Cohort 3

Michelle Bernabe, BSN, RN is a graduate of Columbia University, has a decade of expertise in healthcare leadership with a focus on mental health and social equity. She has served at renowned institutions like Mt. Sinai West and Memorial Sloan Kettering. As an active member of the New York State Nurses Association, Michelle champions social justice and is committed to promoting sustainable healthcare policies. She led New York City’s first psychedelic esketamine program and is interested in the potential of psychedelics to enhance the connection between human consciousness and the environment. Her ‘Moral Health’ Substack further solidifies her dedication to systemic change and environmental health, advocating for equity for all living beings. This unique blend of clinical excellence, writing, and social justice advocacy makes Michelle a forward-thinking leader in the field.

Melveen Camba, MSN received her Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science with a minor in Japanese from University of San Francisco.   After graduating, she moved back home, worked at Star Physical Therapy and decided to attend University of Hawaii at Manoa School of Nursing.  She began her nursing career and worked at the Endoscopy Institute of Hawaii, not only caring for patients with GI issues and educating the importance of screenings, but also empowering others to take control of their own health through nurse/health coaching.  She later found her passion in Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing with CareOnSite, a national healthcare industry who help businesses across America to achieve a healthier workforce.  She has also worked as a Contact Tracer with Infection Prevention and Control at Queens Medical Center in response to the Covid pandemic.  While working and raising two boys (Addison, 6 & Lucas, 23 months), she went back to school and recently earned her Master’s at UH Manoa in Advanced Population Health Nursing.  Practicing as an advanced nurse in Hawaii, she is sensitive to cultural differences, which she leverages in her knowledge development to improve worker health and wellbeing, both at the workplace and at home.

After 8 years in employee health, she has gained a global perspective in her career and operates as the lead Occupational Nurse for her team, coordinating Worker Health and Wellbeing initiatives and ensuring compliance with local, state, federal, and business expectations.  She is committed to prioritize health and safety to prevention of illnesses and injuries that can affect every aspect of life for workers and their families through education and training development.  Melveen is a lifelong learner and remains an active member of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Hawaii Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, and is now a nurse fellow with Alliances of Nurses for Healthy Environments.  She is always looking for ways to connect with fellow nurses who have a passion for environmental health, building a healthy environment, and sustainable future.  Outside of work, she enjoys time with her family, traveling, and builds resiliency to build up her health through working out (running outdoors), practicing mindfulness, and going to local farmers markets.

Dr. Lucindra Campbell-Law PhD, APRN, ANP, PMHNP-BC is a Professor and Divisional Dean of Graduate Programs at the University of St. Thomas, Peavy School of Nursing. She is currently the PSON, Cullen Trust Endowed Faculty for Healthcare. She spearheads the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program track as the Project Developer and Director. with nearly thirty-five years in academia, research, and global practice. Dr. Campbell-Law has received numerous awards for her contributions to the profession. She was also nominated for the Piper Award and the Opal Goolsby Award. Both awards represent the two highest honors bestowed upon a faculty member.

Dr. Campbell-Law has an earned Bachelor’s degree at Houston Baptist University in Houston, Texas; a Master of Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and a Doctorate from Texas Woman’s University, Houston, Texas. Dr. Campbell-Law is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as an Adult Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner.

Anna Chico Cornel, MBAHM, BSN, RN, PHN, HNB-BC, Caritas Coach® is the Sepsis Program Manager at Stanford Health Care (SHC), a registered nurse with over 10 years of healthcare experience to include critical care, urgent care, outpatient surgery, primary care, and nursing administration.  As a nurse leader with SHC, Anna was instrumental at operationalizing COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites throughout the Bay Area.  Anna is a United States Air Force veteran, serving active duty as an Operations Intelligence Analyst from 2003-2010 during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF). She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children’s Health Alpha Alpha Lambda at-Large Chapter, the first practice-site chapter globally under Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.  She is active in several SHC Employee Resource Groups (ERG) and is Co-Chair of the Working Parents & Allies ERG and Committee Lead for the Women & Allies ERG.  In 2023, Anna was awarded SHC’s Ambulatory Care Nursing-Nurse of the Year for her contributions and collaborative spirit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anna received her master’s in business administration with a concentration in healthcare management in 2022.  She holds numerous professional certifications including as a national board-certified holistic nurse from the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC), as well as being a Watson Caring Science Caritas Coach®.  Anna plans to pursue a doctorate in public health in the near future, as her passion is on health literacy with a focus on the intersection of health and the environment.

