Press Room

ACE welcomes Dr. Laurie Whitsel and Dr. Antonio Williams to its Board of Directors

Posted: Oct 09, 2020 in ACE Press Releases

San Diego, Calif., October 9, 2020 -- Laurie Whitsel, Ph.D., FAHA vice president of policy research and translation for the American Heart Association (AHA) and senior advisor to the Physical Activity Alliance, and Antonio Williams, Ph.D., associate professor and associate department chair at Indiana University School of Public Health, have joined the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as members of its board of directors effective October 9, 2020. 

 “I have worked alongside ACE for many years in my work with the American Heart Association and am honored to join the board of directors,” said Dr. Whitsel. “It is my hope that while serving on the ACE board of directors I am able to share my knowledge of translating scientific evidence into advocacy action and policy change for physical activity.”  

“As part of the ACE family for eight years while first serving on the Industry Advisory Panel and currently on the Scientific Advisory Panel, I am thrilled to continue my work with ACE,” said Dr. Williams. “In my new position on the ACE board of directors, I look forward to further sharing my expertise in fitness and public health marketing communications to bring physical activity to even more people.” 

Members of the ACE board of directors bring unique knowledge, skills and experience that they share with ACE leadership to help guide the organization to achieve our mission of getting people moving. In addition to advising ACE, board of director members also steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical and legal governance and financial management policies. 

“We are honored to have both Dr. Whitsel and Dr. Williams join the ACE board of directors to share their expertise and help advance ACE’s mission to get people moving,” said Scott Goudeseune, ACE chief executive officer. “With their added knowledge and expertise ACE plans to grow and diversify our impact in health and fitness.” 

About Dr. Whitsel  

Dr. Whitsel translates science into policy at a national level in the areas of cardiovascular disease, stroke prevention and health promotion. She also serves as senior advisor to the Physical Activity Alliance, leading efforts to create, support and advocate policy and system changes that enable all Americans to enjoy physically active lives. Whitsel has served on expert advisory groups with RAND; the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the Bipartisan Policy Center; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. She holds a Ph.D. in nutrition science from Syracuse University.  

About Dr. Williams 

Dr. Williams’ primary areas of expertise include building and leveraging corporate and personal brand equity from a consumer-based perspective. Dr. Williams is acknowledged as a leading scholar in brand management and consumer behavior in sport, fitness and public health. As an international presenter, consultant and award-winning researcher, Dr. Williams has shared his passion for branding throughout the United States and abroad, including leading universities such as Harvard University, Oxford University. He has consulted for several notable fitness and professional sport organizations, and his work has been featured and quoted in media outlets and scholarly journals such as The New York Times, Fox News, Washington Post and The Chicago Tribune. He has published over 80 scholarly research articles and presentations on sport and fitness marketing and branding. Williams received his Ph.D. in human performance from Indiana University Bloomington.  

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The American Council on Exercise is a nonprofit organization with global reach that works to improve physical-activity levels by certifying exercise professionals and health coaches, publishing original research, convening experts on physical activity and health, working directly with community groups, and advocating for policies to get people from all walks of life moving. The 90,000 exercise professionals and health coaches certified by ACE are among the most respected in the world of fitness, helping people embrace physical activity and adopt healthier lifestyles. 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.