Executive Board

Duncan Selbie

President, IANPHI
Former Chief Executive, Public Health England, United Kingdom

Prof. Duncan Selbie has been the president of IANPHI since December 2020. He was the founding chief executive of Public Health England (PHE) from 2013 to 2020 (now the UK Health Security Agency). He has been an Executive Board member of IANPHI since 2016 and has also served as IANPHI Foundation Board trustee and IANPHI treasurer. 

Prior to 2013, he was chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, the regional teaching hospital for the south east of England. From 2003 to 2007, he was the director general of Programmes and Performance for the NHS, and subsequently its first director general of Commissioning. Prior to this, he was chief executive of South East London Strategic Health Authority, and before that, chief executive of the South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.  

Other appointments include honorary professor at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen; honorary professor at Chester University; companion of the Institute of Healthcare Management; honorary fellow of the UK Faculty of Public Health; and chief adviser to the public health authority of Saudi Arabia.

Meerjady Flora

Vice President, IANPHI
Former Director General, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research and National Influenza Center, Bangladesh 

Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, MBBS, MPH, PhD FAIMER fellow, is the vice president of IANPHI, as well as the former director of Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), the country's focal point for conducting disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, and research training. In 2007, the institute was nominated as a National Influenza Centre (NIC) by the World Health Organization. 

André van der Zande

Immediate Past President, IANPHI
Former Director General, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands

André van der Zande is the former director general of the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). He serves as president of IANPHI between 2018 and 2020, after serving as vice president of the organization. He studied biology at Leiden University and graduated with distinction in 1976. In 1984 he was awarded his Ph.D. from the same university on the subject of the field of tension between recreation and bird conservation.

From 1986 onwards he managed various large knowledge institutes in Wageningen, among them Alterra. He was a part-time professor of Spatial Planning and Cultural History under the Belvedère programme at Wageningen University (2005-2009).

In 2002 André Van der Zande made the changeover to the former Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit, LNV). Until 2007 he was director-general at the LNV, and his responsibilities included agricultural policy, nature and biodiversity, manure policy and general environmental policy. In 2007 he became secretary-general there, until the merger of the LNV with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Theresa Tam

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Canada

Dr. Theresa Tam was named Canada's chief public health officer on June 26, 2017. She is a paediatric infectious disease specialist with expertise in immunization, emergency preparedness and global health security. Dr. Tam obtained her medical degree from the University of Nottingham in the U.K. She completed her paediatric residency at the University of Alberta and her fellowship in paediatric infectious diseases at the University of British Columbia. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and has over 55 peer-reviewed journal publications in public health. She is also a graduate of the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program.

Dr. Tam has held several senior leadership positions at the Public Health Agency of Canada, including as the deputy chief public health officer and the assistant deputy minister for infectious disease prevention and control. During her 25 years in public health, she provided technical expertise and leadership on new initiatives to improve communicable disease surveillance, enhance immunization programs, strengthen health emergency management and laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. She has played a leadership role in Canada's response to public health emergencies including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic influenza H1N1 and Ebola. Dr. Tam has served as an international expert on a number of World Health Organization committees and has participated in multiple international missions related to SARS, pandemic influenza and polio eradication.

Hongbing Shen

Director General, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China

Prof. Shen obtained his MS in epidemiology from Nanjing Medical University (NMU) in 1989 and PhD in epidemiology from Shanghai Medical University in 1999, then continued his 3-year study as a senior visiting scholar at the Department of Epidemiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in the United States.

From 2002 he served as the vice dean, dean of school of public health of NMU, and in 2014 became the president of the University. In April 2021, he was named as deputy director of newly established National Administration of Disease Control and Prevention and was appointed concurrently as the director general of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in July 2022.

Prof. Shen has been engaged in epidemiological research for over 30 years. His research interest focuses on cancer epidemiology, prevention and treatment strategies for high-risk populations, birth cohort, and health and medical big data sciences, and has made remarkable contributions to enhancing cancer prediction and precision prevention. Prof. Shen has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and has been awarded several science and technology awards, such as the Second Prize of National Natural Science of China, and the Ho Leung Ho Lee Science and Technology Progress Award.

Vivian Kourí Cardellá

General Director, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kouri" (IPK), Cuba

Graduated as a Doctor of Medicine in 1991, Dr. Vivian Kourí Cardelláshe studied the specialty of Microbiology. She has a master's in Virology and in Infectious Diseases, a PhD in Medical Sciences, and a Second Doctorate in Sciences. She has a Diploma in Public Administration. She is a Professor and Senior Researcher and is a member of the Cuban Society of Microbiology, Cuban Society of Immunology, International AIDS Society, member of the JCB of TDR-WHO, and IANPHI. She is also a member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. She has participated in 108 scientific events and has represented Cuba in meetings with international organizations. She has conducted more than 80 scientific projects, 17 of them with international organizations. For more than 30 years she has actively participated in the surveillance of viral infections and combating epidemics (Dengue, Influenza, Adenovirus, Zika, SARS CoV-2, Mpox). Her main lines of research and interest are Infectious Diseases, Epidemics and Pandemics preparedness, Microbiology, Virology, STIs, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Molecular Epidemiology, and Genomic Surveillance of pathogens.

