ASU director appointed to national wellness board


portrait of ASU Wellness director Karen Moses

Helping to revolutionize the culture of health and wellness at colleges and universities across the country, the National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities has appointed ASU's Karen Moses to its inaugural board of directors.

Moses is the director of ASU Wellness, and has provided leadership in health promotion initiatives, programs and services at Arizona State University over the past 25 years, using both individual and environmental approaches to promote health and wellness among ASU's student body.

"A healthy university has the potential to influence wellness among students, staff and the surrounding community," Moses said. "Graduates move on to influence wellness in their families, workplaces and communities across the nation and around the globe. This appointment is an opportunity to position ASU with other leading institutions to advance wellness among students and staff at ASU and across the nation."

Recognized as a leader in her field, Moses frequently speaks at professional conferences, and has been a consultant to other higher education institutions in guiding healthy campus initiatives and health promotion programs.

Moses has served in many elected and appointed positions of national associations, including the American College Health Association; Pacific Coast College Health Association; National Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention; and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. She also co-chaired the committee that developed the Healthy Campus 2010 Objectives for the American College Health Association, helped to develop the Standards of Practice for Health Promotion in Higher Education and helped to found the NASPA Health Promotion Knowledge Community. She has also served as president of the Arizona Dietetic Association.

The National Consortium for Building Healthy Academic Communities was established in April 2013. Efforts to drive the conversation around health and wellness in academic communities have been ongoing.

On March 24, the consortium will host a panel of nationally renowned experts to discuss prevention and management of chronic conditions. The event is set to take place at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The consortium's second national summit will be held April 23-24 at the University of California, Irvine. The summit will convene leaders and nationally recognized authorities in health and wellness to highlight and share best practices in promoting and sustaining wellness, with tracks focused on best practices and evidence-based programming; creating cultures of wellness; marketing and communication for engagement; and mental and emotional well-being.

For more information about the consortium, visit healthyacademics.org.