Plenary Speakers
Professor Stephan Van den Broucke
Stephan Van den Broucke is professor of Health Psychology at the UC Louvain, Belgium, and Associated Professor at the Université Laval, Canada. His research expertise includes public health psychology, health promotion, health literacy, patient education, accident prevention, and public health capacity building. He has supervised a large number of national and international research projects, over 20 PhD projects, and more than a hundred master thesis studies; authored over 150 scientific publications; and taught students and health professionals in Europe, North and Latin America, Africa and Asia. He is currently guest professor at the Babes-Bolyai University in Romania and at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Prof. Van den Broucke has served as an evaluator for research projects submitted to the European Commission and to research foundations in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and Canada, and participated in accreditation committees for training and research programs in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark. He gave policy advice to authoritative bodies on public health in Belgium, the European Commission, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Open Science Foundation, as well as the World Health Organisation and the European Food Safety Authority. He is an elected Board member of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE); Vice-President of the International Health Literacy Association; and member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the Asian Health Literacy Association. He is also president of the HealthNest consortium for health literacy in Belgium.
Professor Evelyne de Leeuw
Evelyne de Leeuw is professor and holds the Canada Excellence in Research Chair ‘One Urban Health’ at the Université de Montréal. The Chair connects two exciting health promotion fields: Healthy Cities and One Health. She is also Professorial Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales (Sydney) ‘Cities Institute’ – here she assists in health promotion dimensions of urbanism and healthy public policy. Evelyne has a decades long connection to the global health promotion community. She was at the eponymous Ottawa Conference in 1986, and associated with the peer reviewed journal Health Promotion International for nearly 20 years. With Patrick Fafard she edits a book series on health political science. An upcoming book with Cambridge University Press looks at ‘Intersectorality and One Urban Health’.
Professor Mark Dooris
Mark Dooris is Emeritus Professor in Health & Sustainability at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), where he was until 2023 Co-Director of the Healthy & Sustainable Settings Unit. Mark is a keen cyclist, hill walker, runner and photographer – and with a background in health promotion, public health, community development, strategic planning and sustainable development, he has over 38 years’ experience of working within and across the higher education, health, local government and voluntary sectors. He has published and presented widely and undertaken advisory/consultancy work for the World Health Organization and Public Health England relating to Health in All Policies, Healthy Cities and Healthy Settings. Up until 2023, Mark was Chair of the UK Healthy Universities Network and an advisory group member for Universities UK’s Mental Health in Higher Education Programme. He is currently Expert Adviser on the International Healthy Campuses Network (for which he was Co-Chair until 2023), a member of the Planning Group for the 2025 International Healthy Campuses Conference from 2011-2014, and a member of DIY Learning Disability Theatre ‘s Advisory Group. He has previously chaired the International Union for Health Promotion & Education (IUHPE)’s Global Working Group on Healthy Settings and the UK Health for All Network; and been responsible for co-ordination of the UK Healthy Cities Network and the operational delivery of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health in Prisons.
Professor Hiram V. Arroyo
Hiram V Arroyo is Director of the Department of Social Sciences of the School of Biosocial Sciences and Graduate School of Public Health of the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico. He is also Prof. of Health Promotion and Health Education in the academic programs of Doctorate in Public Health; Doctorate in Public Health with Specialty in Social Determinants of Health; and in the Master's Program in Health Education.Since 2008, he has been Director of the World Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) Collaborating Center for Training and Research in Health Promotion and Health Education. Since 2009, he has been Coordinator of the Ibero-American Network of Health Promoting Universities (RIUPS). From 1996 he has been Coordinator of the Inter-American Consortium of Universities and Personnel Training Centers in Health Education and Health Promotion (CIUEPS). He is also the Founder, Regional Vice President and Regional Director of the Latin American Office (ORLA) of the International Union for Health Promotion and Health Education (UIPES/ORLA, Period 1988-2019), and National Representative in Puerto Rico of the UNESCO Chair Global Health & Education since 2022. Hiram has been a Visiting Professor at Universities in Latin America and Europe, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Portugal and the Dominican Republic. His main research focuses on the topics of Public Health, Health Promotion, Health Education, School and University Health, Health Promotion Networks and Global Health. He has published 13 books, 43 published book chapters and over 100 additional publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Patricia Machawira
Patricia Machawira is UNESCO’s Regional Advisor and Team Lead on Education for Health and Wellbeing for Eastern and Southern Africa. A distinguished African woman leader and senior manager, she is dedicated to advancing the rights of young women and girls, particularly in gender equality, education, and sexual and reproductive health. She has a strong track record in mobilizing resources, overseeing large-scale development programs, and shaping policy and program development in the health and education sectors. With extensive expertise in school health, HIV and AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and comprehensive sexuality education, Dr. Patricia Machawira plays a pivotal role in the ESA Ministerial Commitment Process, securing political commitment to expanding sexual and reproductive health education and services for young people in the region. She holds a doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Pretoria and an MSc in Education and Training Systems Design from the University of Twente. A prolific researcher and thought leader, she has published, co-authored, and coordinated over 20 publications on education policy, curriculum design, and health-related topics. Driven by the belief that education and health are fundamental human rights, she is committed to ensuring young people in Africa are educated, healthy, and empowered to reach their full potential.
