Sarah Benes Author

Sarah Benes, EdD, MPH, CHES, is an assistant professor and the coordinator of the school health education program at Southern Connecticut State University. She earned a BS in athletic training at University of Connecticut, an EdM in human movement from Boston University in 2006, and an EdD in curriculum and teaching from Boston University in 2010. In 2021, she also completed a master’s degree in public health. She worked as a graduate assistant athletic trainer and an assistant athletic trainer at Boston University before transitioning to teaching full time and running the physical and health education programs for six years. Benes then held a position as an associate clinical professor in the School of Health Sciences at Merrimack College.

Benes’ research and scholarship interests include skills-based health education, equity and justice in health education, physical activity in the classroom, and enhancing school-based physical and health education programming. She is a past president of SHAPE America, after serving on the board for three years and as chair of the Health Education Council. She has done curriculum development with many districts in Massachusetts, has conducted skills-based health education professional development in multiple states across the country and internationally, and has written more than a dozen health education presentations and publications. She currently lives in Natick, Massachusetts, with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys yoga and meditation, reading, hiking, and going on adventures with her family.

Holly Alperin, EdM, MCHES, is a clinical associate professor at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) with over 20 years’ experience in both public health and education. As a faculty member and program coordinator of the department of kinesiology’s health and physical education teacher preparation program, she focuses on preparing preservice educators to teach using a skills-based approach. Prior to UNH, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in a variety of roles that supported schools in their efforts to strengthen policies and increase capacity around school health education and programs, school nutrition programs, and professional learning experiences for educators.

Through her work at the local, state, national, and international levels, Alperin provides guidance to schools as they create a culture of health and well-being for each student—both in the health education classroom and throughout the school. In addition to other volunteer roles, she is the past vice president of health education for New Hampshire Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; served on the task force to revise the National Health Education Standards; and is the past chair of the Health Education Council for SHAPE America.

Alperin received her master’s in education in policy, planning, and administration from Boston University and her bachelor’s degree in health education and health promotion from Central Michigan University. She holds the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) credential. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two daughters. In her free time, you can likely find her in the mountains or at the beach enjoying the best New England has to offer.