Staff
Megan G. Brown, PhD, HSPP
Executive Director
Dr. Megan Brown serves as the inaugural Executive Director of Emory University’s Center for Student Wellbeing, where she is a campus leader and advocate dedicated to cultivating a culture of thriving. She leads a team of dynamic well-being professionals and champions policies, programs, and services that empower students to develop healthy behaviors, practice lifelong well-being, and help shape a flourishing university community.
Megan holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Andrews University and has over two decades of experience in higher education, including roles at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her background in psychology laid the foundation for a career spanning mental health treatment, life coaching, and health promotion. Megan is a co-leader in the Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing (ANEW), a diverse network of people and organizations working together to accelerate transformational change in higher education settings, so all college students have opportunities to thrive and flourish.
Megan is deeply grounded in Positive Psychology, the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. Her extensive knowledge in this field shapes her approach to leadership, individual growth, and community building. She believes that every person is a world changer—each of us holds the power to positively influence others and shape the communities we’re part of. Megan invites everyone she meets to recognize this truth and feel inspired by their potential to make a meaningful difference.
Outside of work, she finds joy in traveling locally and globally, diving into the ideas of thought leaders, soaking in the beauty of the outdoors, and creating music through voice and instrument. She also delights in the simple pleasures of board and puzzle games—especially when shared with friends and family.
Brandi Benton, MPH, MCHES
Director of Health Education
Brandi Benton joined Emory University’s Office of Health Promotion (now Center for Student Wellbeing) in 2017, bringing more than 20 years of experience merging her interests in public health and higher education. Her career spans diverse settings—from community-based organizations to federal public health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—giving her a unique lens on both upstream policy and on-the-ground prevention efforts.
With a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Saint Louis University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Central Missouri State University, Brandi blends academic training with a deep commitment to student well-being. Her work in higher education has focused on designing inclusive, student-centered initiatives that foster long-term, positive health behaviors and support students thriving—emotionally, physically, socially, and beyond.
Brandi is known for her thoughtful approach to health education, her talent for building meaningful connections, and her ability to turn big-picture goals into actionable programs. At the core of her work is a desire to empower individuals to reach their fullest potential, knowing that when students feel well, they do well—in the classroom and in life.
In her spare time, Brandi enjoys making memories with family and friends doing new and familiar activities. She loves to connect over music and can be heard singing randomly on any given day.
Simran Bhatia, MS
Associate Director for Collective Impact
Simran Bhatia (she/her) serves as the Associate Director for Collective Impact at Emory’s Center for Student Wellbeing, where she leads efforts to embed health and well-being across campus systems and culture. She provides strategic coordination and project management for university-wide initiatives that advance equity, purpose, and shared responsibility in student well-being.
Rooted in the Collective Impact framework, Simran helps develop common agendas, foster cross-functional collaboration, and align diverse stakeholders around shared well-being outcomes. She serves as backbone lead for key efforts—including Emory’s journey to become a Health Promoting Campus, the expansion of Reframes (a student storytelling campaign), and the strengthening of coalition infrastructure to support sustainable, systems-level change.
Previously, Simran served as Senior Organizational Health Education Specialist at Missouri University of Science and Technology, where she led campus-wide equity and culture change efforts. She has also contributed to global education and wellbeing initiatives with organizations such as UNESCO, Edith Cowan University (Australia), and UNICEF. Her work has focused on policy innovation, capacity-building, and multidimensional vulnerability assessments.
Simran’s research spans occupational stress, health equity, and talent selection. Her contributions have appeared in academic journals, global reports, and a co-authored book on organizational stress and psychosocial well-being.
She is actively involved in national professional organizations, including the American College Health Association (ACHA) and NASPA, and serves on the Inside Higher Ed Student Success Advisory Board.
Simran holds a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology from Missouri University of Science and Technology and a bachelor’s in psychology and international relations from India. She brings a systems-thinking lens, a collaborative spirit, and a deep belief in collective care to all she does.
Outside of work, Simran enjoys slow travel, gardening, experimenting with spices in her kitchen, playing board games, solving Sudoku puzzles, and making art that feeds her creative spirit.
Elizabeth Peeler, MSPH, MCHES, NBC-HWC
Associate Director
Elizabeth is a dedicated and enthusiastic public health professional with over a decade of experience supporting student well-being and promoting health in higher education. Her journey in health promotion began at Appalachian State University, where she served as a peer health educator while earning her Bachelor of Science in Cell/Molecular Biology, along with minors in Art History and Chemistry.
