Regional Youth Champions

El Ghali Ouali Alami, from Morocco, is a Medical Student with an additional background in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development from the University of Massachusetts (UMASS), a Healthtech and Social Entrepreneur and a Youth Worker.Extremely passionate about innovation in healthcare, he strives to look for new ways to impact patients in a more systemic manner, through projects and initiatives dedicated to better the lives of those affected. Having Co-Founded DigiBlood in 2020, an NGO that works on blood donation culture in Morocco and later on leading the Healthtech Department with the National Youth Council for Health in Morocco, El Ghali has explored new ways of digitizing health systems like blood donation while managing change in behavior of patients and professionals alike. Currently, he is developing various solutions aimed at the digital transformation of health at various levels with an innovative social and change management approach.El Ghali is also engaged and advocates for better opportunities and health for youth as well as meaningful civic engagement, he currently is leading the Global Shapers Fez Hub, as well as part of the Well-being Program of the International Federation of Liberal Youth leading media campaigns aimed at vulnerable communities and migrants' mental health and well-being.

Sohayla Eldeeb is an environmental health advocate focusing on the intersection of health and sustainability, specifically how digital health plays a role in net zero. She graduated from Stanford with a bachelor's in biology and a master's in Community Health and Preventive Research. In 2018, Sohayla was one of the early team members of Zero Hour, the first youth-led climate march on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, and formed over 200 action chapters worldwide. Since then, she has pushed for reusable gowns and lower-emission food/procurement systems at Stanford. Sohayla has helped lead several initiatives revolutionizing the healthcare systems to net zero, including an innovative greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) calculator for telehealth and transitioning to healthier food systems. She has been named a Healthcare Sustainability Champion. She is extremely passionate about the future of health tech, specifically how it may be used to integrate more representative health measures of social and environmental determinants. Sohayla has spoken at COP 27 about the human right to a healthy environment, the first-ever United Nations Youth Climate Summit, and served as a youth speaker at Africa's CDC Health Conference.

Charlotte is a 6th-year pharmacy student and a Master's candidate in Political Sciences in Paris, with a deep passion for global health, youth engagement, and health policies. Of French and Czech heritage, Charlotte has developed diverse international experience, having worked in community pharmacy, research, hospital settings, and industry across France, Malta, Belgium, and Poland.

Her interests include mental health advocacy, digital health in rural areas, One Health, and sustainability. As former Vice President of European Affairs at the European Pharmaceutical Students' Association (EPSA), she represented 100,000 pharmaceutical students across Europe, organizing events with European Parliament members on the mental health of young people.

Charlotte also demonstrated her leadership as Chairperson of the 45th European Pharmaceutical Students Annual Congress, focusing on sustainability in the pharmaceutical sector and its impact on climate health. She has played a key role in fostering collaborations with student and youth organizations, including the European Healthcare Students Association Alliance. More recently, she became an active member of the WHO's Youth4Health network. Moreover, her previous experience at the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) fueled her interest for European politics and the crucial role of pharmaceutical companies in patient care innovation.

Maryam is a passionate AI engineer with a background in Medical Informatics, dedicated to leveraging technology for positive societal impact. She develops AI-powered solutions addressing critical challenges in health and sustainability while mentoring aspiring engineers locally and internationally to integrate AI into diverse sectors aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Recognized for her contributions, Maryam mentors at international hackathons, focusing on responsible AI use. Locally, she influences tech enthusiasts, guiding them in projects that promote environmental and social change. Her educational initiatives support underserved communities through volunteer-driven, free learning resources.As an ambassador for various technology and entrepreneurship initiatives, she advocates for responsible innovation, ensuring ethical principles and sustainability guide AI adoption. Maryam continually seeks collaborations to bridge the gap between technology and sustainability, promoting sustainable coding practices and driving innovation that addresses global challenges.

