President-Elect |
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Treasurer |
I am extremely honored to have been elected as Secretary of the American Academy of Health Behavior. AAHB has been my academic home since 2016 when I first attended the conference in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. At the time, I didn’t yet realize the importance AAHB would have on my academic career and professional development. I am trained in both epidemiology and social-behavioral sciences, which often left me unclear which disciplinary organization was best for me. Once I attended the first conference, I knew I found my place and people. I have since brought my doctoral students to AAHB in hopes that they too find their academic home.
Since first joining AAHB, I have found several ways to get involved. I have been a Professional Development and Mentoring Council member since 2015 and now serve as Council Chair as of 2022. I have enjoyed working with fellow AAHB member to explore new ways to engage and support our membership through webinars, workshops, and mentoring activities. Moreover, I was the Research Review Chair for the 2021 virtual annual meeting and subsequently Past Research Review Chair in 2022 where we instituted the Lightening Talks for the first time. Most recently, I was inducted as a Fellow and am extremely proud to carry on this honor and give back to the Academy.
I am currently an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. My research focuses on HPV-related cancer prevention, primarily through vaccination, using mixed methods and community-engagement approaches. This work spans school-entry policies, alternative settings for vaccination, and decision-making support tools. I am also a member of several NIH consortiums that support enhancing the diversity of the biomedical workforce and reducing health disparities. Beyond work, I participate in community organizations and enjoy staying active and reading.
I have witnessed the immense necessity of the secretary position. The Secretary is responsible for documenting the progress of the Academy and updating the Policies & Procedures to reflect the current activities and vision for moving forward. I pride myself on attention to detail, which I believe is needed for this position. Moreover, I would appreciate the opportunity to continue my service on the AAHB Board of Directors to provide a voice to the next generation of the academy.
Greetings! I’m Danny Valdez. Currently, I serve as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Health Science at Indiana University's School of Public Health, Bloomington. My academic training includes an MS in 2014 and PhD in Health Education in 2018, both from Texas A&M, and post-doctoral training at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
I pride myself on being a computational health communication data scientist. At the heart of my research is the application of Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence to decipher and model unstructured language data, which affords insights into health beliefs, behaviors, events, and crises. This work has spanned multiple health-behavior domains, including addiction and recovery, sexual and reproductive health, infectious disease spread, mental health, and quality of online health information.
I first attended the AAHB annual meeting in 2018. By its conclusion, I was convinced that the Academy was my academic home. My involvement with the Academy deepened over time, solidifying its reputation in my eyes as an elite platform for pioneering research, collaboration, innovation, and group membership. A highlight of my association was in 2020 when I joined the RSMP cohort alongside Dr. Jennifer Unger. By 2022, I achieved full membership in the Academy and was humbled to receive the Judy K. Black Early Career award the following year. Presently, I'm dedicating my efforts as an active member in the Marketing, Awards, and Program Planning councils, which have independently and collectively impacted my perspectives on the historied legacy and future of AAHB.
As a delegate, I aim to uphold the high standards of AAHB and advocate for an inclusive environment for all members, regardless of race, religion, career stage, gender expression, or sexual orientation. I recognize that members are pivotal to our organization, and I am committed to accurately representing their views at the Board level. My growth, both personally and professionally, is deeply tied to the Academy. I am eager to contribute further as a member delegate, continuing my service to an organization that has greatly impacted me.