We have over 400 ANHE Members in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming! Let’s join together to assure that all individuals in the Pacific Northwest have access to clean air, water, and soil. 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.
Meet Your North West Regional Forum Organizer
Frances DeForrest, BSN, RN
Frances is a registered nurse having earned an Associate Degree in Nursing Science from Delaware Technical and Community College starting her nursing career in 1998. After raising two daughters and a grandson, as a solo parent. Frances went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Drexel University in 2015. During her nursing career, Frances started in a hospital setting then transitioned into a specialty of triage nursing that she applied to university, school and summer camp and telehealth settings. Frances also has experience caring for elder and veteran populations. As well as a birth doula in home and hospital settings. This has given Frances nursing experience with people across the lifespan of many populations.Frances’s environmental education began with her mother, a wandering botanist spending many a day traipsing through the Eastern woodlands. Frances now makes botanical print art that allows her to similarly experience the wonder of the natural areas while collecting leaves and medicinals.Frances spent years walking or riding bikes as year round transportation and was part of a group that made and ran biodiesel for 4 years in Missoula, MT. More recently Frances has developed a Botanical Art and Hemp Education business that is focusing on hemp lime construction as fire resistant housing material. This display also has a covered wagon style mini house that includes biobased hemp construction products such as wood, fabric, and plastic. Frances recently started writing articles for the Montana Cannabis Magazine. She has post bachelors degree continuing education in whole health, nutritional psychiatry and cannabis as medicine that includes looking at the connections between our soil health and gut microbiome. Frances has participated in ANHE events and Capitol Hill calls over the last decade. She looks forward to working with everyone to create a forum that shows environmentally beneficial actions by citizens in our communities as well as actions to take politically as we stand together to ensure our environment stays healthy.