SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Kerry E. Evers and Sara S. Johnson, co-presidents and CEOs of Pro-Change Behavior Systems Inc., are the 2018 co-recipients of the Health Enhancement Research Organization’s Mark Dundon Research Award.
The award, which recognizes the National Researcher of the Year, was conferred during the presentation of the 2018 HERO Health and Well-Being Awards, held recently at the HERO Forum in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
The annual award is given to those who demonstrate sustained leadership in the creation and dissemination of research to advance the science and practice of workplace health and well-being. Both graduates of the University of Rhode Island, Johnson and Evers are the first co-recipients of the honor. Sharing this award is a testament to their more than 20 years of collaborating to advance the field of health and well-being, Pro-Change noted in an announcement about the honor.
“As the field of workplace health and well-being continues to evolve, we need leaders working to advance the field, improve our understanding and increase adoption of best practices,” said Paul Terry, president and CEO, HERO. “The collective work and collaborative approach that Kerry and Sara bring to population health research has contributed greatly to the evolution of our knowledge of behavior change and well-being.”
Johnson and Evers are well-known for their expertise on theory-driven approaches to health behavior change, for implementing evidence-based behavior change strategies and for identifying methods for increasing program impact. They have dedicated their careers to research on and the dissemination of best practices in behavior change to advance population health and well-being. Together, they have overseen millions of dollars in research grants from the National Institutes of Health to conduct research in diverse populations that addresses a variety of behavior change challenges, such as substance use prevention among active military and veterans, and chronic pain self-management.
“This award is an incredible honor,” said Evers, “But it is made even more special to be awarded it with Sara, as we have grown in this field alongside each other through graduate school, our early career and now as a team leading Pro-Change. To have our partnership recognized with such a prestigious award is an extraordinary moment in our careers!”
Rob Borkowski is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Borkowski@PBN.com.
