In February of 2021, the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health in cooperation with National Medical Association launched the Climate and Health Equity Fellowship (CHEF) program. Georgia’s fellows are Dr. Shaneeta Johnson (Atlanta) and Dr. Linda Walden (Cairo).
This new fellowship opportunity will help generate a network of experts on climate, health and equity in four southeastern states as part of a strategy to advance a clean energy future in a region that is vulnerable to climate crises and has experienced systemic racial and climate injustice.
Several Clinicians for Climate Action (CCA) groups are participating in a growing network of Consortium state affiliates, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The Consortium is partnering with the southeastern regional affiliate of the National Medical Association (NMA Region III) on this program to help build the strength and diversity of these Consortium state affiliates. Every southern state has a state NMA affiliate.
This project will build the strength of an alliance of state clinician groups and state NMA affiliates in the southeast in order to tackle climate change by strategically training and mentoring doctors to be powerful and knowledgeable voices for change. The fellowship will strengthen the knowledge, skills, self-efficacy, and contacts of the fellows so they can effectively promote equitable- and health-focused climate solutions. Networking will bring fellows together with each other and with climate action groups in their states.
This program was made possible with generous support from Johnson & Johnson and the Energy Foundation.
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