Harnessing policy to advance your sustainability efforts

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.

David Opp, MPH, is the Senior Manager of Federal Advocacy at Boston Medical Center, where he advocates on behalf of the hospital and its patients through engaging with Congress, the federal administration, and national trade associations regarding federal legislation, regulation, executive action, and sub-regulatory agency policy. David has a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA, and a B.A. in Biology (minor: Mathematics) from Clark University in Worcester, MA. He has held previous policy and program roles at MassHealth, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Boston Public Health Commission, and Massachusetts Legislature.

Beth Schenk (she/her) serves as Chief Environmental Stewardship Officer for Providence, one of the nation’s largest non-profit health systems, which is committed to decreasing greenhouse gases and other pollution from its operations. Dr. Schenk and team lead this effort through strategy and innovation, efficiency of practices and processes, research, education, and engagement, built on her experience decreasing the environmental impacts of health care for over 30 years.

Dr. Schenk is an assistant research professor at Washington State University College of Nursing. She led the development of CHANT: Climate and Health Tool, measuring health professionals’ awareness and engagement with climate change and health. CHANT has been translated to several languages and used in over 50 nations. She developed the WE ACT Framework (Waste, Energy/water, Agriculture/food, Chemicals, Transportation) to organize the extensive range of environmental stewardship, while motivating action. She has published over 35 manuscripts and delivered hundreds of talks on related topics.

She is active at national, state, and local levels, serving on the Expert Panel on Environmental and Public Health for the American Academy of Nursing. She is vice-chair for the state organization Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, and board chair for the local organization Climate Smart Missoula. She hosts the Nurses for Healthy Environments Podcast, now in its eighth season.