Eduardo Samo Gudo

Director General of the National Institute of Health, Mozambique

Dr Gudo is a Medical Doctor with over 20 years’ experience in Public Health. He holds a PhD in Immunology and Virology since 2012 and a Senior Post-Doctoral training through a fellowship of the European Foundation Initiative for African Research into Neglected Tropical Diseases between 2015 and 2018. Dr Gudo is currently the General Director of the National Institute of Health in Mozambique (MOZ-NPHI). Prior to this, he occupied the following positions at the MOZ-NPHI: Deputy General Director between 2018 and early 2023, Scientific Director between 2014 and 2018 and Head of Department of Reference Laboratory Services between 2010 and 2014. Dr. Gudo is a lead researcher on Emerging Virus Diseases and Climate Change and Health, with nearly 90 publications in medical peer review journals. During COVID-19 pandemic, he served as the deputy chair of national task force for COVID19 response and led surveillance activities in response to major health emergencies in Mozambique, including in response to the most devastating extreme climate events. At the international level, Dr. Gudo is currently serving as the Chair of the Advisory and Technical Council of Africa CDC and a member of the Lancet Commission for Sustainable Health in the subject matter of Climate Change and Health. Between 2012 and 2017, he served as the Governing Board member of ASLM.

Lars Schaade

President of the Robert Koch Institute, Germany

Prof. Dr. Lars Schaade is the President of the Robert Koch Institute since April 2023. From 2011 until March 2023, he was the institute’s Vice President. In addition, he is the head of the institute's Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens since 2010. Prior to joining the Robert Koch Institute, Schaade lead the communicable disease unit in the German Federal Ministry of Health from 2007 to 2010 and was an advisor for the same unit from 2002 to 2007. He has also held positions in science and clinical medicine at the University Göttingen, the Clinical Centre Kassel, and the RWTH Aachen University. Schaade received his doctorate in medicine in 1994. Since 2000, he is board certified for microbiology and infectious disease epidemiology. He was appointed as a university lecturer (Habilitation) for medical microbiology and virology at the RWTH Aachen University in 2003 and as an adjunct professor at the Charité University Medicine Berlin in 2017.

Geneviève Chêne

Immediate Past Chief Executive, Santé publique France

Geneviève Chêne, MD, PhD, is the immediate past chief executive of Santé publique France, the French public health agency, and professor of public health. She currently teaches at the University of Bordeaux and at Bordeaux university hospital. Before heading Santé publique France, she served as director of the Bordeaux school of public health (ISPED, Bordeaux University, 2017-19) and as the head of the department of public health at the Bordeaux university hospital (2011-19).

In the field of public policy, she contributed to the preparation of the 2013-2017 national health strategy as a member of the “comité des sages” nominated by the prime minister, then as director of the Inserm Institute of research in Public Health between 2014 and 2017. At the university of Bordeaux since 1999, Prof. Chêne has taught clinical epidemiology and public health at the school of medicine and at the Bordeaux school of public health where she initiated an international distant learning program (5000+ students since 2001).

As a researcher, she has established and led until 2015 an Inserm team on “HIV infections and associated morbidity”. Most cited works show how effects of antiretroviral therapy can be durable on the long term or contribute to the development of methodological innovations. Until 2019, she led EUCLID, a platform for international clinical trials that she created in 2014 within the FCRIN infrastructure. This platform is involved in many international vaccine trials for the prevention of Ebola, malaria or pneumococus. Since 2010, she is co-principal investigator of Memento, a national cohort of 2,323 participants, with either cognitive complaints or light cognitive deficits, enrolled in French memory clinics and characterized through a multidimensional assessment of their risk factors and brain health. Prof. Chêne is a member of the editorial advisory board of the Lancet Public Health and is member of the editorial board of the European Journal of Epidemiology.

Tracey Cooper

Chief Executive, Public Health Wales, United Kingdom (Wales)

Dr. Tracey Cooper, an experienced Chief Executive, has had the privilege of leading two diverse, high-profile national agencies in two different countries over the last sixteen years. With significant expertise in public health, health and social care regulation, and health system reform, Dr. Tracey Cooper excels in leading transformations within organizations and delivering complex services.

Boasting extensive experience both nationally and internationally, Dr. Tracey Cooper has collaborated with partners across organizational boundaries, developing strong, effective, and purposeful relationships to transform outcomes for populations. She works closely with Ministers and senior officials at both national and international levels, spanning the breadth of government.

Dr. Tracey Cooper's active involvement in global health spans two decades, including impactful contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO), International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the InterAction Council. Serving as the President of the International Society for Quality in Health Care, Dr. Tracey Cooper has been a key advisor to governments in various countries, shaping healthcare policies and practices for positive change.

