Dr. Tedd Mitchell

Dr. Tedd Mitchell is the President and CEO of the Cooper Clinic, an internationally recognized center of excellence in preventive medicine. The clinic's founder, Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, coined the phrase "aerobics" in 1968, sparking a global fitness phenomenon.

Raised in Longview, Texas, Mitchell was the son of a physician and developed an early interest in medicine. Excelling in academics and athletics, he graduated in the top 2% of his high school class and still holds swimming records from that period. He pursued his pre-medical education at Kilgore College, then graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1983, where he was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and the Gamma Sigma Epsilon honor societies, and the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Mitchell attended medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch from 1983 to 1987, where he served as class president in his junior and senior years. He trained in internal medicine and served as the Chief Medical Resident at the same institution. A faculty advisor introduced him to the Cooper Clinic during his training, leading to his role as Medical Director of the Cooper Wellness Program from 1991 to 2005. Besides his clinical duties, he conducted numerous research studies on the health impacts of physical activity, authoring or co-authoring many research papers and abstracts.

In 1998, Mitchell began writing a weekly health column titled "Health Smart" for USA Weekend, earning the 2006 Clarion Award and the 2008 Walter C. Alvarez Award for Excellence in Medical Communication. He became president of the Cooper Clinic in 2006, balancing patient care with his administrative responsibilities and ongoing research.

Mitchell has published books including "Fit to Lead" and "Move Yourself," and remains active in developing health and fitness public policy. He served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the Board of Trustees for the American College of Sports Medicine in 2007. He is also a member of the "Exercise is Medicine" task force of the American College of Sports Medicine, focusing on incorporating physical activity into medical treatment protocols.

Mitchell's personal life mirrors his professional dedication to health. He and his wife, Dr. Janet Tornelli-Mitchell, also a physician at the Cooper Clinic, met in medical school and have three children who embrace an active lifestyle. The family enjoys spending time at their ranch outside of Dallas.