The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE) joined forces with Putney Pre-College, an initiative of Putney Student Travel, to host another year of youth summer programming on climate, equity, and health in July 2023.
Turning Knowledge into Climate Action
July 22-29, 2023 | Location: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Students dove into issues of climate change, equity, and public health alongside peers, educators, and leading professionals from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Each student chose an Action Focus based on their interests and explored how climate change is intertwined with public health, medicine, social justice, equity, economics, and policy. They gained perspective from scientists, health practitioners, policymakers, youth activists, climate creatives, and clean energy innovators at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis. They then took what they learned and transformed their ideas into a Community Action Plan, and returned home ready to address these issues in their communities.
The annual Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit trains students to be leaders in their communities through workshops, field-based activities, and meetings with scientists, health and policy experts, academics, energy innovators, and more.
The Youth Summits combine Putney’s extensive history of designing educational and innovative student programs with Harvard Chan C-CHANGE’s leadership putting health and equity at the center of climate actions.
Guest Speakers for Summer 2023


Gaurab Basu MD, MPH
Primary Care Physician and Co-Director of the Center for Health Equity Education and Advocacy at Cambridge Health AllianceInstructor, Harvard Medical School

Lindsey Butler, PhD
Director of Climate and Health Resilience, Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts

Aaron Bernstein MD, MPH
Director, National Center for Environmental Health & Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry at the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionFormer Director, Harvard Chan C-CHANGE






Christopher Golden, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Planetary Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health




Howard Koh MD, MPH
Former Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School


Kari Nadeau, MD PhD
Chair, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
John Rock Professor of Climate and Population Studies, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Erin O'Brien
Executive Director, Head of Small Molecule Development, Biogen

Samuel Rubin
Social Impact Strategist, Content Producer, Climate Storyteller, and Grassroots Activist.


Governor Peter Shumlin
81st Governor of VermontMenschel Senior Leadership Fellow, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Co-Director, Putney Student Travel

Meg Haywood Sullivan
Sustainability Strategist, Creative, Co-Founder of Plastic Free Fridays

Anne Theresa
Speaker, Educator, Climate Activist and Author of The Climate Optimist Handbook

Amanda Yarnell
Senior Director, Center for Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health