Excellence in Global Health

Award Winner

Elizabeth Joseph is a two-time alumna of FIU. She earned her MPH in 1996 and her MSN/APRN in 2009. She is a Nurse Practitioner, currently working as a Nurse Educator for the Trauma/Burn/Medical Surgical Unit at Jackson Health System (JHS). Ms. Joseph’s commitment to global health began in 1996 when she served as an intern with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Her interest in the impact of climate change on society led to her attaining a certificate in Environmental Policy and International Sustainable Development from Harvard University in 2019.

As co-chair of the JHS Climate Committee, her focus on a healthy environment resulted in changes and initiatives such as decreasing Styrofoam use; increasing Recycling/Reprocessing at the Hospital; removing Toxic anesthetic gases from the OR; instituting EV charging stations and using 100% green cleaning materials. Through her efforts, JHS won the Environmental Excellence Award in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Ms. Joseph is also Co-Chair of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environment Practice Forum, the only national nursing organization focused on the intersection of health and environment.

She has given multiple presentations on climate change and its impact on health of vulnerable populations throughout the globe. Furthermore, she is mentoring young health professionals to become leaders in sustainability. In addition to her environmental activities, Ms. Joseph made multiple trips to Haiti as a disaster volunteer following the 2010 earthquake, and volunteered her services with Konbit Sante, a volunteer-driven organization that supports the development of a sustainable healthcare system for Haiti.

As Ms. Joseph’s nominator states, “I have witnessed her profound commitment and passion for improving the health and wellbeing of the global community through her various commitments and advocacy surrounding climate change, sustainability, research, and education.”