Ginger Clough is a career public health nurse in NC. She has worked in health promotions, clinical services, and home visitation programs and currently is a nurse consultant with the NC Division of Public Health. Ginger received her BSN and MPH from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Ginger is a founding member of the Western NC Climate and Health Workgroup and the public health non-profit, Resources for Resilience. She has led and served on numerous community, state and national committees and collaboratives. She has worked to integrate local climate and health vulnerabilities into nursing home visitation programming and in community health assessments. 

Ginger’s community-based work is rooted deep belief in the power of collaboratives to achieve collective impact and to address cross-sector issues to eliminate root causes of inequities. 

Ginger has a deep love of nature, reading, potlucks, and gardening and lives with her family  along Bee Tree Creek in Swannanoa, North Carolina.

Crista Irwin, PhD, RN is a postdoctoral fellow at the Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. She is working with Drs. Vicki Hertzberg and Roxana Chicas on the Sensor hardware and intelligent tools for assessing the health effects of heat exposure study. The work is a continuation of their previous work to understand and mitigate the deleterious effects of extreme heat on the bodies of persons who work outdoors including agricultural and construction workers. Their main target outcomes are assessing acute kidney injury and severe dehydration in this outdoor worker population.

Before joining the SENSE team, Crista also worked at the SON at Emory. There she examined the effects of exercise adherence on cardiovascular function among older persons with HIV. She personally believes that exercise is medicine and that access to healthy environments in which to work and move are important components to health equity.

Beckie Kronebusch, MS, APRN, AGCNS-BC is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse certified as an Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has been a nurse for over twenty years and a CNS for eight. Currently, she works as a clinical nurse specialist manager in the Mayo Clinic Health System Southwest and Northwest Wisconsin regions but worked for 17 years at the Rochester, MN Destination Medical Center Mayo Clinic site. She is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program in Ethical Leadership at Viterbo University. She is very proud to be a CNS and loves this role for its versatility, ability to lead practice and change, and continued opportunities for growth. She participates and leads several committees, projects, and evidence-based practice work in my daily work, but also is a mentor for the MN organization of Nurse Leaders and chairs the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee of the National Association of CNSs. She is very proud of the work she’s been able to advance in the DEI space and continue to grow as an ally.

For over a decade Crystal Loucel has served as a Latine bilingual and bicultural public health nurse within the San Francisco Bay Area. She obtained her Masters of Science in Nursing from UCSF and a Masters in Public Health from Loma Linda University. As a National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) member for over a dozen years, she was recently recognized as one of the “40 under 40 nurses” for 2023, won 2nd place in most chapter member recruitments across the country, and was elected to the 2023-5 Board of Directors for NAHN. In her current role at UCSF, she works as a cardiac rehabilitation research nurse focused on reducing cardiac risks for breast cancer survivors of color through health education and physical activity. Her interest in environmental health comes from being the granddaughter of migrant farm workers from Mexico who have experienced medical issues related to their working environments.

Anto Paul, RN-BC, MS/MPH,CDCES, CPHQ is a Population Health Nurse at Catholic Health Services of Long Island. He earned his Master’s in Public Health and Community Health Nursing from Hunter College, New York. 

Anto Paul holds certifications as a Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) and Board Certified Advanced Public Health Nurse (PHNA-BC). From 2008 to 2010, he worked for two years as a diabetes educator in a South Asian community-based research program. This experience significantly broadened his perspective on chronic diseases, enabling him to comprehend the multifaceted influences of social and environmental factors on health within South Asian and other immigrant communities.

Presently, he plays an active role as a board member of the South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA), an NGO committed to advancing the health and well-being of South Asian communities in the United States, and the Indian Nurses Association of New York.

He has been selected to the Environmental Health Research Institute for Nurse and Clinician Scientists (EHRI-NCS) cohort of 2023-24. The EHRI-NCS is designed to build the nursing discipline-wide capacity and rigor for translational and clinical research methods in environmental health for nurse scientists.

Lorena Perez, PhD, RN, PHN is a public health professional with over 11 years of dedicated service in San Diego County. Her roles, including public health nurse (PHN) for tuberculosis control, senior PHN for California Children’s Services, PHN supervisor for the STD clinic, and PHN Manager for the Central Region of San Diego County demonstrate her diverse expertise. She is currently a devoted educator at the University of San Diego (USD), specializing in community health, care of families, and care of populations, emphasizing the critical importance of community health in nursing. 

