Aaron Zeleske
Speaker

Aaron Zeleske

Aaron Zeleske leads the Harbor District’s efforts to improve the ecological functioning of our corner of the city, focusing on improving habitat for fish and wildlife and green infrastructure practices that improve water quality. He works on several habitat restoration projects on the Kinnickinnic River, manages innovative projects like the Eco Breakwater and Habitat Hotels, and seeks to creatively incorporate environmental principles into everything happening in the Harbor. Through these projects and programs that connect people to nature, Aaron works to change how people think about and relate to the plants and animals with whom we share our city and our world.

Prior to joining Harbor District in 2019, Aaron spent over seven years working at Milwaukee environmental organizations, River Revitalization Foundation and Urban Ecology Center. He has a Masters in Nonprofit Management from Marquette University, where he was a recipient of the Trinity Fellowship.

Abby Novinska-Lois, MPH

Abby Novinska-Lois, MPH, is the Executive Director of Healthy Climate Wisconsin. Abby holds a Masters in Public Health with a Certificate in Interdisciplinary Women's Health from the University of Utah School of Medicine, and a Bachelors in Environmental Science and a Certificate in Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Abby began her career as a published UW-Madison Extension Researcher focused on integrated pest management solutions and pollinators in Wisconsin agriculture.

Abby played a pivotal role in the launch of Healthy Climate Wisconsin (HCW) in 2020. Serving as its inaugural Executive Director, Abby leads the charge in mobilizing health professionals to address climate-related health challenges. Her work has been recognized on the national level, with several invitations to major medical conferences and the White House. She additionally serves on the Steering Committee for the Clean Economy Coalition of Wisconsin, the Steering Committee of the Fossil Free for Health Coalition, and the Planning Team of the Climate and Health Action Together.

Alan Eber, MBA
Speaker
Pronouns: He/him

Alan Eber, MBA

Alan is the CEO of Eneration, which empowers health systems to lower emissions and become energy independent. With 25 years of HVAC design and healthcare facility leadership experience, Alan Eber was integral in helping Gundersen become the first energy-independent health system, guiding the process as Gundersen’s Energy Manager, Director of Facilities and most recently, Director of Envision. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MBA from Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Alan has experience leading multidisciplinary healthcare teams and successfully consulting with other systems in their energy sustainability journey.

Alex Galt
Speaker

Alex Galt

Alex is the Clean Energy Connector at the City of Green Bay, working primarily on the Energize Green Bay program, which helps city residents, business owners, nonprofits, and other Titletown denizens connect to federal, state, and local incentives for clean energy and energy efficiency. Alex has a Masters in Sustainable Management from UW Green Bay, as well as a tremendous amount of lived experience as co-founder of uBu Foods and former owner of Kavarna Coffeehouse, Parisi’s Delicatessen, and Liberty Cafe.

Alexandria Zielinski, DNP, RN
Planner/Speaker/Facilitator/Moderator
Pronouns: She/her/hers

Alexandria Zielinski, DNP, RN

Alexandria Zielinski is a nurse practitioner working in outpatient internal medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. In this role, she prioritizes holistic and personalized care which are foundational to well-being. She is also clinical faculty at Marquette University where she guides undergraduate nursing students in nursing theory and practice. As well as caring for patients and students at an individual level, she collaborates with others for healthier communities and advocates for policies that impact those she serves.

Alex has passion for systems change and understanding that all things are interconnected and interdependent, so she strives to improve planetary health. With a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Marquette University, her doctoral project focused on implementing environmental justice education using the Planetary Health Framework, aiming to create transformative nursing students equipped to address health disparities. She has collaborated with leading organizations to create education, raise awareness, and present on climate and health.

As a lifelong Wisconsinite, she is committed to finding beauty in the world while also working with others to improve her state.

Andrew Lewandowski, DO

Andrew Lewandowski, DO, is a pediatrician who is dedicated to climate justice. Within the University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics, he is a clinical pediatrician who focuses on integrating planetary health into all aspects of medical care. Throughout his career, he has developed climate and health expertise in political advocacy, medical education, multidisciplinary collaboration, organizational leadership, and climate-informed patient care.

Anita Pena, PharmD, BCPS
Planner
Pronouns: She/her

Anita Pena, PharmD, BCPS

Anita Peña is a Disease Management Pharmacist within the Enterprise Population Health department at Advocate Health Care (still known as Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin), where she helps patients across Wisconsin and Illinois manage diabetes and hypertension through virtual/telephonic outreach. 