She went on to complete her Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior at the University of South Carolina. Elizabeth has held various roles that reflect her deep commitment to student well-being, including her time as a Health Educator and Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Nutrition and Health Science at Ball State University, where she focused on mental well-being, sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, and violence prevention.
In 2019, Elizabeth joined Emory University as the Alcohol and Drug Health Educator and became Associate Director of the Office of Health Promotion in 2021. As Associate Director of the Center for Student Wellbeing, she leads assessment and evaluation efforts, supports policy development, and provides technical expertise to advance student health initiatives across the university. She holds credentials as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), and she is currently pursuing her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Implementation Science and Evaluation at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.
Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys exploring Atlanta’s vibrant food scene, traveling, attending concerts, reading, and baking at home with her partner, James, and their cat, Milo.
Laura Calvert, MS, MCHES
Assistant Director, Health Education
Laura Calvert (she/they) serves as the Assistant Director of Health Education and brings and joy and passion for authentic self-discovery through the lens of education. Their background is in community health and brings 7 years of experience in various community health experience, specifically in HIV testing and counseling, adolescent sexual health and substance misuse education. A Master Certified Health Education Specialist, Laura earned a bachelor’s in psychology at the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and a master’s in health education and promotion at Walden University.
At Emory, Laura previously served as the Sexual Health Educator and still brings so much enthusiasm to discussing stigma and safe sex practices with students. As a health educator, she finds fulfillment in co-creating programs and education with students. Learning and discerning what is right and healthy for you can feel difficult, but with education, exploration and the amazing humans in the Center for Student Wellbeing, you can do it!
In their spare time, Laura can be found exploring local parks and walking trails with her family, serving the community with her Zeta sisters, or starting and stopping a million new hobbies!
Monica Keele, DVM, MPH
Assistant Director for Substance Misuse Prevention
As Assistant Director for Substance Misuse Prevention, Dr. Monica Keele supports strategic planning and implementation of initiatives for prevention, education, and assessment of alcohol and other substance misuse. Dr. Keele formulates methods to assess substance use and misuse trends and student needs, developing initiatives that empower students to make informed choices around their relationship with substances. Dr. Keele’s approach to substance misuse prevention is rooted in harm reduction and upstream prevention. She leads innovative, data-informed, and evidence-based practices that serve the whole student and meets them where they are at.
Dr. Keele has worked in the field of college substance misuse prevention for over a decade. She worked closely with fraternities and sororities on risk reduction around substance use and was awarded Campus Partner of the Year at her previous institution, Colorado State University. She is also a strong advocate for the collegiate recovery community and has served as advisor to these communities in her previous roles.
Dr. Keele holds an MPH degree from the Colorado School of Public Health, bachelor’s in Spanish with a biology minor from the University of Tennessee, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from UT’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Michael Eberhard, MEd, NBC-HWC
Wellbeing Coach
Michael is a national board-certified health and wellness coach serving as an administrator, educator, advisor, and coach in higher education settings. Michael serves as a Wellbeing Coach with the Center for Student Wellbeing providing coaching to support students in developing sustainable habits around stress management, sleep, nutrition, mindfulness, and resilience. He integrates evidence-based approaches and trauma-informed practices to foster holistic well-being and academic success.
With over a decade of experience in student development, health education, and organizational leadership in higher education, Michael's career has been centered in promoting student wellbeing, retention, and academic success. Prior to Emory, Michael served as Director of Wellness and Health Promotion at Louisiana State University, overseeing an interdisciplinary clinic providing wellness coaching, health education, nutrition counseling, and case management to students and managing campus-wide health promotion initiatives.
Michael holds a master’s degree in education & organizational leadership from the University of the Pacific and a bachelor’s degree in social work from California State University, Fresno. In his free time, Michael enjoys reading, being in nature, watching live sports, and attending community events with his with his wife, daughter, and their three Siberian huskies
Jennifer Hart Knapp, MS, NBC-HWC
Wellbeing Coach
Jennifer is a board-certified health coach with more than 20 years of experience helping individuals uncover their strengths, rediscover their passions, and create meaningful, lasting change. Her coaching is grounded in the principles of positive psychology, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavior change—evidence-based approaches that empower clients to move forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Before joining Emory, Jennifer partnered with corporations to provide one-on-one coaching for individuals striving to improve their health and well-being. She takes a whole-person approach, helping clients explore and address the root causes that may be holding them back. Her work integrates key areas such as stress management, mindfulness, healthy sleep habits, navigating healthcare systems, physical activity, self-advocacy, and self-monitoring to support sustainable lifestyle changes.
Jennifer holds a master’s degree in professional counseling from Georgia State University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Georgia. She is certified by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBC-HWC) and completed her health coach training at Emory University.
