About
Fundamentals of Health Alliance ("FH Alliance") is a health education non-profit that provides free resources and programs to help people better understand matters related to health and the body. Resources are available under the brand name "5 Fundamentals of Health" (5foh.org) as well as through partnerships with other organizations.
The rationale of the organization can be simply expressed:
1. Understanding your body is the key to taking charge of your health.
2. The body has many complex aspects, but the fundamental things you need to understand to take charge of your health are essentially simple.
3. Once you understand those factors you can make decisions and take actions that improve your health.
4. To understand the body and the factors that influence health, most people need help finding reliable information, as well as help in achieving the degree of understanding of that information required for development of good judgment.
5. FH Alliance does not accept or collect information about the health of individuals and does not offer advice to individuals regarding treatment. We never endorse a specific product or treatment, and do not generate revenue by endorsing, advertising, or selling products and services.
Health providers are free to refer their clients to resources available at www.5foh.org at no cost to provider or client. These include videos and articles related to the following general health topics:
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Resilience
- Treatment
The content at 5foh.org is indexed to allow providers and their clients to easily find videos and articles that address specific health questions or concerns. That index is available here.
Leadership Team
Executive Director: Dave Hendry
Dave Hendry, Fundamentals of Health Alliance Executive Director, is a lifelong educator with more than four decades of teaching and curriculum development experience in a wide range of settings, helping children and adults achieve understanding.
Dave is two-time winner of the George Foster Peabody award, and has also been awarded The Educational Press Association’s highest award for curriculum resources. Dave has directed development activities for four National Science Foundation projects, for two of which he was Principal Investigator, has served as Principal Investigator in two US Department of Education Professional Development projects, and is the creator of The National Math Trail.
As a senior member of the ABCmouse.com development team at Age of Learning, he contributed to the creation of a groundbreaking early childhood education resource that earned the Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice Award, the Teacher’s Choice Award, and the Parent’s Choice Gold Award. Dave is named co-inventor on 6 educational technology patents, and was named as one of ten 2024 Educator Trendsetters by EdTech Digest.
Head of Administration and Marketing: Julie Giffin
Julie Giffin, Head of Administration and Marketing at Fundamentals of Health Alliance, has more than 30 years of business experience in Administration, Finance, Marketing, Project Management and HR. Her career trajectory spans the media, publishing, education and insurance industries.
As Marketing Manager for a large insurance services firm, Julie supervised a team who developed and disseminated marketing collateral, and managed sales presentations and trade show appearances.
As VP Administration for a media distribution company which provided home entertainment products to enterprise-level retail outlet chains nationwide, she was responsible for management of distribution, marketing, customer service and HR operations for the organization.
As Project Manager and Marketing Manager for a private school, she planned and executed projects related to all aspects of the school's operation, including parent relations, fund-raising, marketing, human resources, and events, and managed the school's social and print marketing campaigns and the development of print and online promotional pieces.
Most recently, Julie held the position of Head of Administration for the health education company eSavvyHealth, managing all aspects of marketing, social media, finance and HR for the company.
Julie also brings to her role at the Alliance a strong lifelong interest in matters of health and a deep-seated personal purpose to help others lead long, healthy, and active lives.
Nutrition Editor: Bob Graves
Bob Graves, Fundamentals of Health Alliance Nutrition Editor, brings more than three decades of editorial, publishing and training experience to this mission.
In the 1980s, as a co-founder of a national media company, he was instrumental in establishing its event and publishing divisions. The company quickly became a respected source of news, in-depth articles, and research on the rapidly-changing world of information technology, providing much-needed resources to hundreds of government agencies and IT companies across the country. The company expanded rapidly from a single conference to encompass scores of regional and local conferences and a wide range of print and online publications.
Turning his attention to another critical challenge of our time—personal health—he draws upon hard-earned insights regarding organizing and disseminating knowledge as well as a master’s degree in Nutrition from UC Davis.
