Ziauddin Yousafzai is a Pakistani educator and human rights activist known for his advocacy for girls’ education. A teacher and school administrator in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, he resisted Taliban attempts to shut down schools and encouraged his daughter Malala Yousafzai in her activism. Together, they co‑founded the Malala Fund, which works to ensure that girls worldwide have access to quality education. Yousafzai has served as a United Nations special adviser on global education and as education attaché at Pakistan’s consulate in Birmingham, United Kingdom. He continues to campaign globally for education, equality and peace.

Clare Pain MD, MSc., FRCPC., D.Sc (Hons) Addis Ababa University (AAU), Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (UofT), and psychoanalyst. Part time staff psychiatrist at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto and with the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) Team providing mental health services to the six Cree Nations on the west of James Bay. Psychiatrist for the Canadian Center for Victims of Torture for refugee mental health and for Wanasah, a black youth trauma community agency in Regent Park.

She is co-founder and senior strategist of the Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration (TAAAC), an educational partnership between AAU and the UofT working to strengthen educational capacity and sustainability in graduate training at AAU. In 2014 she was awarded an honorary doctorate for assisting the development of psychiatry in Ethiopia.

Her clinical focus is the assessment and treatment of individuals including refugees, who continue to suffer from the complex effects of psychological trauma. She has lectured and taught on various aspects of psychological trauma and global mental health. She has published a number of articles and three books.

Audrey McMahon, MD, FRCPC, is a Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist specializing in transcultural psychiatry, global mental health and Mental and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in humanitarian emergencies. She has worked in several humanitarian contexts with Doctors without Borders, namely in South Sudan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank. She also acted as a Global Mental Health Consultant for the World Health Organization, namely to support French-speaking countries facing humanitarian emergencies, and has previously supported Djibouti, developing the country’s first national mental health strategy. She recently completed an assignment as MHPSS Delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza.

Dr. Dennis Opondo is a medical doctor and public health advocate shaping the future of humanitarian health delivery in Africa. Currently serving as a Health Manager at the Kenya Red Cross Society’s Kalobeyei Refugee Operation, he leads transformative, community- centered health interventions for over 80,000 forcefully displaced persons and the host community of Turkana in Northern Kenya. His work centers on innovating service delivery in fragile and remote contexts, championing refugee-led health models, and driving the integration of non-communicable diseases into frontline care.

Beyond the refugee health, Dr. Opondo is a global health leader, climate advocate, and peace activist. He chairs the Association of Physicians for Social Responsibility (APMSR) Kenya, spearheading health, peace, and environmental justice initiatives. His advocacy has taken him to the UN Climate Conferences COP28/COP29, the UN Civil Society Conferences championing against the twin existential threat of nuclear weapons and climate change, and the International AIDS Society, where he presents on the impacts of conflict and climate on HIV care and treatment in Kenya.

He is a member of the IPPNW’s International Council and Climate Working Group; Dr. Opondo’s work spans from the ground realities of Kalobeyei to global platforms calling for nuclear disarmament and health equity. He serves as a member of the Pegasus Emerging Leaders Network. He mentors young professionals through local and international forums, including Medical Peace Work (MPW), Pegasus Institute, McGill’s Summer Institute of Global Health, and Global Health Summer School Berlin. He believes in building resilient, localized health systems that thrive—even in crisis.

Nathan C. Funk is Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Conrad Grebel University College, affiliated with the University of Waterloo. His publications on themes such as cross-cultural engagement, sustainable peacebuilding initiatives, and the contemporary Middle East include Abdul Aziz Said: A Pioneer in Peace, Intercultural Dialogue, and Cooperative Global Politics (2022), “Building on What’s Already There: Valuing the Local in International Peacebuilding” (2012), and Islam and Peacemaking in the Middle East (2009). He has served on the boards of several Canadian peace organizations.

Barry S. Levy, is a physician and epidemiologist who has written and spoken for many years about the impact of armed conflict on health, human rights, and the environment. He is the author of the recently published book “From Horror to Hope: Recognizing and Preventing the Health Impacts of War,” editor of several other books on this and related subjects, and author of numerous journal articles and book chapters. His writings on the war in Ukraine have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine and elsewhere and he has spoken at the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, major universities, and other venues. He is an Adjunct Professor of Public Health at Tufts University School of Medicine and a past president of the American Public Health Association.

Dr.Apostolos Veizis is a physician and humanitarian leader who currently serves as the Εxecutive Director of INTERSOS HELLAS, a non‑governmental organization that provides relief to refugees and displaced people with the aim of providing equal opportunities and durable solutions . With more than three decades of experience in humanitarian assistance, he has held leadership roles with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and has served as Head of Mission and Medical Coordinator for MSF and Médecins du Monde across Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russian Federation, Albania, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Turkey.and has participated in assessments, emergency assignments and evaluations in Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Malawi, Uzbekistan, North Macedonia, Cyprus ,Jordan, Moldova, Poland, Bulgaria, Czechia, Uganda and Tajikistan. Dr. Veizis is a consultant to the World Health Organization and the International Organization for Migration, a member of governing board of the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN), Taskforce member of the Lancet Migration European Regional Hub and Advisory Team Migrant Health Dermatology Working Group (MHDWG) of the International Foundation for Dermatology member, member of the Task Force on Migration and Mental Health of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) and Permanent Expert of INTERSOS Board of Directors.

Dr. Veizis has guest lectured at many universities on topics of humanitarian aid and migration and health and presented widely on a global stage and participated in international and national medical congresses, for which he has published related scholarly articles.

