What is Salud America!?

Salud America! The RWJF Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children is a national network of researchers, community leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders who are working together to increase the number of Latino scientists seeking environmental and policy solutions to address Latino childhood obesity. The network was established in fall 2007.

View the Salud America! Fact Sheet (PDF)

What are the network’s goals?

• Develop a network of researchers, community leaders, and health groups to reverse Latino childhood obesity.
• Develop a research priority agenda on Latino childhood obesity prevention.
• Fund pilot research projects; train and mentor funded researchers throughout their projects.
• Conduct a series of scientific conferences to disseminate research findings.

What are the network’s activities?

• Distribute a quarterly E-newsletter and monthly E-Alert.
• Use funded pilot research to inform childhood obesity prevention efforts tailored for Latino children, families, and communities.
• Disseminate key research findings to scientists, policy-makers, and the public via scientific conferences, Web site, etc.

Who funds Salud America! and directs it?

As part of its national initiative to reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity by 2015, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation established Salud America! as a national program with a five-year, $5.2 million grant. The network is headquartered at and directed by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Who are the network’s leaders?

• Amelie G. Ramirez, Dr.P.H.,
  Salud America! Director

  Email: ramirezag@uthscsa.edu

  Dr. Ramirez, an internationally recognized expert in health promotion and research, is director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. For more about her, click here.

• Kipling J. Gallion, M.A.,
  Salud America! Deputy Director

  Email: gallion@uthscsa.edu

  Mr. Gallion, a noted leader in the health communications field, is an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

• Patricia Chalela, Dr.P.H.,
  Salud America! Research Coordinator

  Email: chalela@uthscsa.edu

  Dr. Chalela, who has an extensive background in health promotion and research, is an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

• Sharon Kay Haverlah, B.A.,
  Salud America! Program Coordinator

  Email: haverlah@uthscsa.edu

  Mrs. Haverlah, who has a background in management/business administration, is a project coordinator at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

   

• Cliff Despres, B.J.,
  Salud America! Communications Coordinator

  Email: despres@uthscsa.edu

  Mr. Despres, who has a background in journalism and public relations, is an informational writer at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

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