Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Essential Health iii Catherine A. Sanderson is the Manwell Family Professor of Life Sciences (Psychology) at Amherst College. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a specialization in Health and Development, from Stanford University, and received both master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from Princeton University. Professor Sanderson’s research examines how personality and social variables infl health-related behaviors such as safer sex and disordered eating, the fluence development of persuasive messages and interventions to prevent unhealthy behavior, and the predictors of relationship satisfaction. This research has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Health. Professor Sanderson has published over 25 journal articles and book chapters in addition to four college textbooks, a high school health textbook, and a popular press book on parenting. In 2012, she was named one of the country’s top 300 professors by the Princeton Review. Mark Zelman is an Associate Professor of Biology at Aurora University, Aurora, Illinois. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology at Rockford College, with minors in chemistry and psychology. He received a PhD in microbiology and immunology at Loyola University of Chicago, where he studied the molecular and cellular mechanisms of autoimmune disease. During his postdoctoral research at the University of Chicago, he studied aspects of cell physiology pertaining to cell growth and cancer. Dr. Zelman supervises undergraduate research on streptococcal and staphylococcal infections, and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. He also teaches in the science education graduate program for biology and chemistry high school teachers. He has published articles on microbiology, infectious disease, autoimmune disease, and biotechnology, and he has written two college texts on human diseases and infection control. Dr. Zelman is an officer of the fi Illinois State Academy of Sciences. Pedagogy Developers Melanie Lynch is past-president of Health Education for Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (PSAHPERD) and has been a health education specialist at State College Area High School, State College, Pennsylvania, for the past 21 years. She attended Penn State University and received a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science with a teaching emphasis and a master of education. In 2004, Melanie received Pennsylvania’s Health Teacher of the Year Award from PSAHPERD. She is also the recipient of the Eastern District Health Teacher of the Year Award from the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), which was formerly AAHPERD, and Pennsylvania’s Professional Honor Award from PSAHPERD. She was also recognized as National Health Teacher of the Year by SHAPE America in 2016. Melanie has trained hundreds of teachers as a Health Education Assessment Project (HEAP) trainer for the state of Pennsylvania. Melissa Munsell is an instructional specialist in the Physical Education and Health Department at North East Independent School District, in San Antonio, Texas, and serves as the K-12 Health Education Lead for the district. Melissa received a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from The University of Texas at Austin and is certifi to teach Physical Education K–12 and Health fied Education 6–12, among other endorsements, in the state of Texas. She has 23 years of teaching and administrative experience, with six of those years teaching health education at the high school level. She has also served as vice president of the Health Division of the Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (TAHPERD), and presents workshops and lectures on various health topics locally and statewide. About the Authors