Juan Rivera

Immediate Past Director, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Mexico

Juan Rivera Dommarco is the immediate past director of Mexico's Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), where he has worked since 1993. There he founded the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health in 2001.

He is also professor of Nutrition in the School of Public Health of Mexico and adjunct professor at Emory University. Dr. Rivera has published more than 400 scientific articles, book chapters, and books, and made more than 500 presentations and conferences at scientific events. He is past recipient of the Kellogg International Nutrition Research Award from ASN, granted for active engagement in research to benefit populations in nonindustrialized countries, as demonstrated through publications in the scientific literature, and actively engaged in training new scientists for international nutrition research.

Mesay Hailu Dangisso

Director General, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Ethiopia

Dr. Mesay Hailu Dangisso is currently leading the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and serving as an Executive Member of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, he oversees the largest, most complex, and oldest public health institute in Africa. In addition to these roles, he holds positions as a board member of the Ethiopian Science Academy, the Ethiopian Antidoping Authority, and chairs the board of directors of the Furra Institute of Education and Development Studies in Ethiopia. As a distinguished researcher, public health specialist, and leader, Dr. Mesay Hailu Dangisso has steered various academic and public institutions in Ethiopia. Before joining EPHI, he served as Vice President and Senate Executive Committee member at Hawassa University, one of the top universities in Ethiopia. He also took on the roles of Chief Administrative and Business Development Director, as well as Associate Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. As a member of the Advisory and Technical Council for the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Mesay Hailu Dangisso is recognized for outstanding service. He remains affiliated with Hawassa University and serves as an Associate Professor of Public Health Epidemiology. Dr. Mesay Hailu Dangisso earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Hawassa University, a Master’s of Public Health from Jimma University, and a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Bergen, Norway. Dr. Mesay Hailu Dangisso continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of public health in Ethiopia.

Abdullah Algwizani

Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Abdullah Algwizani joined the Saudi Center for Disease Prevention and Control (formerly Saudi Public Health Authority) from its inception as the founding chief executive in 2018. Reporting to the minister of Health, Dr. Algwizani is responsible for achieving the organization’s goal to protect and improve the health of the population in the kingdom. He is passionate about supporting the development of a nation that lives longer and healthier. He envisages the success of this mission as a joint endeavor across and beyond the healthcare system.

As a published researcher with a medical background in infectious diseases and as a practicing consultant, Dr. Algwizani has held many key positions. He was the director of Infection Prevention and Control at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital. In addition, he is part of several national and international memberships on a wide range of committees such as public health, dengue control, vaccines and biological medicine. 

He has also represented the country at international forums, including the World Health Assembly, Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) Steering Committee and is the Anti-Microbial Resistance Champion for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the G20.

Aamer Ikram

Strategic Adviser, IANPHI

Dr. Ikram is a physician with expertise in the fields of biosafety, biosecurity and infection control. Dr Ikram is a Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and the former Executive Director of the National Institute of Health in Pakistan. 

Jean-Claude Desenclos

Strategic Adviser, IANPHI

Dr. Jean-Claude Desenclos is a public health epidemiologist. He was secretary general of IANPHI between 2016 and 2021. Until recently he was also deputy director for Scientific Affairs at Santé publique France, the French public health agency. He previously worked for Médecins Sans Frontières and Epicentre, an NGO dedicated to epidemiological studies in low-income countries created by MSF before joining the Epidemic Intelligence Service program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1988. He then joined the Réseau National de Santé Publique (French national public health network) in 1991, which then became the Institut de Veille Sanitaire (InVS). Dr. Desenclos was the head of the InVS Infectious Diseases Department before becoming scientific director of InVS and then Santé public France. Dr. Desenclos is currently an associate editor for the European Journal of Epidemiology, and a member of the COVID-19 scientific committee of the French Agency for Research on HIV, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis and Emerging Infection (ANRS-MIE).

Quentin Sandifer

Strategic Adviser, IANPHI

Dr. Quentin Sandifer OBE was nominated in 2021 as strategic adviser to IANPHI by the IANPHI Executive Board. In this role, he supports the collaboration between the IANPHI Europe Regional Network and WHO Europe; the chair and vice chair of the Europe network, and to the IANPHI Executive Board and Secretariat. Between 2014 and 2020 he served as the executive lead representing Public Health Wales in IANPHI. In 2019 he became the first chair of the Europe network. In this role he focused on building a relationship with WHO Europe and contributed to the IANPHI COVID-19 Webinar Series. 

Dr. Sandifer served as executive director of Public Health Services and medical director of Public Health Wales between 2012 and 2020. After retiring in November 2020, he returned in 2021 as a consultant adviser on Pandemic and International Health. At Public Health Wales he led the directorate responsible for the provision of all national screening programs, health protection and microbiology services, and public health emergency planning and response for the population of Wales. In 2020, he served as the strategic director for Public Health Wales’ response to COVID-19.

Dr. Sandifer has practiced public health for almost 30 years and before that spent eight years working in hospital medicine and family practice in the UK and Canada. Besides his medical and public health degrees, he holds an executive MBA from Columbia University and London Business School.