She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY and then completed a 1-year post-graduate residency at the Zablocki VA in Milwaukee, WI, before joining Aurora Health Care in 2016. While in her current role, she was invited to join a committee to help create a 9-part continuing education series for Advocate teammates called Get Climate Smart, which included presentations on heat (for which she served as the primary topic presenter), air quality, and vector borne illnesses among others. The recordings from this series are still available online within the Advocate Health online library. She has also created a Climate Concerns topic discussion for pharmacy students rotating through her site and has been able to engage with multiple pharmacy students about the threats of climate change from a pharmacist’s perspective.

Annie Carrell, MSN, APNP,
PMHNP-BC
Facilitator

Annie Carrell, MSN, APNP, PMHNP-BC

Annie Carrell is the Director of Behavioral Health Services at the Outreach Community Health Centers. 

Berrit Goodman, MPH
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her

Berrit Goodman, MPH

Berrit earned a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. Her experience includes a practicum in public health with the Oasis Institute in St. Louis, with projects focused on falls prevention among older adults.  She has worked as an occupational therapist since 2018, providing direct patient care across a variety of clinical settings in Washington, Idaho, and Wisconsin. Berrit’s professional interests include improving health equity and promoting greater healthcare access. She is excited to join the public health workforce in Wisconsin to further explore these interests in the Milwaukee community. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, cooking, crafting, and exploring the Milwaukee area.

Berrit will be placed with the Milwaukee Health Department and with Milwaukee Health Care Partnership.

Bradly Geyer
Speaker

Bradley Geyer

Bradley Geyer is a post-September 11 military veteran and Cold War veteran who entered active duty in 1989.  He was part of Desert Storm, deploying 5 times to the Gulf area and Southwest Asia with AWACS [Airborne Warning and Control System]. He traveled extensively with the Air Force, then worked at Truax Field with the 115 Fighter Wing. Bradley has been involved with Veterans for Peace on and off for about 20 years, serving as the president of the Janesville chapter, and now serves as the Wisconsin chapter contact, website manager, social media manager and an organizer for the Madison chapter.  He has dedicated the last decade to organizing to undo Citizen’s United. Bradley’s professional training was as a systems analyst, working on medical devices like bone densitometers and Xray machines.

Briant Novinska Lois
Facilitator
Pronouns: He/him

Briant Novinska Lois

Briant holds an Associate's degree in Parks and Recreation, a Bachelor's degree in Community Engagement and Education, and a Master's degree in City & Metropolitan Planning.

Briant's journey into city planning was profoundly influenced by a personal experience: a house fire that left his family homeless. During this challenging period, he relied even more heavily on walking, biking, and public transportation, which revealed the critical role that the built environment plays in connecting individuals to opportunities such as employment, education, and social connections. This experience sparked his commitment to creating safe, accessible, well-designed spaces that foster community and support.

Brittany Keyes, PT, DPT, ATC

Dr.  Brittany Keyes, DPT,  is a physical therapist, mom, former local-elected official, and Healthy Climate Wisconsin’s Clean Air Policy Manager.  Brittany earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training from the University of Iowa and began her career at Mayo Clinic. 

While serving on the Beloit City Council from 2020-2022 Brittany became aware of the growing air pollution issue across Southern Wisconsin and led a collaborative community science effort to start monitoring the air locally. This project has grown to the establishment of the Stateline Clean Air Coalition, which Brittany serves as the convener. Brittany also serves as the Climate Justice Chair for the NAACP WI State Conference and is an active member of the Beloit League of Women Voters and the WI APTA, serving on their JEDI Committee. 

Caidon Iwuagwu
Moderator

Caidon Iwuagwu

Caidon Iwuagwu is currently a medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin and received her Bachelors of Science in Psychobiology at the University of California-Davis. In addition to patient advocacy, Caidon is interested in the impact of social determinants of health on overall well being and academic medicine.

Cameron Kiersch, DNP, RN
Facilitator
Pronouns: He/him

Cameron Kiersch, DNP, RN

Dr. Cameron Kiersch is an Associate Professor at Viterbo University’s School of Nursing. There he prepares future nurses to lead interprofessional teams in the pursuit of solving complex problems like climate change and health inequity. Dr. Kiersch examines the intersection of climate and health and is steadfast in his commitment to educating future nurses about their role as planetary health advocates.

Carly Ebben Eaton, PhD
Speaker

Carly Ebben Eaton, PhD

Carly Ebben Eaton is the State Policy Manager for Wisconsin at the BlueGreen Alliance. She grew up in Greenville, Wisconsin.

