Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action
VCCA works to educate Virginian communities, health professionals, and lawmakers about the health impacts of climate change.
In 2015, pediatrician Dr. Samantha Ahdoot was asked to testify in front of the Virginia General Assembly, on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in support of a clean air bill. Virginia legislators were surprised and initially confused that a physician was speaking out about climate change, but many noted that the pediatrician's statement led them to support the bill, and the bill passed.
Following this experience, Dr. Ahdoot realized that the voice of health professionals was needed, and lacking in statewide discussions about climate action. She and other health professionals began meeting in the hospital conference room to talk about how they could educate, empower, and mobilize other health professionals to become advocates for climate solutions in Virginia.
Almost 10 years later, VCCA has over 650 members, with committees including Healthcare Sustainability, Nutrition, Legislative Advocacy, Education, and Climate Justice, who are engaged in action at health professional schools, communities, and health systems across the state of Virginia.
Fundraisers
Official fundraiser
Together for Tomorrow: Power VCCA’s Education Committee
Exciting News! We're hosting a special webinar as part of our fundraiser, featuring Dr. Elizabeth Ryznar , a leading psychiatrist and educator, on Tuesday, May 27th at 6:00 PM ET . Dr. Ryznar will speak on the impact of plastic and plastic waste on climate change and brain health — a critical and often overlooked connection in the climate-health conversation. Dr. Ryznar brings deep expertise to this topic, with training from Harvard, Oxford, Northwestern, and Johns Hopkins , and leadership roles at St. George’s University and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine . You won’t want to miss this timely and thought-provoking talk. Registration details:
We’ll share the webinar registration link with everyone who donates.
If you’re unable to donate but would like to attend, please email us at info@virginiaclinicians.org . The webinar supports the Virginia Climate and Health Education Collaborative (VCHEC) , part of Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action , which works to protect health by tackling climate change. Thanks to your generous support, we’ve already reached our initial $10,000 goal to host our largest-ever educational summit for health professional students. Now we’re setting our sights even higher. With your help, we can expand access for student attendees, support travel, and fund year-round programming — including student-led initiatives, mentorship, and leadership development — building a strong, statewide network of health professionals leading on climate and health. Every gift counts. Join us for this powerful conversation. Invest in the next generation of climate-health leaders. 📩 To sign up for updates, visit virginiaclinicians.org/join .
- Raised
- $13,082
- Goal
- $20,000
27 supporters
DonateDonors
Fred Scherlinder Dobb So much can be done at the state level -- and medical professionals are among the best and most trusted spokespeople -- thank you for all that you do, engendering public health and saving lives through education and advocacy as well as educ...
Pam and Bruce Tinker 1I am so proud of VCCA's initiatives to support Virginians' health and prevent harm from climate related illnesses and injuries!
Karin Newman 3I support the efforts of this group!
