Melissa Partin

"It’s always been important to me that the work I do has the potential to make a broad positive impact on society.  For many years I satisfied that itch conducting research to improve public health and optimize healthcare services, but that work began to feel relatively insignificant as I became more aware of the threats imposed by climate change. So a couple of years ago, pulled by a drive to do more to combat the climate crisis, I decided to back away from my health research roles in order to apply my skills and experience to advancing ambitious climate policy. I’m thrilled to join the talented and rigorous staff at MCEA in that effort."

Melissa graduated magna cum laude from the University of California-Santa Barbara with a BA in Sociology and has a MS in Epidemiology and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining MCEA, she provided independent research consulting for various environmental advocacy non-profits, including Fresh Energy, Sierra Club, and MN350.  She maintains a part-time position as Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and worked for many years as an Investigator and Associate Director at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System’s Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research.