Dr. Miriam Orcutt is a global health physician, research and policy expert, with over fifteen years of experience advancing health equity and inclusive health systems, including eight years of experience working with WHO & the UN system. She has been recognised as a Canadian Woman Leader in Global Health and a Fellow through Distinction of the UK Faculty of Public Health. Currently as a Technical Officer at the World Health Organization, she leads global work on evidence for policy action on health, migration, & displacement. She previously served as Executive Director of Lancet Migration & was Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Institute for Global Health, leading global policy strategy, research & advocacy on forced migration and public health. She has published over 45 academic & policy outputs (H-index 24), and was a lead author of the UCL–Lancet Commission on Migration and Health & lead and co-author of the award-winning Handbook of Refugee Health (BMA Book of the Year, 2022).

Dr. Bernadette Nirmal Kumar is a physician and a leading voice in migration health. She serves as president of the Global Society on Migration, Ethnicity, Race and Health and co‑chairs the Lancet Migration project. Kumar earned her medical degree from St John’s Medical College in Bangalore and a PhD in epidemiology and public health from the University of Oslo. She has worked on programmes with UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the World Bank and Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs across Asia and Africa. As director of the Norwegian Centre for Migration and Minority Health (NAKMI), she promoted equitable health policies for migrants. Kumar is a professor of global health at the Empower School of Health and at the Christian Medical College in Vellore in India and at Kathmandu University and serves on numerous advisory boards, focusing her research on migrants’ health and equity.

Dr. Bree Akesson is the Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Global Adversity and Wellbeing, Associate Director of the Centre for Research on Security Practices, and Full Professor of Social Work at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also affiliated with several academic centers, including Columbia University’s Program on Forced Migration and Health and McGill University’s Centre for Research on Children and Families. For 25 years, her work has focused on the intersections of adversity, displacement, and wellbeing, with a particular emphasis on children and families affected by conflict, migration, and climate change in settings such as Kenya, Chechnya, Northern Uganda, Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Ongoing research projects include the perinatal experiences of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, the impact of climate change on families displaced by war, and integrated service access for refugee families in Canada. Her 2022 book From Bureaucracy to Bullets: Extreme Domicide and the Right to Home explores the impact of home loss for displaced populations and was the inspiration for a United Nations report calling for the classification of home demolition as a war crime. In addition to her research, Dr. Akesson has 15 years of experience working directly with children and families as the Clinical Treatment Facilitator with the Global Psychiatric Epidemiology Group, based at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University.

Dr. Fawad Akbari is an expert in pediatric medicine, global health, and humanitarian response. In his role as Senior Director, Innovation Advisory at Grand Challenges Canada (GCC), he leads a team of technical experts that enable other functions within GCC to deliver their main mandate of getting money in the hands of innovators and supporting them to scale for impact. Fawad has previously held other leadership positions at GCC and other organizations, including the Aga Khan Foundation in Canada, the USA and Afghanistan. He has medical and public health degrees from Kabul Medical University and the University of Liverpool, respectively, and is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa. He has been a fellow, coach, mentor, and instructor with the Unites Nations Institute for Training and Research fellowship programs for Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt since 2009.

He is also a member of the WHO Collaborating Center for Knowledge Translation and Technology Assessment for Health Equity at the University of Ottawa; a member of NASA Lifelines Global Advisory Committee, and a Director on the Board of Directors of Right to Learn Afghanistan

Dr. Yara Asi is an assistant professor in the School of Global Health Management and Informatics at the University of Central Florida and a visiting scholar at Harvard University’s FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. She is a senior fellow in the Raphaël Lemkin Genocide Prevention Program at George Mason University, a non‑resident fellow at the Arab Center, Washington, DC and DAWN MENA, and a 2020–2021 Fulbright Scholar to the West Bank. Asi’s research explores health, human rights and development in conflict‑affected and fragile contexts, and she publishes widely in academic journals and mainstream media. Her book “How War Kills” (2024) examines how violence shapes health systems and outcomes. She co‑chairs the Palestine Program for Health and Human Rights and advocates for equitable health policies in Palestine and other conflict zones.

Dr. Martin is a physician who, since September 2012, has served as the founding Executive Director of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH). Between 1993-2011, Dr. Martin served as a Member of Parliament in Canada’s House of Commons. He held portfolios in foreign affairs, health, the environment, defense  and international development. He has been on many diplomatic missions in areas in crisis around the world but particularly across Africa and worked as a physician on the Mozambique border during their civil war. He has spent many years volunteering on conservation efforts in  South Africa and is a member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

Dr. Mohammed Shaheen is the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Dar Al-Kalima University.

Ambassador Jorge Heine is a lawyer, International Relations scholar and diplomat. He was a Research Professor at The Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. Prior to joining the Pardee School he was a Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C. Jorge Heine has served as ambassador of Chile to China (2014-2017), to India (2003-2007) and to South Africa ( 1994-1999), and as a Cabinet Minister in the Chilean Government. A past Vice-President of the International Political Science Association (IPSA), he was CIGI Professor of Global Governance at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, Wilfrid Laurier University, from 2007 to 2017, and a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).

Dr. Jocalyn Clark is a Canadian public health scientist, journal editor, and advocate for global health and gender equity. Over two decades her editorial leadership has helped improve the representation of women and LMIC experts in the medical literature and has advanced Canadian science and policy in a global context. In Aug 2022 she was appointed International Editor of The BMJ, re-joining the journal 20 years after starting her editorial career at BMJ. Previously she was an Executive Editor at The Lancet, Senior Editor at PLOS Medicine, and Executive Editor of icddr,b in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Jocalyn is also an adjunct professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, an honorary associate professor in the Institute for Global Health at University College London, and an elected fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Michael Lynk was an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Western University, in London, Ontario. He joined the Faculty in 1999, and has taught courses in labour, human rights, disability, constitutional and administrative law. He served as Associate Dean of the Faculty between 2008-11. In January 2015, Professor Lynk was named to the Mayor of London’s Honours List for his work on humanitarian issues.