Akisarl Lynn-Everdene is a young, talented, and change-driven youth activist, and a 5th-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon, passionate about good health and wellness, with particular interest in public health and global health policies. She served as a regional coordinator for the African region as an alumni of the Malmar Knowles Kectil program, a web program that aims to bring youths together, providing them with skills to lead change in their communities. She's also an associate program officer at Safe Space Cameroon, a health initiative aimed at addressing mental health issues amongst young persons while providing them with psychosocial support. She has also served as Public Relations Officer of CAMESA (Cameroon Medical Students Association). She's a member of CAMSA (Cameroon Medical Students Association) and FAMSA (Federation of African Medical Students Association) she's advocating for sexual reproductive health rights under the Standing Committee of the Standing Committee of Sexual Rights including HIV and AIDS (SCORA) and SCORE (Standing Committee of Research Exchange). As a two-time Presidential Academic Excellence Award winner and OpenDreams Scholar, Lynn works with a variety of educational initiatives aimed at ensuring that high-achieving, low-income earning Students across the country have access to education, Lynn is passionate about Sustainable Development goals and working with NGOS and Civil Society Organizations on meaningful engagements with adolescents and youth engagements.

Othniel NIMBABAZI is a global health and human centered design professional with more than 5 years’ experience working on digital health innovations, research, stakeholders’ engagement and advocacy as well as leveraging his skills in designing project, facilitating co-creation, and testing prototypes for improving health outcomes of novel projects.For the past decade, he has been an active young leader in global health, where he engaged in youth organizations on national, African and global level like International Pharmaceutical Students Federation (IPSF), Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network (YP CDN), UN Major Group for Children and Youth where he participated and/or contributed to the statements for high-level meeting like WHO Executive Board Meeting, WHO AFRO Regional Committee Meeting and World Health Assembly representing youth voices. He also served as the COVID Vaccination Champion for Africa CDC Bingwa Initiative and the represents YP CDN in the WHO Civil Society Commission.Othniel is also a Global Health Corps alumni where he served as Research Officer in the Ministry of Health in Rwanda. He held different managing position in global health, and pharmaceutical fields, & he currently contribute on research and health management projects as consultant. He holds a Master of Science in Global Health Delivery from the University of Global Health Equity and a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from the University of Rwanda.

Alfredo Lorenzo Sablay is a biologist and a licensed medical doctor, being active in professional and socio-civic youth organizations since 2010. Currently, he is an Envoy for the UNDP Movers Programme delivering training on the SDGs, climate action, sustainability, leadership, and 21st century skills to more than 6,000 youth globally. Dr. Lorenzo has also been advocating for good health and well-being of children and youth through dissemination of truthful and engaging health information as Country Lead of MoreViralThanTheVirus Philippines and as Chief Regional Executive for Asia-Pacific of MoreViralThanTheVirus Global, the campaigns and initiatives of which having reached and involved thousands of youth in the Philippines and across the globe.He is also a Fellow of the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform under UNDP, former UNFCCC YOUNGO Loss and Damage WG Co-Contact Point, Program Coordinator for YOUNGO Ocean’s Voice, a Youth Mental Health Coach for the National Youth Commission focusing on engaging with young people, Trainer for the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition, Education Team Member for InciSioN Global, a Regional Committee Member of the Healthcare Without Harm RISE SEA Alliance, Engagement Officer for St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine Planetary and Global Health Program, a core member of The Climate Reality Project Philippines Youth Cluster, and the National Focal Point for UN1FY Philippines.He is a Diana Award Recipient for 2022, the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian work, and the ASEAN Youth Organization PH Outstanding Community Development Advocate and Frontliner for 2023. Looking back to his journey, Dr. Lorenzo is a volunteer-advocate focusing on meaningful youth engagement, participation, inclusion, and action for people, planet, peace, and prosperity.

