ProfNet Experts Available on ESPN Controversy, Personal Safety, Health Literacy, More

NEW YORK, Aug. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network – it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/queryform

EXPERT ALERTS

• Improving Health Literacy
• ESPN Pulls Voice From UVA Game Because His Name Is Robert Lee
• Personal Safety Tips
• September is National Yoga Month: Yoga's Influence on Society
• Animals Experience Emotions Similar to Humans
• Applying Technology to Make Life Better
• The Impact of Games on Learning
• How Buddhist Practices Are Transforming Even Prison Life

MEDIA JOBS

• Culture Writer – Newsweek
• Deputy Breaking News Editor – Newsweek
• Senior Video Journalist – Wall Street Journal

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Career Crossroads: Former Washington Post Reporter on Life After the Newsroom
• 10 Sites We Love for Slam-Dunk Coverage of the Latest Sports News
• Blog Profiles: Podcast Blogs

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EXPERT ALERTS:

Improving Health Literacy
Aileen Kantor
VP of Marketing & Innovation
Health Literacy Innovations
The U.S. health care system maintains one of the most sophisticated health care delivery systems in the world. However, despite the many advances in treatment and technology, one major barrier exists: nearly half all U.S. adults lack the skills necessary to understand and act on basic health information -- how to take medications or follow doctor's directions. This problem is known as low health literacy. Says Kantor: "Today, Medicaid agencies, Medicare Advantage, Health People Objectives, the Joint Commission all call for health literacy and plain-language solutions. Amidst this growing health care challenge, there are many things health care providers can do."
Kantor is VP Innovation for Health Literacy Innovations, creator of the nation's first interactive health literacy software tool, the Health Literacy Advisor.
Website: http://healthliteracyinnovations.com
Expert Contact: [email protected]

ESPN Pulls Voice From UVA Game Because His Name Is Robert Lee
Ryan McCormick
Co-Founder
Goldman McCormick Public Relations
"ESPN has damaged their brand (at least in the short-term) with this decision. There are a number of ways that individuals and corporations can stand against racism in a peaceful and almost universally non-provoking manner. What ESPN did not only appears to be laughably irrational to some, but it opens an unnecessary door of public scrutiny. For ESPN's viewers who simply just want to enjoy high-quality sports coverage, getting an unwanted dose of what some may call 'political correctness gone wild' will probably rub them the wrong way. One of the best ways that corporations and individuals can maximize their appeal is to never inject themselves into political or social discussions where emotions and volatility are running high. One of the greatest things about sporting events is that they bring people of all backgrounds together in a peaceful manner. If ESPN simply sticks to presenting high-quality coverage of sports, they're already making themselves part of the solution to the problem they wish to fix."
McCormick is co-founder of Goldman McCormick Public Relations and host and executive producer of the nationally syndicated Outer Limits of Inner Truth Radio Show.
Websites: www.goldmanmccormick.com and www.outerlimitsradio.com
Expert Contact: [email protected]

Personal Safety Tips
Peter J. Canavan
Personal Safety Consultant
Campus Safety University
"The time to prepare is before the need arises. You must arm yourself with awareness and develop the mental fortitude necessary to survive situations that present a threat to your personal safety. Remember, the biggest threat is your own complacency, so practice safety every day."
Based in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Canavan is available to discuss all manner of online and offline threats to personal safety, including: bullying and cyber-bullying, identity theft, cyber-security, social media safety, cellphone safety, bar/club safety, party drugs, travel safety, campus safety, ATM safety, fire safety, electrical safety, dorm room security, personal safety alarms/apps, physical threat self-defense, sexual harassment, safe dating, rape prevention, LGBT lifestyle risks, active shooter preparedness, terrorism, building confidence, proper attitude development, women's safety tips. He is the author of seven books, including "The Ultimate Guide to College Safety," "The Self-Defense Survival Guide" and "How To Survive a Riot."
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/Pete_Canavan
Expert Website: http://PeteCanavan.com
Organization Website: http://CampusSafetyUniversity.com
Contact: Tom Mooney, [email protected]