In March 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Professor Lynk as the 7th Special Rapporteur for the human rights situation in the Palestinian Territories occupied since 1967. During his six years as Special Rapporteur, he regularly addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva and the 3rd Committee of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His UN reports have been widely cited, he has frequently spoken to UN, academic and institutional conferences in North America, Europe and the Middle East and he has regularly published opinion pieces on the role of international law respecting the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory. 

Carmel Bouclaous is an Assistant Professor at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University (LAU), Lebanon. She teaches social medicine, global health, and nutrition. Her research focuses on the social determinants of health, and health inequities among host and refugee populations. She has a number of peer-reviewed publications and ongoing projects on health literacy, mental health following collective trauma, access to care, food insecurity, sexual beliefs and practices, among other topics. She is a review editor for Frontiers, and peer reviewer for several top tier academic journals. In addition to her international collaborations, she has been invited by the World Health Organization to serve on an expert panel for the assessment of population health literacy. She is a member of the research committee of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Lebanese Medical Students’ International Committee, and heads LAU’s Medical Students’ Association Advisory Council. She supports both organizations in attending to the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized in society. Prior to joining LAU, she worked extensively in healthcare management. Dr Bouclaous holds a PhD in Development Studies from the Geneva Graduate Institute, a Master of Public Health and a Master of Nutrition from the American University of Beirut-Lebanon.

Valerie Percival is an Associate Professor and Associate Director of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University. She was the lead researcher and author for The Lancet Commission on Peaceful Societies through Health and Gender Equality, served as a senior fellow with the Wilson Center, and has worked for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, the International Crisis Group, and UNCHR. Her research interests include the political impact of violence against civilians, the gender dimensions of health systems, rebuilding health systems after war, and the global backlash against gender equality.

Ronald Labonté is Professor Emeritus and former Distinguished Research Chair in Globalization and Health Equity in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa. For the past 30 years his work has focused on the health equity impacts of diverse globalization processes. He has authored or edited 13 books, including Health Equity in a Globalizing Era (Oxford University Press, 2021) and, most recently, New Directions in Critical Public Health (Routledge, 2026). He is Editor Emeritus of the BMC journal, Globalization and Health and is active with the People’s Health Movement (PHM) and co-editor of the 7th edition of its flagship publication Global Health Watch (Daraja Press, 2025).

Jim Estill has received many awards for his entrepreneurship and philanthropy including Order of Canada, Order of Ontario, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, King Charles Coronation Medal, U of Waterloo Alumni Achievement Metal and honorary degrees from U of Waterloo, Humber College and U of Guelph.

Doug is a former farmer who volunteers as Chair of the Waterloo Region Community Garden Network (WRCGN).  WRCGN has established a 20 acre peri-urban farm where some 80 families (mostly newcomers) grow food for their families and communities.  Insights about the importance of farming to produce one’s own food are grounded in an intergenerational Family Systems Theory lens.  Understanding the importance of agency – the ability to provide for ourselves is evident in this work. Food security for many who are used to growing their own food comes from agency – having the opportunity to grow the food people want and need. That means having access to land.  In addition, being able to grow the food the farmers want is also contributing to community building a sense of belonging and good health in many ways. “Food is life and food is culture”. The opportunity to increase local food production that is ethnically suitable, nutritious, and available is enhanced with what we call the Petersburg Model. 

James Gordon is a Canadian singer-songwriter and the founder of the folk trio Tamarack. He has recorded over 40 albums and has been a prolific songwriter, known for songs like “Sweaters for Penguins” and “Frobisher Bay.” Gordon has also written for symphony orchestras, musical theatre, and dance works, and has been a songwriter-in-residence for CBC radio programs. He is a record producer, playwright, community activist, theatre director, and a part-time City Councillor in Guelph. His song “Crybabies Caravan” gained significant attention online, and his “Rhyme Capsules” program has brought him to various locations worldwide.

Jessica Murray is a mother, community organizer, facilitator, and polymath-artist with ancestral roots in Hong Kong. She works as a grassroots campaigner with Sierra Club Canada, stewarding coalitions that center Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and collective care. Her practice orients around the principle that real relationships build resilience and reveal the path forward in this time of unraveling.

Jessica’s facilitation draws from The Work That Reconnects, Hospicing/Outgrowing Modernity, Música do Círculo, Ecstatic Dance, and Zen mindfulness. She weaves together breath, presence, song, and belonging into participatory space. A sangha leader and cultural compost-stirrer, Jessica invites us to stay with the mess, to sense the more-than-words, and to grow new capacities for living entangled, responsive, and real.

Janet McLaughlin, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Health Studies and a Research Associate at the International Migration Research Centre at Wilfrid Laurier University. Since 2004, she has conducted research on migrant agricultural workers’ health and human rights, including their access to health care and workplace protections in Canada and in their sending states, particularly Mexico and Jamaica. Dr. McLaughlin is the co-founder and co‑coordinator of the Migrant Worker Health Project, which aims to improve health accessibility, awareness, and protections for migrant workers.

Gabriel Allahdua is a former migrant farm worker from St Lucia, an island in the Eastern Caribbean. He is an organizer with the collective, Justice for Migrant Workers (J4MW) for almost a decade. He is currently an Outreach Worker working with migrant workers across Ontario and Education and Mobilization Officer with the Association for the Rights of Household and farm Workers (DTMF). He was Activist in Residence (AIR) at the University of Guelph, the first person to hold that position, which brought activists and researchers together.

Katharine Hayhoe, PhD, is an atmospheric scientist and climate communicator. She serves as chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and is a professor at Texas Tech University. Hayhoe leads projects developing high‑resolution climate projections and has authored more than 125 peer-reviewed publications. She was a lead author for the fourth and fifth U.S. National Climate Assessments and is known for her ability to translate complex climate science for diverse audiences. Her book “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World” draws on her experiences engaging with communities across the political spectrum. Hayhoe has been recognized by TIME magazine and the United Nations for her contributions to climate science and communication.

