dr. Powe also studies applied health education theories to the implementation of health promotion programs and the dissemination of chronic disease program outcomes. 

Dr. Powe’s work has resulted in the publication of the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Minority National Organizations (MNO) Success Stories showcasing the health equity projects that worked towards closing the health disparity gap in at least one of the racial and ethnic minority groups. Dr. Powe serves on the Youngstown American Heart Association Board and the Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio Board. She is a member of The Links, Incorporated Youngstown Chapter. She was elected to the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) editorial board for Pedagogy in Health Promotion: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning journal.
 

Tricia Lenhart has spent over 20 years in the health care industry. After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology she became an award-winning pharmaceutical sales representative for various dermatology and podiatry companies. Currently, she is a registered pharmacy technician in the state of Ohio for Rite Aid Corporation. She is pursuing her Master of Public Health degree through the Consortium of Eastern Ohio.