Steward of God?s Creation Award

The Steward of God?s Creation award is bestowed to those individuals who exhibit courage and commitment in the caring and keeping of the earth in a heroic, distinguished and effective manner. Awardees are determined by a vote of religious leaders and bestowed at a public event, normally the National Prayer Breakfast for Creation Care, which is sponsored annually by a coalition of religious organizations and affiliates.

Dr. Lise Van Susteren
Bethesda, Maryland

Lise Van Susteren, M.D., works as a forensic psychiatrist and serves as an activist on climate change issues. Since 2006 she has delivered over 100 presentations regarding the scientific data on global warming to educational, religious, political, environmental and business audiences, including the US Department of Treasury and the US Secret Service. As a clinical psychiatrist, her profession requires full disclosure of a diagnosis, no matter how painful the news might be.  By bringing this same professional integrity to diagnosis of the climate problem, she has developed an acute awareness of its seriousness. This initially caused her to develop a slide show on the health effects of global warming, which she presented to medical professionals, educational institutions, and foundations.
   

In 2008 she organized scientists, medical professionals and military leaders to develop a report on the mental health and psychological impacts of climate change. Her report, “The Psychological Effects of Global Warming on the United States,” finally released in March, 2012, summarizes in graphic terms the deadly seriousness of the climate problem.
   

Not content with teaching alone, Lise simultaneously sought to place climate change firmly in our national consciousness. She organized the Interfaith Moral Action on Climate coalition (IMAC) and began to enlist activists who would teach the implications of climate change and advocate for meaningful action to address this global problem.
    

For her courage, leadership, and eloquent discourse in increasing public consciousness about these urgent environmental concerns, the NRCCC was please to award Dr. Lisa Van Susteren, MD, with its Steward of God’s Creation award at its April 23rd Conference on the Religious, Scientific and Cultural Implications of Climate Change at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, DC.