Introduction and Welcome

Catherine L. Ramstetter, PhD, CHES 

Phone: (513) 515-8402

Email: DrR@SuccessfulHealthyChildren.org

I am a Health Educator with experience in school health leadership, community-level health promotion, service learning and teaching. My work focuses on community-engaged and school-based collaboration for communities to promote health-sustaining environments and to foster children’s healthy growth and development—intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically:

• Recess researcher and advocate; founding member of Global Recess Alliance
• Co-author of the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy on Recess
• Leader of Participatory Action Research with a local elementary school to promote health through the Coordinated School Health model

Through these experiences, I learned first-hand the power of locally-driven, collaborative action, and in July of 2015, I founded Successful Healthy Children with a vision to be a champion for school health and wellness in elementary schools, advocating for recess for every child everyday and promoting children’s health and success in schools. It is the right of every child to play.

Nature play, autonomous outside play (creeks, culverts, woods, bike rides, unsupervised time) for both of us allowed for creativity, connection and resilience. Quiet inside play (reading, daydreaming, dollies, sewing, imaginative play) fed my adult creativity and love of learning and life.  Play is our life’s calling. Protecting it for all children is my work.