Global Community Health Annual Workshop – fifth edition

Download the presentation of Nancy Neamtan

Download the presentation of Alafia Samuels

Download the presentation of Khanitta Saeiew

Tanguy Bognon is a Senior Public Health specialist and PhD candidate with more than 17 years extensive expertise in Health promotion, health program management and a large experience in health system strengthening. He has a strong expertise in coordinating scientific meetings, training, research department coordinating, international conference reporting for more than 15  years. He participated in more than 15 international conferences as speaker. He is passionate about social determinants of health, health inequalities and climate change. He has completed more than 300 certificates in diverse areas including, community health, health in all policies, cluster coordination, advocacy, health impact assessment, emergency preparedness/response, infodemic management as well as research ethics. He is bilingual (French and English) and has multifaceted skills for a significant impact on any organization. Activist engaged in public policy analysis, social inequalities assessment, community and fight against social exclusion for more than 20 years for impactful and sustainable health interventions.

Download the presentation of Tanguy Bognon

خلاصه: Community health activism is a powerful lever for empowering local communities. It is based on the direct involvement of local people in defending their right to health and co-constructing responses tailored to their needs. This type of activism mobilises community players (communities, associations, local leaders) who become agents of change, making it easier for people to take control of their own health. Implementation mechanisms include training for local players, participatory advocacy and the structuring of community initiatives around multi-sector partnerships. However, a number of challenges remain: precarious funding, volunteer fatigue, and weak links between community players and formal healthcare systems. To strengthen its impact, it is essential to formalise the roles of activists, guarantee sustainable technical and financial support, and integrate community approaches into public policies.

Download the presentation of Giulia Gasparri

Surabhi Dogra is a public health practitioner and development communications professional with experience of working in global, national and local public health initiatives. She has worked with children, adolescents, young people and women in rural and urban low-income communities in India. She is passionate about harnessing communications to address public health challenges and emerging threats affecting young people. She was a Youth Commissioner of the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing. Her areas of interest include adolescent, digital and environmental health.

خلاصه: NCD (Non-Communicable Disease) Price Tag. I created the NCD Price Tag to reflect the price adolescents and young people have to pay due to the cost of inaction on NCDs. This price tag can be used as a participatory tool to reflect on the NCD risks faced by you / your community’s / your country.
We all have an NCD Price Tag. Our price tags may have some things in common and may also have some differences. But no two price tags would look the same, even from the same country. Apart from risks, NCD price tags can also include some of the positive participatory actions taken at the community level.
Using the customisable Canva template, you can create an NCD Price Tag:

1. To reflect the current state of NCDs in your community/country
2. To share projections of state of NCDs in your community/country if participatory methods are not adopted for addressing CDoH
3. To envision future ideal state of NCDs of our communities/ countries where healthy, fair and climate smart communities are being built

I would encourage workshop participants to join this activity, share on social media to call for action to address the NCD burden of your community/country.

Ms Denise Fatoumata Ndour is the Managing Director of the Sen’Finances Foundation, which is committed to financial inclusion in Senegal. She has over 30 years’ experience in social and solidarity finance, particularly in microfinance and support for small rural businesses. She holds masters degrees in applied mathematics and econometrics, a postgraduate diploma (DESS) in management information systems, and a FIPED certificate from Harvard University. The author of several publications, she co-authored ‘Experiences of Microfinance in Senegal’. She is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Global Social Economy Forum (GSEF), where she co-pilots the ‘Finance and SSE’ working group. Since 2022, she has been President of INAISE, the International Association of Investors in the Social Economy. She campaigns for an economy and finance that are ethical, inclusive and focused on people’s needs.

خلاصه: This interview with Ms Ndour invites us to reflect on the links between the social/solidarity-based economy and the community health sector, which share values of solidarity, sharing and equity. In Senegal, the social/solidarity-based economy is a key sector of the economy, with an entire ministry dedicated to it. Several examples of initiatives and structures helping to improve quality of life, living conditions and health are presented. Social and solidarity economy approaches can be used by community health actors to strengthen the capacities of local communities, particularly their financial capacities, and thus act on the determinants of health.

