ACSM President Stella Volpe, Ph.D., RDN, ACSM-CEP, FACSM, is professor and head of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia. Dr. Volpe earned her Ph.D. in human nutrition and foods from Virginia Tech in 1991. She earned her Master of Science in exercise physiology from Virginia Tech in 1987 and her Bachelor of Science in exercise science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1985. She became an ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist® (ACSM-CEP) in 1988 and an ACSM fellow in 1996. She is also a registered dietitian nutritionist (board certified since 1996). 

Volpe assumed the role of the 2024-2025 ACSM president at the 2024 ACSM Annual Meeting in Boston. 

Q: What will be your highest priority when you take office? 

A: My highest priority will be to increase membership engagement and retention. I also want to involve more early career members in ACSM, and further engage our certified professionals. Being an ACSM-CEP myself, I value the importance of the ACSM certifications. 

My motto is: “We are ACSM!” — that includes every member! 

Q: What part of ACSM’s new strategic plan most excites you? 

A: The parts of ACSM’s new strategic plan that most excite me are: 

• Create a compelling customer experience by optimizing all ACSM meetings and educational activities to increase constituent and stakeholder engagement, awareness and overall value of the activity. 

• Promote excellence in science and evidence-based practice and expand ACSM’s reputation as a global scientific leader. 

• Enhance the collaboration and representation of disciplines across ACSM activities to reflect the continuum of science and practice. 

• Create and enhance ACSM’s relationship with partners and stakeholders to provide reciprocal benefits.

• Advance ACSM’s reputation as the leader and go-to source in exercise, sports science and sports medicine. 

Q: What do you think will be your biggest challenge in office, and how do you expect to address it? 

A: Ensuring that we retain trainee members for the duration of their careers. I became a member of ACSM in my senior year of college and never looked back at making this my primary scientific organization. I hope that our new members (whether trainees or not) will retain their membership with ACSM. 

Q: How does your ACSM-CEP certification inform your perspective on the organization and its goals? 

A: The ACSM certifications are all science based, and that is what makes them well respected and well recognized. 

Being an ACSM-CEP provides me with the training needed in my role as a researcher and educator. 

Q: What do you do like to do in your spare time? 

A: I like to hike, and I also work out in CrossFit. I play field hockey and also row and play ice hockey. Mostly, what I like to do is activity/sports based in my spare time!