Ruth Ann Carpenter Author

Ruth Ann Carpenter, MS, RDN, is a consultant in health promotion and instructional design. She is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in applied nutrition from Pennsylvania State University as well as a master’s degree in instructional systems, with a focus in online learning, from Florida State University. Carpenter directed the nutrition education and research efforts at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, for 22 years and was the codeveloper and a group facilitator for the Lifestyle Nutrition Study, which served as the basis for Healthy Living Every Day. She has coauthored six books, including Active Living Every Day, Second Edition (Human Kinetics, 2011) and has developed educational programs for clients such as the American Heart Association, Kellogg’s, Tropicana, Jenny Craig, the U.S. Navy, Roche, and the Illinois Department of Public Health. She has served in numerous leadership positions in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, including chair of the weight management dietetic practice group and coauthor of a physical activity toolkit for dietitians.

Carrie Finley, MS, served as a project manager, data analyst, and statistician in the research division at the Cooper Institute for 14 years. She has a bachelor of science degree in nutritional sciences from Texas A&M University and a master of science degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas–Houston school of public health. While with the Cooper Institute, she assisted in the development of the curriculum for the Lifestyle Nutrition Study, which served as the basis for Healthy Living Every Day, while also facilitating group sessions. She also helped direct a nutritional epidemiology project that collected and analyzed dietary data to examine how dietary factors and fitness relate to morbidity and mortality. She has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at many professional conferences, including the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Nutrition Week Conference, and American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference.