When Madison Moore walks into a room—virtual or otherwise—there’s an energy that follows. Bright, driven, and deeply empathetic, she’s redefining what it means to lead with wellness in the workplace. As the Wellness Specialist at Child Care Associates, Madison crafts employee-centered programs that support physical, emotional, and occupational health. And though she’s only a few years into her career, her impact is already making waves across her organization—and in the broader field of health education.
When Moore first entered college, she envisioned a future in nursing. But like many in the health education field, her path took an unexpected, yet deeply meaningful, turn toward prevention.
“I always knew I wanted to help people,” Moore shares. “But when COVID-19 hit during my junior year, I realized I was more interested in the education and prevention side of health care. I noticed how easily health misinformation spreads, especially with the rise of social media and technology, and felt compelled to be part of the solution.” Moore then went on to pursue a master’s degree in health education, where she found her true passion in reproductive health, health equity, and resource availability.
Now in her second year with CCA, Moore oversees organization-wide wellness programming for more than 500 employees across early childhood education programs. Her mission? To make wellness accessible, engaging, and personalized, which is something she accomplishes with equal parts empathy and innovation.
Charting a New Course: From Clinical Aspirations to CHES® Certification
While Moore’s original plan was to pursue nursing, the detours of life and a few frustrating standardized tests shifted her course. “I realized treatment from a clinical standpoint didn’t truly spark my interest the way health education did. Prevention is where I felt I could make the biggest impact,” she says. “I also saw how misinformation and low health literacy were spreading rapidly during the pandemic.”
That realization opened the door to a Master of Science degree in Health Education. After learning about the CHES® credential, she dove into the Areas of Responsibility and immediately felt aligned. “It was everything I was looking for—communication, leadership, advocacy, program development. I knew I had found my place.”
Moore is currently the only CHES®-certified professional at her organization, and quite proudly wears the letters after her name. “People always ask what it stands for,” she laughs. “And I take that as my cue to explain what it stands for and why it matters.”
Wearing Many Hats—and Making Every One Count
Like many health education professionals, Moore’s day-to-day work defies a single job title. Her role has evolved from classroom-based behavioral support to full-scale employee wellness programming. She develops and leads Wellness Wednesday campaigns, interactive professional development sessions, and resource-rich initiatives across eight dimensions of wellness.
One of her most successful projects to date? Coordinating hands-on Wellness Centers at CCA’s Fall Conference, which engaged more than 300 employees in physical, emotional, and social wellness activities. Think: stretch stations, rock painting, nutrition education, personality quizzes, and even a Just Dance corner.
“It was my first large-scale event,” Moore recalls. “And it really was a success. It was a meaningful opportunity for teachers and staff to recharge, check in with themselves, and prepare emotionally and mentally for the return to school. We laughed, we moved, we stepped out of our comfort zones, we de-stressed—and that’s what
I believe wellness should feel like.”
The CHES® Advantage: A Toolkit for Every Challenge
Moore credits much of her professional confidence to her CHES® preparation and certification. “Even though I’m early in my career, I fall back on what I learned in my health education coursework all the time,” she says. “Whether I’m designing a program, evaluating a training, or advocating for mental health resources, I use those core competencies.”
Her passion for lifelong learning extends beyond certification. Moore recently became a Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) Practitioner, which is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that is designed to meet the complex needs of vulnerable children. Currently, she is exploring ways to embed the model across CCA’s early education sites and even has her eye on an eventual PhD.
“My dream is to one day become a wellness director at a university,” she says. “To work with both students and faculty in creating a culture of care.”
Advice for Aspiring Health Education Specialists
For other emerging professionals—or anyone considering CHES®—Moore’s advice is clear: don’t wait to explore your options. “I had to find this path on my own. I didn’t know jobs like mine even existed,” she says. “But health education applies to everything—nonprofits, universities, corporate wellness, government work. Once you’re CHES® certified, your skills are so adaptable.”
Moore has many other tips to offer new professionals:
- Look for small ways to encourage healthy habits in your current role at scale, like initiating walking meetings or leading a short stretch break.
- Employee wellness is not one-size-fits-all. Take time to understand the needs, cultures, and stressors of your coworkers before building programs.
- You’ll grow into the role. Be curious, stay open to learning, and don’t be afraid to try new things—even if they don’t go perfectly!
Adaptability is truly Moore’s superpower. Whether she’s reworking an office layout to improve employee morale, leading a stretch break during a training, or responding to survey feedback to design better appreciation events, she approaches each task with creativity, compassion, and behind it all, a solid strategy.
“I always say: you can’t pour from an empty cup,” she says. “My job is to help fill those cups—every single day.”