Sit and Be Fit Founder
Mary Ann Wilson, RN
Ms. Wilson is the creator and host of public television’s Sit and Be Fit™, the half hour exercise program designed for older adults and those needing slow gentle movement. The syndicated series has been airing for more than 22 years on PBS stations throughout the United States and Canada. Sit and Be Fit is recognized by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) as a "Best Practices" program in health promotion and aging.
Wilson began her career as a registered nurse, specializing in rehabilitation, post-polio care and geriatrics. Her pioneering work in the field of senior fitness programming has won her international recognition as a leader in the healthy aging movement. Wilson is certified by the American Council on Exercise and is a member of the American Society on Aging and the National Council on the Aging. She served on the Fourth International Congress for Physical Activity, Aging, and Sports in Heidelberg Germany, and as a Region 10 delegate to the Health Promotion Institute on the National Council on the Aging. Wilson currently serves on the National Advisory Board for the American Senior Fitness Association.
In addition to the television series, Ms. Wilson has produced 26 home exercise products including workouts for those managing arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and stroke rehabilitation. Wilson has appeared as a columnist on senior health matters and lectures across the United States on topics relating to senior fitness, caregiving, and workplace wellness. She has published 2 manuals: Caregiver’s Guide to Exercise and Chair Exercise for Seniors. Wilson teaches senior fitness classes and currently serves as the Executive Director of Sit and Be Fit; a media based non-profit organization committed to healthy aging.
AWARDS
2009 Merit award from the National Mature Media Awards
2009 Merit award from the Health Information Awards for the outreach Campaign; Promoting Fitness and Healthy Lifestyles of Older Adults
2008 Bronze award from the National Health Information Resource Center for the Arthritis II Workout
2007 Merit award from the National Mature Media Awards for the Diabetes Workout
2006 Merit award from the National Mature Media Awards for the Fibromyalgia Workout
2006 Merit award from the National Health Information Resource Center for the Fibromyalgia Workout
2005 Gold award from the Health Information Resource Center for the Balance and Fall Prevention Workout
2005 Bronze award from the Mature Market Resource Center for the Balance and Fall Prevention Workout
2003 Caregiver Friendly Award for the Caregiver’s Guide to Exercise Video
2002 Freddie Award Finalist in the Geriatric category for Senior Friends Focus on Fitness.
2001 Bronze award from the Mature Market Resource Center for the All American Workout
2000 Outstanding Alumni Award from the St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, PA
1998 Best Practices award from the Health Promotion Institute of the National Council on the Aging
1997 Gold award from the Health Information Resource Center for the All-Sitting Workout
1997 Fitness Educator of the Year from the Fitness Educators of Active Adults
1997 Small Business of the Year award from the American Society on Aging
1997 Merit award from the Mature Market Resource Center for the Caregiver’s Guide to Exercise
1996 Parents’ Choice Foundation Honors for the Kids’ Workout Video
