IAHPERD Convention 2002

-Featured Speaker-

JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, Ed.D. FASHA
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance
President 2002-2003

Passion, energy, and commitment are often used to describe Alliance President JoAnne Owens-Nauslar. After 3 days at kindergarten she announced her career choice as teaching. During 4th grade, she had decided what she wanted to teach. Thirty-three years after receiving her B.S. in health and physical education, she has no plans for a career change. JoAnne has taught at all levels, served as the State Director for Health and Physical Education for the Nebraska Department of Education for 19 years, and joined the staff of the American School Health Association in January of 1996.

Dr. Owens-Nauslar has served of President of Nebraska AAHPERD, Central District AAHPERD, the National Association for Sport & Physical Education (NASPE). Additional leadership opportunities include President of the On Deck Circle (Husker Softball) and the Husker Athletic Fund at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Some of her honors and accomplishments include Distinguished Alumni Awards from both Chadron State College and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; the Nebraska, Central District and AAHPERD Honor Awards, the Mabel Lee Award, the R. Tait McKenzie Award, the North American Society for Health, Physical Activity, and Sports.Healthy American Fitness Leader, and the Excellence in Advocacy Award from PE4Life. JoAnne was an AAHE Health Educator of the Year representing Agencies, Dairy Council of the Central States Nutrition/Health Educator, and a Fellow-American School Health Association (FASHA).

JoAnne graduated from Chadron State College in 1970, BS in health and physical education. She received a M.P.E. and an Ed.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976 and 1992 respectively. In addition to her passion for the profession, the Wyoming loves her ranch life. The Big-E-Nuff near Lincoln, NE ranch is where JoAnne and husband, Red raise Texas Longhorn Cattle, Quarter Horses, Paint Horses and llamas.

After winning the first Lincoln Marathon in 1978, JoAnne made a commitment to live in a peak performance body. She runs daily and reminds everyone she encounters to have an incredibly awesome day and don’t forget your workout. “If you intend to make a difference, you have to be fit to lead.”