Dr. Melissa Lem is a Vancouver family physician who also works in rural and northern communities within Canada. President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and Co-Founder of PaRx, Canada’s national nature prescription program, she is an internationally recognized leader in the field of nature and health. As a widely published writer, climate change panellist on CBC Radio’s Early Edition, in-house medical columnist for CBC TV Vancouver, and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia, one of her major priorities is knowledge translation. She is currently a co-investigator and advisor on two international nature prescription research projects (PANDA and RESONATE) with total funding of $10M+.

 Dr. Lem was named to Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50 List in 2025, recipient of the 2024 Canadian Eco-Hero Award, a 2024 YWCA Women of Distinction Award and 2022 Nature Inspiration Award from the Canadian Museum of Nature, and also sits on the Advisory Committee of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Health and Well-being Specialist Group.

Dr. Courtney Howard is an emergency physician practising in Yellowknife, on the traditional territory of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and a leading advocate for planetary health. She serves as a clinical associate professor at the University of Calgary and community research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research. Howard is vice‑chair of the Global Climate & Health Alliance, was the first woman president of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and sits on the board of the Canadian Medical Association. She led the 2017–2019 Lancet Countdown briefings for Canadian policymakers on health and climate change and is a member of the World Health Organization Civil Society Working Group on Climate Change and Health. Howard completed a master’s degree in public policy at the University of Oxford and serves on editorial advisory boards for The Lancet Planetary Health and the Journal of Climate Change and Health. Her book “Living Well in a Feverish World” is slated for publication in 2025.

Dr. John Lewis is a member of Timiskaming First Nation. He has over twenty years of practice and research experience in forestry and landscape management and has published research that focuses on the history of landscape change both prior to and during British Columbia’s colonization and explored the cultural significance of landscape change among Indigenous and settler communities in northwestern British Columbia. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environment and the Interim Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Relations in the University of Waterloo’s Office of Indigenous Relations where he works broadly with the University community to achieve its goal of implementing the Indigenous Strategic Plan and upholding the University’s commitments to reconciliation. He spends much of his free time away from administration, research and teaching in northern Québec and Ontario fishing or hunting with his wife and two young adult children.

Dr. Amira Aker is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health at Boston University. She is an environmental epidemiologist who applies interdisciplinary research to identify health risks associated with exposures to contaminants of emerging concern. Her work is largely focused on integrating complex statistical models and community-based research with Indigenous communities.

James Achuli is a South Sudanese peace advocate and emerging leader. Selected as a 2025 McCall MacBain Scholar at McGill University, he is pursuing an MA in Political Science (Development Studies). Achuli completed his BA in International Relations at UBC Okanagan, where he volunteered with Kelowna Community Resources, supported newcomers, mentored fellow students and served on the African and Caribbean Student Club and the student union. An avid cross‑country runner, he also founded the Kiryandongo Peace Ambassadors in Uganda to promote dialogue and understanding between refugees and host communities. Achuli aims to contribute to development and reconciliation in South Sudan.

Dr. Robert (Rob) Gordon is an environmental scientist and academic leader. Born in Hanover, Ontario and raised in Nova Scotia, he has focused his teaching and research on environmental resource management for agriculture. Gordon has supervised more than 70 graduate students and post‑doctoral fellows and authored over 165 peer-reviewed publications. He previously held a Canada Research Chair in Agricultural Resource Management and served as dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph. He went on to become vice-president (research) and subsequently provost and vice-president (academic) at Wilfrid Laurier University. In September 2019, he assumed the role of president and vice-chancellor of the University of Windsor which he finished in September 2025.

Ghallia Hashem is a third-year law student at Windsor Law and a two-time President of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance. She holds degrees in Education and Biopsychology, and her work is focused on governance, institutional accountability, and the legal dimensions of decision-making in higher education. She has extensive experience in elections administration and policy development within student and academic institutions, with particular interests in democratic legitimacy, procedural fairness, and academic freedom. Her perspective is shaped by both legal training and hands-on leadership experience, enabling her to engage critically and practically with the evolving challenges facing post-secondary institutions.

Dr. Abdel‑Rahman Lawendy is an orthopedic trauma surgeon and the J.C. Kennedy Professor and Chair of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Western Ontario. After earning his medical degree at Western University in 2003, he completed an orthopedic surgery residency in 2008 and fellowships in orthopedic trauma and arthroscopy; he later earned a PhD in medical biophysics in 2014. Lawendy leads orthopedic divisions at London Health Sciences Centre and St Joseph’s Hospital, established the Master of Science in Surgery programme and served as Graduate Chair and assistant dean at Western University. He founded and directs the Nazem Kadri Ambulatory Surgical Centre. An award‑winning educator, he has provided humanitarian surgical care in conflict zones (including several stints in Gaza with organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières) and is recognized internationally for his expertise in compartment syndrome and complex lower‑extremity reconstruction.

Rahima Khushi is a dedicated Human Rights Advocate, Social Worker and a Researcher with a strong track record in the non-profit and humanitarian sectors. With an academic background in Political Science and legal studies, she brings a multidisciplinary lens to her work—bridging frontline experience with policy-driven insight.Her expertise spans community-based research, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, interpretation and translation, public speaking, voiceover work, life skills facilitation, and project coordination. With additional training in media and communication, khushi leverages storytelling as a tool for advocacy and impact.She is deeply committed to advancing refugee rights, gender equity, and social inclusion. Her lived experience as a refugee has shaped her powerful advocacy, and one of her life stories was recently featured in A Dream Called Khushi, a short documentary that won a 2024 Student Academy Award (Oscar). The film highlights her journey and broader issues facing the Rohingya community. Khushi continues to collaborate with global changemakers to amplify marginalized voices, inform policy, and create inclusive, justice-centered futures.