Carly is a scientist by training, and her research has focused on the chemistry of aerosol particle production, nitrogen oxides, and ozone, and the impacts of this chemistry on air quality and climate. In 2014, she became a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Chemistry at UC Berkeley and a member of UAW Local 5810, the Union of 12,000 Postdoctoral and Academic Researchers across the University of California.

Carly served as Financial Secretary of UAW 5810, and she became an organizer with the union in 2017, after determining that the best way for her to defend science – especially climate science – was to work to strengthen her union and build collective power with her fellow researchers. She also served on the Executive Committee of the Alameda Labor Council and as Co-Chair of the Council’s Climate & Environmental Justice Caucus. Prior to joining the BGA team, Carly was the Development Director for the Labor Network for Sustainability.

Carly holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Marquette University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University. She lives near Madison, WI with her husband and two kids.

Claire Gervais. MD
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her

Claire Gervais. MD

Claire Gervais is a family practice physician and is a Clinical Associate Professor with the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. She is one of the founders of Healthy Lawn Team and Healthy Climate Wisconsin, and additionally serves on the Steering Committee of the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network.

Darrin Wasniewski, MBA
Speaker
Pronouns: He/his

Darrin Wasniewski, MBA

Darrin Wasniewski is the Associate State Director of Community Outreach for AARP Wisconsin, where he co-leads the effort to create Livable Communities throughout the state. Darrin is also a Founding Partner of the consulting firm Grow Collaborative. He is passionate about fostering social connection, creating places for all ages and all abilities, and unleashing the power of locals as experts in their future. 

As a volunteer, Darrin is a Global Walkability Correspondent for Pedestrianspace.org, a collaborative focused on advancing walkable communities around the world, where he leads international workgroups focused on Architecture & Urbanism and the Walkable Economy. In the state, his passion finds an outlet as a steering committee member of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin’s Active Wisconsin Network. 

Locally, in his home of Madison, he serves on the steering and transportation committees for Madison is for People, is a member of Downtown Madison Inc. participating on the organization’s transportation and economic development committees, and as a transportation commissioner for the City of Madison. Additionally, he maintains membership in Wisconsin Downtown Action Council, Congress for New Urbanism, American Planning Association and YIMBY Action. He is a trained facilitator in Strategic Doing, Community Heart & Soul and Ice House Entrepreneurship Mindset. Darrin earned an MBA in Marketing from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Ohio State University

Elizabeth White, MD

Elizabeth White, MD is a Family Medicine Physician practicing with Emplify Health, formerly Gundersen Health in Boscobel Wisconsin. Her practice is focused on family based care across the life cycle with a focus on prevention and community health. She received her Medical degree at University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and continues as a UWSMPH Clinical Adjunct Faculty member as a rural clinical educator. She completed her residency training at Gundersen Health, a national leader in decarbonizing and energy independence in healthcare. Dr White is active both in advocacy for clean energy solutions in rural Wisconsin as well as working to bridge the rural urban divide through climate advocacy.

Elle Maricque, MMP
Planner
Pronouns: She/her

Elle Maricque, MMP

Elle Maricque is a third-year MD candidate at the Medical College of Wisconsin- Green Bay campus (MCW). She earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College and a master’s degree in Medical Physiology from MCW. Elle represents the Medical College of Wisconsin on the Brown County Medical Society Board, and serves on the board of the Milwaukee chapter of Medical Students for a Sustainable Future (MS4SF). As a Green Bay native and rising local physician, she is committed to practicing medicine with an environmental focus and is currently conducting research on rural access to prenatal vitamins, a project that examines how local factors may influence pregnancy outcomes in terms of vital maternal nutrition.

Emily Walz, MD
Planner/Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Emily Walz, MD

Dr. Walz is a community psychiatrist who is specifically interested in climate change's impacts on people suffering from severe mental illness.  She received her Masters of Social Work from the Ohio State University in 2005. 

For several years, she managed a small caseload of severely, persistently mentally ill adults at Northwest Community Counseling Centers in Ohio.  She received both a medical degree and completed psychiatric residency training at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. 

She was awarded a National Health Service Corps Scholarship and, for the past seven years, has worked at Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, a federally qualified health center, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Most recently, Emily has accepted a position at the University of Wisconsin; the position includes academic program development in Climate Psychiatry. 

Emily Luy Tan
Speaker

Emily Luy Tan

Emily Luy Tan is a planetary health advocate, photographer, and environmental epidemiology researcher at Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. A Wisconsin native from Beaver Dam, she earned her BA in Anthropology and Geography from Dartmouth College.

Emily's research applies GIS mapping to critical environmental health questions, including the association between airborne industrial chemical exposure and neurodegenerative diseases, land use change and Lyme disease transmission, and the rural exposome. Her work bridges population-level research with a commitment to individual health—a vision she's pursuing through her current medical school applications.

