Jane Valentine is an associate professor in Environmental Health Sciences in the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA. She started in the EHS program in 1974 after completing postdoctoral studies at the New Jersey College of Medicine, Preventive Medicine in the program of Environmental Toxicology. Studies of Lead, Copper and zinc were conducted there and was associated with the Lead Screening Program. Professor Valentine obtained a BS in Chemistry from Tennessee State in Nashville Tennessee, a MS degree in Water Chemistry associated with the Civil Engineering program from University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a PhD in Environmental Health with an emphasis on water quality and statistics from the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston. She has published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine, Environmental Research, Clinical Epidemiology, Clinical Chemistry, and Analytical Chemistry among others. She holds a registration for Registered Environmental Health Specialists, served as president of American Water Resources Association, and a member of the American Water Works Association. Emphasis has been placed on studies of health effects of lead, selenium, arsenic, zinc and copper most notably for exposed children and adults. Dr. Valentine has taught courses in aquatic chemistry, environmental measurements, water quality, general environmental health and seminar courses.

Christine Samuel-Nakamura is a member of the Diné Nation from New Mexico. She obtained her doctorate in Nursing at UCLA and completed her postdoctoral training in health disparities and vulnerable populations at the UCLA School of Nursing. She has been a Lecturer in the UCLA American Indian Studies Interdepartmental program where she taught courses on health and environment in American Indian Communities and research methods. She currently is an Assistant Professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. Dr. Samuel-Nakamura’s research and expertise focuses on uranium and other metal contamination, environmental health, and American Indian health.

Felicia Schanche Hodge is a member of the Wailaki Tribe in Northern California. She attended UC Berkeley for her masters and doctorate in Public Health. She currently holds a joint position as Professor in the School of Nursing and Professor in the School of Public Health at UCLA. She is the director of the UCLA School of Nursing T32 pre- and post-doctoral training program and is the founder and director of the Center for American Indian/Indigenous Research & Education (CAIIRE) that supports research, evaluation, policy development, education, planning, and prevention service activities. She previously served as the Chair of the UCLA American Indian Studies Interdisciplinary Program and co-Chair of the Native Research Network (a national advocacy organization). She served as a member of the NIH-NINR National Advisory Council and currently appointed to the National Institute of Medicine (2016-2020). The NIH as continuously funded her research projects and training grants since 1990. As the Principal Investigator for several large R01 research projects, she is well-experienced in leading training, education and research projects, particularly those targeting AI/AN health issues including prevention (screening for cervical and breast cancer), diet and nutrition, smoking cessation, wellness concepts, diabetes, cancer pain self-management and environmental issues. Her research covers areas of developing and testing culturally sensitive intervention models for AI/AN populations. Publications include a prevalence study and cessation intervention at 14 American Indian clinics in California; an analysis of urban/rural smoking patterns; culturally sensitive interventions; and the cultural concepts of pain and chronic illness. The self-management of pain, barriers to cancer symptom management, and the improvement of communication and patient advocacy are more recent research topics. Her research covers areas of developing and testing culturally sensitive intervention models for vulnerable populations. Dr. Hodge teaches classes in research methods, ethnics, and AI/AN healthcare. She continues as a consultant to Tribes, AI/AN research projects, and Tribal Colleges.

Fernando Martinez serves as the project coordinator for the Center for American Indian/Indigenous Research & Education (CAIIRE) at the UCLA School of Nursing. He has worked as research staff on projects to develop and test culturally appropriate intervention models for American Indian/Alaska Native populations. The areas of research include cancer symptom management, cancer screening and prevention, diabetes, and tribal home visiting programs. Fernando also serves as the administrator for the T32 Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowship in Vulnerable Populations/Health Disparities.

Joslyn Santana (she/her/hers) is a second-year transfer studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a first-generation Peruvian who was born in Los Angeles and raised in Los Angeles and San Bernardino County. Having attended UC Santa Cruz for a year, she discovered the existence of environmental justice, and was able to connect her hometown experiences to her passion for social justice. She grew up the majority of her youth in Ontario, CA in San Bernardino County where first-hand experiences with poor air quality, and the effects on respiratory conditions in the area, were shared amongst the community. In this collective, she assisted in guiding the collective’s mission statement, and creating collaborations with established organizations focused on Environmental Justice and Social Justice.

