ACE has recently held two Advocacy Professional Policy Roundtables to discuss how advocacy efforts are shaping the health and fitness profession. ACE staff had the opportunity to sit down with 26 enthusiastic ACE Certified Professionals in Atlanta, GA and St. Louis, MO to have meaningful discussions about how health and fitness pros can get involved in every level of government and in their own communities to facilitate healthy change.

Roundtable attendees came from all sectors of fitness, with individuals holding ACE Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Health Coach and Medical Exercise Specialist Certifications, as well as countless ACE specializations.

Feedback from the events has been extremely positive, and several pros have reached out to us to not only express their gratitude for having their voices heard, but also to let us know their interest in advocacy has been piqued.

Kristy Wegert, an ACE Certified Personal Trainer based in Atlanta, wrote, “I was amazed to learn about everything ACE Advocacy is doing on Capitol Hill. I urge all health and fitness pros to pay attention to the causes ACE Advocacy is working toward and try to get involved. I realized that we are all united in our efforts to raise the standards for the future health and well-being of our country.”

When we’re advocating on the hill, we’re there to serve as a representative voice for our pros. The roundtables give us an inside look at how we can collaboratively and effectively work with our certified fitness professionals and health coaches. Building these open lines of communication helps ACE understand what tools our pros need to create sustainable healthy communities. ACE advocacy, in turn, can work to advance policies that provide greater opportunities for individuals to engage in professionally-led physical activity.  

The ACE Advocacy Professional Policy Roundtables will continue over the next several months, with stops in Washington D.C., San Diego, CA, and Los Angeles, CA. To get involved with ACE advocacy or to learn more about the roundtables, email advocacy@acefitness.org.