October 2025 Briefs
Happy Fall!
During this time of year, we are typically entering a period of reflection on HERO research and education from the year, after a swirl of planning and convening and learning together – similar to rushing through the leaves then flinging ourselves into the pile. Isn’t that a great feeling – sinking into the leaves! We are reflecting – yes! – but we’re doing so as we run toward a new research grant and a 4th Think Tank before we close out 2025!
For several years now, we have hosted three think tanks each year for our members. However, we tried out a new event calendar this year, and we’re excited to end the year with the Nov. 12th virtual Think Tank on “Perspectives from the C-Suite on Value, Data, and the Future.” This will be a timely collection of discussions on data-driven approaches to demonstrate the value proposition for workforce well-being that resonates with senior leaders. This think tank is open to up to 3 individuals from each organizational member, as well as to our new individual members.
We’re also thrilled to announce a third grant from Ardmore Institute of Healthto fund a year-long case study with two employers who employ low-wage workers. “Demonstrating the Value of Activating Employers as Agents of Change in Promoting Whole Health for Low-Wage Workers via Lifestyle as Medicine” will work with health systems as employers to recognize the opportunity to foster whole health for their employees via lifestyle medicine. This emphasis could pave the way for broader adoption of lifestyle medicine for patients and the communities in which they operate. Congratulations to HERO Senior Research Fellow Sara Johnson on this work! Hear from Sara and others about the results of the second funded study in the HERO webinar on December 2nd.
I invite you to grab a mug of hot cider to enjoy as you read the latest HERO news. Be sure to read to the end for a treat (no tricks) from HERO Senior Fellow Wendy Lynch. It might give you that “sinking into the leaves” feeling.
Together,
Karen
P.S. If you need a recommendation for the next book on your shelf, check out the HERO Bookstore for relevant titles written by HERO Fellows and speakers. The newest one on the shelf is by HERO Senior Fellow Jessica Grossmeier: Well At Work: Chart Your Course with Purpose, Connection, and Transcendence.
Last month, HERO announced the winners of its 2025 Health & Well-Being Awards, honoring visionary professionals whose work is reshaping the future of workplace well-being. The awards were presented during the HERO Forum and Think Tank, which convened industry leaders under the theme of “kindness as a business imperative.” The 2025 award recipients are:
- Dr. Dexter Shurney – Bill Whitmer Leadership Award (https://youtu.be/ug1JqxZCS6M)
- Dr. Bruce Sherman – Mark Dundon Research Award (https://youtu.be/2BCtou_bz5w)
- Adam Houdeshell – Healthy HERO Award, sponsored by Workpartners (https://youtu.be/DWuApj3wgDY)
Read all about these outstanding individuals and their accomplishments.
Member Updates
Register Now:
Bonus Think Tank
Members-Only Event
Perspectives from the C-Suite on Value, Data, and the Future
A Virtual Event | November 12, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET
Join us for a special Bonus HERO Think Tank exploring how C-suite leaders define value—and where health and well-being fit in this evolving equation.
This collection of virtual discussions will demystify the C-suite perspective with a focus on how C-suite leaders define value, and where health and well-being fits within this equation as a decision maker. Discussions will explore the importance of a data-driven approach and how this has been a key focus for chief well-being officers (CWOs) within leading organizations. Finally, considerations for the future will be a thread woven throughout this think tank with predictions of what will be “must have’s” for success in our ever-changing environments as we approach the new year ahead.
HERO members will learn from this expert speaker line-up:
- Jennifer Posa, PhD, MS, inaugural CWO, Central Intelligence Agency
- Jennifer Fisher, former CWO, Deloitte
- Anna Fitch-Courie, DNP, RN, CWO, Clemson University
- Jana Boehmer, MSM, RDN, CWO, Veterans Health Administration
- Larry Trilops, MBA, Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, North Bay Health System
- Elizabeth Bachrad, MSc, Head of Strategy, Business for Health
You can find additional readings for this Think Tank at the end of the newsletter in the Recommended Resources section. This collection of articles was published in the Knowing Well, Being Well section of the American Journal of Health Promotion in September 2025.
HERO Webinars
Demonstrating the Value of Activating Employers as Agents of Change in the Implementation of Lifestyle as Medicine
December 2, 2025 | 12:00 PM Central | Register
Employers have been identified as a crucial partner in advancing lifestyle as medicine to promote whole health. In an 18-month case study at 3 sites of 2 employers from different industries and geographic regions, HERO demonstrated how a framework designed to catalyze employers’ efforts to implement lifestyle as medicine can be effectively applied in real-world settings.
In close collaboration with Metro Nashville Public Schools and 3M, the HERO team conducted organizational audits; co-developed a comprehensive, systems-based implementation plan; provided ongoing, individualized technical assistance to the employers; and co-created a rigorous, multi-level outcome evaluation plan and sustainability strategies.
This webinar will share insights gleaned from the organizational audits; describe the specific tactics each participating employer elected to implement; summarize the results; and highlight lessons learned. A strategic planning tool for applying this framework in organizations with varying levels of organizational readiness to implement lifestyle as medicine will be shared.
