Lila Nordstrom

Lila Nordstrom is a writer, activist, and the founder of StuyHealth, an advocacy group representing former students who were in lower Manhattan during 9/11 and the resulting cleanup and has deep expertise in community health advocacy, disaster recovery, and the needs of youth disaster populations. Lila served three terms on the WTC Health Program’s Scientific/Technical Advisory Committee, has worked with NIOSH, the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to raise awareness about the health programs in place to support 9/11 survivors, and has organized numerous trips to Washington, DC to advocate for the 9/11 community's needs. In June 2019, Lila testified before the House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the estimated three hundred thousand NYC community members eligible for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and in December 2019 she was awarded New York City’s Bronze Medallion, New York City’s highest civic honor. Lila's book, "Some Kids Left Behind," covering the 20 year battle to ensure permanent funding for the 9/11 community's health needs, was published in August 2021 from Apollo Publishers. Lila's work with StuyHealth has been featured in the New York Times, the Economist, the New York Daily News, and other outlets. She's been interviewed by CBS This Morning, Fox News, ABC News, podcasts like The Guilty Feminist, and many more. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, the New York Daily News, Huffington Post, Bustle, Pasadena Weekly, and other outlets. In 2020, she was named a Fellow by the Equality California Institute Leadership Academy. Originally from New York City, Lila now lives in Los Angeles, California.

Specific areas of expertise include:
*How to address the long-term health impacts of major disasters and how broader American health policies fail disaster victims
*How youth and children are impacted by major disasters and failed by post-disaster policies
*How to build effective post-disaster public health policies and programs
*Necessary physical and mental health resources for communities facing disaster
*Advocating for your committees as a young person
*Advocating for you community as young woman