Episode 128: From local to global: Weaving together communities for Planetary Health

We had the honor to speak with Jo and Yvonne. Jo Bjorgaard DNP, RN, PHN, CSSBB (she/her) is the Operations Director at the Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) North America Hub. She is a nurse leader based in St. Paul, Minnesota, specializing in health innovation, leadership, and planetary health. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Minnesota and has extensive experience in planetary health education, climate advocacy, and healthcare sustainability. Her professional roles include Instructor & Teaching Specialist at the University of Minnesota, Senior Climate and Founder and Principal Consultant of RISE Climate + Health Collective and Board Member and Committee Chair with Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate. Yvonne Monger is the co- Youth Director at the PHA North America Hub and an undergraduate Nursing student at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities’ School of Nursing and serves as the Youth Director of the Planetary Health North American Regional Hub. Her work centers on health equity, environmental justice, and public health policy. She currently coordinates the Climate Resilience Public Health Task Force within the University’s Office of Sustainability, where she helps bridge climate action and community well-being.