The Future of Public Health

As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of National Public Health Week in 2025, the focus is on the future of public health. Key topics include climate action, health equity and advocacy—critical issues that shape the well–being of communities worldwide. Health coaches and exercise professionals play a vital role in these efforts and ACE invites you to join us April 7–13 to celebrate, learn and take action in advancing public health.

The Public Health Workforce: The Foundation for the Future

According to the American Public Health Association (APHA)—the organization behind National Public Health Week—the future of public health begins with a strong and resilient workforce. This includes those on the front lines of health promotion and disease prevention, as well as epidemiologists, policy analysts and communications experts:

“A strong and resilient public health workforce is key to keeping communities healthy and addressing the nation’s most urgent health challenges. Public health professionals work hard to prevent disease, promote wellness and protect communities.”

Investments in education and training are essential, as is the commitment to building a diverse workforce with the skills to address health disparities. Diversity fosters trust within communities and ensures health information is relatable, understandable and impactful. Health coaches and exercise professionals are integral to this effort, bridging the gap between public health initiatives and individual behavior change. Check out How Exercise Professionals Contribute to Public Health to learn more about your role and read some practical strategies for getting more involved.

How You Can Help Strengthen the Public Health Workforce

According to APHA, strengthening the public health workforce occurs on four distinct levels, the first two of which are where you can likely make the biggest impact:

1. You (Individual Level): Change starts with you. Become a mentor to members of your community or to younger or less experienced health and fitness professionals who may not quite understand the vital role they play in promoting public health. Host career talks or offer a job–shadowing program where prospective health and fitness pros can see how you interact with clients and the positive impact you make on their health. You can also contact your members of Congress and encourage them to prioritize public health funding.
2. Communities/Neighborhoods: This is where you can really make a profound impact. APHA suggests supporting policies for a diverse workforce and celebrating public health workers, but you can potentially make a bigger impact by offering programs and leading events that promote physical activity and wellness in communities that may experience health inequities and could really benefit from the services of committed and enthusiastic health and exercise professionals. Before launching any initiative, take the time to understand the unique needs of each community to ensure your efforts are meaningful and effective.
3. City/State: At this level, APHA recommends strengthening protections for public health officials and building leadership pathways by working with local colleges, universities and training programs to establish clear career pathways. Perhaps your biggest role in these pursuits is to be a vocal advocate of public health professionals and the work they do every day to make us all healthier.
4. Nation: On a broader scale, APHA suggests expanding federal programs and promoting innovation. Again, your role at this level is as an advocate and defender of public health efforts.

As APHA reminds us, “We must continue these efforts and more to ensure that public health systems are equipped to meet everyday health needs and respond to crises.”

Final Thoughts

As an ACE Certified Professional, you are already an extension of the public health workforce. ACE’s mission to Get People Moving is, at its core, a public health mission. Every session you lead, every class you teach and every conversation you have is an opportunity to educate, inspire and support healthier communities.

This is your call to action. Think outside the box and explore innovative ways to broaden your impact—whether by engaging new populations, partnering with public health organizations or advocating for community health and wellness initiatives.

As always, ACE is here to support you every step of the way. Let’s work together to shape the future of public health—one community, one client and one session at a time.

If you are interested in learning more about your role in promoting public health, check out Practical Public Health for Exercise Professionals and Health Coaches (worth 0.2 ACE CECs). In this course, you’ll learn to apply public health concepts to your work and to collaborate with like-minded professionals to promote public health.