Ted is a social change, strategy and communications professional with nearly 20 years of experience designing and managing political, advocacy and social marketing campaigns. As engagement and impact director at Vulcan Productions, he oversees the company’s partnerships, outreach and issue campaigns, working with film producers, creative agencies, policy experts and leading advocates across numerous social issues. With deep experiences in climate change, conservation, public health and human rights, Ted is an expert on deploying film, television and other media properties for social change. He speaks frequently before academic and film festival audiences, and has acted as an advisor at the Sundance Institute’s Producers Lab and other industry events.

Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Ted spent eight years in Washington working in public relations and public affairs, where he served clients ranging from non-profit organizations and filmmakers to Fortune 500 companies and foreign and local governments. He’s also worked on numerous political campaigns, both for national candidates and major political organizations. Ted has a Master of Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree from Syracuse University. He is a talented writer and speaker, and a seasoned strategist using deep research to drive multiplatform campaigns.

 

Dr. Ernest Holburt learned from first-hand experience about the plight of the Native Americans when he worked and lived as a general medical officer on the San Carlos Apache Reservation dealing with the health issues of the Apaches   During that time, he served as clinical director and collaborated with the CDC on health issues on the reservation.  Even though it has been over 30 years since he worked on the reservation, he never lost sight of the vulnerability of the people living on the San Carlos Reservation and their need to have their health issues addressed in an open forum.

An article in the Los Angeles Times, which addressed the health and environmental issues that are currently impacting the Apaches, reignited Dr. Holburt’s interest in helping the Apache by examining the genesis of those health issues.   His research has uncovered a cancer cluster related to the spraying of Agent Orange on the Apache population as well as contamination of the water from off-reservation copper mines. The resulting environmental damage and increase in cancer rates has negatively impacted the Apache population in ways that need to be addressed.  It is with this information that he was fortunate enough to connect with the IOES.

Dr. Holburt is a pathologist and CEO of a pathology laboratory in Murrieta, California.  He is on staff and Southwest Healthcare and Temecula Valley Hospital.  Prior to his present position, Dr. Holburt was a pathologist and Director of Microbiology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago.  He was also an assistant professor of pathology at Chicago Medical School.  Previously, he was a pathologist and Director of Microbiology at Cigna Laboratories in Phoenix.

Dr. Holburt holds a B.A. in Economics from UCLA, an M.D. from Wayne State University, and an M.P.H. from Harvard University, and did his residency in pathology at UCLA.  He lives with his wife in Fallbrook and enjoys hiking and travelling in his free time.

Leo Albea (he/him/his) is a 4th year Sociology student at UCLA. Aspiring to combine both media and the arts to uplift the narratives of underrepresented communities, Leo directed and executed the vision for the climate justice video series. He hopes this video can be used as a platform to recognize the communities and people who are left out of the mainstream environmental movement. On his free time, Leo enjoys dance, spoken word, and creating meme videos.

Lian Mae Agriam Tualla (she/they)  is a 2nd year Environmental Science major with in a minor in Environmental Systems and Society. With her interest in both multimedia and ethnic studies, she also hopes to pursue two additional minors in Digital Humanities and Asian American Studies. As a self-proclaimed multi-potentialite, she believes that multifaceted problems in Environmental Science need multifaceted people and solutions. She hopes to make sustainability accessible and relatable to marginalized communities through Environmental communications and policy. She is a founding member of the Environmentalist of Color Collective and has worked with community leaders, artivists, and grassroots organizers to help organize the Climate Justice Forum and produce ECC’s film.

Marjan Kris Abubo (he/him/his) is a history and urban planning student in his final year of undergrad. He draws from his experiences with environmental justice activism in Santa Barbara and from the community conditions he witnessed growing up in southeast LA to pursue a future career in environmental law and urban policy reform. In this collective, Marjan Kris helped steer the organization’s mission and vision guidelines, inspired by groups across other UC campuses, and is in the process of creating an environmental privilege walk toolkit. His current project is integrating vegetarianism in traditional Pilipinx recipes. He is a big Frank Ocean fan.