Erin Hennessy Author

Christina Economos is an internationally known expert in the field of childhood obesity prevention. Her research efforts focus on large-scale community-based participatory interventions with potential for scalability. Christina served as the principal investigator for Shape Up Somerville, which demonstrated a reduction in undesirable weight gain among elementary school students in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse urban community.

Jessica Collins is a recognized public health leader in Massachusetts and a sought-after speaker at national events. She leads multisector collaborations to address emerging public health issues through sustainable systems changes. Jessica served as the project manager for Shape Up Somerville and director of the BEST Oral Health program, both of which are recognized nationally.

Sonya Irish Hauser is a professor and researcher in nutrition science. Her research and academic interests focus on community approaches to obesity prevention and novel methods of health promotion. Her research efforts have included rigorous testing of the HEAT Club curriculum in after-school programs across the United States.

Erin Hennessy is a behavioral scientist with advanced training in nutrition. Her research interests focus on the multilevel influences of eating and activity behavior among at-risk families. She has worked on several federal- and foundation-funded community-based interventions, including Shape Up Somerville. Dr. Hennessy has won numerous awards for her research, including those from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and New Balance Foundation.

David Hudson is an expert in sustaining healthy communities, worksites, and schools through changes in policy, systems, and physical infrastructure. David served both as senior researcher coordinator and director of Shape up Somerville in collaboration with partners for those who live, work, and visit the city.

Erin Boyd Kappelhof is a registered dietitian who specializes in international nutrition communications. She primarily helps food and health organizations and companies define and disseminate their science-based messages to health professionals, consumers, and other audiences.

Sandra Klemmer is a clinical dietitian and also has a private nutrition practice. With an interest in health behavior change, Sandy was a staff member of the Shape Up Somerville project, and she explored the health behaviors of college students as a research assistant for the Tufts Longitudinal Health Study.

Claire Kozower has focused her career on the intersection of sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and community food security. She has many years of experience in nonprofit organic vegetable farms in the Northeast, including working on education staff, assisting with farm production, and serving as executive director. Her role with Shape Up Somerville included coordinating a farm-to-school program, school food service systems and infrastructure improvements, professional development and wellness opportunities for food service personnel, nutrition education for students and families, and after-school curriculum design and implementation.

Lori Marcotte is a curriculum developer who designs and implements comprehensive programs that aim to improve nutrition and phhysical activity behaviors in school-aged children. Her contributions reach students in the classroom as well as in out-of-school settings.