As the president of the San Diego National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Dr. Perez actively promotes healthcare equity and diversity through scholarships, community outreach, volunteerism, and a tailored college success program for nursing students. Dr. Perez graduated from USD, and her dissertation focused on Latina’s lived experience with intimate partner violence amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, marks a significant contribution to the field. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, she led vital projects for the County of San Diego, including the Mobile Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Team which ensured life-saving medication was accessible to homebound residents. Dr. Perez’s career reflects her dedication to the community, healthcare equity, and educating the future healthcare workforce.

Karen Rawls, PhD, MSN/Ed, RN is a seasoned professional nurse having leadership and teaching across a variety of nursing programs and clinical arenas. She received her PhD in Nursing Education, specializing in nursing education and research, from Capella University and holds an MSN in nursing education, a BSN from the University of Phoenix, and ADN from Georgia State University Perimeter. Dr. Rawls is the owner of Health Education Learning Programs. Her company utilizes organizational platforms to address health equity concerns, provide nursing education, investigate environmental health issues, and promote best practices that foster cultures of wellness. Dr. Rawls is the Vice President of the Atlanta Black Nurses Association; board member of the Southeastern Primary Care Consortium; Ambassador for America Cancer Society, Co-Chair for Ebenezer Baptist Church Health Ministry, Presenter for the Georgia Nurses Leadership Coalition and Board Chair for Rooted Group. She enjoys traveling, listening to music, tutoring novice nurses, and cooking.

Crystal Trent Paultre, MSN, RN, CBS is a community health nurse who is passionate about perinatal health and addressing maternal health inequities. She has been a home-visiting nurse with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Babies Born Healthy Program since 2019 and recently represented the program at the national convention for the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). As a new graduate nurse, Crystal worked as an inpatient OB nurse in Washington, DC for 8 years where she cared for high-risk pregnant patients as well as new mothers and babies. She is a proud mother of three and is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, where she is focusing her research on the intersection of climate change and maternal health outcomes for Black pregnant people.

Dr. Pressanna Parackal DNP, RN, CCRN, CRRN, CNRN, RN-BC has been serving in the role of Nurse Officer on Duty (NOD) at South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) since 2016 and a PRN House supervisor in University Health system from 2014. Seasoned Nursing Officer and House Supervisor offering over 30 years’ experience and success in improving patient care and quality outcomes. A powerful operational leader and a program manager with a history of outstanding performance in the health industry. An Influencing cultural leader and a successful president for San Antonio Malayalee Community with outstanding project results for the community empowerment.

Nella Pineda-Marcon, RN-BC has been an RN since 1989 working at Mount Sinai Morningside, NYC as an Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator (ANCC) in the field of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She became a climate activist after Hurricane Sandy flooded New York City in 2012. In the aftermath of the storm, Nella went door to door in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods to help shut-in residents and out-patients get supplies of medications and follow up services. 

Nella is a member of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2016. She became the chair of their Climate and Environmental Justice committee and is currently serving as Secretary of the Board of Directors.

A pioneer member of the New York Relief Network (NYRN) of which sends medical missions to places affected by climate-related disasters such as Puerto Rico, Mexico, the US Virgin Islands, the Amazon in Brazil, Philippines, Guatemala and Cuba to name a few. She was also a volunteer first-responder to the Philippines a week after Super-Typhoon Haiyan hit the island of Leyte. At the People’s Climate March, Washington DC in April 2017, she was a featured speaker at the Mall.

She has worked with many climate coalitions such as New York Renews, Climate Jobs New York, Align. She also testified at the State Senate assembly to enact the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Currently, she is on the Advisory Board of the New York Riverkeeper. 

She represented the Health Care sector during the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid (2019) as an affiliate member of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED).

Jessica Varghese, PhD, RN completed her PhD in Nursing from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 2017. She has worked in nursing professional development and leadership roles in acute care, homecare and managed care settings for over 20 years. Currently, she is the Director of the RN to BS program and Assistant Professor of Nursing at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, NY.   Her areas of interest include health policy, global health, trauma informed care, health systems research, social justice and environmental health equity. This spring, she was inducted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) as a Diversity Leadership Institute Fellow. She is involved in various nursing specialty organizations including the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing and serves as Chair of the American Nurses Association of New York Legislative Committee.