Ainhoa Ruiz Azarola. PhD in Health Sciences from the University of Seville. Degree in Philosophy and Arts and Master in Health Promotion and Community Health (University of Granada). She has been working at the Andalusian School of Public Health since 2003 on research, consultancy, teaching and international cooperation projects related to inequalities and health promotion, policy analysis and health access for migrants, health-promoting environments and urban health. She has coordinated the Red Isir (Migration and Health Network) since 2011. She teaches in the European Master in Public Health and Master in Health Promotion and Community Health. She is currently president of the Andalusian Society of Public Health (SASPAS-HIPATIA).

Jaime Jiménez Pernett (Industrial Engineer, Master in Applied Economics, PhD in Public Health) is a project technician, lecturer and researcher in the International Health Area of the Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP). His research focuses on citizen participation in deliberative processes, with emphasis on the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the formulation of health policies. He has also participated in the analysis of the health status of migrants and their interactions with health systems in the context of Andalusia, Europe, the Maghreb and Latin America. He has recently promoted online training activities to develop refugee/migrant-sensitive health services in Europe.

Olga Leralta BA in Political Sciences and Sociology, expert in Latin-American Studies, Migration Policies and Legislation, Intercultural Mediation and Health Promotion in Health Care, Education and Social contexts. Professional activity in research, consultancy and teaching at Andalusian School of Public Health (EASP) since 2007, with focus on access to health care for migrants and refugees, health promotion programs, health professionals training networks and training of trainer’s methodologies.  Member of the EASP team elaborating training contents and participating in the design and development of both face to face and online courses for health professionals working with migrant and other vulnerable population.

خلاصه: The Red Isir (Migration and Health Network) team presents a summary of the current state and challenges of community health in Spain. Community health is promoted as a national strategy, with central government funding and execution delegated to regional governments, most of which have developed their own strategies. In some regions, implementation is still in progress, but there is notable intersectoral coordination and professional training. However, barriers such as staff shortages and limited experience in community engagement persist. Commercial determinants of health include the unequal availability and affordability of healthy foods in urban areas, the greater exposure of children from low-income families to unhealthy food advertising, and the lack of community tools to critically address pressures from industries promoting unhealthy products. Another key aspect is that, despite the existence of legal frameworks to promote citizen participation, there are ongoing challenges to ensure the effective inclusion and recognition of vulnerable groups, such as migrants, in decision-making processes. Community organizations have developed valuable participatory processes, often outside institutional channels. The team emphasizes the need for genuine participation and a focus on living conditions and environments to strengthen community health initiatives.

Lul Admasachew is an affiliate researcher of the UNESCO Chair on Global Health and Education as of late 2024. Her submitted work has focused on mental health in Ethiopia. She is also dedicated to academic freedom and upholding diverse ways of scholarly communication including at Journal of Comparative and International Higher Education where she is a regional editor for Sub-Saharan Africa. Lul was a UK based academic for a decade before resorting to practice in 2012. She has also contributed to the consultation of UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report of 2024, which has focused on leadership.

Zahra Aghaei, born in Tehran, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in laboratory science and a master’s degree in biochemistry from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. She served as a research expert in the university’s international branch for 10 years. For the past 6 years, she has worked as an international relations development specialist under the vice-president of international affairs at the university. Four years ago, she took on the responsibility of establishing the university’s grant room.

Tomiwa Akinsanya is a global digital health consultant with nearly a decade of experience advancing youth and maternal health through digital innovation and behavioral science. She holds a B.Sc. in Physiology and an MPH in Child and Adolescent Health. Tomiwa specializes in research, project management, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement to drive equitable, youth-centered health systems. She also serves as an officer in the Emerging Professionals Network of the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH), supporting leadership and capacity-building initiatives. Guided by empathy, innovation, and integrity, she is passionate about inclusive digital health systems that empower young people and communities globally.

