New health education and promotion chair selected

Dr. Don Chaney has been appointed the new chair of the Department of Health Education and Promotion following a national search.

Chaney

Chaney comes to ECU from the University of Florida, where he served as the assistant dean for distance education and outreach and the associate director for the Center for Digital Health and Wellness in the College of Health and Human Performance. A former faculty member in ECU’s Department of Health Education and Promotion, he has also held appointments at Texas A&M University and the University of Alabama.

Chaney’s research interests include technology integration in health and online learning/professional development.  The majority of his publications are related to distance education course development and technological applications.

“I am honored to be back at East Carolina University and leading what I believe to be one of the best, if not the best, faculty in health education and promotion in the country,” said Chaney.  “Graduates from our programs in athletic training, school health education, community and worksite health promotion and environmental health are making a real difference in the health of Eastern North Carolinians,” he continued.

Chaney is the past editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Health Studies.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1999 in fitness management from the University of North Alabama.  In 2000 he received a master’s degree in health education and promotion from Mississippi State University and in 2003 he earned a doctorate in health education and promotion from the University of Alabama.