Elizabeth Schenk, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Executive Director of Environmental Stewardship, Providence Health
Beth Schenk has been committed to decreasing the environmental impacts of health care for almost 30 years. Through conservation of resources, by improving practices and processes, and through education and research, she has helped drive improvements in Providence and serves as its Executive Director of Environmental Stewardship, helping advance the organization toward its goal of becoming carbon negative by 2030.
Beth 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 30 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 is active at national, state and local levels, serving on the national board of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments, as treasurer of Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate, and as board chair of Climate Smart Missoula. She has hosted the Nurses for Healthy Environments Podcast for four seasons.
Beth has been honored with the Charlotte Brody Award, as a distinguished alumnus from the University of Montana, and as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
She is driven by her personal passion to conserve our natural world while building better health. She celebrates the joy of living in Montana with her family, friends, and pets – hiking, gardening, knitting, and playing music.