Member Spotlight: Lauren (Schulte) Remspecher, MPH, CHES Senior Director, Member Engagement & Communications – St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition

Lauren (Schulte) Remspecher is senior director, member engagement and communications for the St. Louis Area Business Health Coalition (BHC), a non-profit collaborative supporting over 70 leading employers in their efforts to improve the well-being of employees and enhance the quality and overall value of investments in health benefits. In her role, Lauren leads a team to develop turn-key products and services for member organizations, including educational and networking events, health improvement campaigns, communication and engagement tools, and group purchasing opportunities. Through her work with the BHC, Lauren also participates in several national initiatives to advance business and community health, serving as an advisor for the Healthier Workforce Center of the Midwest; a Think Tank member of the Health Enhancement Research Organization; and co-chair of the Community Health Affinity Group through the National Alliance of Health Care Purchaser Coalitions. Lauren received her Master of Public Health degree in behavioral science and health education from Saint Louis University and Bachelor of Health Science degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a certified health education specialist, a faculty member of the Wellness Council of America, and a certified trainer for the CDC’s Work@Health program.

What’s on your professional reading list that you’d recommend to fellow HERO members?

There are so many books on my list, but next up is an oldie but a goodie: Start with Why by Simon Sinek.

What innovative program are you most excited about in your workplace?

In 2019, the BHC launched the Defeat Diabetes STL campaign, a multi-year, collaborative employer effort to prevent, better manage, and reverse type 2 diabetes among employees and their family members. Through these efforts, new resources have been developed to assist businesses in learning more about disease screening, prevention, and treatment; advancing their data analytics strategies; and reviewing best practices for selecting vendors, implementing programs, and engaging employees to defeat this chronic disease. To learn more, please visit www.stlbhc.org/page/DefeatDiabetesSTL.

What simple tip or learning can you share that employers can implement to help others enhance workplace well-being? 

As I have progressed in my career, I have consistently seen how closely employee well-being and organizational development are tied. A wellness program won’t be successful if team dynamics, workplace policies, and systems for change and growth are broken. Before tackling specific topics like exercise, nutrition, and sleep, it’s beneficial to take a step back and ask employees, “What would help you be successful in your role, and how can our organization provide support?”