ANHE has over 600 members in Delaware, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky! Let’s join together to protect clean water rights for our communities. We host events, share information about what’s going on, and create opportunities for nurses to talk to their legislators and each other about all things environmental health.
What We’re Working On
Tell the Department of Defense: Ohio Families Don’t Want PFAS Incineration!
The Pentagon wants to burn toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” at a hazardous waste incineration plant in East Liverpool—threatening the health of families in Ohio and neighboring Pennsylvania and West Virginia. But it’s not yet a done deal. Moms in the Ohio River Valley are speaking out against toxic air pollution in our region.
Tell Governor Morrisey and the WVDEP: Our Families Want Clean Air and Water!
West Virginia Nurses are working to curtail the buildout of plastics facilities in the Ohio River Valley while also advocating for community health protections from existing petrochemical operations. We are currently calling on Governor Morrisey and the Department of Environmental Protection to stop petrochemical expansion and keep out-of-state corporations from polluting our air and water.
Meet Your Central East Regional Forum Organizer
Vanessa Fisk MSN, RN, CCRC (she/her)
Vanessa is a registered nurse with nearly 20 years of experience in various settings, including the emergency department, population health, and clinical research. With a Master’s degree in Nursing Informatics, she combines clinical expertise with a passion for data-driven healthcare improvement. Committed to serving the community, Vanessa has volunteered as a team leader for the Kentucky Nurses Association Mobile Missions, providing COVID testing and vaccines in underserved communities, and currently serves as Vice Chair on the Board for Sweet Evening Breeze, a nonprofit committed to helping end LGBTQ+ young adult homelessness.
Vanessa is dedicated to achieving the best patient outcomes, and she recognizes that this goal requires urgent climate action. Her passion for climate and health equity fuels her commitment to educating others and advocating for sustainable healthcare practices. She has completed Sigma’s Virtual Mini-Academy: Global Advocacy, Nursing on the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis: From Education to Action, Climate Ambassador Training, and is currently participating in the Climate Advocacy Lab’s Climate + Health Peer Learning Circle. Vanessa knows that collective action is the only path forward, and she’s committed to being part of the solution.