Emily serves on the steering committee for the Wisconsin Environmental Health Network and is an active member of Healthy Climate Wisconsin. Through her research and advocacy, she works to illuminate the connections between anthropogenic environmental change and human/nonhuman health, bringing both scientific rigor and creative storytelling to the urgent challenges of planetary health.

Eric Ido-Bruce, RN, BSN
Facilitator
Pronouns: He/him

Eric Ido-Bruce, RN, BSN

Eric Ido Bruce is a registered nurse and is currently pursuing a DNP in population health. He currently works for a digital health company providing remote monitoring services for hospitals serving rural communities. He is active in advocacy for both planetary health and the LGBTQ.

Frani O'Toole
Speaker

Frani O'Toole

Jasia Steinmetz, PhD, RD, CD

Jasia Steinmetz is a Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, in the School of Health Promotion and Human Development. Alongside her academic roles, she has worked as a consulting nutritionist since 1992.

Her research focuses on dietetics education, food security, sustainability, and community development. Professor Steinmetz has published extensively, including contributions to The Sage Encyclopedia of Food Issues and is the author of the book Eat Local: Simple Steps to Enjoy Real, Healthy & Affordable Food. Her work promotes practical approaches to nutrition and sustainability.

Jeff Hartman, PT, DPT, MPH

Jeff Hartman is an associate professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, as well as an instructor role in the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics orthopedic residency program. He has a clinic appointment at University Health Services.

Hartman’s clinical career has been primarily in the outpatient orthopedics, including a five-year stint in a Level-I trauma center in Indianapolis. He has extensive global health experience that includes serving as a clinician, administrator, researcher and educator with various organizations in 10 different countries. His research focuses on global and community health and development and includes a Fulbright Scholarship in collaboration with the University of Belize.

Jennifer Gauthier
Speaker

Jennifer Gauthier

Jennifer K. Gauthier is the Director of the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI) at the College of Menominee Nation, a role in which she leads efforts to integrate Indigenous knowledge, cultural integrity, and sustainability into education, research, and community outreach. As an enrolled member of the Menominee Nation, she draws on her heritage and values to guide her work, especially through the Menominee Theoretical Model of Sustainability. 

Educated at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (B.A. in Political Science) and the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh (Master of Public Administration), Jennifer brings both academic rigor and lived experience to her leadership. 

Her professional journey includes years in tribal government, and extensive work with UW‑Extension where she focused on local government planning, health‑oriented community development, and Indigenous food sovereignty. In her current capacity she also serves as adjunct faculty for the College of Menominee Nation.

Beyond her institutional roles, Jennifer is deeply invested in cultural revival and community arts. She is a Menominee language learner, an artisan seamstress and beader, an aspiring weaver, a gardener, and harvester—practices that inform and enrich her view of sustainable community development.

Joanne Bernstein, MD
Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Joanne Bernstein, MD

Joanne Bernstein is an associate professor and course director for the Medical College of Wisconsin. She serves as an internist and clinical educator at the Zablocki VA in Milwaukee WI. Prior to becoming a physician, Joanne worked as an electrical engineer at GE Healthcare. 

As a physician and mother of two, Joanne is concerned about the current and future health impacts of climate change. She believes we all have a role to play in reducing our environmental impact for the wellness and prosperity of future generations. Joanne has taken climate action by educating her patients, minimizing waste in her clinical practices and healthcare system, engaging with local and national advocacy groups and developing medical curriculum to prepare our future physicians to do the same.

Joel Charles, MD, MPH

Joel Charles is a full-spectrum family physician practicing in rural southwest Wisconsin, where he serves as medical director for the Kickapoo Valley Medical Clinic. From the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, he received his MD and Master of Public Health degrees, the latter focusing on climate and health. He attended both those programs as a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship. He completed his residency at Sutter Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency. Upon returning to Wisconsin, he helped found Healthy Climate Wisconsin, a fast-growing group of health professionals committed to advocating for equitable solutions to the climate crisis.

Joel Hill, MPAS, PA-C

Joel Hill is an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he has educated physician assistant students on various topics in clinical medicine and prevention since 2010. He also coordinates an online graduate and professional certificate in global health course for the UW’s Office of Global Health, which prepares graduate students for global field courses. Since establishing interdisciplinary partnerships between the UW-Madison PA Program and colleagues in Belize 12 years ago, he has made it his goal to assist the Belize Family Life Association’s mission to increase the rates of cervical cancer screening at the rural level, expanding screening efforts throughout the Stann Creek District.

Jonathan Temte, MD, PhD
Facilitator
Pronouns: He/him

Jonathan Tempte, PhD, MD

Dr. Temte is the Associate Dean for Public Health & Community Engagement at UW-Madison School of Medicine & Public Health, a professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, and on the HCW Board.  He Chairs the North American Primary Care Research Group’s Climate Change and Health Special Interest Group.  He holds a MS in Biological Oceanography and a PhD in Zoology.

Rev. Jonathan W. Barker
Speaker
Pronouns: He/him

Rev. Jonathan W. Barker

Reverend Jonathan W. Barker is a faith leader, father, and the author of Jesus Would Demand a Green New Deal, who leads by example with action. He has turned grief and the pursuit of love thy neighbor into acts of personal and civil resistance for climate change, universal healthcare, and a $15 minimum wage. Barker has made state and national headlines for his bold pushes for change, including a 12-day hunger strike in support of climate policy, and arrests for climate protests, such as in 2023, when he superglued his feet to the sidewalk during the GOP debate in Milwaukee. In addition to inspiring others, he has also taken individual action on climate through retrofitting his house, installing solar panels, switching to an EV, changing his diet, and leading changes within his church to reduce energy use and waste.

John Meurer, MD, MBA
Planner/Speaker/Facilitator
Pronouns: He/his

John Meurer, MD, MBA

Dr. Meurer is Professor Emeritus of Community Health and Pediatrics in the Institute for Health & Humanity at the Medical College of Wisconsin. As past Institute Director, he helped to launch the MCW Center for Sustainability, Health and Environment. In 2025, John joined the HCW Board and became Strategic Development Chair. He is passionate about healthy climate policy and advocacy.

Julia Alberth, MPH
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her

Julia Alberth, MPH

Julia Alberth, MPH, is a public health professional and environmental justice advocate who joined Healthy Climate Wisconsin as the Health Equity and Resilient Communities Coordinator. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin–Parkside. Julia is also a graduate of the New to Public Health Residency Program, a year-long professional development program for early career public health professionals.

Julia has spent her career working at the intersection of public health, community engagement, and health equity. She previously served as the Community Engagement Manager at UW–Milwaukee’s Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health, where she coordinated Field Experiences for over 100 undergraduate and graduate students and built lasting partnerships with local organizations and public health leaders. Julia serves as the co-chair of the Early Career Professionals Section of the Wisconsin Public Health Association and is an active board member of Lead2Change, where she contributes to the Program and Community Engagement Committee.

Kaden Crapp, BS
Speaker

Kaden Crapp, BS

Kaden Crapp is the Field Manager for the Wisconsin Land & Liberty Coalition.

Kaden was born and raised in Lancaster, Wisconsin. He recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a Political Science Minor. While attending UWP, Kaden served as the chair of the College Republicans of UW-Platteville (which he started back up), Vice-Chair of the Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans, and the Secretary and Vice-President of Pre-Law Society. In addition, he currently serves as an at-large representative for the City of Lancaster’s City Council, a volunteer firefighter for the City of Lancaster’s Fire Department, First Vice-Chair of the Republican Party of Grant County, and is the alumni director for the Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans.

As a former Field Representative for Wisconsin Victory, a subset of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Kaden coordinated targeted door-knocking initiatives during the 2022 midterm elections in Grant and Crawford counties.

Katie McShea, Medical Student
Speaker

Katie McShea, Medical Student

Katie McShea is a second-year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin with interests in internal medicine and neurology. She is passionate about addressing the intersection of environmental and community health through patient education, nutrition advocacy, and preventive medicine. At MCW, she is a member of Medical Students for a Sustainable Future and collaborated with university leaders to complete MCW’s first Planetary Health Report Card.

Kelly Isabelle DeMarco, OTR/L, NBC-HWC
Planner/Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Kelly Isabelle DeMarco. OTR/L, NBC-HWC

Kelly DeMarco is an occupational therapist, rehabilitation services manager and a board certified health and wellness coach specializing in climate coaching and founder of kellyGREENcoaching, LLC.  She is an active member of Wisconsin Climate Health, Occupational Therapy for Environmental Action, WSBC’s Wisconsin Women in Sustainability, and the Climate Coaching Alliance.  Kelly is a TEDx speaker and contributing writer to Solve Climate Change Now: Do What You Love for a Healthy Planet by Don Maruska and Climate Change Coaching: The Power of Connection to Create Climate Action by Charly Cox and Sarah Flynn.  She lives with her family on a hobby farm in Cascade, Wisconsin where they explore permaculture and regenerative land management.

