She said she hopes people will come away from her talk with a change in the way they view food and their motivations.

"It's really, I think, remarkable to help people turn this whole thing on its head," she said.

In addition to Greene and May, other presenters at Choosing Health include:

· Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, who has garnered national attention for his "This City is Going on a Diet" challenge to the citizens of Oklahoma City to lose 1 million pounds. Cornett has set an example by shedding nearly 40 pounds.

· Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, a state advocate for children's health. In February 2009, Askins announced a plan to create the first-ever Children's Cabinet, a legislative body to streamline services and identify challenges for Oklahoma's children.

· Darryl Tonemah, Ph.D., a nationally recognized community counselor, trainer and behavior specialist who has been called "one of the new generation of Native wellness leaders." In his position as co-director of the Special Populations Unit at the OU Health Sciences Center, Tonemah works with the National Institutes of Health on diabetes prevention and lifestyle change research among Native American populations.

· Martha Burger, senior vice president for human and corporate resources at Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy Corp. Chesapeake's Living Well Program provides a financial incentive for employees who maintain healthy and productive lifestyles through regular exercise, education, motivation and intervention.

Before March 27, registration for Choosing Health is $49 per person; after that date, the cost is $69 per person. Every paid registrant will be eligible for a drawing to attend a small group luncheon with Greene and May.

The event is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m.; doors open at 7 a.m.

To register online or to see a complete schedule of events, visit www.choosinghealthok.ou.edu. For information about available sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities or for additional information about the conference, call OU Outreach at 325-5101.

Julianna Parker Jones 366-3541 jparker@normantranscript.com