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Deborah L. Woehler, MS, RD, LD created and accomplished unique opportunities in her career as a dietitian. Innovation and entrepreneurship have been consistent hallmarks of her career, though she was worked in all three arms of the profession, food service management, clinical and community dietetics. She graduated with honors in Foods & Nutrition from Purdue in 1976. While doing a dietetic internship at the Houston VA Hospital, she did a Master of Science in Nutrition at Texas Woman’s University. Later, in 1992 she completed an Executive MBA at Rice University. In 2002 she completed the ADA (American Dietetic Association) Adult Weight Management Certification Program in Nashville, TN.
She started her career as a Health Care Marketing Specialist with SYSCO Food Service, moving to a sales position with National Health Laboratories. In 1980 she began a private nutrition practice. During this period, she planned and organized the first two-day Nutrition and Fitness Exposition in Houston. In 1985 she became co-owner of reSearch for Health, Inc.; serving in various capacities, finally as president, in 1991, and chief executive officer, in 1996. During this period innovation was not just at work, she stated the Bayou City Institutional Review Board and the Houston Osteoporosis Support Group. This was the first osteoporosis support group in the state of Texas. In 1993, she opened the first non-hospital-owned Bone Mineral Density Testing center for clinical trials and private patient care. She managed and oversaw the operations of this center. From 1997-2000 she was with Health Advance Institute as vice-president of client partnership development, then business development and finally business development and marketing.
In 2001, Deborah Woehler became the executive director and founding board member of the Cluthe and William B. Oliver Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in Houston, TX. The mission of the foundation is the prevention of childhood obesity through teaching healthy eating habits and physical activity in schools, community centers, museums and other venues. She is responsible for coordinating, managing and expediting the foundations activities and expenditures. She founded the Teen Advisory Board, YEAH (Youth Excited About Health) for the foundation in 2004. She is in demand as a speaker and radio guest. Over the years, she has been the preceptor for 5-6 Purdue students for the dietetic internship at the University of Houston.
Recent awards, grants and research include serving as principle investigator in 2005 for The Oliver Foundation Kids Team in Fort Bend Independent School District: a six year longitudinal study of BMI trends among elementary school children in a healthy school environment. The study continues in an evaluation phase. A W.K.Kellogg Foundation grant is for production of seventy-two 30-60 second healthy education vignettes. The foundation won the prestigious T. A.P.E. Crystal award for excellence in community partnerships with a large school district and endorsement from the Texas Governor’s Commission for Women as their website choice of Health and Wellness for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity. We congratulate Deborah Woehler on her professional vision for the Houston community and for the health of children nationally.
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