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Leading Health and Fitness Nonprofit Welcomes New Board Members in Its Reach Beyond Traditional Fitness Industry

Posted: Oct 26, 2017 in ACE Press Releases

Six experts from diverse industries join American Council on Exercise in its mission to get people moving

San Diego, CA, October 26, 2017— The leading health and fitness nonprofit, The American Council on Exercise (ACE), announces six new board members with expertise in fields that will support the organization’s mission to get people moving.

"The tide won't turn on inactivity-related chronic disease if we approach systemic problems in isolation," says American Council on Exercise CEO Scott Goudeseune. “The diversity of skill sets and backgrounds in our board of directors will help us equip more people with the skills, expertise and credentials to help people adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles, and advancing programs that bring physical-activity options to places and populations where it’s most needed.”

Each new board member brings experience and connections as an accomplished leader in their respective industries including healthcare, technology, public health and policy, military and government, energy, corporate culture and leadership, fitness, medicine, social justice and community planning.

ACE welcomes the following to its board of directors:

• Gregory Degnan, chairman of the Hospital Medical Affairs Board and member of the medical staff at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital, medical director at Atlantic Coast Athletic Clubs, and associate clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Virginia
  Dr. Degnan is passionate about of the movement to integrate the fitness industry into healthcare, and is leading the effort as a researcher, medical doctor and executive.
• Sandi Gordon, founder and chief executive officer at Healthitology
  As an expert on integrative healthcare and corporate leadership and change management, Gordon supports ACE efforts to implement movement solutions that span multiple industries and whole-community systems. She has led similar partnerships between healthcare systems, military departments, Fortune 100 corporations and more.
• Jenny Lee, global marketing director for women’s health at Boston Scientific
  Lee brings to ACE experience with marketing and change management for some of the largest sports medicine products and medical technology devices. She has served on the board of directors for both the American Legacy Foundation and the American Lung Association.
• David Nixon, chairman and chief executive officer at InformedDNA
  Nixon has extensive experience in healthcare services, advocacy, public policy and non-profit governance as the chairman and CEO of the leading genetic benefits management company in the US. His insights into the future of healthcare technology systems will help guide ACE’s efforts to integrate healthy movement into personalized healthcare.
• Fred Sherman, chief operating officer at CLASP
  Sherman brings more than 15 years of senior management to ACE. He serves on the board of directors for Advocates for Youth and Capital City Public Charter School and has held senior leadership positions for several other nonprofit organizations including BoardSource and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute.
• Fred Hoffman, owner of Fitness Resources
  With more than 30 years of experience developing fitness-industry businesses in more than 50 countries, Hoffman’s experience empowers ACE efforts to lead a foundational shift toward sustainable lifestyle change in the global fitness industry. Hoffman is an ACE certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor as well as the recipient of the 2007 IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year Award.

In addition to its new board members, ACE also acknowledges current board members stepping into new board of director roles. Shannon Fable, owner of GroupEx Pro, has officially become the organization’s vice chair. John Breslin Ph.D, a leader of the Unit for Social Software at DERI, the world's premier semantic web research institute, will now serve as secretary and Scott Alarcòn, CEO of Georgetown Health Foundation, will serve as treasurer.

To learn more about ACE’s complete board of directors, please visit acefitness.org/about-ace/our-team/board-of-directors.aspx.

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About ACE

With a mission to get people moving, the nonprofit organization American Council on Exercise (ACE) educates, certifies and represents more than 70,000 currently certified fitness professionals, health coaches and other allied health professionals. ACE advocates for a new intersection of fitness and healthcare, bringing the highly-qualified professionals ACE represents into the healthcare continuum so they can contribute to the national solution to physical inactivity and obesity. ACE is the leading certifier in its space and all four of its primary certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the gold standard in the United States for accreditation of certifications that assess professional competence. ACE also plays an important public-service role, conducting and providing science-based research and resources on safe and effective physical activity and sustainable behavior change. For more information, call 800-825-3636 or visit ACEfitness.org. AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE, ACE and ACE logos are Registered Trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.