Yasmine Asaad is a primary care physician and teaching assistant in public health interested in health equity. She is a Cochrane US research trainee. She has experience leading multiple community engagement campaigns, reaching more than 200 individuals directly.

My name is Brahim Assoubay and I am 39 years old. I am a Moroccan national and a graduate of the National School of Public Health in Rabat, specialising in Health Programme Management. I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and Development from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir.

Marie Auz is a professional involved in health promotion and social development. She works to improve the health of vulnerable populations and reduce social inequalities. She favours participatory and inclusive approaches with a variety of audiences. Her work focuses on health education, equity and social justice. She has contributed to a number of local and cooperative projects strengthening links between educational, social, health and public health players. Today, she is putting her skills to good use in a number of areas, including supporting the development of a migrant women’s health project in Central America.

Sarah Chaput – As director of the Americas section of the « Réseau francophone international pour la promotion de la santé (RÉFIPS) » (International Francophone Network for Health Promotion), Sarah Chaput works with many stakeholders on capacity building health promotion projects. Sarah has completed a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and a master’s degree in Public Health from the “Université de Montréal”, and has worked as a scientific advisor for the “Institut national de santé publique du Québec”. While she initially worked on food access issues, her scope of practice has broadened in the last years to include more comprehensive approaches to health promotion. Sarah values the sharing of knowledge and expertise in health promotion in a perspective of sustainable health and win-win relationships between stakeholders.

Dr Togbanan Cherif is a committed public health professional with a solid medical background (Gamal Abdel Nasser University, Conakry, Guinea) and a professional Master’s degree in Population and Health from the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population at the University of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). With over a decade of experience, he works to improve community health in Chad through approaches centered on human rights, equity, sustainability and community participation. At the NGO BASE, he is currently coordinating the programme financed by the Global Fund to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, with a particular focus on integrating community-based approaches into public health policies. He has also led the COVID-19 response project (C19RM), ensuring that the social and commercial determinants of health are taken into account in interventions. As facilitator of a community health hub at the 2025 Global Workshop, Dr CHERIF brings a vision rooted in local and regional realities, while advocating for fairer, more resilient health systems that are free from the harmful influence of commercial interests that run counter to people’s health. Its commitment is guided by the conviction that communities must be at the centre of all health policies, and that sustainable transformation depends on their empowerment.

Joanna Collet. I am an interdisciplinary doctoral student in health and society at UQAM. My research focuses on innovative learning spaces that promote healthy lifestyles among primary school pupils, with an emphasis on the use, appreciation and appropriation of these spaces by Lab-École school stakeholders. With its direct link to healthy lifestyle habits, this project falls within my areas of expertise and gives me the opportunity to contribute to a collective reflection on children’s health. It also gives me the opportunity to share current issues relating to health promotion in schools.

Liane Comeau has been the Executive Director of the International Union for Health Promotion and Health Education (IUHPE) since April 2018. She has worked in a pan-Canadian NGO, Invest in Kids, as Director of Research and Evaluation, and as Specialized Scientific Advisor at the “Institut national de santé publique du Québec” (INSPQ), focusing on health promotion initiatives targeting children, adolescents and families. She holds a doctorate in developmental psychology from McGill University (2004). She has published scientific papers on various topics including mental health and child development, and co-authored several reports on policy-relevant public health topics while at the INSPQ.

Satarupa Dasgupta, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Communication Arts (Applied Communication) at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Her research focuses on health communication, program development and evaluation, and social outreach, with experience spanning academia and the not-for-profit sector. She has worked on violence prevention among commercial sex workers, prevention of sex trafficking, and rehabilitation of sex trafficking survivors in international settings, and also on intimate partner violence support service provision among immigrant communities in the US. Other than being an academic, she has been a sexual assault support services advocate in her state of residence, and has worked in the implementation of federally funded support services programs. She has published extensively in her area of expertise, has served several national and international organizations as program chair, and is on the editorial board for several journals.

