University of Illinois System

Illinois Weather and Public Health Response Summit 2025

About the Summit

Join public health professionals and community leaders from across Illinois for a two-day conference focused on addressing the health impacts of adverse weather events.

Who Should Attend?
  • Local health departments
  • Healthcare providers and administrators
  • Emergency preparedness staff
  • Community organizations and community health workers
Why Attend?
  • Learn from leading experts on weather science and public health.
  • Discover practical, public health strategies for preparedness and response to weather events.
  • Network with peers and partners committed to protecting community health.

Event Details

Date: November 12-13, 2025

Location: Student Center West, University of Illinois Chicago, 828 S. Wolcott Ave., Chicago, IL 60612

For questions or early inquiries, contact: healthnweather@uillinois.edu

Keynote Speaker

Eric Klinenberg

Eric Klinenberg, Ph. D.

Heat Wave and Lessons Learned

Helen Gould Shepard Professor of Social Science Director, Institute for Public Knowledge
New York University

Author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago (University of Chicago Press, 2002)

View Bio

Plenary Sessions

Illinois Response to Severe Weather: A Director-Level Discussion (Panel)
Sameer Vohra Profile Image

Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA

Director, Illinois Department of Public Health

Ted Berger Profile Image

Ted Berger, MA

Acting Director, Illinois Emergency Management Agency & Office of Homeland Security

James Jennings Profile Image

James Jennings, JD

Acting Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Jerry Costello II Profile Image

Jerry Costello II

Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture

Jack Herrmann Profile Image

Moderator: Jack Herrmann, DVM, MPH, DACT

Illinois State Board of Health

View Bios
Community Leadership in Public Health Preparedness: Centering Local Voices in Weather-Related Health Planning (Panel)
Sunshine Clemons Profile Image

Sunshine Clemons

Illinois Department of Public Health

Elizabeth Scrafford Profile Image

Elizabeth Scrafford

Sierra Club

Paulina Vaca Profile Image

Paulina Vaca (she/her)

Associate, Urban Resilience, Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)

Lubia Suterwala Profile Image

Moderator: Lubia Suterwala, MPH

Manager of Community Public Health Outreach

Illinois Department of Public Health

View Bios
Illinois Climate Health Explorer
Ian Brooks Profile Image

Ian Brooks, PhD

Director, Center for Health Informatics UIUC

View Bio
Combating Urban Heat with Smart Surfaces
Mimi Guiracocha Profile Image

Mimi Guiracocha, DNP, RN

American Lung Association

View Bio

Time Session

7:30 AM-8:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

8:30 AM-8:45 AM

Welcome Address

Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda, PhD, MA
University of Illinois Chicago

8:45 AM-9:00 AM

Welcome Video: Governor JB Pritzker

9:00 AM-10:00 AM


Community Leadership in Public Health Preparedness: Centering Local Voices in Weather-Related Health Planning (Panel)

Sunshine Clemons
Illinois Department of Public Health

Elizabeth Scrafford
Sierra Club

Paulina Vaca (she/her)
Associate, Urban Resilience,
Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT)

Moderator: Lubia Suterwala, MPH
Manager of Community Public Health Outreach
Illinois Department of Public Health

View Bios

10:15 AM-11:00 AM

Breakout Session 1: Thompson Room

Clinician and Health System Responses to Extreme Weather (Panel)

Lindsey Realmuto, MPH, PhD Cand.

Sheetal Khedkar Rao, MS, MD

Robert Needleman, MD

Michael Lenzi

View Bios

Breakout Session 1: SCW 206AB

The Grow Institute - A Community Perspective on Extreme Weather and Potential Solutions

Lisset Perez Carapia, MPH

View Bio

Breakout Session 1: SCW 213AB

Home Air Conditioning Use in Chicago, 2023-24: Description of Older Adults at Highest Risk of Harm from Heat.

Emile Jorgensen, MPH
Hannah Matzke, PhD, MS

View Bios

11:15 AM-12:00 PM

Breakout Session 2: Thompson Room

Building Back Better: Sustainable Recovery in a Changing Climate

Daniel Wallach, CEO of Birdhouse Farm
Ama Hapke Rosen, MPA

View Bios

Breakout Session 2: SCW 206AB

Disaster Strikes! How Do You Communicate with Your Partners?