This case study, as well as a previous initiative entitled “Activating Employers as Agents of Change in the Implementation of Lifestyle Medicine,” was funded by Ardmore Institute of Health.
Guest Panelists:
- Sara Johnson, PhD, HERO Senior Research Fellow; Co-President & CEO, ProChange Behavior Solutions
- Martha Shepherd, DO, MPH, FAAFP, DipABLM, Chief Medical Officer for the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) Teacher Health Plan; Medical Director for Vanderbilt Health at MNPS
- Gerardo Durand, MD, MPH, Occupational Medicine and Clinical Services Director, 3M
- David Hines, Executive Director of Benefits, Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Leanne Mauriello, PhD, Founder & CEO, Evolve Health Advisors, LLC
HERO Hub
Did you know that you can find presentations (static and recorded) from HERO Think Tanks, Forums and Summits in the HERO Hub?
We have uploaded all of the slides and recordings from the Healthcare Summit (9/16), Fall Think Tank (9/16), Forum II (9/17), and University Summit (10/21). HERO members can log in and get a refresher for the meetings you attended or catch up on what you missed.
HERO Scorecard
Why should my organization complete the HERO Health and Well-being Best Practices Scorecard in Collaboration with Mercer(c) (HERO Scorecard)? There are many reasons that companies receive value from completing the free HERO Scorecard and the free results report that they receive. Check out the Scorecard Case Studies for ideas.
We are halfway through the current validation and stock performance study of the HERO Scorecard and look forward to sharing the results with you in early 2026.
HERO RECOMMENDS
Resources and Readings
Recommended Resources
Recommended Resources
Recent articles recommended by HERO Fellows
In preparation for the November Think Tank:
- Johnson SS. Chief Well Being Officer: A Critical Role for Organizations. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1189-1191. doi:10.1177/08901171251367521
- Posa J. The Role of a Chief Wellbeing Officer in Enabling Organizational Readiness, Resilience, and Performance. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1196-1198. doi:10.1177/08901171251367523
- Fisher J. The Wellbeing Imperative: What I Learned Pioneering the Chief Wellbeing Officer Role in an Industry Built on Exhaustion. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1192-1195. doi:10.1177/08901171251367522
- Courie AF. The Vital Need for Chief Well-Being Officers in Higher Education: Reflections from the First Year. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1199-1201. doi:10.1177/08901171251367537
- Friend DK. The Unique Role & Contributions of the Chief Well-Being Officer. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1202-1204. doi:10.1177/08901171251367543
- Olmos-Ochoa T, Gable AR, Oishi K, et al. Chief Well-Being Officers: Igniting a Movement to Mitigate Clinician Burnout and Optimize Well-Being in the Veterans Health Administration. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;39(8):1205-1208. doi:10.1177/08901171251367544
On Mental & Emotional Health:
- We’re Missing the Good News About Youth Mental Health by Anya Kamenetz in Greater Good Magazine. (October 20, 2025)
- Workplace Mental Health – Navigating Career and Caregiving in the Sandwich Generation from the APA Center for Workplace Mental Health. (October 9, 2025)
- The Cardiovascular Cost of Loneliness, by Dr. Jonathan Fisher. (September 16, 2025)
- State of the World’s Emotional Health 2025. New report from Gallup with the World Health Summit, based on 145,000+ interviews across 144 countries and areas. (October 13, 2025)
- Building Brain Capital: A Strategic Agenda for Private Sector Engagement. New report from the Business Collaborative for Brain Health, HERO’s Brain Health Partner. Insights from over 200 leaders in business, science, and policy, sharing their expertise on strategies to advance workforce brain capital and drive greater economic resilience. (October 2025)
On Leading Through Uncertainty & Protecting Health Promotion:
- How to Lead When the Conditions for Success Suddenly Disappear in HBR by Jenny Fernandez and Kathryn Landis. (October 13, 2025)
- Our Favorite Management Tips on Leading Through Uncertainty by HBR Editors. Compiled from the HBR Management Tip of the Day newsletter, here are seven of the editors’ favorites. (October 21, 2025)
- Terry PE. Scientific Integrity, Peer Review and an Interview With Dr Kerry Redican. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/08901171251384086. Senior Fellow Paul Terry wrote this ‘scientific integrity’ editorial to highlight the rigorous narrative feedback needed to protect and preserve health promotion science at a time of disinvestment in public health infrastructure.
On Work:
- Building a Company Culture That Encourages Feedback in HBR by Jeff Wetzler. (October 15, 2025)
- HP Work Relationship Index 2025. Only 1 in 5 office workers reports a healthy relationship with work. (October 2, 2025)
- Sinclair, A. and Suff, R. (September 2025) Health and wellbeing at work. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Encouragement for Health Promotion Professionals:
A few short, feel-good videos from Senior Fellow Wendy Lynch, produced for the Commission for Case Managers.
