Desert Healthcare District & Foundation
Environmental Health Summit

Registration and Breakfast

Check-in and enjoy a Continental Breakfast

45 min

Opening Remarks and Introduction: Chris Christensen, CEO, Desert Healthcare District and Foundation

10 min

Chris Christensen

Born and raised near Great Falls, Montana, Chris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Montana State University. He went on to earn a certified public accountant’s license, then applied his knowledge and skills during more than 25 years in the homebuilding/construction industry and 12+ years in healthcare. Chris joined the Desert Healthcare […]

Speaker – Gem Montes, The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice

10 min

Environmental Justice Advocate: Gem Montes

Gem Montes is a Policy Analyst and Advocate at the People’s Collective for Environmental Justice (PCEJ) in the Inland Empire. Upon realizing that the City of Colton, which experiences some of the worst air in the nation, has little to no public access to air monitoring information, she partnered with PCEJ to create a Community-Based […]

Session Topic: Government Initiatives and Data-Driven Solutions: Addressing Air Quality Challenges in the Coachella Valley

45 min

Stephanie Virgen

Stephanie is a dedicated first-generation Latina leader, currently serving as a council member for the City of Coachella. Before this role, she spent three years as Chairwoman of the City of Coachella Planning Commission, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s growth and development. In her professional capacity, Stephanie works as a […]

Transition Period

10 min

Session Topic A: Promoting Environmental Justice: Addressing Air Pollution Through an Equity Lens

Applying an equity lens, the session explores how policies and programs can effectively mitigate the health impacts of air pollution on vulnerable and underserved populations within the region, ensuring that all residents have access to clean air and a healthy environment.

45 min

William Porter, PhD

William Porter, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. The Porter Group primarily uses numerical and chemical transport models to understand air quality issues facing Southern California, including the emissions, transport, and human health impacts of air pollution.

Aydee Palomino

Aydee is the Environmental Justice Campaign Manager for Alianza Coachella Valley. At Alianza, she brings together community members, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and government entities to address how the climate crisis is affecting the Salton Sea and find collaborative solutions that benefit the communities that are disproportionately impacted. Aydee received her Bachelor of Science in […]

Moderator: Janet Wilson

Janet Wilson is a Senior Environment Reporter for the Desert Sun and co-authors USA Today’s weekly Climate Point newsletter. A veteran environmental journalist, she has covered air pollution, dwindling water supply, the oil industry, renewables, and endangered species, among other topics. She was part of an LA Times team that won a Pulitzer Prize for […]

Session Topic B: Ensuring Clean Water for All: A Path to Environmental Justice

This session explores strategies to ensure clean water access for all residents in the Coachella Valley, emphasizing the pursuit of environmental justice. It will address the challenges faced by underserved communities in accessing safe and clean water, discuss the impacts of water pollution on public health, and examine local and regional initiatives aimed at improving water quality.

45 min

Cástulo Estrada

Cástulo R. Estrada was elected to a four-year term on the Coachella Valley Water District board in 2014 and re-elected in 2018. He is the Utilities Manager at the City of Coachella. He is a native of the Eastern Coachella Valley, a graduate of Coachella Valley High School, and has a civil engineering degree from […]

Mariela Loera, MPP

Mariela Loera is the Eastern Coachella Valley Regional Policy Manager at Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. Leadership Counsel who advocates at the local, regional, and statewide level on the interrelated issues of land use, energy, transportation, water and wastewater, housing, agriculture, and climate change through the lenses of environmental justice, equitable investment and development, civil rights, and […]

Diego Centeno

Diego is a PhD student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned a BA in geosciences at California State University, San Bernardino, in 2023 and has been working on the sulfur cycle in the Salton Sea, including geochemistry and impacts on human health. This work is […]

Ryan G. Sinclair, PhD, MPH

Ryan G. Sinclair, PhD, MPH, is an Associate Professor of Environmental Microbiology at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Earth and Biological Sciences. He earned his PhD in water quality from Tulane University and completed postdoctoral research in environmental microbiology at the University of Arizona. […]

Moderator: Jimmy Boegle

Jimmy Boegle is the founding editor and publisher of the Coachella Valley Independent. He is also the executive editor and publisher of the Reno News & Review in Reno, Nevada. Since founding the Independent in late 2012, the newspaper has won multiple Association of Alternative News Media (AAN) awards and dozens of California News Publishers […]

Lunch & Vendor Expo

Enjoy lunch and visit our exhibitions.

75 min

Session Topic: The Impact of Lithium Mining at the Salton Sea: Environmental and Economic Perspectives

This panel discussion examines the multifaceted impact of lithium mining at the Salton Sea, exploring both environmental and economic benefits and challenges. Experts will discuss the environmental implications of lithium extraction, including potential effects on the local ecosystem and water resources in the Coachella Valley and Imperial Valley regions.