Hassait Hilawe is an MD student at Queen’s University. Demonstrating a commitment to global health locally and abroad as a recipient of the Molloy Medicine Award, her research interests focus on rural health workforce planning and equitable access to care across underserved communities. In addition to her research, she has been actively involved in medical education mentorship and curriculum development surrounding refugee healthcare navigation through her role as the National Officer in Global Health Education within the Canadian Federation of Medical Students. Hassait’s other interests include international migrant health and safety policy, as well as epidemiology and diagnostic efficacy of dermatologic diseases in different patient populations.

Prof. Nurit Peled-Elhanan is a lecturer in Language Education, Social Semiotics and Multimodality in the Hebrew University (retired) and in the David Yellin Academic College in Jerusalem, Israel. She has studied the various aspects of Israeli discourse of education and has published, edited and wrote several books and many articles about classroom dialogue, oral and written language development at school, second language instruction and racism in the Israeli class and in Israeli schoolbooks. She is the author of  

Palestine in Israeli school books. Ideology and propaganda in education I.B. Tauris, London. 2012.

Her 2023 book, Holocaust Education and the Semiotics of Othering in Israeli Schoolbooks,  published by Common Ground Publishers, USA. (https://cgnetworks.org) received the publishers prize.

Prof. Peled-Elhanan is an outspoken critic of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

She received several awards for her advocacy of human rights, among which is the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights and the Freedom of Thought, awarded by the European Parliament.

She was the Co-initiator of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine 2009-2014.

Dr. Samira Alayan is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the David Yellin Teacher’s College. She specializes in (a) education in conflict societies, (b) textbooks and identity in the Middle East, (c) significant teaching and learning, and (d) Palestinian education in Israel, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology of Education and Criminology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and conducted her post-doctoral research in Germany, focusing on textbook analysis.

In recent years, her field of research has focused on education in East Jerusalem and how governmental policies impact this subject and Palestinian women from East Jerusalem learning in Israeli academic universities. She was the co-editor of the book titled “The Politics of Education Reform in the Middle East, Self and Other in Textbooks and Curricula, published in Berghahn Books 2012, and in 2018 the book Multiple Alterities: Views of Others in School Textbooks of the Middle East. With Elie Podeh published in Palgrave Macmillan. And in 2019 she published her book Education in East Jerusalem: Occupation, Political Power and Struggle, Published in Routledge.

Dr. Ali Ardalan, MD, PhD, is a global health expert with 20 years of experience in

various policymaking, managerial, advisory, and academic roles. Currently, Dr. Ardalan

serves as the Regional Adviser and Head of the Health Systems Resilience Unit at the

WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. His focus is on health systems

recovery from emergencies and the operationalization of the humanitarian-

development-peace nexus. He also extensively works on the health of refugees and

migrants, and on building resilient health systems by integrating health systems and

health emergency risk management. Dr. Ardalan was the founding chair and professor

at the Department of Disaster Public Health at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, a

Senior Fellow at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and a Visiting Scientist at the

Harvard School of Public Health.

An occupational therapist who holds a M.Sc. and Ph.D. in psychology, Rachel was for nearly three decades a professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has developed expertise in psychological resilience, Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and peer support in complex situations such as conflict and post-conflict areas, and has worked worldwide as a clinician, researcher and trainer. In recognition of her contributions, she has received the title of Officer of the Order of Canada and Honorary Degrees. Now a consultant, she provides training and support to a broad range of agencies, from medical bodies and governmental organizations to corporations and NGOs. Since 2022, she mainly supports war survivors and healthcare providers in Ukraine.

José Pablo Baraybar is a Peruvian forensic anthropologist renowned for his work identifying victims of political violence. He directs the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team (EPAF) and applies forensic science to help prosecute human‑rights abusers from Peru’s internal armed conflict to the Balkans and Rwanda. Baraybar has served as an expert witness before the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and other courts and has led exhumations and investigations to determine the fate of missing persons. In 2011, he received the Judith Lee Stronach Human Rights Award. Baraybar has also worked with the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, including as forensic coordinator for the ICRC in Mexico and Central America, where he helps identify the remains of migrants lost during their journeys.

Dr. Meb Rashid is a physician, educator, and leading advocate for refugee health in Canada. He is the founder and medical director of the Crossroads Clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, the city’s first hospital-based clinic dedicated to the care of newly arrived refugees. He also teaches in the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine and works to train future clinicians in refugee health. Dr. Rashid co-founded Canadian Doctors for Refugee Care and played a key role in opposing federal cuts to refugee health coverage introduced in 2012, which were reversed by the Federal Court in 2014. In recognition of his impact, he received the Canadian Medical Association’s Award for Political Advocacy.

Dr. Mohamed Alarakhia is is a family physician at The Centre for Family Medicine Family Health Team in Waterloo Ontario, a Faculty Digital Health Lead at McMaster University’s Michael G DeGroote School of Medicine, and the founder of Amplify Care, where his extensive experience in primary care as a practicing family doctor and deep expertise in informatics have shaped the organization’s bold approach to digital health. As a leading force in the field, Dr. Alarakhia is dedicated to transforming the healthcare system by driving ground-breaking, patient-centered solutions that reduce administrative burden for clinicians and improve patient outcomes. His passion for using evidence and championing co-design with clinicians and patients have made him a transformative player, continually pushing boundaries to ensure Amplify remains at the forefront of the digital health innovation.

