The Advisory Board of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) is vital in advancing the Federation’s mission to promote global public health. The Advisory Board is a knowledge resource for the Governing Council and the Federation, providing strategic insights and guidance to support informed decision-making. Composed primarily of Past Presidents of the Federation, the Board brings together a wealth of experience, institutional knowledge, and global perspectives.
This collective expertise ensures the Federation remains at the forefront of public health advocacy, collaboration, and innovation worldwide by offering public health strategy and guidance.
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Prof. Theodor Abelin
Theodor Abelin, MD, MPHEmer, Professor of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland, Past President WFPHA 2000-2003 (3 years of WFPHA Presidency due to unexpected profession-related resignation of elected successor), Various positions after 2003, WFPHA Lifetime Achievement Award 2015.
Dr. Mengistu Asnake
Senior Country Director-Ethiopia, Cluster Lead, Institutional Partnership-Africa. Past President WFPHA (2014-2016), Member of the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (CSEM) for UHC-2030 Advisory Group, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Dr. Tewabech Bishaw
Founder and Director for ABIDE and Past President of EPHA at ABIDE and Ethiopian Public Health Association.
Dr. Paulo Buss
Prof. Dr. Paulo M. Buss, MD, MPH, DSc, is an Emeritus Professor at The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) and a Full Member of the Brazilian National Academy of Medicine (since 2005). He has been the Director of the Center for Global Health at FIOCRUZ since 2009.
Dr. James Chauvin
James Chauvin, MA, MSc, HonFFPH(UK), Senior Program Officer, Health Sciences Division/International Development Research Center (IDRC), Ottawa (Canada) 1983-1991, Senior Program Officer, Global Health Programs, Canadian Public Health Association, Ottawa(Canada) (1992-2007), Director, Global Health Programs, Canadian Public Health Association, Ottawa (Canada) (2008-2012).
Prof. Luis Eugenio de Souza (Liaison to the Governing Council)
Luis Eugenio Portela Fernandes de Souza holds a degree in Medicine from the Federal University of Bahia – UFBA (1987), a master’s degree in Community Health from UFBA (1996), and a PhD in Public Health from the Université de Montreal (2002). He is an associate professor at the Federal University of Bahia, Past President of WFPHA (2022-2024).
Prof. Dr. Madhumita Dobe
Prof. Dr. Madhumita Dobe MBBS, DCH, MD, MC, Founder Member and Chairperson FAITH (Foundation for Actions and Innovations Towards Health Promotion). Former Dean and Director – Professor (Public Health) and Former HOD Department of Health Promotion & Education All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health, Kolkata (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India), Presently serves as Professor and Academic Program Director (Public Health) at the John C. Martin Centre for Liver Research and Innovations (JCMLRI).
Dr. Kalula Kalambay
Kalula Kalambay is a medical doctor specializing in public health, a former World Health Organization (WHO) representative, and an International Consultant in Global Health.
Prof. Ulrich Laaser- Chair
Prof. Ulrich Laaser, Dr.med, DTM&H, MPH, Faculty for Health Sciences, University of Bielefeld, Germany, Past President of ASPHER (1993-96) and WFPHA (2010-12), Andrija Stampar Medalist (2008) and Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Global Health (2023).
Dr. Michael Moore
Michael Moore AM PhD, Distinguished Fellow: The George Institute. Adjunct Professor: University of Canberra, Australia. Past President WFPHA (2016-2018). WFPHA International Policy Immunization Taskforce Chair.
Prof. Walter Ricciardi
Walter Ricciardi MD, MPH, MSc Professor of Hygiene and Public Health at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome. Scientific Advisor to the Italian Minister of Health for the coronavirus pandemic, Past President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) (2020-2022).
Prof. Laetitia Rispel
Professor of Public Health. South African Research Chair on the Health Workforce. School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand. Johannesburg.
Prof. Pekka Puska
Professor Pekka Puska was the Director General of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland (THL) 2009–2013. Recently (2017-2019) he served as a Member of the Parliament of Finland, including the Health and Social Affairs Committee and of the Education Committee of the Parliament.