45 min

Silvia Paz

Silvia Paz is the Founder and Executive Director of Alianza Coachella Valley, a nonprofit organization that works to expand economic, environmental, and education justice for the Coachella Valley and the Salton Sea region of Eastern Riverside County and Imperial County through policy and systems change campaigns. In 2021, she was appointed by California Governor Gavin […]

Dr. Juan De Lara

Dr. Juan D. De Lara is the inaugural director of the Latinx and Latin American Studies Center and an associate professor of American studies and ethnicity at the University of Southern California. Dr. De Lara received his Ph.D. in geography from the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of Inland Shift: Race, Space, […]

Luis Olmedo

As Executive Director of Comite Civico del Valle, Inc., Luis Olmedo carries on a tradition of service to the community started by his father, Luis Velez, who founded the organization and still serves as a liaison to its board. The organization has maintained its grassroots integrity and core mission to improve the lives of disadvantaged […]

Moderator: Olivia Sandusky

Before coming to Palm Springs, she spent almost two years as a reporter and fill-in anchor for KETK and FOX51 in Tyler, Texas. There, she covered a variety of stories, from devastating tornadoes to lively political town hall debates. Olivia received an M.S. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California. Olivia also attended […]

Transition Period

10 min

Session Topic A: From Land Use to Health: Understanding Environmental Impacts and Solutions

This session presents the intricate connections between land use and health in the Coachella Valley, focusing on the environmental impacts and potential solutions. It will examine how various land-use practices affect air and water quality, ecosystem health, and the well-being of local communities, with an emphasis on mitigating negative environmental effects and promoting sustainable development.

45 min

Moises Cisneros

Moises Cisneros has been building award-winning sustainable economic development initiatives for both public and private entities for two decades.  As a community organizer for Sierra Club, Moises leverages his leadership and coaching skills to empower others to design their intentional future while protecting our environment and community health.

Dr. Robert Reed

Dr. Robert Reed is the Board Chair for Friends of the Desert Mountains. He has been a practicing veterinarian for more than 30 years and is currently the Medical Director of VCA Rancho Mirage Animal Hospital. He holds advanced degrees in environmental science and public affairs and has been a wildlife biologist, an environmental policy […]

Gabriel Perez

Gabriel Perez serves as the City of Coachella Development Services Director and is working to implement policies of the City’s General Plan Health and Wellness Element that promote healthy living through the built environment and local food system.

Moderator: Miguel A. Vazquez, FAICP

Miguel Angel Vazquez, FAICP, is an optimistic, dynamic, and multifaceted community planner. His passion for creativity and collaboration are his driving forces. Over the past two decades, he has provided community development and professional planning services to the private, public, and military sectors. Miguel was born and raised in Mexico City and became an American […]

Session Topic B: Assessing the Health Risks of Regional Air Pollution

Discover the health risks associated with regional air pollution in the Coachella Valley. Experts will analyze the sources and levels of air pollution, examining their effects on respiratory and cardiovascular health among residents. This session, which will include recent research findings, aims to inform public health strategies and policy decisions to improve air quality and protect the health of Coachella Valley residents.

45 min

Ann Cheney, PhD, MA

Ann Cheney, PhD, MA, is an associate professor in the Department of Social Medicine Population and Public Health at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine. She is a medical anthropologist and conducts community-based participatory research as a vehicle to empower grassroots leaders to activate communities and change narratives of health and wellbeing. Dr. […]

Dr. Keziyah Yisrael-Gayle

Keziyah Yisrael-Gayle is a postdoctoral researcher in Biomedical Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. Having earned her doctorate from UCR, she continues her research in Dr. David Lo’s laboratory, focusing on health issues faced by underprivileged communities surrounding the Salton Sea. Her work is dedicated to utilizing innovative methods to investigate health disparities within these communities, […]

Kristi Hall

Kristi Hall is an Air Toxics Specialist with the California Air Resources Board. Originally from Oakland, CA, Ms. Hall holds a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in Epidemiology and a Bachelor’s in Biology with a focus in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, both from the University of Hawaii. Ms. Hall is a researcher […]

Moderator: Patrick Evans

Patrick Evans is an award-winning news Channel 3’s morning and noon meteorologist and host of Eye on the Desert. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Environmental Science and Political Science. In August 2002, Patrick moved to the Palm Springs area to help launch the new Coachella Valley CBS […]

Transition Period

10 min

Keynote Speaker-Yana Garcia CA Secretary for Environmental Protection

40 min

Closing Remarks: Desert Healthcare District Staff

15 min