Bio

Lauren Thomas has spent two decades in the field of community health education, engaging in conversations with the public on a range of topics including smoke-free policies, unintended pregnancy prevention, walk-friendly built environments, and lifestyle medicine. She has extensive experience successfully gaining, administering, and evaluating community health grant-funded projects in partnership with federal, state, and local funding agencies. As the Director of USC Lancaster's new Health Coach Training Pathway, Lauren facilitates an online academic program for individuals seeking to earn the National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBHWC) credential. 

Education

• Graduate Certificate in Health Communication -- University of South Carolina, 2009
• MPH in Health Promotion Education and Behavior -- Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 2007
• Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communications -- University of South Carolina, 2005

Certifications

• National Board-Certified Health & Well-being Coach (NBHWC), 2023
• ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Coach, 2023
• Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES), 2022

Courses Frequently Taught

• HPEB 300 - Planning Health Promotion Programs (3 credits)
• HPEB 550 - Behavioral Concepts & Processes for Health Professionals (3 credits)
• PCAM 299A - Health Coach Training Capstone (1 credit)
• PCAM 299B - Practicum & NBHWC Board Exam Prep (2 credits)
• PEDU 197 - Fit Carolina (1 credit)

Interests

• Program planning & evaluation
• Active community environments
• Health coach training