Learn how planning, public health, and parks and recreation practitioners use cross-sector collaboration to strengthen processes that encourage community fitness, walkable communities, and healthy living.
Learn how the City of Waco leverages partnerships across sectors to plan and develop healthy living opportunities for the community and its visitors. Incorporating a public health lens can offer a non-traditional framework to the planning perspective, and positively impact health outcomes. Presenters will discuss the process that integrates stakeholder engagement, and health equity to influence innovative solutions that provide low cost fitness opportunities within the built environment. These collaborations strive to promote an active and safe community in Waco, TX.
•Identify key partnerships in communities for implementing public health programs.
•Discuss strategies local public health departments can employ to establish non-traditional partners in order to sustain healthy communities.
•Describe approach for creating an active living program in local communities
Melissa Oden
Melissa Oden is a Fort Worth, Texas native who earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Texas Wesleyan University in 1997, a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2001, a Master of Public Health in 2006 from the University of North Texas …
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Melissa Oden is a Fort Worth, Texas native who earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Texas Wesleyan University in 1997, a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2001, a Master of Public Health in 2006 from the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health, and a Doctor of Health Education (2011) from Andrew Taylor Still University School of Health Management. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker with Independent Practice Recognition (LMSW-IPR) and a Certified Health Education Specialist® (CHES®).
Dr. Oden has been practicing social work for 21 years and a public health practitioner for 16 years. Her work experience ranges from social work in hospital and long-term care settings, to teaching and public health education and community practice, to professional development training and project management for applied social research projects. Her current fieldwork focuses on and Emergency Management and Disaster Planning and developing cross-disciplinary collaborations between urban planners and public health professionals. She is currently founding CEO of Health Education Resources Network, a public health project management and health education consulting company.
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Janet Jones, MPH, CHES
Janet Jones is from Houston, TX and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Child & Family Studies from Baylor University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Walden University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and works for the City of Waco as the Lead …
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Janet Jones is from Houston, TX and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Child & Family Studies from Baylor University and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Walden University. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and works for the City of Waco as the Lead Public Health Education Specialist at the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District in Waco, TX. Janet has been with the Health District for over 5 years and is the supervisor for the Health Education Department which has programs in maternal and child health/women’s health, chronic disease prevention and obesity reduction, and access to health care through the use of Community Health Workers. Janet works to implement programs which help to better the overall health & wellness of the residents in the greater Waco area by increasing education and access to health resources. Additionally, Janet teaches at Baylor University as Adjunct Faculty in the Family and Consumer Sciences Department.
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Ashley Williams
Ashley E. Williams, MSEd, Public Health Education Specialist, Waco-McLennan County Public Health District
Ashley Williams, originally from Chicago Illinois, earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology and Master’s degree in Community Health Education from Baylor University. She has over 10 years of experience in the public health field, and currently …
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Ashley E. Williams, MSEd, Public Health Education Specialist, Waco-McLennan County Public Health District
Ashley Williams, originally from Chicago Illinois, earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology and Master’s degree in Community Health Education from Baylor University. She has over 10 years of experience in the public health field, and currently serves as a Public Health Education Specialist for the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District. Her mission is to help others achieve their healthiest life through prevention strategies, education outreach, advocacy, and equitable systems and policy changes. Ashley also chairs the Live Well Waco Coalition, which is a collaborative effort of local organizations and residents working toward improving access to healthy foods, increasing opportunities for low and or free physical fitness, and reducing the risks for preventable chronic disease.
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Tom Balk
Tom Balk, LA, Senior Park Planner, City of Waco
Clint Peters, AICP
Director of Planning
