Jacqueline Epping, M.Ed. (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Jacqueline (Jackie) Epping is a Senior Health Scientist with the Applied Research, Guidelines and Policy Team of the Physical Activity and Health Branch, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the course of her career, she has focused on both older adults and children as specific populations in which to promote physical activity. Jackie has played key roles in the creation of the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the National Physical Activity Plan, released in 2010, the creation of the first national professional organization for physical activity and public health practitioners in the U.S. – the National Physical Activity Society., and the creation of the first professional credential for Physical Activity Practitioners in Public Health. She is a member of the national Coordination Team currently updating the Community Guide Recommendations for interventions to increase physical activity. She serves on the National Steering Committee for the US Play Coalition, the Board of Director of the Kids and K-9s for Healthy Choices program, the National Advisory Committee for the American Fitness Index and as federal advisor to the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity.
Jackie has delivered over 100 presentations nationally and internationally. She has authored or co-authored 15 peer-reviewed journal articles, three book chapters and a book.
She has a particular research interest in dog walking as a mechanism for increasing physical activity and improving health, and facilitates an international research interest group in this area.