Harnessing policy to advance your sustainability efforts

March 20, 2025

Harnessing policy to advance your sustainability efforts

Date range
March 20, 2025
3–4 pm ET (12–1 pm PT)
partners-exclusive
Description

Listen to all the ways policy advocacy plays a role in advancing your sustainability efforts. Learn to navigate government levels to drive broader change and highlight your unique accomplishments. Hear firsthand from U.S. Health Care Climate Council members Providence and Boston Medical Center about their experience in climate and sustainability-oriented policy advocacy and discover how to engage internal teams like communications and government affairs on sustainability policy opportunities. This session will give you actionable insights into how to engage in policy work, no matter where you are on your sustainability journey.

Presenters
Presenters
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Elizabeth Schenk

Elizabeth Schenk

Job Title
Chief Environmental Stewardship Officer

Organization
Providence

Bio

Beth Schenk (she/her) is the chief environmental stewardship officer for Providence, leading a cross-functional commitment to reduce operational pollution while addressing environmental justice and climate resilience in the communities we serve.

Beth has been a Providence caregiver for over 30 years. From serving as an ICU nurse at St. Patrick in Missoula to leading nursing research across the Providence organization, Beth has nurtured her passion for environmental care.  She has led the environmental stewardship initiative for the Providence system since 2020.

Her national advocacy includes membership on the Expert Panel for Environmental and Public Health in the American Academy of Nursing, membership in the Healthcare Without Harm Climate Council. Beth is a founding board member of Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, and Climate Smart Missoula. She has hosted the Nurses for Healthy Environments podcast since 2019 for the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, Beth is an assistant research professor at Washington State University College of Nursing. She has developed two tools related to environmental stewardship - the Nurses Environmental Awareness Tool (NEAT) and the Climate and Health Tool (CHANT).  CHANT has been used in over 50 nations to understand awareness, concern, motivation, and behaviors among health professionals regarding climate change and health. She has numerous publications and presentations related to this work.

She has received several honors, including the Charlotte Brody Award from Healthcare Without Harm; induction as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing; and named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Montana.

Beth lives in Missoula, Montana with her husband and pets where she hikes, plays music, gardens, and explores the beautiful mountains and streams.

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David Opp

David Opp

Job Title
Senior Manager of Federal Advocacy

Organization
Boston Medical Center

Moderators
Moderators
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Antonia Herzog

Antonia Herzog

Job Title
Director of Policy & Advocacy

Organization
Health Care Without Harm & Practice Greenhealth

Bio

Leading HCWH’s policy and advocacy program, Antonia (she/her) is well-versed in climate change policy that focuses on protecting public health. Her previous climate work includes roles at Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Natural Resources Defense Council. She holds a doctoral degree in physics from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in applied physics from Columbia University. Antonia has lived in Washington, D.C. since 2002 with her husband and son.

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Tim Cronin

Tim Cronin

Job Title
Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy

Organization
Health Care Without Harm & Practice Greenhealth

Bio

A U.S. HCWH policy team member, Tim (he/him) primarily oversees state and local policy engagement alongside a limited portfolio of national-level policy projects. His previous work includes leading state work for the think-tank Climate XChange Education & Research and CABA-US, a business roundtable focused on clean energy and climate resilience. Most recently, Tim led Health Care Without Harm’s Massachusetts work, including convening health sector leadership bodies for the Green Ribbon Commission and the City of Boston. 
 

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