Dr. Teresa Wagner is an Associate Professor in Public Health at UNT Health Fort Worth, where she is also cross appointed in the College of Nursing and Lifestyle Health Sciences. She serves as the Director of the UNT Health, Texas State Certified Community Health Worker Training Center and is a founding faculty member of the Master of Science in Lifestyle Health Sciences & Coaching program. This innovative graduate program, which uniquely integrates evidence-based lifestyle medicine with Wellcoaches® health coaching, received the 2025 American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Special Recognition Award in the Graduate Education category.

Dr. Wagner is an ACLM-certified Lifestyle Medicine practitioner and a nationally recognized leader in health literacy. She earned her Doctorate in Public Health from UNT Health Fort Worth and is a registered and licensed dietitian with advanced certifications in Public Health, Patient Safety, Lifestyle Medicine, Health Coaching, Clinical Health Equity, and as a Certified Community Health Worker (CHW) Instructor. She teaches courses in Patient Safety, Health Coaching, Nutrition, and Health Literacy and has delivered numerous programs, trainings, and keynote presentations on health literacy and lifestyle-based prevention. Her research focuses on improving personal and organizational health literacy through effective communication strategies to advance health outcomes and population health.

A pioneer in youth-focused lifestyle medicine education, Dr. Wagner co-developed the first Lifestyle Medicine micro-credential designed specifically for teens, working collaboratively with a Texas high school student to translate core lifestyle medicine principles into accessible, age- appropriate learning. The Teen Lifestyle Medicine micro-credential has received national attention, including features by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, NBC News, and NBC 5, highlighting its innovative approach to empowering adolescents with lifelong health skills.

A sought-after presenter, mentor, and leader, Dr. Wagner has received numerous honors for her contributions, including the 2018 Texas Health Literacy Hero Award, the 2020 Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Christian University, the 2023 UNTHSC College of Health Professions Faculty Achievement Award, and the 2024 Texas Distinguished Dietitian Award, National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Outstanding Dietitian Award, and a Global Service Award from the International Health Literacy Association. She is a National Academies of Practice Nutrition and Dietetics Fellow and chair-elect of the Nutrition and Dietetics Academy. In 2025, she received the College of Public Health Super Site Supervisor Award and was named a Texas Public Health Association Fellow. Through her work in education, research, and community engagement, Dr. Wagner continues to advance lifestyle medicine, health coaching, and health literacy as foundational tools for improving health across the lifespan.