Content Team
Christine Perpellitt
Christine Perpelitt is a credentialed medical lab scientist, a wine chemistry analyst, and a science writer. She currently works as the Sr. Laboratory Technologist at Core Enology Analytical Services in the heart of the Pacific Northwest’s wine country.
Christine studied biology at Pacific University and clinical lab science at Oregon Health Sciences University, where she earned her B.S. While in college, she worked as a tutor and as a teaching assistant in the biology and microbiology laboratories.
Christine has several years of experience as Medical Technologist and also has served as Director of Lab Services in a free medical clinic serving the economically disadvantaged. In these roles, Christine analyzed patient samples to provide information that allowed physicians to assess, diagnose and treat patients with such conditions as infections, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc.
Christine’s role as science writer and researcher for the Alliance provides her with the opportunity to pursue an intense interest in, as she describes it, “the intersection of chemistry and biology.”
Emily Rhodes
Emmy Rhodes is a registered dietitian located in southern California. She received her master’s in public health in nutrition from Loma Linda University. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Virginia with a major in biology and minor in psychology. She has a strong belief that nutrition is a powerful way for people to have a direct effect on their health and quality of life.
She gained valuable knowledge working at a level one trauma center treating a variety of disease-states through the nutrition care process. She has a passion for patient education, having extensive experience working with prediabetic participants in a CDC program improving lifestyle habits that transform health parameters. During her graduate experience she worked in research for the Habitual Avocado Study and Macadamia Nut Study, working directly with participants to determine how diet impacts cardiometabolic factors. She assisted in a planning grant for Farm to School, helping K-12 students and the Torres-Martinez Cahuilla Indian Reservation have access to local produce in the Coachella Valley. She realized her love for education and community outreach as an associate for a health food store delivering educational presentations to promote quality nutrition and integrative services.
It is a lifelong goal of hers to reverse chronic disease and help both individuals and the population reach the pinnacle of health to lead enlightened lives.
Dr. Anastasia Betts
Dr. Anastasia Betts, Senior Instructional Designer and Learning Scientist at Fundamentals of Health Alliance, is an experienced educator and researcher with expertise in curriculum design, learning sciences, and educational technology. Anastasia earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Learning Sciences from University at Buffalo, SUNY, and has spent over 30 years designing and developing curricula across a range of subjects and levels.
As a learning scientist, Anastasia stays at the forefront of research on how people learn, and is named on three U.S. Patents for the learning design of personalized digital “smart learning” technologies. She applies theories and findings from cognitive science, educational psychology, and other relevant fields to inform the design of optimal learning environments and experiences.
At Fundamentals of Health Alliance, Anastasia leads the instructional design of educational resources and programs that help people understand human health. Her deep knowledge of learning sciences and instructional best practices ensure these materials are grounded in research and optimized to promote understanding and real-world application. Anastasia is passionate about harnessing the power of education to help people lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.
Media and Technology Team
Devin Apostle
Devin Apostle is a video editor, technical artist, and multimedia specialist with significant practical experience in digital content creation. That experience, along with his formal training, which includes a Bachelor of Science in Arts and Letters from Portland State University, an Associate's Degree in Multimedia, and a specialized degree in 3D modeling from CG Spectrum, has equipped him with the knowledge and skills to excel in various aspects of multimedia production.
With a keen eye for detail and commitment to quality, Devin's work spans a range of media formats and technologies, including creative writing, videography, 2D and 3D art, audio editing, and special effects, enabling him to contribute to both pre- and post-production aspects of content creation.
Devin is dedicated to creating thoughtful and engaging digital content, consistently meeting needs of current projects while continuing to learn and adapt to the constantly evolving media production landscape.
Marty Kassowitz
Designer and technical manager Marty Kassowitz has been building and maintaining commercial, non-profit, and personal websites for nearly 20 years. His focus has been informational and health-oriented sites which offer visitors new knowledge and insights.
How to Contact Us
Please use the email form on this page to reach out to us with any questions or comments.