Dr. Kevin Pottie, MD, CCFP, MClS, CCFP, is a distinguished Professor and Research Chair in Family Medicine at Dalhousie University, where he also earned his medical degree. Proficient in English, French, and Spanish, Dr. Pottie has led a remarkable 20-year research endeavor focused on health equity and evidence-based guidelines. His journey in refugee health and humanitarian efforts commenced with Médecins Sans Frontières during the Russia-Georgian war and has since extended across more than 25 countries.  Embracing digital transformation, Dr. Pottie has pursued training AI training, taking the Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare Leaders and Intellectual Property Strategy course. He actively engages in healthcare system consultancy, working on integrating clinical pharmacists, health navigators and internationally trained health professionals into primary care practices.

Dr. Rachel Katherine Talavlikar is a family physician in Calgary, Alberta, dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive, patient-centred care for individuals and families across all ages and stages of life. Registered with the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA), she practices in accordance with professional standards and the principles of modern family medicine, offering preventive care and the diagnosis and management of acute and chronic conditions. Dr. Talavlikar earned her MD from the University of Calgary in 2010 and is committed to ongoing professional development. Her practice philosophy emphasizes continuity of care, long-term patient relationships, and a holistic approach that considers physical, mental, emotional, and social factors. She offers consultations in both English and French.

Chuck Hui, MD, FRCPC, is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and an infectious diseases consultant at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa. He serves as Chair and is also the co-chair of the Migration Health and Development Research Initiative steering committee, contributing clinical and academic leadership at the intersection of pediatric infectious diseases and migration health.

Chercheur en bioéthique, gouvernance sanitaire et droit à la santé, Keumian Anicet DAGUI est titulaire d’un doctorat en philosophie (option histoire des sciences et bioéthique) obtenu en 2024 en Côte d’Ivoire. Sa thèse, consacrée à la gouvernance sanitaire et au droit à la santé chez Didier-Roland Tabuteau et Philippe Even, interroge les fondements éthiques, juridiques et politiques des systèmes de santé contemporains.

Son parcours académique est marqué par une formation internationale en France, où il obtient un double master : en management des organisations sanitaires et sociales à Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, en management et administration des entreprises à l’IAE de Saint-Étienne. Il est également titulaire de deux diplômes universitaires en gérontologie, droit et santé obtenus à la Faculté de médecine de Université de Montpellier.

Ses travaux portent sur la gouvernance sanitaire et droit à la santé, l’éthique appliquée à l’intelligence artificielle et aux technologies émergentes en santé, la justice sanitaire, le capitalisme pharmaceutique et les enjeux du numérique en Afrique. Auteur de plusieurs articles publiés, notamment sur la culture de l’erreur en milieu hospitalier, le paradigme « One Health » et les fondements philosophiques de l’intelligence artificielle, il développe actuellement des recherches sur la mutation des pratiques médicales à l’ère de l’IA, la santé connectée, la vulnérabilité partagée comme principe de justice sanitaire et les conditions éthiques d’un déploiement responsable des technologies de santé dans les pays en développement.

Charlotte Serrano est coordinatrice de recherche à l’école de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal, au sein du Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique. Elle détient un Master en psychologie du développement et un Master en Santé Publique. Elle étudie actuellement le Droit International Humanitaire. 

Ses intérêts de recherche portent sur les déterminants de la santé et l’accès aux services de santé des personnes en contexte d’immigration et la parentalité en contexte d’immigration ou de handicap. Elle combine des méthodes qualitatives et quantitatives dans une démarche de recherche participative, en collaboration avec les milieux concernés.

Émilie Gélinas est doctorante en santé publique avec une spécialisation en systèmes, organisations et politiques de santé à l’École de santé publique de l’Université de Montréal. Elle détient un baccalauréat en sciences infirmières ainsi qu’une maîtrise recherche en sciences de la santé de l’Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Ses intérêts de recherche portent sur la formation des résidents en médecine de famille en lien avec la santé des personnes en contexte de migration forcée, l’analyse des services de santé et les violences basées sur le genre, en utilisant des approches participatives et principalement qualitatives. Ses travaux sont actuellement financés par une bourse doctorale des Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé et par l’Équipe de recherche sur la gouvernance et les réseaux de solidarité.

Diplômé de la Faculté de médecine de l’Université de Tunis El Manar, Dr Ahmed Maherzi est Professeur en pédiatrie, a dirigé le Service de pédiatrie et néonatologie à l’hôpital universitaire Mongi Slim de La Marsa (1999-2017) et a été doyen de la Faculté de Médecine de Tunis (2011-2017). Dr Maherzi a organisé en avril 2017 à Hammamet (Tunisie) le Premier Sommet mondial sur la responsabilité sociale, visant l’amélioration des systèmes de santé et la promotion de la justice sociale.

Depuis le 1 septembre 2017, il dirige le Bureau de la responsabilité sociale de la faculté de médecine de l’Université de Montréal. Sous sa direction, la faculté de médecine de l’UdeM a obtenu en Août 2019 la Reconnaissance Internationale ASPIRE en responsabilité décernée par l’Association Européenne d’Éducation Médicale (AMEE).

Dr Maherzi est membre fondateur et  Président du RIFRESS (Réseau International francophone pour la responsabilité sociale en santé) et Président du Conseil stratégique de la CIDMEF (Conférence internationale des doyens et des facultés de médecine d’expression française. Pour l’ensemble de ses réalisations, on lui a décerné le Prix international AFMC-Charles Boelen pour la responsabilité sociale en 2016 et en 2023.

Michèle Rietmann est titulaire d’une maîtrise en anthropologie médicale et possède une formation en gestion de projet. Elle cumule plus de 20 ans d’expérience en recherche, en gestion de projets et en collaboration internationale dans le domaine de la santé. Au fil de son parcours, elle a collaboré sur plusieurs projets portant sur la diversité culturelle, l’interdisciplinarité et l’amélioration des pratiques en santé. Elle occupe actuellement les fonctions de chargée de projet et de professionnelle de recherche au sein du Centre interdisciplinaire de développement international en santé (CIDIS), où elle contribue notamment à la mise en œuvre du projet NexSa, axé sur le renforcement des systèmes de santé de première ligne et la promotion de l’équité en santé dans des contextes internationaux.

