Adria Meyer
Atlanta,GA
Summary
Dynamic public health professional with over 18 years of experience in development, training, research, and program implementation. Expertise in fostering collaboration among nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and public-private partnerships to drive impactful, evidence-based wellness and mental health initiatives. Proven ability to translate complex research into actionable strategies that address community needs and enhance overall well-being. Committed to delivering innovative solutions that promote sustainable health outcomes.
Overview
2
2
Languages
1
1
Certification
2027
2027
years of professional experience
Work History
Program Director
HealthMPowers, Inc.
2021 - Current
Developed the Girls Empowering Movement (GEM) program in collaboration with a youth-led team to address a significant health disparity in physical activity opportunities for middle school girls in GA. Serving 7,000 girls, program participants have multiplied their community impact by reaching another 30,500 of their peers through new health and wellness projects.
Director of Research & Special Projects
HealthMPowers, Inc.
01.2014 - 01.2021
Designed and implemented school-based public health programs in student wellness, nutrition and physical activity for research studies conducted in partnership with university research and evaluation teams.
Development & Comms Manager/Health Educator
HealthMPowers, Inc.
01.2012 - 01.2014
Dual role providing direct program services and training to 12 sites per year while also securing multi-million-dollar grants and partnerships for programmatic and research proposals; providing project management for programs, grants and annual reports; and managing and evaluating programs, communication and strategy for the organization.
Wellness Program Coordinator
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2012
Secured $1.3 million in state funding for Georgia SHAPE, a statewide private-public partnership to implement standardized fitness assessment for more than one million children in GA. Responsible for the SHAPE budget, subcontracts, subcommittees, strategy, evaluation and training for 4,000 teachers in 2,000 schools. Developed statewide marketing campaign including all web content, social media, communications and events.
Project Coordinator, Child Health Promotion
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2009 - 01.2011
Created a database of 600 public health programs, clinical best practice guidelines, policy and public opinion survey results to complete an environmental assessment for Georgia in target areas; and developed content for Georgia’s first comprehensive child health report in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health. Led school fitness testing pilot program in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education.
Intern, Foundation (Aflac Cancer Center)
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2009
Managed more than $3 million in annual Aflac field force donations, provided incentives for donors, developed communication and organized fundraisers, walks and hospital tours.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science and French
Lee University
Cleveland, TN01-2006
Skills
- Director for numerous multi-million-dollar initiatives
- Delivered programs, resources and training to more than 2,000 schools and 6,000 teachers
- Secured grants for more than $10 million in funding
- Conducted multi-year research with 4,000 students
- 11 scientific journal publications
- Expertise in youth-led program development
- Experience in development, evaluation, training, marketing and communications
Certification
- Adaptive Physical Activity, BlazeSports America
- Trainer, Sources of Strength
- National trainer and certification, Mental Health First Aid and Youth Mental Health First Aid, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
- Analyzing for Program Impact, Arizona State University, 2025
LANGUAGES
English
French
Timeline
Director of Research & Special Projects
HealthMPowers, Inc.
01.2014 - 01.2021
Development & Comms Manager/Health Educator
HealthMPowers, Inc.
01.2012 - 01.2014
Project Coordinator, Child Health Promotion
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2009 - 01.2011
Wellness Program Coordinator
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2012
Intern, Foundation (Aflac Cancer Center)
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
01.2008 - 01.2009
Program Director
HealthMPowers, Inc.
2021 - Current
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science and French
Lee University
PUBLICATIONS
1. Using an Out-of-School Time Initiative to Increase Access and Enjoyment of Physical Activity Opportunities for Adolescent Girls: A RE-AIM Evaluation. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. (2025)
2. Contextualizing Adolescent Female Physical Activity Behavior: A Descriptive Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. (2023)
3. School-Day Physical Activity and Academic Achievement: Mediators Among US Elementary Students. Translational Journal of the ACSM. (2023)
4. Physical activity and academic achievement: an analysis of potential student- and school-level moderators. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. (2022)
5. The longitudinal association between objectively-measured school-day physical activity and academic achievement in US elementary school students. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. (2022)
6. A Model to Promote University High-Impact Practices Through Community-Based Participatory Research. Pedagogy in Health Promotion. (2021)
7. Study protocol for testing the association between physical activity and academic outcomes utilizing a cluster-randomized trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications. (2021)
8. Bridging Public Health and Education: Results of a School-Based Physical Activity Program to Increase Student Fitness. Public Health Reports. (2017)
9. Physical Activity Opportunities Across Georgia Elementary Schools. Research quarterly for exercise and sport. (2015)
10. Validation of Physical Activity-Measuring Devices in Children. Research quarterly for exercise and sport. (2015)
11. A holistic school-based intervention for improving health-related knowledge, body composition, and fitness in elementary school students: An evaluation of the HealthMPowers program. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. (2014)
SPONSORED RESEARCH
The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation 2019 – 2025, Co-I with University of West Georgia
Girls Empowering Movement. A physical activity and social-emotional learning program developed by girls, for girls to create programming to improve cardiovascular health, physical activity behavior and social emotional learning for middle school girls in Georgia.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2017 – 2022, Co-I with Emory University
A Rigorous Evaluation of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Academic Performance Among Elementary Students in Georgia. Randomized Control Trial (RCT) to test the relationship between physical activity and education outcomes in 40 elementary schools with more than 4,000 fourth grade study participants.
Ardmore Institute of Health 2015 – 2016, Co-I with Emory University
Evaluation of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Academic Performance Among Elementary Students in Georgia. Pilot study to test the relationship between physical activity and education outcomes in a case-control study in 27 schools.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2013 – 2015, Co-I with Emory University
Physical Activity and Academic Achievement Feasibility Study. In preparation for the full study, the team assessed the feasibility of the main study and piloted the components of the main study.