Ms Biddy O'Neill
Biddy O'Neill is the National Policy Lead in Healthy Ireland within the Department of Health. Her areas of responsibility include workplaces, clubs, campuses and prisons as well as mental health promotion and men’s health. She has worked in Health Promotion for over thirty years at both strategic and operational levels within the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health. She has a background in Nursing and Addiction Counselling and holds an MA in both Health Promotion and Advanced Facilitation Skills for Promoting Health and Wellbeing.
Dr Matt Dolf
Matt Dolf's diverse career is connected by a passion for advancing human and ecological health and wellbeing through science and community-based collaboration. As Director of the Office of Wellbeing Strategy at the University of British Columbia (UBC), he provides strategic direction and capacity-building support for UBC Wellbeing — a university-wide initiative aimed at creating a health-promoting campus where all people, places, and communities can flourish. For most of the past decade, Matt has served as co-chair and member of the leadership teams for the International and Canadian Health Promoting Campus Networks, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing related to the implementation of the influential Okanagan Charter. Matt holds a doctorate from the UBC School of Kinesiology and a Master in Sports Management & Technology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology – Lausanne (EPFL). He has over 20 years of experience working, researching, and publishing in health promotion, climate change, sustainability, and sports management in Canada and Switzerland. Matt lives, works, and plays in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.
Professor Ilona Kickbusch
Ilona Kickbusch is known throughout the world for her expertise and is a sought after senior adviser and key note speaker. She has a strong commitment to the empowerment of women. She is the founding director and chair of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva. She has been appointed a senior distinguished fellow at the Graduate Institute. She is a visiting professor at the University of Geneva and heads the Digital Transformations for Health Lab. She has had a distinguished career with the World Health Organization and Yale University. She holds an honorary professorship at the Charité, Berlin. The Lancet has profiled her as a global health reformer. She has been awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz) in recognition of her invaluable contributions to innovation in governance for global health and global health diplomacy. She has also been awarded the WHO Medal in recognition of her contribution to global health. She works as an independent global health consultant based in Brienz, Switzerland: www.brienz.ch.
Tim Conlon
Tim Conlon leads the policy and strategic planning and system development & performance management units at the HEA. His work is concerned with the strategic performance, development and public accountability of Ireland’s higher education system. Tim graduated from the University of the Creative Arts (UK) and has an MBA from the Smurfit School of Business at UCD. Tim has worked at the HEA for almost twenty years, holding various posts at the national research council, in HEA research and infrastructure, in system development and in policy and planning. Tim has worked on strategic instruments designed to enhance national research output, improve ICT skills provision and to provide for labour market activation. He has carried out research on the nature of relationships between business, enterprise and academia and on research prioritisation. He has led or conducted quality reviews in broad areas from architecture education provision and international quality assurance through to reviews of arts and medical education provision as well as the allocation of degree awarding powers. On behalf of the HEA, Tim leads the reform process which is driving the creation of new technological universities. Tim chaired the HEA working group which produced Ireland’s first National Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Framework. He led the partnership with Department of Health to roll out the HEA Healthy Campus Charter and Framework since 2022 across Irish Higher Education. He has also worked on the recent HEA process to examine options for the expansion places in Dentistry, Nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine provision. Tim is a former coChair of the European Higher Education Area, BFUG Working Group on Learning and Teaching and currently sits on the BFUG Working Group on Fundamental Values.