Leonardo Bolstad (Reo Aoki) is a Japanese New Zealander whose multicultural upbringing, enriched by a French education, has fueled his passion for international collaboration. With a strong appreciation for diverse global perspectives, he combines his background in electrical and humanitarian engineering with a deep commitment to sustainable technology development aimed at improving health outcomes.As the National Student Representative for FAST! (France Aotearoa Science Technology Innovation), an NGO supported by the French Embassy in New Zealand, Leonardo plays a vital role in fostering scientific partnerships between France and New Zealand. He also contributes to the leadership network of the Asia New Zealand Foundation, connecting youth across the region.Leonardo's advocacy for youth representation on the world stage is highlighted by his role as the sole delegate form New Zealand at the 2024 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum, where he pushed for the establishment of an official youth delegation and more avenues for youth engagement. As Vice-Chair of the local student branch of IEEE, the world’s largest technical organisation, he continues to build connections that bridge cultures and drive technological innovation.

Tamoy is a recent law graduate who will soon be called to the Bar of Jamaica. With a strong foundation in both local and international law, she is passionate about human rights, climate justice, international law and shaping policies. Her legal journey has been shaped by her commitment to making complex legal and political concepts accessible to everyone. This passion led her to create *Legally Nerdy*, a social media platform dedicated to breaking down legal issues and current events in a simplified, relatable way.In addition to her legal expertise, Tamoy is an accomplished media professional and content creator. She has hosted local television programmes and moderated panels, hosted events for government, corporate and international organizations. Her media skills also extend to advocacy, where she uses her platform to spotlight pressing issues like climate change, energy transition, and human rights.Tamoy’s work reflects her dedication to public service and her desire to influence positive change both in Jamaica and globally. As she prepares to enter the legal profession, she is eager to blend her legal knowledge, media savvy, and advocacy experience to make a meaningful impact on society.

Salman Khan is a dedicated public health advocate with over seven years of leadership in youth-led initiatives. He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from Grant Government Medical College, Mumbai, India. His work spans critical areas like non-communicable diseases (NCDs), antimicrobial resistance (AMR), climate change and health, and health systems strengthening. Salman has represented medical students on global platforms, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UN CSW). With experience at local, national, and international levels, Salman has held key roles in multiple NGOs, including  the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), as the Director of the Standing Committee on Public Health and Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues, leading campaigns that impacted over 120 countries.

Imane Lakbachi is DTH-Lab's Focal Point to the WHO Youth Council, where she plays a key role in advocating for youth-centered approaches in the development of digital health policies and initiatives. With a background in technology and computer science, Imane combines her technical skills with a passion for youth empowerment and gender equality to bring fresh perspectives to the digital health space. In addition to her role at DTH-Lab, Imane is the Director of Network Engagement at IYAFP, where she focuses on strengthening the global network of human rights defenders and advocating for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice (SRHRJ). She is also a Youth Reference Committee Member at the African Union Office of the Youth Envoy, a NATO Youth Advisory Board Member, and a Board Member at PMNCH. In recognition of her contributions to social impact, Imane was honored with The Diana Award in 2022.

Born in Malaysia and raised in Canada, Brian Li Han Wong (@brianwong_) is an entrepreneur, public health advocate & practitioner, and multidisciplinary researcher interested in ageing and life course, digital health, global health governance, immunisation/vaccination policy, and youth engagement. He currently sits on the Steering Committees for the EUPHA Digital Health Section and the new WHO Youth Council. He also leads the Public Health Erosion and Vaccination subgroups on ASPHER’s COVID-19 Task Force and sits on the Board of Trustees for UK Model WHO and Students for Global Health.

Dr Wong has previously acted as surveillance epidemiologist for Public Health England’s Immunisation and Countermeasures Division as well as Programme Manager of the “Outbreak!” strand of UCL’s annual Global Citizenship Programme. His long-standing passion for meaningful youth engagement through innovation, capacity building, and experiential learning activities has led him to found LonWHO, the world’s largest Model WHO simulation, and UK Model WHO, the first unified structure for Model WHO simulations in the UK which provides global health policy, advocacy, and diplomacy training for students and young professionals. He has written and delivered policy statements at high-level meetings, such as the World Health Assembly and the WHO’s Executive Board Meeting, as part of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA) delegation.

