Summary

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Webpage:  https://www.drsuziecarmack.com

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Biosketch

You might say I did my career backwards, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After spending the first 20 years of my career in the fitness, mind/body and higher education worlds — as a yoga therapist, CEC provider and college professor — I decided it was time for me to dedicate myself to scientific research and public health promotion.

So in 2006, I went back to school to earn advanced degrees in Health and Kinesiology (MEd, 2009) and Health Communication (PhD, 2014). I also completed further training in mind/body practices (ERYT 200/RYT 500). Along the way I maintained my private coaching practice, and worked with over 2000 individuals and organizations, including the Pan American / World Health Organization, the National Parks Service, and the Department of Defense.

Today you’ll find me spending my professional time using best practices in health communication at the MITRE corporation, a non-profit organization supporting U.S. government sponsors. My current assignment has me orchestrating the communication strategy of CDC’s Surveillance Data Platform with Shared Services Initiative — an exciting program which will change public health for the better.

In my civic time, you’ll find me bringing the self-care themes of my books Genius Breaks (2017) and Well-Being Ultimatum (2015) to people worldwide — and inspiring them to optimize their work with their lives.

To learn more about my book, and how you can book me as your next keynote speaker or workshop presenter, please visit www.drsuziecarmack.com.

Education

Experience

Suzie Carmack, PhD, MFA, MEd, ERYT, PMA-CPT, ACE-CPT, is a interdisciplinary scholar, strategist, speaker, and survivor who has been promoting health, wellness and well-being since 1997. As a pioneer in the fields of integrative health coaching and well-being promotion, she has extensive experience as a thought-leader, executive coach, university professor, and yoga teacher and coach trainer. She is the author of Genius Breaks (2017)  Well-Being Ultimatum (2015) and has presented her work in over 100 keynotes and conference presentations worldwide. Her workplace well-being programs have leveraged best practices in social marketing and behavior change to inspire over 30,000 people from 89 countries to move mindfully during their workday, and in so doing, to fight the public health and biopsychosocial well-being risks of work/life stress and sitting disease (sedentarism). She has also personally coached over 1000 C-suite executives, clinicians, educators, and senior-ranking military officers in the art and science of living well.

As a thought-leader and executive coach, Dr. Carmack has shared her subject matter expertise in the field of health communication with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); the U.S. Department of Defense (as a key designer of the Operation Live Well 20-year strategic plan, 2015); the Pan American / World Health Organization (as a keynote speaker and program designer for their annual Wellness Week, 2013, 2014 and 2015); and the office teams of the Washington Post(who called her workday moving mindfulness breaks a “new office habit” in 2012).

As an educator and interdisciplinary scholar in higher education, Dr. Carmack serves on the adjunct faculty at George Mason University, where she has taught courses for four separate university departments in integrative studies; global and community health; health communication; sport communication; and the science of well-being. She currently teaches an intensive course in Well-Being and Integrative Health Coaching for the School for Integrative Studies (Mason’s interdisciplinary studies program) and the university stress management and coping course for the Department of Global and Community Health. She has also served on the faculty of American University, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in exercise physiology, health communication, health policy and behavior change for the Department of Health Studies (2015-2016). Other prior faculty appointments include Northern Virginia Community College (2008 – 2011); St. Louis University (1996-1999); and the College of Charleston (1992 – 1995).

As a researcher and advocate/speaker, she has published research with the Dr. Gary Kreps and the GMU Center for Health and Risk Communication on the influence of body image on breast cancer self-examination. She has also presented her research at local, regional, national and international conferences including: the National Academies of (Medical) Practice (2012); the American Public Health Association (2012 and 2015); the National Communication Association (2013); the DCHC Health Communication Conference (2011, 2013 and 2015); the DCAC International Fitness Convention (2010, 2012, 2014); and the Club Spa and Fitness Association (2012). As a translational scholar, she is dedicated to sharing the latest scientific findings of the integrative health, well-being promotion and health communication fields with community groups and corporate wellness programs as a keynote speaker.

As a professional trainer of health coaches, yoga teachers and fitness professionals, Dr. Carmack has trained over 2000 professionals throughout the United States as well as abroad in Taiwan, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Curacao. Her health coach and yoga and Pilates teacher trainee graduates work in a variety of settings, including physical therapy clinics, mental health clinics, Pilates studios, yoga studios, public school systems and university recreation settings. Every one of her Pilates teacher mentees has passed the challenging PMA-CPT certification exam on their first attempt.

As an interdisciplinary and translational scholar, Dr. Carmack holds advanced degrees in the social sciences (PhD, Health and Strategic Communication, from George Mason University, 2014), natural sciences (MEd, Health and Kinesiology, University of Texas, Tyler, 2009) and humanities (MFA, Theatre, University of Alabama, 1991 and BA, Communication Arts/Theatre, Allegheny College, 1989), Her professional training in mind/body medicine and well-being includes credentials as a teacher trainer (trainer of instructors) for the American Council on Exercise (ACE-CPT since 2006), Yoga Alliance (ERYT 200 / RYT 500 since 2006), and Pilates Method Alliance (PMA-CPT since 2004). As a third-generation Pilates teacher and kinesiologist, her movement training includes over 30 years of studio study, with a variety of world-renowned teachers including Jodi Welch, Linda Caldwell, Shane O’Hara, Kathy Harty Gray and Michele Larsson.

Books