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Melissa
Johnson Named Executive Director of the President's
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
WASHINGTON, DC – Melissa Johnson
has been appointed Executive Director of the President’s
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports by President
George W. Bush. Working with Council Chair Lynn Swann,
Vice Chair Dorothy “Dot” Richardson, and seventeen
other appointed Council members, Ms. Johnson recommends
programs and strategies to promote daily physical activity
among Americans of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
As Executive Director, Ms. Johnson
manages the programs, activities and operations of the
Washington, D.C. based Council, an advisory committee
to the President and the Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS), and supports the
President’s HealthierUS and Secretary Thompson’s
Steps to a HealthierUS initiatives to promote the nation’s
health through encouraging regular physical activity,
sound nutrition, preventive screenings, and avoidance
of risky behaviors.
Ms. Johnson will take a lead role
in developing and implementing national programs to
promote active lifestyles, including sports, through
cooperative efforts in the public, private and non-profit
sectors. She will have oversight of the Council’s
longstanding motivational program, the President’s
Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program
for school age children and for the Council’s new
interactive online activity program for Americans of
all ages, backgrounds and abilities (www.presidentschallenge.org),
announced by President Bush last summer (July 18, 2003).
A native of Newport Beach, California,
Ms. Johnson has more than twenty years of professional
experience in the health and fitness community. She
was Executive Director of the California Governor’s
Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (1997-2002),
formed by Governor Pete Wilson and chaired by California
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Governor’s
Council promotes healthy lifestyles to Californians
of all ages and abilities with a focus on older adults,
youth, physically challenged Americans, and workplace
wellness. Ms. Johnson managed all operations, programs,
corporate partnerships, new developments, fundraising,
budgeting, public relations, promotions, marketing,
events, strategic planning, and board activities. She
also served as vice president and western regional chair
of the National Association of Health and Fitness, formerly
the National Association of Governor’s Councils
on Physical Fitness and Sports, and chaired their 2001
national conference.
Ms. Johnson was Director of Operations
for National Fitness Leaders Association (NFLA) (1992-97),
a national not-for-profit organization formerly based
in Washington, D.C. She coordinated and directed NFLA’s
Healthy American Fitness Leaders Awards program, in
partnership with the President’s Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports. Ms. Johnson also worked in corporate
health promotion, designed wellness programs, and served
as spokesperson for a variety of fundraising events
for the American Heart Association and the American
Cancer Society.
Ms. Johnson has a Masters of Science
degree in Health/Fitness Management from American University
in Washington, D.C., where she taught as an adjunct
professor, and a B.S. degree in Kinesiology from UCLA.
Formerly a competitive gymnast, she leads an active
lifestyle as an avid dancer, weight trainer, cross trainer,
and yoga enthusiast.
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