Dr Wong is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health and the Royal Society of Arts. He is currently undertaking a social innovation fellowship with Year Here and has been accepted onto the 3rd WHO infodemic manager training. Since concluding his doctoral studies in cardiovascular science at University College London, he went on to pursue an Executive Diploma in the Art of Diplomacy from the European Academy of Diplomacy and the Global Clinical Scholars Research Training program with Harvard Medical School. He holds a Master’s degree in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an Honours Bachelor degree in biomedical science with a minor in music from the University of Ottawa.

Saif Malhem is the founding co-chair of the AI Future Lab: a community of next-gen leaders pushing the frontiers for responsible AI globally, incubated by members of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. Coming from all continents, the lab consists of six working groups including health and operated with the mission of empowering the global youth to develop responsible artificial intelligence, democratizing access to shaping its trajectory, and ensuring inclusion of global communities. Saif is an engineering professional and worked as the AI lead for both Fortune 500 companies and young start-ups, managing AI transformations and producing technology roadmaps. He’s currently a researcher at the Center for AI and Digital Policy. With his background in clean technology, he was named one of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30 in sustainability by Corporate Knights in 2020. Having previously worked at the Clinton Foundation, Saif graduated from McGill University with a degree in honours electrical engineering and technological entrepreneurship.

Danielle Mullings is a multidimensional Software Engineering student with interests including technology, leadership and the arts. She currently serves as the President of the Guild of Students at the University of the West Indies Mona, where she is also a UWI Open Scholar. Said to be ‘one of the field’s brightest young minds’, Danielle believes strongly in the power of tech and innovation in edifying society and would ultimately like to work in areas with civic applications of technology. This complements her work as the Partnership & Campaign Officer for Transform Health, a global coalition aimed at using technology as a catalyst for universal health coverage. She aspires to become a world leader in technological representation for the Caribbean and Latin America, focusing on enhancing the Caribbean’s pursuit of the SDGs.

Lastly, she has a natural affinity for leadership and youth empowerment and thus serves on youth councils, both locally and internationally, representing the voice of young people in technology, education, national issues and tech for health.

Eunice Kilonzo is a Communications and (Social) Media Specialist currently a Manager, Content Generation at Safaricom PLC. Her immediate former role was with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) HQ in Nairobi, Kenya as a Social Media and Content Consultant.

Eunice has extensive hands-on experience in organizational communications and (social) media management across a range of sectors: health, science, environment, technology, financial services and development.

She is fascinated with digital health, global health diplomacy, matters around access to health care in children and the youth, newer forms of storytelling, and content creation, generation and sharing.

Shalin Jyotishi is a Senior Analyst on Education and Labor at the think-tank New America and a Fellow at the World Economic Forum. He is also a Forbes Contributor covering careers and education. Shalin’s expertise centers on issues where higher education and the workforce meets technological innovation and science and innovation policy. Shalin’s work has appeared in NPR, Morning Consult, and Financial Times, and he has spoken before the United Nations, OECD, U.S. National Academies, and the World Bank. He serves or has served on advisory boards for the MIT Science Policy Review, the International Economic Development Council, the United Nations International Telecommunication Union, American Enterprise Institute, the U.S. National Science Foundation, George Washington University’s Institute for Public Policy, and Georgetown University’s Center on Security and Emerging Technology. Previously, Shalin led programs at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, North America’s oldest presidents-led higher education association, and held positions at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the University of Michigan, and Stanford University. He is the past CEO of the Journal of Science Policy & Governance. Shalin is online at ShalinJyotishi.com.

Eglė is a young Resident Doctor in Dermatology in Vilnius, Lithuania, previously trained in Switzerland, France and Italy. She is a part of the newly established The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Youth Advisory Panel, the Vice-chair of the Healthcare Constituency at the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health hosted by World Health Organisation, and a Woman Deliver Young Leader.Previously, Egle acted as Liaison Officer for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Issues and the elected Vice President for External Affairs of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), representing 1.3 million medical students from 131 countries. She represented IFMSA at global health meetings such as World Health Assembly, WHO Executive Board Session and United Nations Commission on Social Development. Together with her colleagues, she led a global research on digital health gaps in medical education systems globally.