Dr Faten Ben Abdelaziz
Faten Ben Abdelaziz is Head of the Enhanced Wellbeing Unit in the Department of Health Promotion at the World Health Organization Headquarters, providing technical support to WHO Member States in policies and programmes development in areas of health promotion. She oversees the work on good governance for health and well-being societies, including healthy cities, health promoting schools, health literacy and community engagement. Her current work focus is on intersectoral governance and policies that promote well-being of societies, promoting population levels health literacy, community empowerment, urban governance for health and well-being and health promoting schools. Dr Ben Abdelaziz has previously served at the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMRO) as Regional Adviser for Health Education and Promotion and Coordinator of Health promotion in the Department of Prevention of Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). At the WHO Centre for Health Development in Kobe, Japan, she served as Technical Officer for Health Promotion, Urbanization and health, Health equity, Women’s health and Gender, and Social Determinants of Health.
Professor Isil Ergin
Panellists
Isil Ergin, a Professor at Ege University, Department of Public health, specializes in health inequalities and the social determinants of health, with a particular focus on addressing systemic barriers to equity through research and policy-driven approaches. Currently serving as the Occupational Health and Safety Coordinator, she aims to integrate her work in this field with the Healthy Universities approach, fostering a holistic and inclusive framework for health promotion within academic institutions. Starting as a general practitioner in Van, Turkey, she witnessed the effects of underdevelopment and conflict on public health, which, along with her volunteer work during the 1999 Istanbul earthquake, inspired her transition from family medicine to public health. Since joining Ege University in 2001, Dr. Ergin, has led multidisciplinary research on global health, urbanization, migration, occupational and environmental health, and gender issues. She has conducted field studies among marginalized groups, including Syrian refugees, and worked on innovative projects such as the Tobacco-Free Campus initiative, which secured national funding. Her expertise spans research, teaching, and policy translation, contributing to the integration of public health perspectives into medical education and curriculum development. An active member of global health networks, Dr. Ergin has collaborated with organizations such as the Healthy Universities Network and the European Association for the Study of Obesity. Dr. Ergin, has extensive teaching experience, leading courses on epidemiology, social determinants of health, and health policy across undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her work in curriculum design has fostered preventive and holistic health education. She is currently pursuing a PhD on elderly health, further expanding her expertise in aging and public health.
Associate Professor Vivien Huan
Vivien Huan is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the National Institute of Education (NIE) Singapore. She is also the Associate Vice President (Wellbeing) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore. Together with her team from the University Wellbeing Office (UWO), they oversee the entire university’s framework of wellbeing-related initiatives and programmes. These initiatives and programmes serve to benefit both students and staff on campus by equipping them with knowledge and skills that will help them, and the community around them, to grow and flourish. Having been in the education fraternity for 40 years, Vivien’s research interests reside very much with issues related to students, such as student’s wellbeing, juvenile delinquency, Internet use, youths at-risk, discipline in schools, and other psychopathological and developmental issues observed in youths. At the national level, Vivien is both a panel advisor with the Singapore Youth Court and an expert panellist with the Family Courts.
Dr Hazel Wright
Hazel Wright currently works as the Wellbeing Services Coordinator at Teesside University in the UK. She has worked in higher education following a healthy settings approach, for 20 years. Hazel previously worked in community development and health development. Alongside this, she have worked in the fitness industry for 30 years. Hazel has been a member of the UK Healthy Universities Network (UKHUN) for 18 years and became co-chair of the network two years ago, when her mentor and predecessor, Professor Mark Dooris, retired from his role at the University of Central Lancashire. This was a great honour for her, and has enabled her to follow her passion for making change across the HE sector in health and wellbeing policy and practice.
Dr Vicki Squires
Vicki Squires serves as the Associate Dean, Research, Graduate Support and International Initiatives and is a Professor in the Department of Educational Administration in the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan. Her areas of research are post-secondary education and student well-being; supporting mental health and wellbeing requires collaboration among units and a systems approach. Dr. Squires has been the lead of multiple grants exploring the implementation of the Okanagan Charter on campuses in Canada and globally. She has published and presented on the work of health promoting universities and the Okanagan Charter; she is also the lead editor on a co-edited book that includes international co-authored chapters written by researchers involved in health promotion efforts on their campuses.