Lauren Denu
Speaker

Lauren Denu

Lauren Denu is a doctor of physical therapy student at UW-Madison with a passion for orthopedic and sports rehabilitation. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison in Kinesiology with a certificate in Athletic Healthcare. As a rising health care provider she is committed to being environmentally friendly in her future practice.

Lori Gerstenfeld, MPH

Lori received a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and Global Health Studies from Northwestern University. During her undergraduate years, Lori gained experience at EPA Region 8, the City of Evanston, and Northwestern’s Leadership Development and Community Engagement office, where she developed an interest in working with communities to address environmental health issues. She decided to pursue a Master of Public Health at Northwestern University with a focus on environmental health. As part of her MPH, Lori completed her applied practice experience and cumulative experience at Mobile Care Chicago, a nonprofit providing asthma and dental care to low-income children through mobile medical clinics. In this role, she developed educational materials and analyzed data for research on the impact of short-term changes in air quality on lung function in children with asthma. Lori is passionate about addressing environmental justice concerns, particularly disparities in air and water quality and the impacts of climate change. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, running, and camping.

Lori will be placed at the City of Milwaukee Health Department focused on environmental health and climate change efforts.

Marco Marquez
Speaker
Pronouns: He/him

Marco Marquez

Marco Marquez is a longtime grassroots climate activist and organizer. Originally from Milwaukee, Marco witnessed first hand how the impacts of air pollution and climate change disproportionately affected his loved ones and his community in the south side of the city. He has spent the last 5 years fighting to protect our land, air, and water in Wisconsin so we can all live life to the fullest for generations to come.

Now in Madison, Marco is Healthy Climate Wisconsin’s Healthy Homes and Transportation Coordinator,  pursuing dual masters degrees in Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin. His studies will focus on sustainability in regards to housing and transportation and he is pursuing a certificate in Energy Analysis and Policy. Marco is also the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Wisconsin Conservation Voices.

Melissa Schmitz, CEM, LEED. GA
Speaker
 

Melissa Schmitz, CEM, LEED

Melissa has twenty-five years of environmental science and sustainability roles in private and governmental sectors with professional experience in water resources management, energy management, and community outreach.  Prior to joining the City of Green Bay in 2020, Melissa held roles with the Oneida Nation, WPPI Energy, and Focus on Energy.

As resiliency coordinator, she combines her water and energy background to forward the City’s climate resilience priorities and carbon mitigation goals through program & project development, policy change, and community engagement. Current work includes coordinating implementation of the City’s nature-based flood resiliency projects, green stormwater infrastructure initiatives, and Clean Energy Green Bay Plan.

Michael Greif, JD
Speaker
Pronouns: He/him

Michael Greif, JD

Michael is a Legal Fellow at Midwest Environmental Advocates in Madison, where his work has focused on legal pathways to safeguard Wisconsin’s air, water, and energy as data centers are proposed throughout the state.

Michael is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law where he served as director of the Berkeley Law Moot Court team and held summer clerkships with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Midwest Environmental Advocates. 

Michael grew up in northeast Wisconsin. His love of Wisconsin’s landscapes and natural resources grew out of summers on the shores of Lake Michigan, bike rides through the driftless area, and considerable time in Wisconsin’s state parks. This upbringing fostered a deep connection to the wild places of Wisconsin that continues to inform his personal and professional pursuits.

Nadia Kaczmarz
Facilitator

Nadia Kaczmarz

Nadia is a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student at UW-Madison.

Nestor E. Machare-Delgado, MD, MSCR
Speaker

Nestor E. Machare-Delgado, MD, MSCR

Dr. Nestor E. Machare-Delgado is a pulmonologist in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. He received his medical degree from Universidad Nacional de La Plata Faculty of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Nestor E. Machare-Delgado has expertise in treating sleep apnea, pulmonary heart disease, asthma, among other conditions.

Pamela Guthman, DNP, RN, APHN-PHN
Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Pamela Guthman, DNP, RN, APHN-PHN

Pamela L. Guthman, DNP, RN, APHN-PHN, serves on the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors and is an emeritus University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and Madison, Public/Population Health Nursing Professor. She continues to guest lecture on public/population health nursing, and is currently the Director of Guthman Consulting, LLC, and on the board of Healthy Climate Wisconsin, Forward Community Investment, Inc., and Wisconsin Center for Nursing. She is the past co-chair of Wisconsin Public Health Association's Public Health Nursing Section, a member of Alliance Nurses for Healthy Environments, and an author of Climate and Environmental Health: Education for Rural Communities in the Journal of Nurse Practitioners.