Katie Vees has over 37 years’ experience in nursing in cardiology, nephrology, public health and critical care.  She is currently the Endocarditis Nurse Navigator for Hartford Healthcare, coordinating care for complex cardiology patients and facilitating program development to ensure quality outcomes. She holds a Masters in Nursing from the University of Hartford with a focus in Public Health and interned at the state legislature.  Katie is a member of the Government Relations Committee and Co-Chair of the Opioid Overdose Reduction Committee of the Connecticut Nurses Association.  She completed a Fellowship at the American Nurses Association Advocacy Institute and is a strong advocate for public health and environmental policy and legislation. As an outdoor enthusiast, Katie is deeply concerned about the environment and its impact on public health. She also enjoys volunteering on global medical missions. Katie is a recipient of the Ethics Award for Professional Practice and the Nightingale Award.

Atiya Wells is a registered nurse, outdoor educator, and the Founder/Executive Director of Backyard Basecamp,Inc. – a nonprofit with a mission to (re)connect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to land and nature. While learning more about our natural world, she often noticed that she was one of the few, if not the only, Person of Color in the room. By diving into research and history, she learned that ancestral wounding and historical trauma are key players in the lack of diversity in nature-based programming. She has since dedicated her time to slowly (re)introducing her community to nature by starting in their own backyards and eventually embarking on a journey into the many wild spaces across Baltimore.

Atiya Wells is the Founder, and Executive Director of Backyard Basecamp, Inc. – a nonprofit with a mission to (re)connect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to land and nature. By diving into research and history, Atiya learned that historical trauma is a key player in the lack of diversity in environmental programming. She has since dedicated her time to (re)introducing her community to nature by starting in their own backyards and eventually embarking on a journey into the many green spaces across Baltimore.

Helene Wierzbicki is a community and mental health nurse working in Washington County in Portland, OR. She works with an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team through the nonprofit organization LifeWorks NW, which specializes in treating low-income individuals and families with mental health needs. ACT teams work with a caseload of high acuity clients diagnosed with Severe and Persistent Mental Illnesses (SPMI). On average, SPMI patients have a premature mortality rate compared to the general population because they are less likely to have medical needs evaluated and treated. The ACT nurse plays an important role by assessing and triaging medical complaints, as well as connecting clients to medical care. Helene is a relatively new nurse, having graduated from the Oregon Health and Science University in 2021. She is excited to be a part of AHNE and continue her advocacy for environmental justice and health equity.

Joseph Bowman, BSN, RN grew up in rural Pennsylvania, enjoyed playing sports while in school, and joined the U.S. Army after H.S.  After his service he went to school, becoming a Paramedic in 2000 and working in EMS for 12 years.  Joe completed his BSN in 2009 and began working at Wake Med Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, NC working in several roles as a CICU nurse then Cardiac Cath Lab nurse: gaining proficiency in Cardiac Cath/PCI, Peripheral and Neuro-vascular Intervention, and Structural Heart procedures.  In 2015 Joe became Cardiac Cath Lab Clinical Coordinator at UNC Johnston Health.  In 2019, he transferred into the role of Chest Pain and Stroke Coordinator for the two-hospital system.  Joe also staffed as a Covid ICU RN from April 2020 through February 2022.  Joe began working at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health in March of 2022 in the Office of the Chief Public Health Nurse as the Emergency Preparedness and Environmental Health Nurse Consultant; in May 2022 he became an Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Fellow completing his fellowship and his project is currently ongoing with the support of the NC DHHS.  He is happily married to his best friend and has a daughter who is a junior majoring in Biology at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Adelita Cantu, PhD, RN, FAAN has worked in public health for over 35 years and focuses on strategies to reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations. She has also been involved with ANHE for over 10 years and has used what she has learned from and with the organization to empower vulnerable communities around the connection between health and the environment and how they can mitigate their exposure to multiple environmental health threats.

Christine Fasching Maphis, DNP, PMHN-BC, FNP-BC is a full time faculty member in the School of Nursing at James Madison University. She holds practice credentialing and expertise in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing and as a Family Nurse Practitioner and recently transitioned from practicing in a community based crisis stabilization unit to providing virtual behavioral health and substance abuse services. She combines her passion and role as an educator and advocate with her research and interests in holistic population and planetary well-being, social justice, quality care, ethics, and empowering nurses to practice to their full professional scope and standards to serve the multiple communities with which she interfaces. She is certain that “knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do”.