Portland, Ore.—February 10, 2020—American College of Healthcare Sciences’ (ACHS) president and founder, Dorene Petersen, is pleased to announce the appointment of Natalie DeWitt, Ph.D., as the college’s new Dean of Students.
As Dean of Students, DeWitt will act as an advocate for students and help ACHS’s online students succeed and achieve their academic goals. She will be responsible for data-driven strategic planning in student affairs and the management of all aspects of the student experience and student retention including first-year experience, academic advising, student retention, student conduct, and student and alumni engagement. Natalie’s role at ACHS contributes to the institution’s culture of assessment, quality improvement, and retention initiatives.
ACHS President Dorene Petersen shared, “Natalie is a seasoned educator with a passion for supporting student success through mentorship and engagement. Natalie’s education and experience in public health, organizational behavior, and leadership are a wonderful addition to our team and an asset to our students and graduates.”
DeWitt completed a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Health Education and a Master’s in School and College Health Program Planning. She earned her Ph.D. in Health Behavior with an emphasis in the anthropology of food, with all three degrees from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Her dissertation research focused on the ways in which couples adapt to living together through food work.
“As a first-generation college student, I found that guidance from trusted advisors was my key to growth and success. I am honored to join the team of talented professionals who support our students as they work to achieve their educational and professional goals so we can all be a part of the change we wish to see in the world,” DeWitt says.
DeWitt brings 15 years of experience in higher education in both traditional learning environments and online classrooms. She specializes in health behavior, public health, community health education, healthcare administration, and organizational behavior and leadership. Natalie is a life-long learner and is looking forward to learning from and with the students, staff, and faculty at ACHS.
For more information about this press release, contact Kate Harmon, Chief Marketing Officer, at 503-244-0726 or publicrelations@achs.edu.
ABOUT ACHS
American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS.edu) has been training, credentialing, advancing, and legitimizing the holistic health industry globally since 1978. ACHS specializes in accredited online integrative health and wellness education and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and professional continuing education courses in integrative health. ACHS makes holistic health and wellness education accessible to a diverse community, including healthcare professionals, military students, stay-at-home parents, and lifelong learners. Specializations include aromatherapy, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, health education, and wellness coaching. Our graduates have been leading the wellness revolution with our sustainable values combined with cutting-edge, science-based holistic health education that gives graduates a firm foundation to launch or enhance their wellness careers. At ACHS we help corporations create specialized wellness strategies such as micro-credentialing packages. These initiatives help corporations support organizational wellness, leading to increased productivity, employee well-being, and a positive impact on the bottom line. ACHS is a Certified B Corp® and have been devoted to excellence in education, sustainability, and ethical business practices for over 40 years. ACHS was named #3 of 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon 2019 by Oregon Business magazine. Sustainability and wellness is in our DNA. Contact 503-244-0726 or visit www.achs.edu for more information.
