Fran Gallati, the CEO of YMCA of the East Bay, has been appointed to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being.
Gallati will join 14 other experts on the council ranging from health and wellness organizations, youth sports programs, education, the entertainment and fitness industry, and other experts on physical and mental health. The council will be co-chaired by Jennifer Siebel Newson, a Division 1 athlete at Stanford University and a member of the women’s junior national soccer team, and Ronnie Lott, a pro football Hall of Fame inductee.
“It’s an honor to serve alongside these amazing leaders in advancing health,” said Gallati. “Together we can help California children and their families navigate a healthy lifestyle – especially with the challenges that we’ve all been facing during the pandemic.”
The Advisory Council’s activities may include, among other things:
- Providing guidance on the development of physical activity and wellness goals for Californians of all ages.
- Increasing awareness among all age groups about the benefits of physical activity, sports, nutrition and mental wellness.
- Encouraging intergenerational physical fitness activities.
- Promoting equitable access to outdoor and physical activities for underserved communities.
- Facilitating collaboration among federal, state and local agencies, education, business and industry, the private sector, and others in the promotion of physical activity and mental wellness.
“The pandemic has placed a spotlight on the importance of physical and mental health,” said Governor Newsom in a statement. “We are committed to elevating healthy dietary and fitness habits, and mental well-being, to help build a healthier, more resilient California for all.”
The other members of the board include:
- Dr. Sergio Aguila-Gaxiola, Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at UC Davis
- Jessica Cruz, CEO of NAMI California
- Nisha Devi, Founder of Kala Wellness, Eastern Medicine Practitioner
- Francesca Schuler, President of the California Fitness Alliance
- Ashley Hunter, Founder and Executive Director of Fit Kids
- Savannah Linhares, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, Biology Teacher, Leadership and Link Crew Teacher at Chowchilla High School, and “Double-Goal” 2020 Coach of the Year, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)
- Cheryl Miller, Olympic Gold Medalist, NCAA College Basketball 3-time Player of the Year, Head Coach Women’s Basketball at Cal State LA
- Dr. Bill Resnick, psychiatrist and philanthropist, and mindfulness practitioner
- Stephen Revetria, President, Giants Enterprises
- Francesca Schuler, President of the California Fitness Alliance
- Dr. Dan Siegel, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding Co-Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center
- Renata Simril, President and CEO of LA84 Foundation
- Dave Stewart, Former Major League Baseball Player
- Dr. Vernon Williams, Sports Neurologist and Founding Director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute
- Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic Gold Medalist, Founder of Always Dream Foundation
