About
The Well staff consists of a director, assistant director, 3 health educators, a registered dietician, an office manager and undergraduate and graduate student workers. We recently moved to a larger facility in the center of campus, which has increased our visibility and enhanced our services. We are financially supported through university fees, the Student Health fee, and grant funding. We currently receive grant support from the Virginia Department of Health and the National Social Norms Institute. We are continually seeking new grant funding to augment our health education efforts.
Our staff utilizes a variety of public health strategies to change student behavior including educational programming, norm-setting social marketing approaches, peer education, policy advocacy, community coalitions, and individual counseling.
In 2010 the Wellness Resource Center received the Best Practices in College Health Award for the Clicker Enhanced Social Norms Marketing Campaign from the American College Health Association. Read more about this campaign under our Research tab.
Our Staff
Xavier Bey
Xavier is the office manager at The Well. While monitoring the office's finances and budgets, he provides assistance to the many health programs that are planned and implemented out of The Well. Xavier has a wealth of experience from his previous positions at the Virginia Department of Transportation.
Kristen Kidd Donovan, MPH
Kristen is the Substance Abuse Services Coordinator at The Well. She received her BA in English from Davidson College. After serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zimbabwe, she earned her Master of Public Health from the University of Iowa School of Public Health. Kristen educates on substance abuse, and connects students struggling with substance abuse issues to appropriate community resources. Kristen's other responsibilities include gathering and analyzing data on substance use and abuse at VCU and working with University partners to foster a healthy, safe environment for VCU students.
Linda Hancock, PhD, CFNP, RN
Linda serves as both a clinician and Director of The Well. She is an animated health educator whose specialties over the years have included all the "S's": sexual health, substance abuse, and stress management. She is currently the smoking cessation guru at VCU and leads a campus-wide social norms marketing campaign to reduce substance use.
Nancy Harris, ANP, OGNP
Nancy is a nurse practitioner in the clinic and the Women's Health Coordinator for The Well. She supervises students who conduct women's health seminars.
Denise Cochran, M.M.Sc., R.D.
Denise Cochran has been a Registered Dietitian in Richmond for over 25 years. She was the Wellness Coordinator and RD at Briarwood (now ACAC) for 10 years. She has been the Medical Nutrition Specialist at Family Practice Specialists for 15 years. She also was a certified aerobics instructor for over 20 years. She received her B.S. in Nutrition from Penn State University and her Master in Medical Science from Emory University. Denise's primary responsibilities include educating students about nutrition, eating disorders, and body image. She provides one-on-one nutrition counseling and gives presentations.
Katie Vatalaro Hill, MPH, CHES
Katie serves as the Assistant Director and Nutrition Services Coordinator at The Well. Her primary responsibilities include educating students about nutrition, eating disorders and body image and stress management. She provides presentations, one-on-one counseling, and plans campus-wide events. She also coordinates the administration of the National College Health Assessment (NCHA). She received her Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Amanda Wattenmaker McGann, MPH, CHES, CPH
Amanda is a health educator (generalist) at The Well. She received her BS in Health Communication/Education from James Madison University. She earned her Master of Public Health from VCU/MCV. Amanda's responsibilities include advising the Project R.E.A.C.H. Peer Educators and the Cancer Awareness Team (CAT). She also works on the campus-wide social norms campaign to reduce substance use.
Shalise Bates-Pratt, MSW
Shalise is the Coordinator of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Services. She provides advocacy and supportive services for victims of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. She advises SAVES (Sexual Assault and Violence Education by Students) and MAV (Men Against Violence) and works with those groups to organize awareness events and conduct educational programming for the campus community. She received a BA in Sociology and Women’s Studies from Randolph-Macon College and a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Choices Class Registration
Choices is a free, two hour, small group alcohol education class hosted reguarly at The Well.
Contact Us
815 S. Cathedral Place
Richmond, VA 23220
Phone: (804) VCU-WELL (828-9355)
Monday - Thursday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Check out our Facebook Page
Follow us on Twitter here
Meet our staff
Green Zone
The Green Zone logo identifies faculty and staff volunteers with training about student veterans issues and resources. The Well is Green Zone trained.
Safe Zone
The Safe Zone sticker identifies faculty and staff volunteers with training about Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender issues and resources. The Well is Safe Zone trained.
Yourstrategy.org
Your Strategy is a philosophy recognizing that most college students have creative and healthy ways for successfully navigating their social life at college.
