John M. Jakicic, PhD has a national and international reputation as a leading scholar in the area of physical activity, and this builds on a line of research to determine the appropriate dose of physical activity for long-term body weight regulation and related chronic diseases across the lifespan. Within this line of research, Dr. Jakicic studies the interaction between energy expenditure and energy intake, the influence of these factors on body weight regulation, and the biological and behavioral pathways by which physical activity impacts health-related outcomes. Specifically, Dr. Jakicic’s research has been key to the public health recommendation regarding physical activity for weight control, and he is an expert in the implementation of strategies to improve long-term adherence to physical activity.

Corby K. Martin is a Professor and Director of the Ingestive Behavior, Weight Management & Health Promotion Laboratory at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Dr. Martin also Directs the Human Phenotyping Core of the Center’s NIH-funded Nutrition Obesity Research Center. Dr. Martin has received various awards during his training, and he was the recipient of the Lilly Scientific Achievement Award in 2013 and became a Fellow of The Obesity Society in 2015. The overarching goal of Dr. Martin’s research is to develop tools and interventions to help people live healthier lives through diet and exercise.

Donna H. Ryan, MD is Professor Emerita at Pennington Biomedical in Baton Rouge, LA, and currently serves as Past President of the World Obesity Federation. She is Associate Editor-in-Chief of the journal Obesity and has authored more than 200 publications. Dr. Ryan’s research focuses on nutrition, obesity, and weight management. She has been an investigator for various US National Institutes of Health-sponsored studies, including Pounds Lost, DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program), and the Look AHEAD study. Dr. Ryan’s continuing interests focus on translation of effective weight management into primary care practices.

Deborah F. Tate, Ph.D., is a Professor of Health Behavior and Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is director of the UNC Weight Research Program, the Connected Health Applications and Interventions (CHAI) Core, and the UNC Nutrition Obesity Research Center’s (NORC) Behavioral Core. Dr. Tate has been conducting research on the behavioral prevention and treatment of obesity with a particular emphasis on digital health since 2000 and has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles and chapters.

Ruth Q. Wolever, PhD, NBC-HWC is a Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who serves as the Director of Vanderbilt Health Coaching and the Interim Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt. Ruth is internationally recognized for her expertise on Health and Wellness Coaching, is a founding member of the National Consortium for Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches, and served as the inaugural President of the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching from Jan 2016 - Feb 2019. She has over 25 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating behavior change programs for medical patients and those at risk for chronic disease. Ruth studies integrative health coaching and mindfulness-based approaches to self-regulation and lifestyle change for those with, or at elevated risk for, diabetes, heart disease, insomnia, tinnitus, chronic pain, and other stress-related disorders.