Oumar Bella Diallo, a Senegalese citizen, holds a Master 2 in teaching life and earth sciences, a Licence 3 professionnelle in education and health promotion, and a Licence 3 in biology, chemistry and geosciences. He studied science and technology, specialising in life and earth sciences, at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. As a professional involved in health promotion, he works to improve the health of vulnerable populations and reduce social inequalities in health. For the third year running, he is keen to put his skills and experience at the service of this global workshop on community health. He was a junior researcher and member of the advisory committee for the HIRA (Héberger, Informer, Resocialiser et Autonomiser) action-research project, led by the LASPAD (Laboratoire d’Analyses des Sociétés et des Pouvoirs / Afrique Diaspora) at the Université Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis. The project explored the political and social challenges of caring for the health of adolescent victims of sexual and gender-based violence in Senegal. Oumar is also Ambassador for the Mental Health Leadership and Advocacy programme of the Africa CDC, an initiative of the African Union.

Rosalie Aduayi Diop, Director of IPDSR, holds a master’s degree in Health, Environment and Sustainable Territories (SSEnTS) from the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ) She is a teacher/researcher at the Institute of Population, Development and Reproductive Health at Cheikh Diop University in Dakar (IPDSR/UCAD). She has a PhD in sociology from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). Dr Diop is involved in a wide range of teaching and research activities in Senegal, focusing on issues such as changes in the family, adolescents and young people in vulnerable situations, violence and reproductive health, and maternal health. She is also an active member of the Association internationale des sociologues de langue française (AISLF); research committee No. 28 Sociologie de la Jeunesse; the International Sociological Association (ISA); and recently a committee member of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE).

Ange-Marie Nicodème Esse, MSc. Health Promotion, is a community health advocate and National Coordinator of the Health Access Initiative (HAI) in Benin. With more than eight (08) years of professional experience, he has successfully led community initiatives aimed at strengthening the health system in Benin and improving access to health in rural and peri-urban areas. An active member of the Réseau Francophone International Pour la Promotion de la Santé (REFIPS) and Consultant-Coordinator of the Pauvreté urbaine et justice en Afrique de l’Ouest project at Justice & Empowerment Initiatives (JEI), his career path reflects his passion for improving global health policies and engaging young people in tackling global challenges. Over the past five years, he has developed expertise in participatory action research on poverty and the impact of the legal empowerment approach in sub-Saharan Africa.

Carole Faucher is a socio-anthropologist and researcher affiliated with the University of Clermont Auvergne and the UNESCO Chair in Global Health and Education. She is a member of the coordination team for the European Educational Research Association (EERA) Network 8, ‘Research in Health Education and Wellbeing’, and the associate editor of the Emerald Publishing journal Health Education. Her research interests include health promotion and education, identity processes, student well-being in fragile settings, disaster risk reduction education, mental health promotion, and the co-production of knowledge in health promotion. Over the past 25 years, she has published extensively on these topics and taught in various regions of the world, including Europe, North Africa, West Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.

Helena Franceschini is a Project Officer at the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education. She holds a Master’s degree from the École Normale Supérieure (Lyon, France) in European and International Studies, with a focus on geography and social sciences. Her research background includes environmental geography and water management, with experience in the WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) framework. Helena is committed to advancing the One Health approach and promoting the active participation of young people in health initiatives. Her work centres on health promotion, healthy ageing, and health learning pathways in schools, fostering inclusive and sustainable health promotion practices.

Pablo García-Cubillana de la Cruz currently works at the Andalusian Health Service and the Regional Ministry of Health and Consumers Affairs of Andalusia, Spain, as Director of the Andalusian Strategy for Healthy Living. He is a Nurse and Psychologist, with specialisation in mental health nursing, relational psychotherapy and health promotion. Much of his professional career has been developed in the field of mental health and since 2018 in the field of health promotion, encouraging new advances in the field of the promotion of healthy living, with a comprehensive and intersectoral approach, a salutogenic view and an emphasis on the social determinants of health.