Mahamane Maïga est médecin de formation et titulaire d’un diplôme en pédagogie des sciences de la santé. Il cumule plus de 30 ans d’expérience en pratique clinique, en enseignement et en coopération internationale dans le domaine de la santé. Son parcours est marqué par un engagement soutenu en faveur du renforcement des soins de santé de première ligne, de la médecine de famille et de la formation des professionnels de la santé au Mali.

Il a occupé plusieurs fonctions de direction et de conseil technique dans des projets structurants de santé et de formation, notamment à l’interface entre les milieux cliniques communautaires et les institutions universitaires maliennes et canadiennes. Il est professeur associé à l’Université de Sherbrooke, et collabore avec le Centre interdisciplinaire de développement international en santé (CIDIS) à des initiatives de recherche et de développement des systèmes de santé, en partenariat.

Natalia Torres Orozco est avocate de formation en Colombie et titulaire d’une maîtrise en droit international et politique internationale appliqués de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Elle conjugue recherche appliquée et action sociale autour de grands enjeux contemporains tels que l’environnement, les migrations, la santé et les droits humains. Au sein du Centre interdisciplinaire en développement international en santé (CIDIS), elle coordonne le projet Tejiendo Puentes en Salud au Pérou, axé sur la santé communautaire et l’approche interculturelle dans les soins et les services de santé, ainsi que le projet Triple Nexus au Québec, qui explore les liens entre changements climatiques, migrations et santé publique. Animée par une conviction profonde en la justice sociale, elle privilégie des approches participatives et interdisciplinaires qui favorisent l’équité et la justice sociale et environnementale, tant localement que globalement. 

Sarah possède une expertise de plus de 20 ans en gestion de projet et développement stratégique. Son parcours professionnel l’a amenée à jouer un rôle clé dans le développement, la mise en œuvre et l’évaluation d’une vaste gamme de projets dans le domaine de la santé, tant pour des organismes publics et parapublics, des entreprises privées que des OBNL, à la fois au Canada et à l’international.  En 2021, elle a été l’une des cofondatrices du Centre interdisciplinaire de développement international en santé (CIDIS) de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Actuellement, elle occupe le poste de directrice des opérations et des partenariats, se concentrant sur le renforcement des collaborations entre les secteurs universitaires, communautaires et privés. Son objectif est de créer des synergies pour mieux répondre aux défis complexes de la santé mondiale.

Gabriel Blouin Genest est professeur agrégé à l’École de Politique Appliquée de l’Université de Sherbrooke depuis 2019. Il est le cofondateur et Directeur scientifique, pour la Faculté des lettres et sciences humaines, du Centre Interdisciplinaire de Développement International en Santé (CIDIS) de l’Université de Sherbrooke. Il détient un doctorat de l’Université d’Ottawa, un postdoctorat de l’Université de Montréal et était auparavant Professeur à l’Université Virginia Tech aux États-Unis (2014-2018). Le Professeur Blouin Genest se spécialise sur les politiques globales en santé et sur le développement international en santé. Il s’intéresse également aux impacts des technologies dans la gouvernance des systèmes de santé, notamment dans les pays en voie de développement. Le Professeur Blouin Genest est doté d’une expertise multidisciplinaire en santé mondiale. Ses récentes recherches étaient dédiées au développement d’approches intégrées pour mobiliser les données probantes dans la prise de décision politique, la conception d’interventions et la mise en œuvre de programmes de santé publique, du droit à la santé, du lien entre changements climatiques, santé et migrations ainsi qu’en santé numérique. Il a aussi une forte expérience dans le développement et la gestion de projets de recherche complexes (financement AMC, FNFR, IRSC, CRSH, PNUD, FQR, etc.), les relations partenariales avec les acteurs de terrain, la recherche-action, l’élaboration de politiques, le plaidoyer ainsi que la vulgarisation des connaissances. Membre du conseil d’administration d’Oxfam Québec, il agit aussi comme évaluateur scientifique pour les gouvernements québécois et canadiens.

Samuel Bate est actuellement Gestionnaire de projets majeurs, Haïti et Action humanitaire pour Mission inclusion. Il contribue depuis 2018 à la gestion de projets d’action humanitaire, de développement et de Nexus humanitaire-développement-paix, en Haïti, Cameroun, Nigeria, République démocratique du Congo (RDC) et Burkina Faso. Samuel détient un baccalauréat et une maîtrise en études internationales de l’Université de Montréal. Il a travaillé sur de nombreux projets multisectoriels entrepris avec des partenaires locaux, particulièrement en contexte de crise prolongée.

Oumar Malé Samb est détenteur d’un master recherche en éducation et problèmes sociaux et d’un master professionnel en chargé d’études sociologiques et enquêtes sociales obtenus à l’Université Victor Segalen de Bordeaux 2 (France). Il est titulaire d’un doctorat en santé publique de l’université de Montréal au Québec. Depuis 2016, il est professeur agrégé en santé mondiale et directeur des programmes de santé mondiale de l’Université du Québec en Abitibi Témiscamingue au Canada. Il s’intéresse à la question de l’équité en santé et de l’accès aux soins des groupes vulnérables.

Jean-Paul Gonzalez obtient son diplôme de docteur en médecine à l’Université de Bordeaux-Talence et son doctorat ès Science (Virologie) à l’Université de Clermont-Auvergne. Après la fin de son cycle médical hospitalier en Guyane Française amazonienne à Saint Laurent du Maroni, il accompli son volontariat au service national à l’Institut Pasteur de Tunis.

