History of Success

Vision:

FAHE envisions a healthy, equitable, and socially-just world supported by quality health education for all ages in all settings.

Mission:

To advance the health education profession with a social justice and equity perspective by supporting students, the workforce, and leaders in the field.

We do this by:

  • Cultivating relationships with organizations and stakeholders
  • Fundraising to maximize private support  
  • Providing scholarships, fellowships, and awards
  • Advocating for health education as an essential part of public health
  • Being a prominent force in supporting health education 

The Foundation for the Advancement of Health Education (FAHE) was incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in 1992 by past presidents and past executive directors of the American Association for Health Education. The first mission of the foundation was to “support the mission and programs of the American Association for Health Education (AAHE).” The founding board of the Foundation included Richard Papenfuss, Ann E. Nolte, Peter Cortese, Robert R. Blackburn, William Kane, and Becky Smith. During later years, Pat Buckner also served on the founding board. The first president of the foundation was Richard Papenfuss, and subsequent presidents were Peter Cortese, Robert R. Blackburn, John A. Bonaguro, Becky J. Smith, and the current president William Potts-Datema.

At the time that FAHE was incorporated, AAHE was a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD). In the years 2013-14, AAHPERD discontinued doing business in the name of AAHE and AAHPERD, and the organizational structure for AAHE and AAHPERD no longer exists. Those changes prompted a change in the mission of the Foundation and an expansion of collaborations with a variety of other nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

The first long-term collaboration between FAHE, AAHE and several privately held companies was participating in the development and marketing of an online system to deliver graduate and undergraduate courses through university partnerships. The name of that program was the HEPNetwork, which stands for the Health Education and Promotion Network. The program continued for more than 10 years and was discontinued in 2015 as most colleges and universities were developing their own online learning systems.

During the 2000s, AAHE/AAHPERD was the recipient of estate funds that established the Marion Pollock Fellowship and the Delbert Oberteuffer Scholarship. These funds and the program responsibility for the awards were subsequently transferred with the permission of the estate to the Foundation and since that time FAHE has presented these annual awards to outstanding graduate students. The Oberteuffer Scholarship recognizes outstanding Doctoral Candidates studying Health Education and Promotion. The Pollock Fellowship provides funding for an outstanding Master Degree student in health education.

In 2015, the Foundation added the Ann E. Nolte writing award to its portfolio of awards. The Ann E. Nolte Award is presented annually to recognize publications from the previous 3 years that have made outstanding contributions to the field of Health Education and Promotion in the fields of pedagogy, history, philosophy, or the future of health education. In 2019 the Becky J. Smith Scholarship was added to the FAHE student support opportunities.

In 2012, AAHPERD transferred the copyright for the International Electronic Journal of Health Education (IEJHE) to the Foundation. Subsequently, FAHE changed the name of the journal to the Global Journal of Health Education and Promotion (GJHEP) and after several years of publication FAHE sold the Global Journal of Health Education and Promotion to an independent publisher. It continues as a peer-reviewed publication serving the health education and health promotion professionals both in North America and around the globe.

As FAHE continues in its development and evolution, the leadership continues to expand its vision for the future advancement of health education and health promotion. It is FAHE’s sincere hope that members of the profession around the world will join in the mission of advancing the quality of life for individuals and communities through health education and promotion. FAHE welcomes new partnerships with groups and individuals. Please contact the foundation to make a difference with your contribution or participation.


AAHE FELLOWS

In 1998, the American Association for Health Education established a fellow designation to recognize individuals who have contributed significant leadership and scholarship to the field of health education and to AAHE as an organization. Individuals honored as AAHE Fellows may use the “FAAHE” designation with their academic credentials.

Minimum qualifications for nomination included:

  • Ten (10) consecutive years of AAHE membership.
  • Evidence of meritorious, substantive and consistent service and leadership on national AAHE committees or boards.
  • Other service and recognition to the health education profession, including state and district AAHPERD organizations, were considered.

O. Matthew Adeyanju
Diane D. Allensworth
Evelyn E. Ames
David J. Anspaugh*
Danny Ballard
Michael D. Ballard
Robert “Rick” Barnes*
Loren Bensley*
Mary K. Beyrer*
David A. Birch*
David “Randy” Black
Jill M. Black
Robert R. Blackburn*
John Bonaguro
Chet E. Bradley*
Kelli McCormack Brown
Clint E. Bruess*
WP. “Pat” Buckner, Jr.*
Arvil Burks
John J. Burt*
Joy G. Cauffman
Beth H. Chaney
J. Don Chaney
W. William Chen
Kenneth S. “Casey” Clarke*
Helen Cleary
John H. Cooper*
Ruth D. Corcoran*
Peter A. Cortese*
Randy Cottrell
William H. Creswell, Jr.*
Renae Cunnien*
Gus T. Dalis*
Joseph S. Darden, Jr.*
Thomas M. Davis
Dixie L. Dennis
Darwin Dennison*
Lori Dewald
Steve Dorman*
Claire J. Drew*
Judy C. Drolet*
Richard M. Eberst

James (Jim) Eddy
Gary English
Gene Ezell
Joyce V. Fetro
Mohammed Forouzesh
Stuart W. Fors*
Deborah A. Fortune
Steve Furney
Neil G. Gallagher*
Brian Geiger
Glen Gilbert*
Gary D. Gilmore
Robert Gold
Mal Goldsmith
Dawn Graff-Haight
Lawrence W. Green
Jerrold S. Greenberg
Marian V. Hamburg*
Michael Hamrick
Elizabeth O. Harmon*
Phil Heit
Alan C. Henderson*
Paul M. Hillar*
Kathleen S. Hillman
Betty M. Hubbard*
Nicholas K. Iammarino*
William M. Kane*
Robert Kaplan*
Robert H. Kirk*
Mark Kittleson
Lloyd J. Kolbe
Glenn C. Leach*
David Lohrmann
Raffy Luquis
Beverly Mahoney
Robert McDermott
James McKenzie
Warren McNab*
Richard K. Means*
Linda Meeks
Kathleen Middleton*
Kathleen R. Miner*

Susan Muller
Carl Nickerson
Ann E. Nolte*
Larry K. Olsen
Thomas W. O’Rourke*
Donna Osness*
Richard L. Papenfuss*
Miguel Perez
Mike Perko
Carolyn Plonsky
David L. Poehler*
William Potts-Datema
Iris J. Prager*
James Price
B.E. “Buzz” Pruitt*
Janet H. Shirreffs*
Elena Sliepcevich*
Becky J. Smith*
Margaret M. Smith*
Betty Tevis-Smith*
Alan J. Sofalvi
Marian Solleder
Caile E. Spear
Stephen H. Stewart*
Carl A. Stockton
Alyson Taub
Susan Telljohann
Mohammad R. Torabi*
Mary Jane Tremethick
Len Tritsch*
Robert “Skip” Valois
Jill Varnes*
C. Harold Veenker*
Donna M. Videto
Murray Vincent*
Deitra Wengert
Maria T. (Terry) Wessel
Katherine Wilbur
Carl E. Willgoose*
Susan Frelick Wooley*
William L. Yarber
Michael Young

*April 1998 Charter Fellows.