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BHS In the Community

Jennifer Ward Joins Wellness Team
February 28, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WARD JOINS BHS WELLNESS AT WORK TEAM PITTSFIELD, MA – Berkshire Health Systems has announced the appointment of Jennifer Ward, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, and certified lactation counselor to the Wellness at Work team. Wellness at Work provides Berkshire Health Systems employees with access to wellness programs and initiatives, including health risk analyses, education, nutrition, exercise and stress reduction programs, among others. The program also works with area businesses on worksite wellness programs for their employees. Ward, who is also a master instructor for Mad Dogg Athletics and Spinning, has more than 11 years of experience as a dietitian and 20 years in the fitness area. Prior to joining Wellness at Work, she served as the senior nutritionist and breastfeeding coordinator for Berkshire North WIC (Women, Infants and Children program). At WIC, Ward was instrumental in piloting the ‘Touching Hearts, Touching Minds’ project, which was featured client-lead appointments and used emotion-based educational materials to elicit better results. Ward also doubled the number of Berkshire North WIC breastfeeding peer counselors and was successful in sending several staff members to Certified Lactation Counselor training. Ward was previously employed by Health Fitness Corporation and worked as an Assistant Program Director at the GE Plastics Fitness Center in Pittsfield for six years, where she developed a successful walking and healthy habit weight loss program that featured competitive team events and helped GE employees to achieve personal fitness and health goals. Ward has also certified instructors and provided continuing education sessions for the Spinning program for the past ten years. She initiated the Spinning 8-Week Weight Loss Program, which has been instituted at licensed Spinning facilities nationally. According to Ward, “I always found the work that I did with the employees at GE the most rewarding and I am thrilled to once again be involved in employee wellness as part of the Wellness at Work team.”