Wellness at Penn’s Public Health and Well-Being division, which is dedicated to creating a community of care focused on health education, promotion, and advocacy, has announced the appointment of the following inaugural leadership roles: Ashlee Halbritter, executive director; Rebecca Huxta, director of public health; and Jackie Recktenwald, director of well-being initiatives. Wellness at Penn is built upon two pillars: Student Health and Counseling, which provides medical care and counseling services, and Public Health and Well-Being. Both pillars operate collaboratively to create a campus community centered on wellness.

Ashlee Halbritter, Executive Director of Public Health and Well-Being, Wellness at Penn

Ms. Halbritter joined the formerly named Campus Health team in October 2012, and since then, she has established a multifaceted team of public health and campus well-being experts who are collectively working to further Wellness at Penn’s mission of infusing wellness across the eight domains throughout the Penn experience through inclusive, innovative, and impactful initiatives. Additionally, she and her team have dedicated themselves to Penn’s COVID-19 response, particularly through contact tracing and public health education efforts. Ms. Halbritter received her MPH from UCLA and served for several years with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has worked at the federal, state, and local government levels, as well as with non-profit organizations. Over her career, she has managed projects in a variety of critical areas, including public policy, the built environment, sexually transmitted diseases, chronic disease, and environmental health. 

Rebecca Huxta, Director of Public Health

Ms. Huxta has been a member of the Wellness at Penn team since 2014. Her primary charge is leading the disease prevention, mitigation, and response activities and overseeing disease surveillance on behalf of Penn. She works collaboratively with her wellness colleagues on activities related to immunization compliance, population health promotion, health needs assessments, as well as program development and evaluation. As the director of public health, she serves as a point of contact for campus partners on campus-wide public health concerns and utilizes data to promote equitable access to healthcare and resources for a vibrantly diverse population. Ms. Huxta received her MPH from Drexel University.

Jackie Recktenwald, Director of Well-Being Initiatives

After a national search, Ms. Recktenwald was chosen for this new role based on her vast understanding of institutions of higher education, her familiarity with federal, state, local, and institutional policies that impact student success and well-being, her explicit understanding of the student experience, and the breadth and depth of her command of relevant research. In her new role, Ms. Recktenwald will lead a transformative initiative to establish a comprehensive approach to the promotion of well-being and resilience in the student community and across campus. Ms. Recktenwald joined Penn in 2016 as a member of the SVIO office and joined Wellness at Penn in 2018 in the Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Program Initiatives. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education at Penn’s Graduate School of Education with certificates in gender studies and teaching. Before coming to Penn, she worked as a staff assistant and scheduler for Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in Washington, DC. Ms. Recktenwald received her BS from University of California San Diego, and her master of higher education from Penn’s Graduate School of Education.

Wellness at Penn’s Public Health and Well-Being division (formerly Campus Health) seeks to create a community of care through advocacy, education, and action. The team, which also encompasses the immunization and insurance compliance department, focuses on a wide variety of healthy living topics, including sleep hygiene, stress reduction, nutrition, exercise, and sexual health. Some of the key initiatives include disease surveillance and prevention, health policy, health education and promotion, the Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Recovery (SUPER) Program, and the Penn Park Farm.

Wellness at Penn is dedicated to caring for students during their academic journey while creating a campus-wide community of care. The team is committed to offering a wide range of opportunities to access support, clinical resources, and practical tools to meaningfully engage with one’s health and well-being.