Recruté par l’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, le docteur Gonzalez dédie sa carrière au service de la recherche médicale, de la formation et de l’expertise pour et dans les pays à ressources limitées d’Afrique, des Amériques et d’Asie. Il y dirigera dans ces pays partenaires de trois continents des laboratoires d’instituts universitaires nationaux, des unités et départements de recherche du Réseau International de l’Institut Pasteur (Bangui, Dakar).

Son cadre thématique s’inscrit dans l’émergences des maladies à haute conséquence sanitaire, la réponse aux épidémies, la sécurité sanitaire, et le concept Une Seule Santé (One Health).

Le docteur Gonzalez alternera ses recherches entre les pays partenaires avec des séjours aux États Unis dans des laboratoires et universités engagés dans la recherche pour les pays tropicaux (CDC Atlanta, Université de Yale).

Détaché auprès du Ministère Français des Affaires Étrangères et Européennes et nommé Directeur Général du Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF- Gabon) il y développe des recherches transdisciplinaires, crée une unité d’Écologie de la Santé, et coordonne a mise en place du dépistage néonatal de la drépanocytose, dirige le laboratoire de hautes sécurité du centre et coordonne une Observatoire de la Santé, un station scientifique de terrain  et le Centre de primatologie attaché au Centre.

Après un séjour à l’école de médecine vétérinaire de l’Université d’État du Kansas (Directeur adjoint du Centre d’Excellence de Recherche sur les Zoonose et Maladies Animale Émergentes), Kansas). l est aujourd’hui professeur associé à l’école de Médecine de l’Université de Georgetown (Washington DC) ou il dirige plusieurs cours sur les politiques de santé globales et la biosécurité.

Il est aujourd’hui professeur associé, membre de a faculté à l’école de Médecine de l’Université de Georgetown (Washington DC) où il dirige plusieurs cours sur les politiques de santé globales et la biosécurité respectivement dans les programmes « Politiques et Défense des Sciences Biomédicales » et « Agents de Risque Biologique et Maladies Infectieuses Émergentes.

Le Dr. Gonzalez a signé ou cosigné près de quatre cents articles dans des revues à comité de lecture et une trentaine de chapitres et d’ouvrages (MyBiography Bibliothèque Nationale de Médecine du National Institue of Health).

Pakisa Tshimika MPH, DrPH was born in Kajiji, Democratic Republic of Congo near the border of Angola to a Mennonite Brethren (MB) pastor and his hospitable mother Rebecca Makeka. He began in 1974 studies at Pacific College in Fresno CA with the intention of returning as the first native surgeon in Kajiji. In the summer of 1976, on their way to a classmate’s wedding, Pakisa suffered severe spinal cord injury in an MVA changing the direction of his life. Pakisa continued his studies with a new focus in public health and eventually received a doctorate in public health (DrPH) from Loma Linda University. He began his professional life as hospital administrator for a 150 beds hospital in Zaïre, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. With funding from the Canadian International Development Agency and inspired by the Chinese Barefoot Doctor model he was able to develop a rural decentralized primary health program with Village Health Workers to increase health education and promotion for 150,000 people in the region. Dr. Pakisa initiated decentralization of primary health care for the Kwango province and became the first Coordinator of Kajiji, one of the first Health Zones established in Zaire. Since then, Dr. Pakisa has served as a consultant and staff member with various Mennonite-affiliated and international organizations. With additional training in peacebuilding, conflict management and dealing with trauma of historical nature from Fresno Pacific University and Eastern Mennonite University, Dr. Pakisa began in the 90s to integrate peacebuilding, leadership development with special attention given recently to trauma of historical nature training perspectives in his many efforts in the health sector. On a personal note, Dr. Pakisa knows considerable pain with personal health challenges due to the car accident while in college and experienced the loss of siblings to sickle cell anemia, accident, war and conflicts, and friends to HIV/AIDS, some to violence, and some because basic health care was not available. In 2003 he founded Mama Makeka House of Hope to honor his mother and other women he met on his journey around the globe, seeking to promote and deliver much needed community-based services that integrate health, peacebuilding, education, and leadership development services to the DRC. He is now completing the construction of 10,000 square feet conference center and guesthouse in the Mazal area of Kinshasa overlooking the Majestic Congo River.Every morning, before beginning his first daily activity Pakisa reminds himself of two lessons, one from one of his favorite writers, Henri Nouwen, “Where is God? God is where we are weak, vulnerable, small, and dependent. God is where the poor are, the hungry, the handicapped, the mentally ill, the elderly, the powerless. The second lesson from his beloved mother to always remember, “there is always room for one more.”

Dr Ntaganira est un expert en santé publique avec 38 ans d’expérience professionnelle, dont 19 ans au sein de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS). Il a pris sa retraite de l’OMS le 30 juin 2021, son dernier poste étant celui de chef du bureau de liaison de l’OMS auprès de l’Union africaine (UA) et de la Commission économique des Nations unies pour l’Afrique (CEA), basé à Addis-Abeba, en Éthiopie. Le parcours du Dr Ntaganira dans le domaine de la santé publique l’a conduit à occuper divers postes au sein du système de santé national, du niveau des soins de santé primaires à celui de l’élaboration des politiques nationales au Burundi et au Rwanda.

Marjan Montazemi a travaillé dans des contextes post-conflit avec les Nations Unies, des ONG et des fondations dans l’humanitaire, le développement et la paix pendant plus de 25 ans. Elle est titulaire d’une maîtrise en sciences politiques et relations internationales (1994) de l’Université York et d’une maîtrise en études internationales sur la paix de l’Université pour la paix (mandatée par l’ONU) (2024). Aujourd’hui, en plus de travailler comme consultante internationale en paix et développement, elle est inscrite au doctorat en études des conflits à l’Université Saint-Paul d’Ottawa où elle collabore également au projet Professionnalisme pour la paix.