Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola will serve with 15 others on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being.
The council is led by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who is a former college athlete, and former National Football League star defensive player Ronnie Lott.
“The pandemic has placed a spotlight on the importance of physical and mental health,” Gov. Newsom said in a news release. “We are committed to elevating healthy dietary and fitness habits, and mental well-being, to help build a healthier, more resilient California for all.”
Aguilar-Gaxiola, also a professor of clinical internal medicine, holds an M.D. and Ph.D. in clinical-community psychology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical and health services research. He has a long history of researching mental health and substance abuse disorders.
The council includes representatives from health and wellness organizations, youth sports programs, education, the entertainment and fitness industry, and other experts on physical and mental health.
Among those serving are: Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic gold medalist and founder of Always Dream Foundation; Cheryl Miller, former college standout basketball player and Olympic gold medalist; and Jessica Cruz, the chief executive of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, California.