Paula Pintar, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, AL-CIP, FAPIC
Speaker

Paula Pintar, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, AL-CIP, FAPIC

Paula Pintar currently serves as a Regional Infection Preventionist with the Wisconsin Department of Public Health in the Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention Program. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Professionals in Infection Prevention and Epidemiology. Paula has more than two decades of experience working as a Registered Nurse in critical care, hospice and home care, and more than ten years in the field of infection prevention and control. She has held local APIC positions including chapter president and board of directors in Wisconsin and served on the national Professional Development committee. Paula has leadership experience in the academic, private, and federal health sectors. She served as the Chief Quality officer at our nation’s first and only integrated Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense / Navy health care center, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Illinois. This facility is integrated with the Great Lakes Naval Base, serving our veterans and active-duty service men and women. She has authored and presented conference abstracts locally, state, and nationally, published works in peer-reviewed journals focused on supporting and advancing the Infection Prevention professional. She has also been a speaker at local and state conferences highlighting infection prevention and control topics.

Prescott Balch
Speaker

Prescott Balch

Prescott was a key organizer in the fight against the Microsoft data center in Caledonia. Prescott is a recently retired technology executive in the financial services industry, most recently with US Bank in Brookfield WI.

Roxane Gorbach, APNP, KYT
Speaker
 

Roxane Gorbach, APNP, KYT

Roxane Gorbach is an adult nurse practitioner and a Kripalu yoga teacher. Before becoming a nurse, she was a sociologist (MSN from UW, 1988) and worked on projects in Nepal and Guatemala that focused on assisting communities to become self sustaining. After becoming a RN, she worked in community and public health settings, serving low income and Spanish-speaking populations. 

Roxane also spent years in India, studying Buddhist philosophy, Hindu philosophy and the practice of Yoga and meditation. After completing many retreats in India, she also attended many yoga retreats at Kripalu Yoga center in Massachusetts and became certified to teach Kripalu Yoga.

Since becoming a Nurse Practitioner, she has worked at UW Urgent Care and as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at UW. At UW, she developed and ran a community health nursing program in Mexico for UW nursing students. She continues to work at UW Urgent Care and occasionally teaches Yoga to employees of the UW Hospital system. For the past few years, she has also volunteered to provide primary care services at the Neighborhood Free Clinic in Stoughton. She continues to practice yoga to maintain resilience, joy, and compassion in these challenging times.

Samual Odin
Speaker
 

Samual Odin

Sam Odin is a researcher, organizer, farmer, and musician. Alongside their partner Sara, Sam is a farmer and a co-owner of Village Farmstead in Oak Creek. Research-wise, Sam has done fieldwork within the Milwaukee food system for over 10 years. While working with and simultaneously studying several food and farm-based organizations, Sam has sought a dynamic albeit thoroughly critical perspective of the so-called "Local Food Movement" and its initiatives: Urban Agriculture, CSAs, Farmers Markets, and Small-Scale Farm Businesses. Using Anthropology and Political-Economics, situates interpersonal motivation, behavior, and outcomes within broader spatial and temporal contexts and patterns. As an organizer, Sam helped form the Milwaukee-Waukesha Chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union - of which he now presides as President. Furthermore, Sam is the President of the Milwaukee Food Council, an organization tasked with convening and coordinating the activities of Milwaukee organizations and businesses that want to create a food system that affords everyone the food they want and need without harming any person or place in the preceding food chain. Finally, Sam is a professional upright bass player, vocalist, and songwriter, playing and touring several acts, including Horseshoes & Hand Grenades.

Sarah Francois, LCSW
Planner
Pronouns: She/her/hers

Sarah Francois, LCSW

Sarah is a Clinical Social Worker specializing in psychotherapy treatment for adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Her 25-year career in Wisconsin includes over a decade in community mental health services across Milwaukee and Dane Counties, nine years with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and five years in specialty private practice. Sarah is deeply committed to the provision of evidence-based psychotherapy interventions and identifies as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. 

Sarah sought to join forces with HCW after noticing that several of her adult clients with severe OCD or Anxiety Disorders had thematic fears related to climate change, natural disasters, personal responsibility, betrayal, and hopelessness. At the same time, Sarah is inspired by her teenage sons, who frequently express non-pathological climate distress and are enthusiastic about being change agents for their generation.

Scott Laeser
Speaker

Scott Laeser

Scott is the Senior Working Lands Advisor for Rural Climate Partnership. Scott and his wife run a certified organic vegetable farm in Southwest Wisconsin, putting an array of regenerative agriculture practices to work on their farm. He has worked on water, climate change and natural resources science, policy and advocacy for 20 years.

