Creighton University

Wellness Coordinator

Since 1992, Dawn Obermiller has worked as a health and wellness professional.  Dawn has worked with public, private and government worksites designing wellness strategies to improve employee health and productivity.  In her role as Wellness Director for several Omaha, Nebraska based  organizations she has been responsible for leading the wellness strategy by working with organizations to develop a program brand, establish the program mission, goals, objectives, delivering the programs and services that address the high risks and evaluate the outcomes.

Dawn’s expertise lies in getting to know the culture of her worksite and developing the programs that fit the demand of the employees and management.  In doing so, she has led several organizations to a Well Workplace Award.   Her creativity and ability to engage at all levels of an organization allow her to develop creative programs that address our most common national health concerns of physical inactivity, weight, poor nutrition, stress and tobacco.

Ms. Obermiller joined Creighton University as the full-time Wellness Director in July of 2005.  Since joining Creighton, Dawn has worked with several campus departments and divisions to establish a health promotion network that works to deliver high quality programming to all employees.  Forming these partnerships and establishing a common goal has been and will continue to be foundational moving forward as the program continues to offer state of the art programs that address Creighton’s high risks of low physical activity, poor nutrition impacting levels of with overweight/obesity as well as cancer and coronary risk reduction in the employee population. 

Dawn has an extreme passion and ability to relate to everyone.  She can find common ground and coach individuals to start exercising eat better, seek help for stress related concerns and much more.  She earned an undergraduate degree specializing in Health & Fitness Management from Elmira College and a master’s degree in Exercise Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  Dawn is certified as a Health & Fitness Specialist with the American College of Sports Medicine and an instructor for CPR & First Aid with the American Red Cross.

One of Dawn’s biggest attributes is she walks the walk.  Her personal life and professional world align as she continues to lead a healthy and active lifestyle.  Dawn is married with five children and has a walking partner named Butchie Marie (her yellow lab.)  She enjoys getting outdoors to ride bike, work in the yard with her husband or play with her toddler grandchild.  She enjoys reading and trying out new recipes at family dinners on Sunday night. 

Dawn’s believes that worksite wellness programs are not a cure but a platform that helps people make reasonable decisions, about their health, possible. 

Listen to Dawn (and others) speak about their passion for wellness at Creighton by listening to this Creighton in the Community segment.