Antonio Garrido Porras is a clinical psychologist (specialized training in the PIR system). He works in the coordination of the Andalusian Strategic Health Plan for Children and Adolescents, which includes areas such as birth preparation, child and adolescent health monitoring, mental health and early care, complex chronic pediatric patients, humanization of pediatric care, development of child health information systems, protection against violence, and care for childhood obesity, among others. He has worked for 12 years in the Andalusian child protection system.

Assane Gueye is a dietician and holds a degree3 in Education and Health Promotion. With 10 years’ significant experience in implementing community projects, particularly in the fields of nutrition, food security and social and behavioural change, I have held various positions as facilitator, coach and supervisor in projects run by national and international NGOs such as Counterpart International, Helen Keller International and Caritas.

Abubakar Ibrahim Hassan, Ph.D is an expert in Community Health Education and School Health Programme. He was a former Head of Department, Human Kinetics and Health Education, and the current Dean, Faculty of Education, Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria, a Member of Senate and Research Ethics Committee on Science, Environment and Technology of the University. He also worked in Primary, Secondary and College of Education, supervised many Ph.Ds, M.Sc(Ed) and Undergraduate Students, a SAGE Reviewer and a Principal Investigator in TETFUND Institutional Based Research. Dr. Abubakar is the CEO/Founder of Community Education and Health Promotion Initiative (CEHPI), Chairperson, Kano State Chapter and National Auditor of Nigerian Association of Health Educators.

Vladimir Donan Honfo has a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and is currently in the process of defending a Master’s degree in Public Health with a Community Health option. He has contributed to a number of major health and nutrition programmes, including PMASN, PNDPE and Zéro-Palu in several communities and NGOs in Benin. A former assistant coordinator at the Conseil d’Alimentation et de Nutrition (Food and Nutrition Council), he is continuing his quest for excellence to achieve sustainable improvements in community health through nutritional and public health interventions.

Joy Ukanne Ikegulu is a Researcher of Health Promotion and Public Health Education at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.She has published and co-authored scientific papers on various topics in Health Promotion.She is an Exco of the Nigeria Association of Health Educators (Anambra State Chapter) Nigeria,and a member of Health Promotion Research Association of Nigeria.

Fifamè Loristia Keynesse Kpadonou is a Beninese professional in public health, nutrition and epidemiology. She is pursuing a Master’s degree in Epidemiology at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Cotonou and has over five years’ experience in project management, clinical nutrition, communication and research. She has worked with UNICEF, IRD and the Ministry of Health. Multilingual (French, Fon, Goun, English, Mina, Adja), she is proficient in digital data collection tools. Highly committed, she is a volunteer in several NGOs and a member of the Youth Parliament for Food Security in Benin.

Carole Matchuindem, who is passionate about reducing human suffering, obtained a doctorate in general medicine in Cameroon. As well as providing clinical care, she has worked in NGOs to promote women’s and children’s health. In Canada, determined to act upstream on health issues, she worked as an occupational health and safety consultant before taking a Master’s degree in public health at the Université de Montréal, majoring in health promotion, after which she became a project manager at RÉFIPS. She is now pursuing a professional doctorate in public health at the School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal, while remaining an active member of RÉFIPS. Her areas of interest include reducing social inequalities in health, and promoting positive, child and women’s mental health.

Abdou Khaly Mbodj holds a master’s degree in community health from the Université Alioune Diop in Bambey, Senegal. He is general manager of the Rao Bussiness Kheweul company and coordinator of the Dekkandoo consortium as part of the implementation of the Project to Strengthen Nutrition in Saint Louis du Sénégal (PRN2S). He is also a lecturer on the professional degree course in education and health promotion at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, co-organised with the UNESCO Chair in Education and Health.

Anna Larice Meneses Galvão is a PhD candidate in Public and Community Health at Université Laval, where she researches the integration of public health and primary care. With a strong background in nursing, health systems and services management, and public health, she brings academic and practical experience to her work. She is a research assistant at Université Laval, president of the board of directors of the community organization CAI, and actively participates in the VITAM Research Center through the student committee, she coordinates career development activities and participates in community projects focused on health equity and immigrant populations.