September is National Yoga Month: Yoga's Influence on Society
David Lipsius
President and CEO
Yoga Alliance
"Yoga's influence on all areas of society is increasing, and all are in need of this ancient wisdom. Whether one is a yogi on a spiritual journey, practicing yoga to enhance their physical or mental health, or new to yoga and looking for a way to lead a more peaceful, happy, healthy life, our intention is to ensure everyone has the resources and information they need to welcome yoga into their lives and hearts."
Lipsius can speak to all aspects of yoga, as well as related topics such as mindful leadership, meditation, and yogic lifestyles. He is based in Arlington, Va., and Washington, D.C.
Website: www.yogaalliance.org
Contact: Dani Mackey, [email protected]

Animals Experience Emotions Similar to Humans
Dr. Bradley Nelson
For National Dog Day, Aug. 26, veteran holistic physician and bestselling author Dr. Bradley Nelson can discuss recent research that animals experience emotions similar to humans. Brain scans show striking similarities between dogs and humans, and mounting evidence indicates animals experience emotions. Dr. Nelson, author and creator of The Emotion Code, has trained thousands of healing practitioners worldwide, including many who help animals recover from lingering emotions from past trauma. Says Dr. Nelson: "One of the most fascinating things I have discovered in my work as a healer is that, just like people, animals develop 'trapped emotions,' or emotional energies that become stuck in the body during emotionally charged events. In fact, our practitioners worldwide use the same Chart of Emotions that they use for their human clients. The results obtained when releasing emotional baggage in this way from animals is almost uniformly excellent, and has been quite revealing. Their minds appear to be far more similar to ours than we had previously thought, and the range of emotion that they feel is similar to ours."
Based in St. George, Utah, Dr. Nelson has lectured internationally on the natural healing of chronic illness and successfully treated patients from across the U.S. and Canada for more than 20 years. He has trained more than 3,200 practitioners worldwide on how to help people overcome unresolved anger, depression, anxiety, loneliness and other negative emotions and the physical symptoms associated them. His bestselling book, "The Emotion Code," is helping people all over the world to improve their lives easily and quickly.
Online Press Kit: http://drbradleynelson.onlinepresskit247.com
Websites: www.DrBradleyNelson.com and www.theemotioncode.com
Contact: Jennifer Thomas, [email protected]

Applying Technology to Make Life Better
Eleanor Loiacono
Professor of Business/Data Science/Management Information Systems
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
"In a world of fast-paced change, we cannot afford to ignore those with differing abilities, such as those who are neurodiverse (with atypical neurological wiring), struggling with mental health issues, or physically challenged. Applying technology to make life better for a greater swath of the population can strengthen our workforce, increase our productivity, and enhance social justice. A mindfulness-based stress reduction app is a potentially highly impactful project that can help college students better cope with anxiety, depression, and stress, thus increasing their persistence in college. These skills will later translate into the workforce where the app can help with continued practice and reinforcement. Similarly, the development of best practices for engaging neurodiverse workers in the IT field will help companies around the globe expand their talent pool and in-turn bottom line."
Loiacono is available to discuss neurodiversity, human/technology relationships (texting on task performance, mindfulness apps), effective computing, accessibility for people with disabilities, and website creation/quality. She is the author of "DSL Provisioning: Redefining Customer Service" and "Instructor's Manual with Test Item and Transparency Masters: Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems."
Contact: Jessica Messier, [email protected]

