Our Team
Meet the Team
Get to know the Leadership Team of the ICCA
Marie Cabiya, MD
Member at Large
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Chicago
“Human health and planetary health are intertwined. By highlighting the health effects of climate change, I can help mitigate health disparities and empower people to tread more lightly on the planet while protecting their own health and that of their communities.”
Regina de Leon Gomez, MD
Member at Large
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Chicago Suburbs
“Pregnant people need a healthy climate for healthy outcomes. Let’s work together for a better future.”
Grace Kistner, RN, DTN, MMHA, BSBA, BSN, CCRN, CSSLHPM
Chair of Membership & Recruitment
Critical Care, Sustainability, Advocacy, Empowerment, and Justice
Metro-East
“Clinicians are trusted leaders at the intersection of health, climate, and community. Through multidisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration through a systems approach, we can drive both mitigation and adaptation – translating evidence into care, leadership into policy, and urgency into action. Climate action is not separate from healthcare; it is essential to protecting health now and for future generations.”
Robert Needleman, MD
ICCA President
Emergency Physician
Chicago
“I am a member of ICCA because, as an emergency physician, I see firsthand the acute health effects of climate change, including heat-related illness, respiratory distress from poor air quality, and injuries from extreme weather. These experiences have shown me that climate change is not a distant threat—it is already affecting the patients and communities we serve. ICCA gives me the opportunity to work alongside other healthcare professionals to educate the public, advocate for effective solutions, and protect the health of all Illinoisans.”
Linda O’Kelley, PhD, RN
Chair of Development
Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse, Perinatal Researcher
Chicago Suburbs
“Human health and planetary health are intertwined. By highlighting the health effects of climate change, I can help mitigate health disparities and empower people to tread more lightly on the planet while protecting their own health and that of their communities.”
Frank Pettis
Project Manager at ICCA
“Our members are doctors and nurses in every corner of Illinois, serving patients suffering from preventable diseases like asthma and diabetes every day. And while we know that these diseases are preventable, we also know that they are indelibly linked to industrial contaminants that pollute our land, air and water, and erode our climate. Scientists know, our communities know that planetary health is indelibly connected to human health.”
Japhia Ramkumar, MD
Member at Large
Internal Medicine
Urbana-Champaign
“The health of our planet and human health are inextricably linked, facing existential threats from climate change and biodiversity crises. I believe we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to reimagine and create a future with a healthy planet for all its inhabitants and am committed to working towards this future.”
Sheetal Rao, MD
Chair of Coalitions & Collaborations
Internal Medicine
Chicago
“Whether it is biking, eating more plants or volunteering to plant trees, healthy choices for people are usually good for the planet too! Planetary health promotes public health and disease prevention while building resilience and equity in our society.”
Holly Rosencranz, MD
Member at Large
Internal Medicine
Champaign
“Climate change represents a critical human and planetary health crisis, necessitating urgent action. Health care professionals are pivotal in both preventing and mitigating its effects through advocacy, education, and sustainable practices.”
Ted Shieh, MD
Chair of Community Engagement
Emergency Medicine
Chicago
“Weather extremes and fossil fuel pollution continue to threaten the health and wealth of Illinoisans and beyond. Solutions are here to end our fossil fuel dependency and to protect us from the threats due to fossil fuel emissions. We must take all measures needed to implement these solutions now.”
Austin Spence
Communications Director at ICCA
“Climate change is already shaping the health of people and communities across Illinois, but its impacts are not always recognized as health issues. Clear, accessible communication can help make those connections visible, elevate clinicians’ trusted perspectives, and build support for the solutions needed to protect public health.”
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