Didier Mudwahefa Anzenza .Trained as a meteorological engineer (ISTA-RD Congo), I have a master’s degree in Health, Environment and Territory (Université Paris Saclay) and a master’s degree in Geography, Planning and Governance in Southern Countries (Université de Franche-Comté). I’m currently doing an interdisciplinary PhD in health and society (Université du Québec à Montréal) and am a member of the student committee of the Communautés Rurale et éloignés en Santé (CARES) network and the Observatoire sur la santé mentale étudiante en enseignement (OSMÉES). I am very interested in studying the social and environmental determinants of vector-borne diseases. Alongside my studies, I co-founded THEn-So, a Congolese environmental and social assessment company, in 2016. I am also a member of the Association Québécoise pour l’Hygiène, la Santé et la Sécurité au Travail (AQHSST) and the Association québécoise de la vérification environnementale (AQVE). I enjoy teaching maths to young people using a playful/situational approach, contemplating nature, listening to music and dancing. As I’m passionate about educating young people, I’m also Co-ordinator of the Canadian mentoring programme at the Academy of Science and Technology (Ascitech).

Asyncrite Ntoto is a general practitioner, entrepreneur, and coach in sexual and reproductive health. She plays a pivotal role in designing and updating the national family life education program in partnership with the Ministry of Education (MINESPT). She has also actively contributed to integrating sexual and reproductive health concepts into nine vocational training curricula, in collaboration with partners such as UNESCO, UNFPA, NGOs, and educational institutions. With over eight years of experience in community project management in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she has led several impactful initiatives in health and education across regions including Matadi, Mbanza-Ngungu, Kisantu, and Kinshasa. Deeply committed to social change, she focuses her energy on high-impact projects that serve youth and vulnerable communities.

Yetunde Adenike Oguntokun, the Principal Partner at Behaviour Modification Media, has a Master’s degree in Psychology (Clinical) and has attended courses and workshops on health promotion. A vibrant creative, she fuses her passion for health promotion and background in behavioural health with her gift for story telling to communicate health messages in everyday language. She has initiated several community health education projects including ‘The Mindset’ seminar series on mental health; ’My Life, My Choice’ interactive adolescents substance abuse prevention sessions; ’In Transit’ road safety radio drama series; ’Kajay Street’ multi-platform health edutainment drama series; and  ‘@onthemindset’, a health promotion tele-magazine series on YouTube.

Temi Olagunju is a global health advocate and trained physiotherapist with a Master’s in Public Health from Glasgow Caledonian University, London. She is currently transitioning into the public health field and brings a unique blend of clinical experience, systems thinking, and high-quality, methodologically robust research to equity-driven programs focused on adolescents and marginalised youth. Temi has conducted research on COVID-19 and is especially interested in opportunities that advance infectious disease prevention, health equity, and inclusive systems for young people. She serves as Deputy Network Coordinator for HAPPIA and is a member of UN Women UK, contributing to CSW events promoting gender justice. She is committed to advancing youth health equity through inclusive design and cross-collaboration. 

Dr. Chrysantus Onwurah, is a lecturer and researcher at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. She has PhD in Public Health Education. Her expertise lies in health promotion, public health education, and mental health. She is passionate about empowering individuals and communities to make informed health decisions. Her research focuses on sexual risk behaviors, health promotion strategies, public health policy and mental health interventions. I am excited to share my knowledge and collaborate with like-minded professionals to drive positive change. Thank you 

Negin Rasoulzad is a Master’s student in Health Education and Health Promotion at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran. She is the project manager of “Az Madreseh”, an educational technology startup focused on school health. She also works as a project assistant at the Health Promotion Settings Innovation Center of SBMU.  She is also a member of the Young Professionals Editorial Group at the UNESCO Chair Global Health and Education. She has been actively engaged in youth-centered health promotion initiatives including collaborations with Tehran Municipality. Her work blends innovation, design, and public health to support healthier educational environments.

