Join Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, for a conversation about how he has championed the integration of fitness and healthcare, while emphasizing the vital role that qualified exercise professionals play in preventing chronic disease, reducing health disparities, and improving quality of life.

Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM Biography

Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), one of the leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to health and fitness education and certification. Dr. Bryant is a nationally recognized educator, researcher, author, and leading voice in exercise science and public health. He has spent more than three decades advancing the science of exercise, elevating professional standards, and championing the role of physical activity in improving individual and community health.

Dr. Bryant is widely respected for his contributions to exercise science, behavior change, healthy
aging, and chronic disease prevention. He is the author or co-author of more than 400 published
articles and 40 textbooks and has served in numerous advisory and leadership roles across public
health, medical fitness, and research organizations. His work has supported major initiatives,

including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Active People, Healthy Nation program, the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Obesity Solutions.

A Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Dr. Bryant earned both his master’s degree in exercise science and doctorate in physiology from The Pennsylvania State University. In recognition of his exceptional professional achievements and service, he received Penn State’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the university’s highest honor. The award recognizes graduates whose personal lives, professional accomplishments, and community service exemplify the ideals of the university.

Throughout his career, Dr. Bryant has championed the integration of fitness and healthcare,

emphasizing the vital role that qualified exercise professionals play in preventing chronic disease, reducing health disparities, and improving quality of life. In recognition of his decades of leadership, innovation, and service to the health and fitness profession, he was selected for induction into the National Fitness Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026, one of the professions highest honors.

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Join Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, for a conversation about how he has championed the integration of fitness and healthcare, while emphasizing the vital role that qualified exercise professionals play in preventing chronic disease, reducing health disparities, and improving quality of life.

Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM Biography

Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, FACSM, is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), one of the leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to health and fitness education and certification. Dr. Bryant is a nationally recognized educator, researcher, author, and leading voice in exercise science and public health. He has spent more than three decades advancing the science of exercise, elevating professional standards, and championing the role of physical activity in improving individual and community health.

Dr. Bryant is widely respected for his contributions to exercise science, behavior change, healthy aging, and chronic disease prevention. He is the author or co-author of more than 400 published articles and 40 textbooks and has served in numerous advisory and leadership roles across public health, medical fitness, and research organizations. His work has supported major initiatives, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Active People, Healthy Nation program, the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Obesity Solutions.

A Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Dr. Bryant earned both his master’s degree in exercise science and doctorate in physiology from The Pennsylvania State University. In recognition of his exceptional professional achievements and service, he received Penn State’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the university’s highest honor. The award recognizes graduates whose personal lives, professional accomplishments, and community service exemplify the ideals of the university.

Throughout his career, Dr. Bryant has championed the integration of fitness and healthcare, emphasized the vital role that qualified exercise professionals play in preventing chronic disease, reducing health disparities, and improving quality of life. In recognition of his decades of leadership, innovation, and service to the health and fitness profession, he was selected for induction into the National Fitness Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026, one of the professions highest honors.

Support the show: http://www.cooleyfoundation.org/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Melissa Sundermann will discuss how health is shaped far beyond the walls of the medical office. Drawing from her work in Lifestyle Medicine, her “Doctor Outdoors” platform, and her leadership in Social Prescribing and Nature as Medicine, she will explore practical ways to help people live healthier, more connected, and more vibrant lives.

Biography

Melissa Sundermann, DO, DipABLM, FACLM, is a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine with more than 25 years of clinical experience. Known as “Doctor Outdoors,” she is a nationally recognized leader in Lifestyle Medicine, Nature as Medicine, and Social Prescribing and currently serves as Medical Director of Lifestyle Medicine at Corewell Health.

Dr. Sundermann is the Chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Lifestyle Medicine Initiative and the Founding Chair of the Nature as Medicine Subcommittee for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. She also serves as an advisor to organizations advancing Social Prescribing and innovative approaches to whole-person health.

She is the author of Doctor Outdoors’ Guide to Nature and Lifestyle Medicine and is passionate about helping people cultivate greater health, vitality, connection, and resilience through evidence-based lifestyle practices and time in nature. A lifelong endurance athlete, she has completed 13 Boston Marathons and three full Ironman triathlons.

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