Kelli Hun, BS

View Bio

Breakout Session 2: SCW 213AB

Critical Temperature Thresholds for Identifying Vulnerability to Heat-Related Excess Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Chicago.

Peter Graffy, PhD, MPH

View Bio

12:00 PM-12:45 PM

LUNCH

12:45 PM-1:45 PM


Illinois Climate Health Explorer
Ian Brooks, PhD

Director, Center for Health Informatics UIUC

View Bio

2:00 PM-2:45 PM

Breakout Session 3: Thompson Room

The National Weather Service and Public Health: How Do We Fit In?

Mike Bardou, BS
Edward Shimon, BS

View Bios

Breakout Session 3: SCW 206AB

Printing Preparedness -- How Hyperlocal Manufacturing Can Save the Planet

Tyler Woodard, CEM

View Bio

Breakout Session 3: SCW 213AB

Dust Storm Exposure and Allergy-Related Ambulatory Visits in a Chicago Pediatric Clinic

Allison Raymundo, BS

View Bio

3:00 PM-3:45 PM

Breakout Session 4: Thompson Room

Flood to Drought - How IDNR prepares and responds to water emergencies

Wes Cattoor, P.E., CFM

View Bio

Breakout Session 4: SCW 206AB

Child Health, Extreme Weather, and Parents’ Risk Perceptions

Marie Heffernan, PhD
Annika Macy

View Bios

Breakout Session 4: SCW 213AB

Illinois Climate & Health Data System: Advancing Climate-Health Solutions

Trent Ford, PhD, MS
Illinois State Climatologist

View Bio

4:00 PM-5:00 PM


Combating Urban Heat with Smart Surfaces
Mimi Guiracocha, DNP, RN

American Lung Association

View Bio

5:00 PM-5:30 PM

UIC Sustainability Tour

Time Session

7:30 AM-8:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

9:00 AM-10:00 AM

Heat Wave and Lessons Learned
Eric Klinenberg, Ph. D

Helen Gould Shepard Professor of Social Science

Director, Institute for Public Knowledge

New York University

Author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago (University of Chicago Press, 2002)

View Bio

10:15 AM-11:00 AM

Breakout Session 1: Thompson Room

"Weathering" the Storm: A Look at Disparities Caused by Intentional Inequity & Severe Weather

Sunshine Clemons

View Bio

Breakout Session 1: SCW 206AB

Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? Tiny Biters and Their Expanding Empire

Samantha Kerr, MS
April Holmes, MPH

View Bios

Breakout Session 1: SCW 213AB

Early Warning System for the State of Illinois

Ashish Sharma, PhD

View Bio

11:15 AM-12:00 PM

Breakout Session 2: Thompson Room

2023 Derecho Led to the Establishment of a New MRC Unit

Connor Dotson, BS, CHEC-II

View Bio

Breakout Session 2: SCW 206AB

Community-Centered, Health-Safe Nature-Based Solutions for Cooling and Flood Mitigation

Ahram Cho, PhD
Miquel Gonzalez-Meler, PhD

View Bios

Breakout Session 2: SCW 213AB

Tagging, Tracking, and Responding: ESSENCE Surveillance Strategies During Extreme Weather Events

Joel Flax-Hatch, MSPH
Brandon Paetznick, BS

View Bios

12:00 PM-12:45 PM

LUNCH

12:45 PM-1:45 PM

Illinois Response to Severe Weather: A Director-Level Discussion (Panel)

Sameer Vohra, MD, JD, MA
Director, Illinois Department of Public Health

Ted Berger, MA
Director, Illinois Emergency Management Agency & Office of Homeland Security

James Jennings, JD
Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Jerry Costello II
Director, Illinois Department of Agriculture

Moderator: Jack Herrmann, DVM, MPH, DACT
Illinois State Board of Health

View Bios

2:00 PM-2:45 PM

Breakout Session 3: Thompson Room

Hazard Mitigation throughout Illinois

Zachary Krug, MPA, BA
Jeffrey Thompson

View Bios

Breakout Session 3: SCW 206AB

When the Power's Out: Food Safety Actions for Emergencies

Darrah Dunlap, MPH, LEHP
Anna Yates, BS

View Bios

Breakout Session 3: SCW 213AB

Curating and Integrating Heterogeneous Weather, Nature, and Health data: Geospatial Data and Analysis Core of UIC CECHE

