William H. Zimmerli

Dr. William H. Zimmerli has been one of the key figures in the growth of health education and health promotion in the past three decades. Not a prominent researcher or writer himself, Dr. Zimmerli has been the acknowledged mentor and guide to some of the leading researchers and scholars of the field, including David F. Duncan, James Eddy, Robert S. Gold, Mark Kittleson, Mary S. Sutherland, and Robert “Skip” Valois. He is the author of one textbook, three reference books, and twelve papers in refereed journals.

He earned his B.S. in health and physical education from the State University of New York at Brockport in 1962 and his M.S. in physical education and higher education from Washington State University in 1963. His ED.D. in health education and education administration was awarded in 1973 by the State University of New York at Buffalo. He completed a postdoctorate in public health at the University of Rochester in 1992-1993.

He began his teaching career at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary School, where from 1960 thru 1962 he taught physical education and science as well as coaching the track, cross-country and basketball teams. He subsequently taught physical education and science at the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union.

After completing his masters degree, he became assistant professor of health and physical education (1964-65) at The Citadel (The Military College of South Carolina) and held subsequent faculty positions at St. Mary's College of Maryland (1965-66), SUNY College at Buffalo (1966-68), and Pennsylvania State University (1968-69). In 1969, he became Assistant Professor of Health Science and coordinator of the school health program at SUNY College at Brockport. He was promoted to Associate Professor and became Chair of the Department of Health Science in 1974.

In 1978, he became professor of health education and Dean of the Division of Health at the University of Maine at Farmington. He also was director of the Maine Health Education Resource Center. In 1980, he returned to SUNY Brockport, where he taught until he took early retirement in 1994.

Dr. Zimmerli was one of the founders of the New York State Federation of Professional Health Educators (NYSFPHE) in 1973 and was elected President six years later. He became NYSFPHE’s first full-time Executive Director in 1982, continuing to serve until 1994. In 1991 he was one of the founding directors and first treasurer of the NYSFPHE Foundation.

In 1997, he came out of retirement to become Professor and Chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education at Fort Valley State University (FVSU). Four years later, he became Professor of Public Health and Coordinator of the Master of Public Health (MPH) Program at FVSU.

Prof. Zimmerli has been the recipient of numerous honors in the fields of public health and health education. He is a Fellow of the American School Health Association and the American Academy of Health Behavior. He has served on numerous governmental and professional commissions and advisory boards, including the New York Governor's Council for Health, Fitness and Lifetime Sports, New York State Inter Agency Coordinating Committee, New York State Commission on Smoking or Health, New York State Health Fraud Advisory Council, New York State Council for Health and Safety Education (President, 1973-1974), and New York State Council of Educational Associations.