Nurses Leading for Climate Action, Now More than Ever
October 14, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Webinar Details
Health systems and public health agencies are under increasing stress due to the impact of climate change. Nurse leaders are uniquely positioned to respond by guiding health systems, supporting health workforce and building healthier and more resilient communities. This session will explore how nurse leaders can act strategically and collaboratively to drive solutions for a better future.
Outcomes:
- Explore current best practices for leading climate-resilient, low-carbon and sustainable health systems
- Learn resilience for the “polycrisis’ world ahead by thinking about ‘polysolutions’.
This webinar is hosted by Jonas Nursing.
Speakers
Speaker
Ann Kurth, PhD, RN, CNM, MPH
President
New York Academy of Medicine
Dr. Ann Kurth is an experienced scientist, educator, and administrator with a career marked by contributions to health research, training, and practice in the US and globally. As President of New York Academy of Medicine, she is the first epidemiologist leader in its 177-year history of advancing longer and healthier lives for all. Dr. Kurth previously served as Dean, Yale School of Nursing and Professor, Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health; was associate dean for research at the New York University College of Global Public Health; and inaugural faculty at the University of Washington Department of Global Health. As someone who is trained in multiple disciplines, she has always approached population health work including training and education, with a cross-sectoral perspective.
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Environmental Health: Perspectives on the Nursing Role
February 27, 2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)
Hosted by AACN's Research Leadership Network (RLN)
Webinar Details
During this webinar, participants will hear one nurse’s journey from the bedside to environmental health leader, explore resources from the National Environmental Education Foundation and discuss opportunities for research in the environmental health space.
Objectives:
- Understand the role nursing plays in promoting environmental health.
- Explore resources for healthcare providers from the National Environmental Education Foundation.
- Identify and articulate at least two opportunities for nursing research in the environmental health field.
Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.
Speakers
Speakers
Christy Haas-Howard, MPH, BSN, BA, RN, AE-C, NCSN
Program Director, Health
National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
Christy Haas-Howard oversees the development, execution, and evaluation of health initiatives related to the environment. She collaborates with the conservation and K-12 education teams to identify priority areas of common interest to maximize resources and impact. As an experienced health care provider, she tracks emerging trends in the health and environment space, recognizing and amplifying the opportunities to create greater health equity and environmental justice. Christy comes to NEEF with over 17 years as a registered nurse in the school setting. She has been asthma educator-certified since 2009 and has led various school-based asthma programs at the local and state level. She has also worked at the national level to cultivate an increase in school nurse’s knowledge and skills related to asthma care. Christy has presented and published on asthma and the upstream benefits of addressing environmental exposures and climate change. Her other previous projects include supporting a pilot air quality sensor network and health literacy project in Denver, CO, and implementing an air quality and asthma literacy Environmental Health Nurse Fellowship. Christy holds a BA in Economics from Claremont McKenna College, a BS in Nursing from Metropolitan State University, Denver, and a MPH from the Colorado School of Public Health. She enjoys gardening, playing games with her family, walking her dogs, and hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.
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Engaging Nurses in Shaping Policy to Address Health Disparities
June 06, 2023
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)
Hosted by the Research Leadership Network.
Webinar Details
Nurses can significantly impact population health through public policy. During this webinar, Mayor Sofia Aragon shares how she is working to develop local policy to address health disparities among residents exposed to environmental exposure due to airport operations in her city and the region.
Objectives:
- Define the need for policy to address environmental exposures and health disparities
- Discuss examples of public policy to mitigate environmental exposures to populations living near an airport
- Demonstrate how to implement local, state, and federal policy
Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.
Speakers
Speakers
Sofia Aragon, JD, BSN, RN
Executive Director, Washington Center for Nursing
Mayor, City of Burien
Sofia Aragon is the executive director for the Washington Center for Nursing and Mayor for the City of Burien. As Washington State’s nursing workforce center, WCN works to address the nursing shortage. Public policy is her passion. In her previous role as Governmental Affairs Advisor for the Washington State Nurses Association, she represented registered nurses, ARNPs United of Washington, and the School Nurse Organization of Washington. She advocated for legislation on workplace safety, full state adoption of the Affordable Care Act, higher education and public health funding, banning toxins in the environment, racial equity, and other issues. She was elected to the Burien City Council in 2019 and elected Mayor in 2022. As Chair of the Burien Airport Committee, she influences regional, state, and federal legislation to mitigate the health impact of exposure to communities by SeaTac International Airport. Most of Washington state’s communities of color live within a 10-mile radius of SeaTac airport. She partners with other cities, public health and community-based organizations to lessen exposure from the airport and health disparities among communities living and working near the airport. She also voted to pass city ordinances for environmental preservation and addressing climate change, such as requiring the use of compostable products, a tree ordinance, and a city Climate Action Plan. She earned a BA in Economics from UW-Seattle, a BSN in Nursing from Seattle University, and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University-Chicago School of Law.