Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She received her Master's degree in nursing from California State University, Dominguez Hills, and her PhD from the Department of Exercise and Wellness at Arizona State University. She is nationally certified as a clinical nurse specialist in gerontological nursing and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Benton's clinical practice has been in the areas of physical rehabilitation, aging, and chronic disease in both hospital and community settings. Her primary research focus is the evaluation of the clinical applications of resistance exercise in healthy and chronically ill middle-aged and older adults. Her outcomes of interest include lean mass and body composition, strength, function, energy expenditure, and quality of life.