Sanjib Basu, PhD
Melissa Fiffer, PhD

View Bios

3:00 PM-3:45 PM

Breakout Session 4: Thompson Room

Hot Mess: Extreme Heat, Failing Infrastructure, and the Strain on Healthcare Systems

KC Booth, DNP, RN, CNL
Mackenzie Daniels, BSN, RN

View Bios

Breakout Session 4: SCW 206AB

Applying Community Health Needs Assessments to Promote Resilience to Adverse Weather Events

Warren Lavey, JD, MS
Holly Rosencranz, MD

View Bios

Breakout Session 4: SCW 213AB

Building a Community-Driven and Public Health Data Informed Heat Vulnerability Index

Finley Miles Hay-Chapman, PhD

View Bio

3:45 PM-4:00 PM

Closing Remarks

Sameer Vohra, MD, JD
Director, Illinois Department of Public Health

Hotels

Hyatt Place Chicago – Medical/University District

United Center | Hyatt Place Chicago - University District

$223/gov rate

1835 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60612

Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago Medical District UIC

United Center | Hyatt Place Chicago - University District

$208/gov rate

710 S Seeley Ave, Chicago, IL 60612

Transportation

Airports

Airports:

CTA Buses & Trains

Chicago Transit Authority - CTA Buses & Train Service
1-888-YOUR-CTA

Train Stops near venue:

  • BLUE LINE - UIC / Illinois Medical District – 10min walk
  • PINK LINE - Polk – 5min walk

Bus Stops near venue:

  • Damen & Polk (#50) - 4min walk
  • Polk & Wolcott (#157) - 2min walk
  • Polk & Wood (#7 / #157) - 5min walk

Bikes

Locate bikes and docks | Divvy

Car/Parking

Parking passes may be purchased in advance for $12 for each day.
Parking purchased on-site at the conference will be $15 per day.

Visitor Parking Lots:

Amex, Bills, Checks, Coins, Debit cards, Discover, MC/Visa accepted on-site

About the Summit

The Illinois Department of Public Health’s first annual Illinois Weather and Public Health Response Summit will bring together public health professionals, emergency preparedness staff, healthcare providers, administrators, and community-based organizations from across Illinois to examine the health impacts of adverse weather events.

The summit will include presentations and discussions on preparedness strategies, community-led responses, and public health approaches to weather-related emergencies. Sessions will highlight grassroots initiatives, partnerships, and programs serving vulnerable and historically underserved populations.

This conference is proudly Green Certified by the University of Illinois System, reflecting our commitment to sustainability. We’re taking steps to reduce the environmental footprint of the event and encourage attendees to do the same.

As an in-person attendee, you can help support a greener conference by:

  • Bringing a reusable water bottle and coffee mug — hydration and coffee stations will be available on-site
  • Using green transportation options, such as public transit, carpooling, biking, or walking whenever possible
  • Participating in waste reduction efforts, including recycling stations available throughout the venue
  • Minimizing printed materials — digital agendas will be provided via QR code

Venue Amenities

Restrooms: Gendered restrooms can be found down the hallways along either side of the Thompson Room. One or more restrooms may be converted into a gender-fluid restroom upon request.

Water Fountain & Bottle Filling Station: There is a combined water fountain-bottle filling station down the hallways next to the restrooms along either side of the Thompson Room.

Lactation Room: The Lactation Room can be found on the second floor of Student Center West along the west corridor of the building in Room 216C. Room 216C can be found by entering the hallway just west of the Thompson Room, turning left down the second hallway. Room 216C is the first door on your right, across from Room 213.
The Lactation Room is only accessible by one user at a time using the designated key. The key for the Lactation Room must be retrieved from the Building Manager team in the Student Center Administration office on the east side of the second floor by leaving an ID card, or other form of collateral. Please do not leave Student Center West before returning the key and retrieving your ID card.

Wheelchair Lift: Student Center West offers a wheelchair lift to get from the main event space/second floor to Room 218/219, located behind the Thompson Room. The wheelchair lift is accessible by all building guests. To use the lift simply press the switch found directly next to the wheelchair lift door. The wheelchair lift door will not open until the lift has reached either the top or bottom of its track. If you have any trouble using the lift, please visit the Student Center Administration down the hallway to receive assistance.