The Impact of Games on Learning
Lee Sheldon
Professor of Practice, Interactive Media & Game Design
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
"The impact of games has always been profound, from how we mammals learn survival skills as children to games that educate (mentioned as early as 360 BC by Plato); games that heal (physical, psychological and cognitive games); narrative games that tell vivid stories that move us emotionally; and even games with no other thought on their minds than entertaining us, to free us (as all great entertainment media can) from the cares of the world, if even for a short while."
Sheldon is available to discuss game writing, interactive learning, classes as games (teaching style) and TV writing. He is the author of "The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game" and "Character Development and Storytelling for Games" (Second Edition). He has also written multiple video games, including "The Lost Manuscript 2: The Summer Palace Cipher," a virtual reality game teaching Mandarin and Chinese culture; "These Far Hills," a video game teaching engineering and science for an NSF proposal; "Crimson Dilemma," a business ethics video game for Indiana University that debuted in fall 2014; and wrote and designed "Secrets: A Cyberculture Mystery Game," an online class designed as a game teaching culture and identity on the Internet for Excelsior College. Most recently, he wrote "The Lion's Song," a four-episode game following the lives and adventures of four artists, which was released in the summer of 2017. Before his career in games, Sheldon was a television writer-producer with over 200 produced shows ranging from "Charlie's Angels" to "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
Contact: Jessica Messier, [email protected]

How Buddhist Practices Are Transforming Even Prison Life
Doug Carnine
Buddhist Lay Minister
Professor Emeritus, University of Oregon
"The research of neuroscientists, biologists, anthropologists, and psychologists, and the wisdom of guidance in the world's religions, point us in the same direction -- kindness makes us healthier, happier, longer living, and more loving and beloved. While the idea of becoming more kind (and less unkind) seems simple, for most of us, living a life that is more kind would require is a major shift in how we live."
Carnine recently published "Saint Badass: Personal Transcendence in Tucker Max Hell," a memoir based on his letters with four Tucker Max prisoners that shows how incorporating Buddhist practices every day is transforming not only their own lives, but also those around them -- from fellow prisoners to prison staff. He worked with three murderers and a rapist, including Roy Tester, a double-murderer who killed his parents after suffering inconceivable abuses at their hands. What Tester learned from Carnine led directly to his saving the life of a fellow prisoner, even though this man was incarcerated for victimizing children. The book speaks of the need for gratitude, for prison reform, and is an important read for all. Additionally, Carnine also published "How Love Wins," a veritable toolbox of 12 easy-to-follow steps along a path to transformation. In addition to his work with the prisoners, and as a mindful kindness advocate, Carnine offers eulogies for suicide victims and is a hospice volunteer. As an academic, he's an international education speaker, presidential appointee (with Senate confirmation) to the National Institute of Literacy, winner of the University of Oregon distinguished teacher award, and recipient of the Life Time Achievement Award from the Council for Exceptional Children.
Website: www.feedkindness.com
Contact: Penny Sansevieri, [email protected]

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MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

• Culture Writer – Newsweek
• Deputy Breaking News Editor – Newsweek
• Senior Video Journalist – Wall Street Journal

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OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line.

• CAREER CROSSROADS: FORMER WASHINGTON POST REPORTER ON LIFE AFTER THE NEWSROOM. Career Crossroads is a series that features journalists, bloggers and freelancers and their professional journalists. In this installment, we caught up with Theola DeBose, a former reporter for the Washington Post who recently launched a podcast, "The Gray Side: Life After Journalism": http://prn.to/2xq7rpt
• 10 SITES WE LOVE FOR SLAM-DUNK COVERAGE OF THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS. The media landscape has shifted from print-oriented to an online-first focus. This shift has changed the way consumers and journalists receive information, including sports news. Online-only sports publications are growing in popularity, and the demand for around-the-clock coverage continues to grow. With football gearing up and basketball season rapidly approaching, here's a look at the top 10 sports news sites: http://prn.to/2ia572O
• BLOG PROFILES: PODCAST BLOGS. Each week, PR Newswire's Audience Relations team selects an industry/subject and profiles a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and contributing to the conversation. This week, they look at a few podcast blogs: http://bit.ly/2wBWWlL

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