Introducing our 2023-24 Climate and Health Equity Leaders
Meet the 2023-24 Climate and Health Equity Leaders (CHEL) Fellowship members.
Brad Clyne
Infection Preventionist
Brad Clyne is an infection preventionist at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital. He started his career working as a clinical microbiologist at Allina Health. In 2018, he decided to take a two-year hiatus to become the microbiologist at Surly Brewing Co. After two years and fulfilling some dreams, he re-entered the medical field as a clinical microbiologist at Allina Health and recently became an infection preventionist at M Health Fairview. While at Allina Health, Brad was a part of the team that helped to eliminate plastic cutlery from Allina Health’s central laboratories. He received his bachelor’s degree in microbiology at Minnesota State University-Mankato and a master’s degree in clinical microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Brad is passionate about reducing greenhouse gases by using public transportation and bike commuting. While Minneapolis and St. Paul lead the nation in bike friendliness scoring, he understands there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure everyone has easy access to safe and clean public transportation and trails. Brad believes that healthcare can be a frontrunner in solving the problems of waste and climate change.
Jenifer (Jen) Detert
Physician Assistant | MPA-C, DFAAPA, CAQ:EM
Major Retired Jenifer (Jen) Detert is a Minnesota physician assistant who has worked in rural emergency medicine departments in various Minnesota communities for the last 23 years. Major Deter retired after serving over 17 years with the Minnesota Army National Guard’s Medical Service Corp and overseas Iraq active duty service. She is a Minnesota board certified physician assistant (MPA-C) in primary care with a Certification of Advanced Qualifications in Emergency Medicine (CAQ:EM) through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She is an advanced practice provider with CentraCare Western Region Rural Emergency and Urgent Care and is also an independent contractor for rural emergency medicine. Jen is a recipient of the Distinguished Fellow Award from the American Academy of Physician Assistants (DFAAPA). From 2018-2023, she served on the board of directors for the Minnesota Academy of Physician Assistants, including serving as board president. Jen lives in the St. Cloud area on nearly two acres of native plants and food productive landscaping with her husband and three dogs.
Joanne Hill
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | DNP, MPH, MSN, PHN, CRNA, APRN
Joanne grew up on a small farm in Michigan and moved to Saint Paul in 1986. In 1988, Joanne graduated from Saint Paul Central High School and worked as a Nursing Assistant and a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). In 1994, Joanne obtained an associate’s degree in nursing. Joanne then obtained a bachelor’s degree in nursing, followed by a master’s of science degree in nursing, and then became a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). In 2018, Joanne started a post-master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at the University of Minnesota where she aimed to advance health equity and improve healthcare outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted Joanne’s focus, and she added a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree that focused on the social determinants of health. Joanne found a renewed sense of purpose by focusing on the complex interactions between social and economic factors, the physical environment, and individual behaviors that can affect health outcomes. Joanne also served as an intern for the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus at the Minnesota state legislature, where she advocated for the use of the Social Vulnerability Index to guide equitable COVID-19 testing and vaccine allocation. As a CRNA, Joanne has completed over ten medical mission trips to the Philippines, Liberia, and Zimbabwe.
Jocelyn Leung
Researcher | MPH, MA, MSc (Oxon)
Jocelyn Leung is a researcher at the Center for Public Health Systems within the Division of Health Policy and Managements at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health Promotion from the University of Minnesota. Previously, Jocelyn worked closely with public transit dependent communities to advance health equity with Nexus Community Partners. She also worked as a participatory engagement coordinator at Freshwater Society, which sparked her interest in climate change. She listened to Native Nations’ staff, farmers, People of Color, and county staff share how warming temperatures and increasingly unpredictable rainfall affects them. Jocelyn then worked with the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board to apply for philanthropic funding so that environmental justice communities could refine the 2020 Minnesota State Water Plan to better reflect the needs of their communities. Jocelyn remains committed to helping governmental public health departments and elected officials understand why communities who face the greatest historic and ongoing disinvestments need to be prioritized in climate resilience solutions. Jocelyn is also interested in how climate change influences mental health, ranging from stressful events (e.g., surviving natural disasters or witnessing culturally significant species and ancestral lands deteriorate) to physiological changes (e.g., severe mental illness triggered by an inability to escape extreme heat).
Tonya Montesinos
Senior Director of Clinical Practice | MS, BSN, NE-BC, NPD-BC, PHN, CPPM
Tonya Montesinos has been a nurse for over 25 years and has spent the majority of her work life in leadership roles focusing on nursing professional development and education, nursing practice, and quality outcomes. She recently joined Children’s Minnesota in June 2022 where she leads the education, simulation, practice and informatics teams, and enjoys being a “Kids Expert.” She is a lifelong learner and loves enhancing her own personal professional development by attending workshops and courses to learn how she can make a difference and deliver exceptional care to kids in the community she lives in.
Jonny J. Moses
Registered Nurse | RN
Driven by a genuine passion for patient care and a firm belief in the power of community engagement, Jonny strives to surpass the traditional role of a nurse. He actively advocates for health equity, raises awareness about health-related issues, and collaborates with local organizations to foster a healthier and thriving community. Jonny is a graduate of Goldfarb School of Nursing and the recipient of his graduating cohort’s Harvey and Judy Harris Community Service Award. He now works as a nurse specializing in gastrointestinal and genitourinary conditions at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Allina Health in Minneapolis and for Northfield Public Schools as a nurse substitute. Jonny is also a union representative of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA). He serves as an active member of the union’s mental health workgroup and is a board member for MNA’s science and scholarship foundation. Jonny is interested in exploring how to effectively communicate scientific concepts to the general public, which underscores his belief in the need for a robust public education system. Jonny aims to leave a lasting impact by promoting equitable healthcare, fostering community wellbeing, and leveraging the power of knowledge dissemination to facilitate positive change.
John Rodman
Clinical Psychologist | PhD
Dr. John Rodman, staff psychologist, recently retired from the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (MVAHCS). Dr. Rodman has 34 years of Veterans Affairs (VA) service: including his internship at the Palo Alto, California VA, a post-doctoral fellowship at Palo Alto-Stanford School of Medicine, and 30 years at the Minneapolis VA. He was a member of the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, focusing his practice on the treatment of older adults. He also participated in the training of interns and post-doctoral fellows for 16 years. John is interested in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and sleep disorders utilizing empirically supported treatments. Since 2008, he has been involved in coordinating and offering several different mindfulness-based interventions at the Minneapolis VA. In 2013, he participated in the Veteran’s Meditation Project. In 2015, John’s work with the Veteran’s Meditation Project was published in the academic journal, JAMA-Psychiatry, as the first randomized control trial documenting the effectiveness of meditation for the treatment of PTSD. Dr. Rodman has been a member of the Sierra Club since 2007 and has participated in multiple letter writing campaigns to support pro-climate legislation. In trying to live in accord with his values, he recently had solar panels installed on his home. Additionally, after driving hybrid vehicles since 2004, he made the switch to an electric vehicle this past spring.
