Jo Bjorgaard
Climate/Health Consulting
Jo is passionate about fostering planetary and human health through sustainability solutions, decarbonization, pollution control, and climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives to create systemic and equitable changes that inspire everyone to honor and advocate for the sustainability of our planet. To act on these values, Jo offers lectures, speaking engagements, energy audits, and climate/health consulting. Any questions about Jo's services or requests for booking services can be directed to johannahbjorgaard@gmail.com; Bjorg029@umn.edu.
Lectures
Jo provides lectures about environmental justice, planetary health, decarbonizing the health sector, climate effects on health, innovation, and leadership. Jo has provided lectures and presentations within academic and health settings globally, including guest lecturing the OR Nursing Association of Iclance at Landspitali University Hospital on decarbonizing healthcare.
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Speaking Engagements
Among other related topics, Jo speaks about environmental justice, planetary health, decarbonizing the health sector, climate effects on health, innovation, and leadership. Recent speaking engagements include Leadership and Innovation; for example, Jo was a Nurse-Led Solutions panelist at the Alliance of Nurses for Health Environments Summit.
Climate/Health Consulting
As a nurse leader with a planetary health focus, Jo brings a holistic lens and a deep understanding of the interconnection between the environment and health. Jo provides climate/health leadership and consulting services at the organizational and system level such as climate action planning, sustainability strategy and program development, stakeholder analysis, curriculum and education development, climate impacts analysis and solutions co-benefit assessments. Jo offers community climate/health assessments to evaluate climate risks and impacts within communities, assess related costs to the health of community members, identify mitigation and adaptation solutions and provide communities with a strategic and comprehensive plan to improve their health, reduce their risks of climate related events and foster resilience to the current effects of climate change.
Decarbonization Assessments and Project Leadership
Using data-centric and LSSBB methodology Jo conducts emissions inventory and baseline assessments and facility audits to identify high-impact sustainability opportunities. One example of this is Jo's energy-focused decarbonization project in which she led an energy audit with a transdisciplinary team, identified opportunities, and developed solutions to reduce emissions from electrical sources by 21% within the first year with incremental reduction thereafter.
Training and Education
Jo provides Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training and project coaching. Jo has trained numerous operational leaders in LSS methodology and been a sponsor and coach for environmental sustainability focused projects. Jo develops planetary health related curriculum for health care practitioners, policy makers, climate professionals, youth, and communities.