Professor - Health — Allied Health, Kinesiology, & Sport Sciences and Prevention Resource Center
I teach classes in the Health Management BS Degree Program and the MS Nutrition and Exercise Science Program. I also serves as the Health Unit Coordinator for KNR and the Graduate Coordinator for the MS Nutrition and Exercise Science Program. I also serve as the faculty advisor to the Southeast Missouri State University Health and Wellness Association.
Since 2012 I have served as Director of the grant-funded Southeast Regional Prevention Center (RPC). The mission of the RPC is to promote and facilitate the development of community prevention initiatives concerning the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs by serving as a catalyst for mobilization and change in the six Southeast Missouri counties: Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, Scott, and Sainte Genevieve.
In the community I have been active with the American Heart Association, The Healthy Communities Coalition, Saint Francis Medical Center and Southeast Hospital. I serve on the Board of Directors and am a former President of Project CHARLIE (Chemical Abuse Resolution Lies In Education). This is a substance misuse prevention program for elementary school students. Since 2007 I have taught a weekly Project CHARLIE class at Franklin Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.
I am passionate about improving the health of others. I have directed a wide variety of health promotion programs in corporate, community and university settings. I am also passionate about experiential learning and get students involved in most of these programs. My research interests include health behavior change, body composition assessment and weight loss programs, substance abuse prevention and worksite health promotion.
While at Southeast I have co-authored 30 articles and 60 abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, 3 book chapters, and has received over $3,000,000 in external funding. I have given over 40 national presentations, 36 regional presentations, 10 state presentations and numerous presentations at the local level.
My wife Pamela and I have three children: a daughter Taylor and twins Matthew and Emma. My hobbies include working out, reading, fishing, cooking, playing guitar in the band "Old School", going to concerts and listening to music.