Center for Healthy Living Events

Nourishing Beginnings: Fueling Healthy Futures in the First 1,000 Days of Life

November 4, 2025 12:00 to November 4, 2025 1:00

Join us for an engaging webinar exploring the critical role of optimal nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, from conception through toddlerhood, in shaping lifelong health, growth, and development.

This session will highlight:

• Data-driven strategies to support early nutrition education and guide families through the timely introduction of nutrient-rich complementary foods
• Practical tools and resources to connect families with community and clinical programs that promote access to healthy, affordable options
• Collaborative approaches to integrating nutrition-focused care into clinical practice and community outreach

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the importance of nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life and identify key nutrients critical for growth and development
• Explain strategies for the timely introduction of complementary foods at approximately 6 months of age and recommend nutrient-dense options to support healthy growth, cognitive development, and prevention of common pediatric conditions
• Identify and apply tools and community resources, such as WIC, Head Start, provider nutrition education, and interdisciplinary supports, to enhance family access to healthy foods and promote sustained development

Whether you’re a healthcare provider, dietitian, or public health professional, this webinar offers practical guidance to advance early childhood nutrition and foster healthy beginnings.

Speakers:

Rupa Mahadevan, MD
Assistant Professor, Community and General Pediatrics
Culinary Medicine Instructor
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

Nimali Fernando, MD, MPH
Founder & Chief Visionary Officer, The Dr. Yum Project
Pediatrician and Creator of Touchpoints

Moderator:

Melisa Danho, MPH, RD, LD
Dietetic Internship Director
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

We are pleased to offer 1.0 Entry-Level CHES/MCHES® credits for this webinar! The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living is a Designated Provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) for Certified Health Education Specialists/Master Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES/MCHES®) through The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC®).

In addition, the CPE activity application for this presentation is pending CDR review and approval for 1CPEU.

And this activity is pending review and approval for 1.0 nursing continuing professional development contact hours. Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

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Navigating Holiday Meals: Culinary Strategies for Blood Sugar Control

November 11, 2025 12:00 to November 11, 2025 1:00

In honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, join the Nourish Program to discuss the unique challenges the holiday season presents for blood sugar management. Learn practical strategies to support mindful eating, balanced meals, and joyful food experiences during festive gatherings. A live cooking demonstration will showcase delicious, diabetes-friendly holiday recipes that are both festive and nourishing. By the end of this session, you'll leave with counseling tips, culinary inspiration, and ready-to-use resources to help clients manage blood sugar without sacrificing the spirit of the season.

Objectives:

1. Identify common challenges individuals living with diabetes face during the holiday season related to blood sugar management
2. Describe evidence-based strategies that support glycemic control during holiday meals and gatherings
3. Demonstrate how to plan and modify a holiday plate to be more blood sugar–friendly while maintaining flavor and cultural relevance

Speaker:

Diana Guevara, MPH, RD, LD
Community Health Education Specialist, Nourish Program
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

Sarah Wagner, MPH, RD, LD, CDCES
Clinical Dietitian
Memorial Hermann Health System

We are pleased to offer 1.0 Entry-Level CHES/MCHES® credits for this webinar! The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living is a Designated Provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) for Certified Health Education Specialists/Master Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES/MCHES®) through The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC®).

In addition, the CPE activity application for this presentation is pending CDR review and approval for 1CPEU.

And this activity is pending review and approval for 1.0 nursing continuing professional development contact hours. Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

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Organizational Transformation and Implementation Science: Managing the Forest and the Trees

November 11, 2025 1:00 to November 11, 2025 2:00

This webinar is part of a seminar series presented by the Institute for Implementation Science (IIS), co-hosted by the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living.

Speaker: Martin Charns, MBA, DBA

Objectives:

• Learn the importance of organizational transformation and multi-level models for intervention
• Understand the dynamics of transformation and an organization transformation model

We are pleased to offer 1.0 Entry-Level CHES/MCHES® Credits for this webinar! The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living is a Designated Provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) for Certified Health Education Specialists/Master Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES/MCHES®) through The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC®).

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Breakthrough Randomized Controlled Trial Results on CATCH My Breath

November 20, 2025 12:00 to November 20, 2025 1:00

Join the public unveiling of results from the five-year NIH-funded Randomized Controlled Trial on CATCH My Breath, which concluded earlier this year. Principal investigators Dr. Steven Kelder and Dr. Dale Mantey from the UTHealth School of Public Health and Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living will discuss the outcomes and implications for youth health. CATCH Global Foundation Director of Government Partnerships, Marcella Bianco, will dive deeper into CATCH’s new professional development session for the CATCH My Breath Students-Teach-Students extension which engages youth leaders in supporting their peers in avoiding nicotine.

Speakers:

Marcella Bianco
Director of Government Partnerships
Program Director, CATCH My Breath
CATCH Global Foundation

Steven Kelder, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology
Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin

Dale Mantey, PhD
Assistant Professor in Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences
Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living
UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin

We are pleased to offer 1.0 Entry-Level CHES/MCHES® Credits for this webinar in collaboration with the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, housed at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health in Austin. The Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living is a Designated Provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) for Certified Health Education Specialists/Master Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES/MCHES®) through The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC®). For questions about credits, please email [email protected]

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