Executive Director of WHO Office at the United Nations, New York

Dr Nata Menabde is Executive Director of WHO Office at the United Nations, New York since May 2015.

Prior to her current role, since 2010, Nata Menabde was WHO Representative to India where she has led a large team of thousands of dedicated professionals across India supporting the governments’ efforts in tacking health and health systems challenges, such as eradication of polio and saving lives from vaccine preventable diseases, promoting universal health coverage for sustainable development, combatting TB, reversing growing trend of noncommunicable diseases, amongst others.

Preceding her assignment in India Nata Menabde was the Deputy Regional Director of WHO’s European Regional Office and, among other initiatives, has successfully led WHO’s European work on Health Systems and their relationships with health and wealth, which culminated in the adoption of the Tallinn Charter on health systems in 2008. Before coming to India, Nata Menabde was in charge of WHO’s extensive operations in 35 European countries, including emergency response and post-conflict recovery and rehabilitation (Peace through Health in Balkan countries). She was also involved in WHO’s work to achieve polio - free European Region and has led WHO’s (hosting partner) work in support of European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies – a partnership influencing policies and system reforms in Europe/OECD countries.

As a leader, she has proven her ability to instill a clear vision, effective teamwork and high performance in the organizations she has led. She has successfully forged several partnerships with UNICEF, the World Bank, OECD, the Global Fund, the European Investment Bank, Council of Europe, the European Union, the European Commission, civil society and others to increase the effectiveness of WHO’s work in bringing health higher on political and development agenda.

Dr Menabde has a solid public health academic background and above 30 years of professional experience, during which she has built an extensive track record in public health and health systems at country and international levels. She holds a PhD degree in Clinical Pharmacology, diplomas in Health Management and Leadership from USA and in Health Care Economics from UK. She also studied Public Health at Nordic School of Public Health, Sweden.

Her current interests are linked to universal health coverage and sustainable development, health and foreign policies, global health governance, emergency preparedness and crises response, health systems performance, as well as addressing public health in other sector policies.

Permanent Representative of Panama to the United Nations, Member of UNFPA Executive Board

Ms. Flores arrives at her current post with over 20 years experience in human development, public administration, and project management. Previously, Ms. Flores headed the UN Population Fund’s Panama country office in support of maternal health, youth and adolescents, gender equality and population dynamics. In the area of sustainability and the environment, Ms. Flores worked at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama City and at World Wildlife Fund in Washington DC, where she promoted public-private partnerships with Fortune 500 companies.

Ms. Flores’ previous appointments as a senior official to the Panamanian Government included investment promotion of real estate assets returning to Panama alongside the Canal operation. She also served as the first Vice Minister for Foreign Trade, establishing the cabinet-level organization to oversee investment and export promotion and trade negotiations.

Ms. Flores holds a BA degree from Brown University in Economics and International Relations, and an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

Managing Director, Rockefeller Foundation

Michael Myers is Managing Director at The Rockefeller Foundation where he coordinates its work globally in health, including universal health coverage, health system resilience, planetary health and other health priorities. Previously, Mr. Myers was chief counsel and staff director to the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy where he worked on a range of major legislation, including the U.S. Affordable Care Act. Prior to that, he worked on international humanitarian matters for the United Nations and with non-governmental organizations.

Vice President for External Affairs, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)

Marie Hauerslev is a Danish 6th year medical student with longstanding interest in global health. As Vice-President for External affairs of IFMSA, Marie is the global leader of IFMSA’s advocacy work and external representation. In her role as IFMSA’s primary focal point to the UN, Marie organized and moderated the SDG3 session in the ECOSOC Youth Forum, and recently attended the SDG3 Expert Group Meeting. Last year, Marie was the IFMSA Liaison Officer to the World Health Organization and worked closely with the WHO on behalf of IFMSA’s members, 1.3 million medical students. Marie has worked as an intern at WHO HQ, and is a member of the steering group of the WHO GCM/NCD community of practice on “NCDs and the next generation”. Over the years, Marie has attended many high level meetings in WHO and the UN, of which she has prepared and led several student delegations. At the national level, Marie has held several leadership positions, worked on capacity building as Training Director, and she was the founder and chair of the organising committee of NorWHO - the first ever Nordic WHO simulation.

Regional Executive Director, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative

Rachel Cohen is the Regional Executive Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), North America. Prior to joining DNDi in 2011, Rachel worked for MSF from 1999-2010, serving as Head of Mission in South Africa and Lesotho for four years and US Director of MSF’s Access Campaign for six years. From 2009-2015, she also served on the Board of Directors of MSF’s Operational Center in Brussels. Prior to working with MSF, Rachel was Director of Foundation & Corporate Giving at Housing Works and Program Coordinator for the US+Cuba Medical Project. Rachel earned her Master’s in Public Policy from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.