Dr. Rohini Dutta (she/her/hers) is a medical graduate from Christian Medical College Ludhiana, Punjab, India and a Global Surgery Fellow at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research in Surgical Care Delivery in Low-Middle Income Countries, India. She was one of the recipients of the ‘Women of the Future Award India’ in 2021. Her clinical and research work currently focuses on increasing access to surgical and obstetric care in low-resource settings to rural and marginalised communities and leveraging digital technology in the health care sector to accelerate solutions towards achieving universal health coverage. She has served as President of Asian Medical Students Association India in 2019-20 and collaborated with the Indian Development Foundation on Project One Million with its mission to supply one million girls within the reproductive age with free sanitary pads and menstrual hygiene products. She will be joining the Harvard Programme for Global Surgery and Social Change in July 2022.

Ruben Avila (He/His/Him) is an advocate with 9 years of experience working on projects related to sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equity, LGBITQ+ issues, and meaningful youth engagement. During this time, Ruben collaborated on different roles with local and international civil society organizations, public and private institutions, and United Nations Agencies. He’s the Founder and Director of Sin Control Parental, a platform working on providing information and digital counseling on sexual and reproductive health for youth and adolescents in Mexico. Ruben was recognized as a global young leader by SheDecides global political movement (2019) and the International AIDS Society (2021). Additionally, he participated in the prestigious Human Rights Advocates Program 2020-2021 by Columbia University in New York and was recently a recipient of the One Young World and Novartis “Reimagining healthcare scholarship”, which recognises visionary and innovative young leaders worldwide working in healthcare.

Yifan Zhou, PharmD, ACPR, is a pharmacist in Canada, where she practices both in the industry and hospital. As the immediate past Chairperson of External Relations at International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF), she managed over 20 partner and sponsors relations. She has also represented the Federation at more than 10 high level international meetings, where she delivered statements, interviewed, and advocated for public health, climate change, digital health, and meaningful youth engagement.Yifan is currently the President-Elect of IPSF, where she hopes to continue advocating for 500,000 pharmacy students and recent graduates around the world.She was the past Executive Co-Chair of IMAGINE Clinic, a student-run clinic that serves marginalized community in Toronto. During the pandemic, she led a team of 30 executives to transform the walk-in clinic into a virtual clinic to continue providing care. The clinic also offered physical space, computer and internet access to bridge the gaps in access for its patients. Yifan also developed an automated flu form for a pharmacy technology company, which served over 700k Canadians during the pandemic.

Dr. Gladson Vaghela is a medical doctor from India, currently serving as the Research Coordinator at The Training for Health Equity Network, USA, directing his efforts towards the attainment of social accountability in medical education through education, research, and service. He is a Policy Fellow of The Network: Towards Unity For Health, USA; a Country Representative at Healthcare Information for All, UK; and serves at the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Youth Health Network, UK. During his medical training, for four consecutive years, he has served at different capacities at the Executive Committee of the Asian Medical Students’ Association International, a student-led organization that has representation in more than 30 countries. Notably, he has served as a Youth Advisor for YuWaah (Generation Unlimited) at UNICEF India, with a specific focus on empowering and nurturing the well-being of young individuals. In the year 2023, he made it among the top 50 finalists for the prestigious Chegg.org Global Student Prize. Dr. Vaghela exemplifies natural leadership qualities and a resolute dedication to the empowerment of youth. He actively participates in high-level meetings, representing the voices of young people both locally and internationally, particularly in issues pertaining to education and universal access to healthcare.

Nojus Saad is a health technology entrepreneur, medical doctor, and social justice advocate with 7+ years of multinational research, policy development, and social entrepreneurial expertise around digital healthcare, gender justice, and healthcare technology.

