Bettina Beech Ready to Provide Population Health Perspectives to NBHWC Board of Directors

By Mike Emery, 713-743-7197

Each day, Americans of all ages are challenged by lack of sleep, poor nutrition and inadequate physical activity, among a myriad of other health issues. Through the guidance of health and wellness coaches, those struggling with health or self-care challenges can begin new journeys on the road to recovery.

Credit the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) for supporting the professional development and certification of health and wellness coaches. The NBHWC’s Board of Directors includes a who’s who of professionals from academia and health care.  Among its newest members is UH Chief Population Health Officer Bettina Beech.

Beech was selected from among nearly 200 candidates for this role and is eager to share her experience and expertise as a newly minted board member.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to join the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching,” Beech said. “I am particularly excited to be part of a group shaping the development of this noble and rapidly growing field.”

Beech’s NBHWC board position complements her role leading UH Population Health. The initiative, which launched in January, takes a unique approach to advancing health equity within the region by addressing the full range of factors affecting the well-being of community members. Her appointment also complements the future launch of UH Population Health’s Center for Excellence in Health Coaching.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for health and wellness coaches are on the rise. Certified coaches work in physicians’ offices, community centers, gyms and other settings. Likewise, professionals from across health disciplines (nurses, psychologists, chiropractors, nutritionists) earn coaching certifications to broaden their services for patients.

“Health coaches are playing an integral role in people’s lives,” Beech said. “This is a rising industry with practitioners providing essential services to communities right here in Houston and throughout the region. I look forward to working alongside the NBHWC board in advancing this profession and sharing my perspectives as a population health scholar.”