Tomorrow's leaders in health promotion are being educated at American University today.

 

Chair: The chair of my dissertation committee is Dr. Fredric Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs earned his Ph. D. from the University of Pennsylvania. He came to American University from Harvard University, where he was recognized as an authority on the case study methodology. Among the administrative posts Dr. Jacobs has held at American University are Chair of the School of Education, Head of the Ph. D. Program for the School of Education, and Head of the Faculty Senate. However, teaching and research are the areas he enjoys most. Among his areas of expertise are adult education, educational administration, and professional education. He has served on over 20 doctoral study committees.

Dr. Jacobs recently received research grants from the American Educational Research Association, American Association of University Women, and the Association for Institutional Research. The grants will be devoted to issues related to education, change, and adult learners.

Second reader: Dr. Robert Karch, a well-respected authority in the area of health promotion is the second member of my committee. Dr. Karch is the Executive Director of the National Center for Health Fitness and he has been a member of American University faculty since 1969. He is the Chair and a professor in the Department of Health and Fitness. He is also the founder and Director of both the Masters of Science program in Health Fitness Management and the University's National Center for Health Fitness.

Dr. Karch teaches the two capstone courses in the graduate program, strategic planning and a research seminar course. He has authored more than thirty articles for research and lay publications, several book chapters, and he has done extensive research in the areas of worksite health promotion and the cost and benefits of worksite health promotion programs. Dr. Karch has served on more than 30 committees at the masters and doctoral level.

Aside from his University responsibilities, Dr. Karch is a Past-President and currently a member of the Board of Directors for The National Fitness Leaders Association, as well as a Board Member for the American Council on Exercise. Dr. Karch received the University's Faculty Award for Outstanding Contributions to Academic Program Development in 1983 and again in 1988 as well as the Distinguished Faculty Award presented by the Mortar Board for Outstanding Leadership and Scholarship in 1982. He has also received numerous National Awards including the Exceptional Leadership Award in 1991 by the Association for Fitness in Business and The Healthy American Fitness Leaders Award in 1984 by the Presidents Council for Physical Fitness and Sports, the US Jaycees and Allstate Life Insurance Company. In addition, in 1983, Bob became the first recipient of the U.S. Army's Commanders Award for his work with the Army's Health and Fitness Programs.

Dr. Karch's areas of interest include the development, implementation, operations, and evaluation of employee health promotion programs. He maintains a very active schedule of teaching, writing, researching, and consulting in these areas. He is a frequent guest lecturer and speaker throughout the U.S. and has delivered major presentations in five foreign countries.

Third Reader: Dr. Michael McDonald is a doctor of public health with a specialization in health policy and administration from the University of California at Berkeley. He holds a dual specialty Department of Health and Social Sciences masters (MPH) in planning and policy and health education with a focus on communications and computing from U.C. Berkeley. He completed an honors B.A. degree in an interdisciplinary study of medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. McDonald is president of Global Health Initiatives, Inc., chairman of the board of Windom Health Enterprises (HealthCentral.com), past chairman of the IEEE medical technology policy committee for the United States, past director of Health and Telecommunications for the Koop Foundation, Inc., past chairman of Communications and Computer Applications in Public Health, and a member of several corporate boards. Dr. McDonald has been engaged in the design and execution of several health software and health information systems projects over the past fifteen years. In 1986, he designed and implemented one of the first interactive media distribution of personal health information into the home and the workplace via ISDN and videotex.

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Last Updated: December 10, 2001