January 8, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu

Originally from Graniteville, South Carolina, Janna Borden moved to Columbia after earning a biology degree from Erskine College. She came to the capital city to enroll in the Arnold School’s M.S. in Exercise Science program, and she’s been here ever since.

“I worked as a graduate assistant with Russell Pate’s research projects during my master’s program,” Borden recalls. “As I was finishing my degree and looking for a job, Dr. Pate was also looking for a project coordinator for the Physical Activity and Public Health Courses he directed. He hired me for that position, and I held that role for nearly 20 years.”  

During her two decades working with Pate, the exercise science professor pulled Borden into numerous projects with his Children’s Physical Activity Research Group (CPARG), such as the National Physical Activity Plan. These opportunities built her skills related to project management and other administrative processes, paving the way for her to transition to the South Carolina SmartState Technology Center to Promote Healthy Lifestyles (TecHealth) in 2019.

As the project coordinator for TecHealth, Borden provides administrative support to the faculty and research staff associated with the Center. She also oversees the iREACH Study for TecHealth director and exercise science professor Delia West – managing the REDCap data base and making operations run smoothly for investigators, intervention staff, and participants.

“My favorite part of my work has been the people that I’ve had the opportunity to work with, both in my previous role in CPARG and now with TecHealth,” Borden says. “The faculty are passionate about improving the public’s health through their various research interests, and the staff work very hard to support the faculty in their endeavors; everyone working towards a common goal. There are truly amazing people in the department and school, and I feel very fortunate to be a small part of that.”

“Janna is the quiet backbone of TecHealth, making sure that our research and training activities move ahead day-to-day without big disruptions along the way,” West says. “Her talents at problem solving, organizing and bringing people together are evident in all she does. She is a fabulous resource and an amazing team member who demonstrates her dedication daily. We are so lucky to have her in TecHealth!”

In addition to her daytime work improving health at the population level, Borden serves as a licensed massage therapist in the evenings and on weekends – a passion she has pursued for 15 years. It’s the perfect complement to the 25 years of service she’s devoted to USC so far.

“I feel like academia is a unique environment to work in,” Borden says. “Despite the wide variety of roles people play on campus, everyone here is doing the best they can to ensure USC continues to be impactful in education and research not only in the state, but across the U.S.”

The Staff Spotlight Series is sponsored by the Arnold School's Office of Access and Collective Engagement.