The Department of Applied Physiology and Wellness

Jessica Gillaspy, M.S.
Lecturer

Jessica Gillaspy joined the faculty at SMU in the fall of 2011 as a Lecturer of Wellness. Prior to joining SMU, she was the Student Wellness Coordinator and taught several Health & Fitness courses for the Department of Health Promotion at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She also taught various fitness classes at the local wellness center. While at Appalachian State University, she was the first health educator and revamped the wellness center in three years. Before Appalachian State University, she taught courses at University of West Florida.

Prior to academia, she served as a health educator at Eglin Air Force Base Health and Wellness Center in Florida, managing various educational classes and innovating instructive presentations dealing with sleep deprivation. Before working with the air force base, she was the health educator for Kronos Optimal Health (now known as CIGNA), where she did presentations, screenings, and health coaching for corporate wellness sites in Mobile, AL. Preceding Kronos, Jessica worked for MediFit Corporate Wellness in Irving, TX as Health and Fitness Specialist.

She received her M.S. in Health Education with Psycho-Social Specialization from the University of West Florida and her B.S. from University of North Texas. Additionally, she earned her Certified Health Education Specialist certification as well as personal training, aerobic, smoking cessation facilitator, cycling, suicide prevention, and yoga certifications. Jessica enjoys wakeboarding, snowboarding, playing with her pets, reading about the power of the mind and mindfulness, plus learning new activities.