Dedra Ries has experience working in both the public and private sector. Her background includes facilitating meetings, conducting trainings and building strong coalitions to address health issues including HIV/AIDS, violence prevention, diabetes, abstinence, peer mediation, and healthy lifestyles.

Prior to joining Extension, she worked with Action for Healthy Kids, a national organization striving to improve children's nutrition and physical activity in schools. Ries was responsible for providing strategic coaching to volunteer teams throughout the nation on childhood obesity issues, team building, action planning, and member recruitment. She brings a history of experiences coordinating health education activities and providing oversight on community-based health programs.

She enjoys working with groups of all ages and backgrounds and has a special interest in working with faith-based organizations on health promotion and disease prevention topics.

Ries is a Certified Health Education Specialist. She earned both her bachelor's degree and master of public health degree, with an emphasis in health education and health promotion, from the University of Illinois at Chicago.