Planning for Climate Resiliency in the Health Care Sector

Will your hospital be able to provide care during a wildfire, hurricane, or extreme heat event? How do you know if your health care facility is ready for a flood or other extreme weather? Health care facilities need to plan for and respond to a wide array of climate-related emergency situations so they can maintain care for patients and protect health care infrastructure. This session of the Climate & Health webinar series provides examples of how several health care facilities have engaged in this type of planning, and shares successes and lessons learned from past responses.

Aminul Haque, BS

Aminul Haque is a Project Manager at NYC Health and Hospitals, the largest municipal healthcare system in the U.S., where he leads projects focused on making healthcare facilities more resilient in the face of climate change and severe weather. With hands-on experience managing the design and construction of resilient and redundant systems, Aminul has worked on major initiatives including a flood wall at Metropolitan Hospital, Hurricane Ida recovery and mitigation efforts at several Hospitals, and critical COVID response upgrades. He brings a practical perspective on what it takes to keep essential healthcare infrastructure up and running during and after emergencies.

Kyle Tafuri, MBA

Kyle Tafuri is the director of sustainability for Hackensack Meridian Health, ensuring that New Jersey's largest, most integrated health system is building a healthier environment for its patients inside and outside the walls of its 17 hospitals. From cleaner air, to energy efficiency, to sustainably sourced products and food, Kyle makes changes every day that help improve patient health, creating an environment conducive to healing while minimizing Hackensack Meridian Health's carbon footprint. Hackensack Meridian Health has been consistently recognized as one of the leading healthcare systems in the U.S. for environmental excellence. Kyle also serves on several boards, including chairing the PSEG Institute of Sustainability Studies at Montclair State University, the HealthTrust Environmental Purchasing Council and Green Electronics Council EPEAT program. He has been named one of the 30 under 30 people to watch in sustainable business by GreenBiz Group.

Rachelle Reyes Wenger

Rachelle Wenger is the system vice president of public policy and advocacy engagement for CommonSpirit Health, where she is responsible for advancing the organization’s public policy priorities of advancing health equity and justice in name of the common good at the local, state, national, and international levels. Rachelle has successfully provided the health care voice in support of landmark legislation and strategic initiatives while inspiring community and industry engagement to raise their voices in solidarity. An integral member of CommonSpirit’s climate action plan core team, she also oversees the implementation of the Climate Resilient Communities pillar as the organization works to meet its net zero goal by 2040. She has served various leadership positions on boards and with numerous organizations and recently joined as faculty for The Common Good Academy of the Lloyd H. Dean Institute for Human Kindness and Health Justice. Wenger received her bachelor’s degree in philosophy at the University of California and her master’s degree in public administration at California State University.

Ilse R. Levin, DO, MPH & TM

Ilse R. Levin, DO, MPH & TM is a board-certified internist and an epidemiologist. Elected to the American Medical Association Board of Trustees in June 2020 and re-elected in 2024, she is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and has served in many leadership positions throughout her career. Dr. Levin received her medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., and completed her residency in internal medicine at Baystate Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine in Springfield, Mass.

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