Scott Whalen
Speaker

Scott Whalen

Scott Whalen is a Milwaukee area chef and aspiring farmer who is focused on local, seasonal flavors and connecting to the community through food. Starting cooking over a decade ago, he worked his way up at some of Milwaukee’s fine dining main stays. For the last eight years, he has been working in kitchens focused on putting out farm to table food. He has enjoyed growing to learn about farming and connecting with the people who grow the food he works with. He strongly believes that locally produced food first off tastes better but is also healthier and better for the environment. In his free time, Scott enjoys home gardening, discovering new farmers to work with, and cooking with his friends.

Skylar Harris, JD
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her

Skylar Harris, JD

Skylar received her law degree from UCLA School of Law and gained experience in environmental law at the U.S. Department of Justice, Earthjustice and Los Angeles Waterkeeper. 

Skylar’s legal work at the Midwest Environmental Advocates supports litigation and advocacy related to oil pipelines, renewable energy, and transportation infrastructure. Recently, this includes the monumental constitutional climate lawsuit, Dunn v. Wisconsin Public Service Commission and the Wisconsin State Legislature, representing 15 young Wisconsinites.  In addition, she leverages her social media marketing experience to develop outreach strategies that engage young people who want to join the fight for a healthy climate and a livable future.

Stuart Jones, MD
Speaker

Stuart Jones, MD

Dr. Jones is an Associate Professor in the UW Department of Psychiatry.

Tara Greiman
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her
 

Tara Greiman

Tara Greiman is the Wisconsin Farmers Union Director of Conservation and Stewardship. In this role, she connects the many conservation-focused projects of the WFU to help promote win-win scenarios that benefit farmers and the ecological communities around them. This includes working to promote water protection, soil health management, and energy systems on farms, while uplifting how responsible farmers are protecting their communities and environment. She also works with state partners, rural town boards, and local WFU chapters to promote the policy created by WFU members for a responsible renewable energy transition and agricultural economy that enhances rather than extracts from rural communities.

Taylor Kirby
Speaker
Pronouns: She/her

Taylor Kirby

Taylor Kirby holds degrees in Neuroscience and Life Science Communications from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a master’s degree in Sustainable Management. Over the past decade, she has built deep expertise in healthcare IT, specializing in quality improvement and project management at Epic. Taylor also helped launch a sustainability-focused employee group at Epic, fostering collaboration on environmentally responsible practices within healthcare technology.

Todd Courtenay, PhD
Speaker
 

Todd Courtenay, PhD

Todd currently serves as the Associate Director for the Global Health Undergraduate Programs in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at UW–Madison. His undergraduate degree was in International Studies and Spanish from the University of Oregon, and his MS and PhD is in human and urban geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has taught courses on globalization, human geography, environmental conservation, and urban geography, and his research areas have explored the history of urban planning in relation to public health, tourism, and archaeology. He is especially interested in the intersections between public health and urban planning, and how the form and function of cities in our rapidly urbanizing planet shape health outcomes across the globe. Todd has lived and worked for extended periods in Costa Rica, Italy, and Germany.

Valeria Hairston, DPM
Speaker/Moderator
Pronouns: She/her

Valeria Hairston, DPM

Dr. Valeria (Dee) Hairston is a practicing podiatrist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She practices at Milwaukee Health Services, a Federally Qualified Health Care Center. Dr. Hairston is double-boarded in the subspecialties of Podiatric Surgery and Podiatric Orthopedics.

Dr. Hairston has been active in the community all of her adult life.  She is active in her church as well as in her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.  Additionally, she has been involved in various medical organizations for which on many occasions she has held leadership roles. Just to name a few she has served as Past Vice President of the Cream City Medical Society, Current Treasurer of Cream City Medical Society, Current Secretary and Board Member of the Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Section of the National Medical Association (NMA), and Current Treasurer of Region IV of the NMA. She is also a member of Healthy Climate Wisconsin.

Victoria Gillet, MD
Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Victoria Gillet, MD

Dr. Victoria Gillet is a primary care physician and the Director for the Primary Care Track in the Internal Medicine Residency at Aurora Health Care. Dr. Gillet serves on the Forward We Energies issue team and the Milwaukee local organizing team for Healthy Climate Wisconsin, and is also involved in climate action as an active Sierra Club volunteer and the Climate Work Group lead for the Wisconsin ACP Health and Public Policy Committee

Dr. Gillet earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Chicago Pritzer School of Medicine and completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinic.

Will Jewell
Facilitator

Will Jewell

Will is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at UW-Madison with a passion for orthopedic rehabilitation, sports performance, and patient education.