Professional Development:

I received my Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Central Florida in 1994. After beginning my career in the fitness industry, I leveraged this experience to transition to corporate and community wellness. Understanding the importance of integrating employee health benefits (insurance) into strategies for preventive health care, I also became licensed as a General Lines Agent by the Texas Department of Insurance. Although my educational background is the foundation upon which I built my career, I consider myself a lifelong learner and continue to consume relevant publications and attend industry events to learn as much as I can about best practices and the latest updates, which has been invaluable to both my work and community involvement.

Demonstrated Success:

San Antonio, like cities across the country, has faced many challenges when tackling obesity and the resulting health conditions among its population. In 2010, then Mayor Julian Castro, currently United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, established the Mayor’s Fitness Council and began our community’s collaborative and focused efforts to improve the health of our residents. I joined these efforts at the initial program launch, and I now serve as the Council Chairman. Our mission is to act as the lead agent for health and well-being in San Antonio. We bring together a diverse group of key stakeholders to work collaboratively to create opportunities and remove barriers, all in an effort to make healthy easier while improving the rates of obesity/diabetes and overall health of our community.

According to community data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the City of San Antonio has seen a slow-down, and in some years a reduction, in the rates of obesity since we began our efforts. Among the programs initiated by the Mayor’s Fitness Council that are having a lasting legacy include:

• Fitness in the Parks: Now managed by the City of San Antonio Parks & Recreation Department, the program provides over 5,000 free group exercise classes in city parks each year.
• SiClovia: Held bi-annually, this single day event closes a major city road to cars to promote physical activity and healthy living. Now managed by the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, this event provides an opportunity for residents to explore our city, exercise, and learn about all of the great resources available for them. The event has grown to over 70,000 attendees per event.
• Mayor’s Fitness Council Student Ambassadors: Understanding the importance of educating and inspiring our next generation, we developed our Student Ambassador program in which young students become the wellness champions for their schools and community. They promote healthy living and create projects that will have impact based on the specific health needs of their school/community. Every school district in San Antonio has been enthusiastically represented.

The Mayor’s Fitness Council, which is also the parent group for the San Antonio Business Group on Health, has also been recognized for establishing the gold standard for community wellness in Texas. For four years running, It’s Time Texas, a nonprofit focused on improving the health of individuals and communities, has named San Antonio the metro category winner for its annual community challenge. This year, we also hosted the statewide health and fitness summit. Recently, we launched our public television show, FITCITYSA, to provide another opportunity for us to connect and inspire our community to take charge of their health. Having been part of the Mayor’s Fitness Council since its inception, I am so proud to see the impact and results of our ongoing efforts. It has really brought together so many organizations across the city to work toward a common goal.

On a personal level, I have also worked with It’s Time Texas to create a toolkit and accompanying webinar to help other communities take similar steps to improve the health of their citizens, which are now available for public distribution. I have also presented on the topic at a variety of statewide conferences and summits.

This is in addition to the hundreds of companies I have worked with to implement effective wellness programs and strategies for their employees, many of which have been recognized by local and national organizations for their achievement and success.

Leadership:

I have tried to demonstrate inspiring servant leadership through both my words and actions. I gain great joy from helping others, and I love to exercise and be active, so I continue to use my position and experience to share my passion, connect others and inspire by example.

At work, I strive to guide and support companies throughout the country in the development and implementation of their wellness initiatives. In my community, I have the opportunity and responsibility to be a champion for a healthier lifestyle. I have championed the growth of our outreach and social media presence with videos showcasing highlights of my journey and the many opportunities we have around our community. I also created and co-host our new FITCITYSA TV show that now airs on the City of San Antonio public access station.

I also support a number of other organizations in their efforts to build a healthier community, including:

• San Antonio Sports –Board Member
• The Health Cell – Board Member
• San Antonio Bike Share – Advisory Committee Member
• Humana San Antonio Health Advisory Board – Member and committee co-chair
• San Antonio Sports Corporate Cup – 2015 Honorary Chairman
• HEB – Statewide Health and Wellness Advisory Board

I have found that showing up, being present and sharing your passion, even in the face of obstacles, goes a long way toward making progress and achieving long-term success of challenging goals. In my role at Health Advocate as well as with the Mayor’s Fitness Council, this approach has enabled me to stay committed toward removing barriers and connecting people with the resources they need to make a lasting, positive impact.

Innovation:

Having been involved in this industry for many years and in a number of different capacities, I have had a front seat to witness and contribute to many evolving trends that affect our individual and collective journey toward better health. Early in my career, I worked in fitness centers and was able to meet personally with thousands of individuals - to listen to their goals and concerns - and guide them from contemplation to positive action as they worked toward better health.

During that time, we also experimented with offering our fitness center members pedometers and incentives in an effort to boost participation. This, along with an online portal, enabled us to test new strategies and determine whether rewards led to success (which it did!). Using our findings, we enhanced the product offering of our corporate wellness program to include online portals, physical activity tracking, biometric screenings and incentive programs. We also worked with organizations to embed our fitness center memberships directly into the employees’ insurance premiums – this was a very progressive business model at the time. Engagement soared when we removed a significant barrier to participation.

Compelling Vision:

This industry has changed so much in the past ten years, and I have no doubt it will continue evolving. I believe the biggest threat the industry faces is trying to apply a one-size-fits-all approach to wellness.  

Delivering on the needs of the ‘consumer’ requires an ever-evolving search for better solutions, unique collaborations and creative ideas. I make an effort to always be listening to the needs of the ‘end user’ and am patient, persistent and optimistic enough to look for new ways to inspire and provide the solutions they are looking for. It’s important that we understand each individual is on their own unique journey toward better health. Our solutions and strategy for the greater community will evolve as the demands and needs of the individual change. And while navigating this process, we must keep in mind that through our ability to remove barriers and create opportunities, we can meet peoples’ unique needs and make it easier for them to achieve their goals.

As part of this, I plan to continue my community engagement with the Mayor’s Fitness Council and will stay vigilant in my ability to provide companies with effective programs and strategies to help their employees. I am encouraged that these initiatives will improve equitable and affordable access, contributing toward removing barriers and helping people have more opportunities to make better decisions about their health and well-being. These are big challenges that require big, thoughtful and collaborative solutions. But the reward is great, and we get to have fun while we do it.