ASHA Advocacy and Coalitions Committee Chairs Profile

Mary Martinasek

University of Tampa, Associate Professor

Pronouns: She/her/hers

Area of Expertise/WSCC Component: Vaping, hookah and marijuana use

Mary Martinasek currently serves as an Associate Professor in Public Health in the Department of Health Sciences and Human Performance at the University of Tampa. Dr. Martinasek is also a registered respiratory therapist, a certified asthma educator, and a tobacco treatment specialist. Her initial research focused on understanding the psychosocial aspects of hookah smoking among young adults. Currently, her research team have been conducting research on the social and behavioral aspects of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) among young adults.

September 22

Webinar: Engaging Youth in a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program

A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) is the evidence-based framework that provides an approach to help schools and communities identify all opportunities before, during, and after school for students to be physically active. Students are at the center of the CSPAP, as its primary goal is to enable students to achieve 60 minutes of daily physical activity. But, how often are youth engaged in shaping these opportunities to be physically active? Oftentimes, youth are seen as recipients of a CSPAP but are not engaged in shaping the planning, implementation, and evaluation of this framework. Springboard to Active Schools, an initiative of the National Network of Public Health Institutes and Health Resources in Actions, will lead participants through activities to explore youth engagement principles and how to apply them to the development, implementation, and evaluation of a CSPAP in a school.