Who We Are
Live Healthy Gwinnett launched in 2014 as a partnership between Gwinnett Parks and Recreation and Eastside Medical Center. Live Healthy Gwinnett is designed to encourage and engage Gwinnett County residents to invest in personal wellness while focusing on four major wellness areas: Be Active, Eat Healthy, Get Checked and Be Positive.
Our Purpose
According to the 2013 Gwinnett County Health Department Community Health Assessment, Gwinnett’s current obesity rate of 26 percent places a quarter of the adult population at higher risk for serious conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, and stroke. It is also known by the assessment that 20 percent of Gwinnett County residents get no leisure time physical activity.
Live Healthy Gwinnett takes a proactive wellness approach to address the preventable chronic illnesses that impact individuals of Gwinnett County. Through community education, people can significantly reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases by making simple lifestyle changes: eating healthy, increasing physical activity and reducing stress.
Vision
To be Gwinnett County's inspiration to enjoy, explore and discover healthy lifestyles for generations to come.
Mission
To promote positive change in the Gwinnett community that encourages people to:
Values
- Promotion of Healthy Living Principals
- Participation in Regular Physical Activity
- Developing Effective Community Partnerships
- Bringing together Diverse Cultures and Generations
Our Team
Carion Marcelin
Brad Livesay
Brandon Seay
Tiara Houston
Gabriela Reinoso
Linda Herrera
Dicy Crosby
Amani Allen-Beale
Carion Marcelin, Project Coordinator
Carion Marcelin joined Gwinnett County as the Live Healthy Gwinnett Coordinator in April 2019. She oversees Be Active Gwinnett – a mobile recreation program serving youth in play desert communities throughout Gwinnett which focuses on reducing obesity rates by encouraging communities to be active. Carion also supervises the Harvest Gwinnett team who maintains nine community gardens throughout Gwinnett and provide hands-on environmental education, plant fresh produce to improve resident food access, and nurture engagement opportunities leading to improved health outcomes. In partnership with GUIDE, Inc., Carion received instructor certification for QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) and has trained more than 150 community leaders on suicide prevention. Carion graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science and a minor in Public Health from the University of South Florida. After teaching 7th and 8th grade science for two years with Teach For America, Carion recognized that the students she served did not have access to healthy, affordable food in their community and noticed the effect of eating unhealthy foods daily had on their overall health. She decided to pursue a career in public health to reduce health inequities in low-income communities and educate people of all ages on how to improve their health. Carion attended Mercer University for graduate school and received her Master’s in Public Health in spring 2018. Her main goal is to improve the health of those living in underserved communities and teach residents to become advocates for their own health through education.
Brad Livesay, Program Coordinator
Brad was hired as the new Program Supervisor for Harvest Gwinnett in March 2021 and recently promoted to Program Coordinator in October 2022. Brad holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Auburn University. After graduating from Auburn, Brad was accepted into the United States Peace Corps and was assigned to serve in the Republic of Moldova. During his two-year assignment, he taught English as well as implemented numerous extra-curricular activities which promoted volunteerism, enriched creativity, and developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Brad began his career with Gwinnett County in 2013 as an educator with Gwinnett Parks and Recreation. He then moved into employment with operations staff at the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. Brad worked with his team members to implement evidence-based natural resource management techniques to manage forests, trails, and aquatic habitats, including wildlife habitat preservation, landscape management, invasive species removal, native plant reintroduction, and trail construction. Brad has a passion for public service and strives to increase wellness throughout the community by promoting community gardening and healthy eating.
Brandon Seay, Program Supervisor
As a Program Supervisor, Brandon leads the new and exciting Harvest Gwinnett community gardens initiative, whose aim is to provide freshly grown produce to local families in need while offering residents an opportunity to grow their own food in the gardens. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Science and Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), majoring in environmental science and minoring in biology. From an early age, Brandon has been very involved in Gwinnett County, participating in many organized activities and programs, including sports, music, and local service organizations. At Georgia Gwinnett College, Brandon has been an active student and has participated in academic symposiums, multiple student organizations, and gained substantive experience with community engagement and service efforts. From its beginnings, Brandon helped organize and grow the community garden and Micro farm program at GGC, whose programs now include food donations, academic participation, research projects and resource conservation. Brandon plans to continue serving and engaging the community, while he shares his passion for the outdoors, plant science, food security and community.
Tiara Houston, Program Leader
Tiara is a 2020 graduate from Mercer University’s College of Health Professions where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. She is 24 years old and has always had a love for community and health. Growing up playing soccer, participating in community walks, and enjoying free events are all things that have strengthened her passion to advocate for better, cleaner public spaces and resources (parks, community centers, roads, health fairs, etc.) within communities to ensure people feel safe and cared for, which will lead to more active and healthier communities. She plans to get her MPH soon, most likely concentrating in health policy and community health. Joining Live Healthy Gwinnett in September 2021, Tiara is excited to engage with community members through Be Active Gwinnett to provide our free resources and education that we hope will inspire everyone to be active, eat healthy, get checked, and be positive! – and remember – physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing are all equally important!
Gabriela Reinoso, Program Leader
Gabriela joined Live Healthy Gwinnett in January 2022 as an intern under the Be Active Gwinnett program. She is a Kennesaw State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health. Gabriela enjoys learning and connecting with the people of Gwinnett by engaging in community service events and frequently visiting parks. In her free time, Gabriela loves walking on nature trails while being accompanied by her furry friends and playing volleyball with friends and family. As an advocate for a healthy, active, and positive Gwinnett, Gabriela is excited to engage, learn, and give back to her community through Be Active Gwinnett.
Linda Herrera, Program Leader
Linda is one of our latest Program Leaders, she interned with Live Healthy Gwinnett during the Spring of 2022. As an intern she worked with Harvest Gwinnett and Be Active Gwinnett and had the opportunity to work in both the community gardens and participate in pop-up park play days. She will be graduating and receiving her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science Wellness Promotion from Georgia Gwinnett College in the Winter of 2022. Throughout high school she was part of the environmental science club and acknowledges the importance of maintaining a clean and safe environment. Linda enjoys spending time with her family and is passionate about the health and well-being of the community. As a Program Leader she hopes to deliver and educate the community about the importance of physical activity and eating healthy. In her free time, she enjoys taking walks outdoors and propagating a variety of succulents and cactus.
Dicy Crosby, Program Leader
Dicy joined Live Healthy Gwinnett in October 2022. She is a student at Georgia Gwinnett College and will be graduating and receiving her bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2024. Dicy has always had a passion for nature. Her grandmother introduced her to the beauty of watching plants grow at a young age. Dicy has grown interest in the healing properties of plants and what they can be used for. She enjoys learning about holistic health, exploring nature and being around the people she loves. She likes creative dance and yoga for exercise. Dicy is a nurturer at heart and serving the community is what makes her happy. As a Program Leader, she hopes to connect with her surroundings and support her team with nutritional and environmental knowledge and most of all, kindness.
Amani Allen-Beale, Program Leader
Amani is currently a pre-law undergraduate student at Georgia Gwinnett College and is also pursuing an environmental science degree with a concentration in social science. Her goal is to create cities and towns that are more sustainable for the people who live there. She believes communities should have everything the community member’s needs – healthy food, clean water, great medical care, and outstanding education. As a new member of Live Healthy Gwinnett, Amani hopes to bring the community together to spread knowledge about healthy food and ways to continue creating a communal living space for everyone.