Sophie Remoue Gonzales MD, Msc,FAA,DABOM is a French-Peruvian pediatrician and Youth Engagement Director for the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH). She is triple board-certified in pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and obesity medicine, with more than ten years of experience in adolescent and global health. Based in Houston, she provides care to immigrant and refugee youth at the largest community health center in the southern United States and serves as a volunteer Assistant Professor at the University of Houston College of Medicine. She holds a Master’s in Global Health Policy from LSHTM, serves as an expert advisor for Stanford’s Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Project, and has contributed to WHO’s Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (Global AA-HA!) framework, promoting equity and youth-focused health policies.

Lola Rodríguez Ruz is the regional coordinator of the Andalusian Local Health Action Network (RELAS), a program that advises and supports municipalities in addressing public health in their local areas. She is part of the group that develops the Andalusian Community Health Strategy and has been working in public health for 15 years, developing and collaborating on various health promotion programs. She is a social worker and holds a degree in health and gender from the Andalusian School of Public Health and the University of Granada, with extensive training in public health.

Prof. Majda Sebbani (MD, MPh, PhD) is a medical teacher and researcher specialising in public health (community medicine, preventive medicine, epidemiology and hygiene). Head of the public health department at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Marrakech, Morocco (FMPM-UCA). She holds an MPh in Intervention and Health Promotion from Nancy (France), as well as a PhD in Health Promotion and a DU in University Pedagogy (UCA). She is currently studying for a PhD in Medical Education at the UDREM at the University of Geneva (Switzerland). Majda works in the clinical research department at CHU Mohammed VI. She is also a professional coach (LCP-accredited by ICF).

Amets Suess Schwend, PhD in Social Anthropology, MA Arts Therapies and BA/MA Sociology. They work in research, teaching and consultancy at the Andalusian School of Public Health, Area of International Health, Granada, Spain, and collaborate as PhD supervisor at the University of Granada. Their recent publications focus on intersex and trans studies, human rights, depathologization and research epistemologies, methodologies and ethics. 

Gildas Vieira, who has a doctorate in public health, is Managing Director of FRAPS-Fédération des Acteurs en Promotion de la Santé. Chairman of the Think Tank Kama Afrique Vision and a municipal and community councillor for 11 years, he was deputy mayor for community life and participatory democracy. A teacher and trainer, his research focuses on interculturality and community health, hence his forthcoming 8^th book, entitled ‘Santé communautaire et interculturalité’ (Community health and interculturality). He believes that health promotion is an important factor in reducing social inequalities in health, which is why, through his political and professional advocacy work, he plays a key role in developing the power to act in the field of health.

Martín Zemel is the Regional VP for Latin America of IUHPE. He has a PhD in Dentistry, Master of Dental Education and completed the Master of Public Health at UNLP. His experience has been focused on Health Promotion and Equity in Health from an intercultural and intersectoral perspective grounded in Human Rights. He is Professor of Bioethics at the National University of La Plata and Community Health at FASTA University. Annually he is invited to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Bioethics and Public Health, in different faculties in Argentina and in other countries. He is also the Dean of the School of Dentistry of FASTA University. He began in research through the Postgraduate Scholarship Program of the National University of La Plata and later in the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), doing a postdoctoral stay at the University of Murcia, Spain. He has been in charge of various local, national and international Committees, and actually he is member of the National Honorary Council on Oral Health of Argentina. In addition, he is an Academic of the National Academy of Dentistry of Argentina.
Additionally, for over 20 years, he has coordinated a network of health promotion consisting of 35 Public Health Centers and 50 educational institutions. Among the areas of work are the Social Determinants of Health, health literacy and the Health Promoting Schools. He has contributed by advising legislative processes that resulted in local and regional regulations related to the prevention of risk factors for NCDs. Furthermore, in recent years, he has promoted the creation and development of a regional oral cancer prevention program through a multisectoral effort that has enabled low-income sectors to access free diagnosis and treatment.  He also represents the IUHPE in the WHO Civil Society Commission, and is a member of the WHO Working Group of Civil Society on Non-communicable Diseases.