Dr. Nojus is the President & CEO of Youth For Women Foundation, where he has positively impacted over 5600 youth and women in 59 rural, refugee, and underserved societies across Iraq, India, and France. 

Vice Chair of PMNCH at the World Health Organization, Saad represents the institution and contributes to researching global health policies at the annual WHO’s Global Conference on Health Promotion, UN Commission on Status of Women, International Aids Conference, and the IAS Conference on HIV Science. Dr. Nojus serves as an expert adviser to Bond UK, where he consults the UK government’s international development sector around digital health investments in the MENA. He also co-chairs the Youth Leadership Council at the Global Fund for Children (GFC), where he shapes the GFC’s global research & innovation strategy.

Saad is the former United Nations ambassador of the Internet Governance Forum, and a senior Digital Policy Fellow at ICANN; where he’s innovating technology enterprises for UHC, developed global DNS policies, and strengthened digital literacy among the most vulnerable.

Soe Yu Naing is a global health professional with more than ten years of experience in project management and scientific research. He received an international MSc in Infectious Diseases and One Health (IDOH) from the Université de Tours (France), the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain), and the University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom). He is a product of liberal arts education and has a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from Earlham College in the United States. Later, he joined the University of Pennsylvania to work on research toward HIV cure. Currently, he is a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. His work mainly focuses on molecular epidemiology of emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. He is currently managing a transdisciplinary project titled “”Impact of reducing colistin use on colistin resistance in humans and poultry”” in Indonesia. Beyond academia, Soe Yu Naing collaborates with ISGLOBAL, OHT, and consults for WHO, contributing to global health policy. He also serves as a visiting faculty at Parami University in Myanmar, teaching research methods, infectious diseases, and One Health. In his leisure, he writes Burmese short stories and podcast scripts, tackling taboo subjects like sexual and reproductive health (SRH) to foster open discussions in Myanmar.

Caroline Knop is a medical student at Charité Berlin with a strong interest in the digital transformation of health. She served as National Public Health Officer of the German Medical Student’s Association 2022/23 and was part of the International Federation of Medical Student’s Associations delegation to the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva. As Co-Head of the Youth Side Program on the World Health Summit she advocates for meaningful youth engagement. Passionate about addressing the digital determinants of health, she works together with SATMED, an open access satellite-based eHealth communications platform, providing digital health services to remote, resource-poor areas of emerging and developing countries. As a participant in the International Collaboration and Exchange Program (Columbia ICEP), an international student networking and exchange program partnering over 26 major leading medical universities on 5 continents, she believes that current health challenges need to be addressed by a global approach in collaborative problem solving. Having a strong interest in research she served as Head of Public Relations during the foundation of Berlin Exchange Medicine, the first German student healthcare journal. She is a scholar of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and has recently joined the Global Digital Health Lab at Charité Berlin.

Lydia Jummai Gara is a development professional with over four years of progressive experience in designing and implementing projects on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Universal Health Coverage, Meaningful Youth Participation and Gender Justice for adolescents and young people. As an Internationally certified program manager, Lydia has managed several internationally funded projects on the health and well-being of adolescents and young people across Africa. Driven by her passion for empowering fellow young individuals through the establishment of robust networks, Lydia is an active member of technical working committees at both local and international levels, tirelessly advocating for the voices of young people in matters of gender equality, promotion of SRHR information and services, inclusivity, and health equity.

Inês Viva’s medical journey spans clinical medicine, research, and consultancy in various esteemed institutions. Her leadership qualities are evident from her tenure on executive boards of NGOs affiliated with WHO and the UN such as the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. Through these platforms, she has made significant contributions to policy drafts and has been a pillar in healthcare student capacity building, focusing on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Her impressive communication prowess was further showcased during her recent Bluebook traineeship at the European Commission, where she delved into pharmaceutical legislation and access to medicines. At present, Inês Viva’s contributions are enriching the OECD, as she zeroes in on the critical subject of Health systems resilience.