Associate Professor Jeanne Grace
Jeanne Grace is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biokinetics, Exercise, and Leisure Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and a National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher. She lectures undergraduate and postgraduate modules spanning Functional anatomy and Sports injuries, Rehabilitation Sciences, Principles of Coaching and Conditioning, Research methods, and Clinical exercise physiology. With over 48 peer-reviewed publications and two book chapters, Prof Grace has supervised and graduated 35 honours, 11 master’s, and seven doctoral students in Human Movement Science. She is an associate editor for the South African Journal for Research in Physical Education, Sport, and Recreation and an external external examiner for postgraduate students locally and internationally. She also contributes to academic advisory boards and collaborates internationally with universities in Ethiopia and Kenya. Professionally, she holds multiple roles within the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), including Vice Chairperson of the Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Biokinetics (PPB) Board and membership in several committees, while also serving as an assessor of PPB professional programs. She is a member of international networks like the International Network of Sports and Health Scientists (INSHS) and the International Health Promoting Campuses Network (IHPCN). She is the chair of the African Health Promoting Campuses Network (AHPCN). On a personal level, she is a business associate at Donavan Pillai Biokineticists, practising part-time as a Biokineticist. Her research focuses on physical activity in special populations and its role in preventing and treating non-communicable diseases.
Dr Patricia Taylor
Patricia Taylor is a Public Health academic at Deakin University and Course Director of the Bachelor of Public Health/Health Promotion. Patricia has undergraduate qualifications in health promotion and postgraduate qualifications in public health and settings-based health promotion (PhD 2020). Patricia has been a researcher and educator in the tertiary sector for 13 years. She leads the Australian Health Promoting University Network and is the Australian representative on the International Health Promoting Campuses Steering Committee.
Chris Dawe
For more than 30 years, Chris Dawe's experience includes working and consulting in both Canada and the U.S. with a focus on systemic, upstream wellbeing impacts. He’s co-lead implementation of the Okanagan Charter at four institutions, including the University of Houston where he now serves as the Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellbeing. Chris is a founding member of the United States Health Promoting Campuses Network (USHPCN) and is currently serving as its Chair.
Dr Rajiv Yeravdekar
Dr. Rajiv is championing the concept of Health Promoting Universities in India. He is a Member of the Steering group of International Health Promoting Universities and Colleges, the working group of UGC to bring out policy on Health Promoting University & the Fit India Movement Campaign Committee, MHRD, GoI. He has been nominated on the WHO Project on Development of Health and Wellness Assessment Index for Higher Educational Institutions in India. Dr. Rajiv is a Member of the Specialists Board of DNB & FNB in the specialty of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, MoHFW, GoI and a member of Accreditation Board for the Healthcare Sector Skill Council (HSSC) and the CII Western Region Sub-Committee on Healthcare. Dr. Rajiv has contributed a number of articles in various national and international journals. As a member of various national bodies, Dr Rajiv has contributed to policy formulation and regulatory mechanisms influencing healthcare delivery and medical / nursing education nationally
Professor Shane Kilcommins
Shane Kilcommins is the Provost and Deputy President of University of Limerick, Ireland. Shane is a graduate of the University of Limerick (B.A., 1994), the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, (Ph.D., 1998), and University College Cork (MA, 2007). Shane worked as a Professor of Law in UCC before he joined UL in 2014. Prior to this, he worked in the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and WIT. He was head of the School of Law between 2014 and 2020 in UL. During this period, he established extensive links with An Garda Síochána that has involved the introduction of several new programmes for that organisation. He also successfully co-tendered for and launched an ambitious new research programme at the School of Law to help improve the effectiveness of the youth justice system in Ireland. The programme is funded by the Department of Justice and is led by Prof. Sean Redmond. During his tenure, the Law School won the AIB Private Banking Award for Best Law School in Ireland (2017), a DELTA award for disciplinary excellence in teaching and learning (2018), and postgraduate Law programme of the year (2018). Prof. Kilcommins also oversaw the redesign and refurbishment of the Law School and the establishment of a new law library and A&L Goodbody Appeal Moot Courtroom in the library extension. He also co-led the tender to provide training in commercial and company law to the Revenue Commissioners (2019-2024). The School was ranked in the top 100-200 Law Schools in the World (QS Rankings) in 2021. In April 2021, Professor Shane Kilcommins was appointed Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Limerick.
Professor Jane Stout
Jane Stout is the Vice President for Biodiversity & Climate Action at Trinity College Dublin. She is an internationally renowned expert on pollinator and pollination ecology, and a prominent voice for biodiversity and its value. Her research seeks to understand how land management practices, including agriculture and urbanisation, affect ecological processes and the benefits of nature for humans. Jane works across disciplines, and with a broad range of stakeholders in public and private organisations, to improve environmental policy and practice. She leads a large team of researchers in the Plant-Animal Interactions Research group in Botany, in the School of Natural Sciences in Trinity. She is co-founder and Chair of the Board of the Irish Forum on Natural Capital www.naturalcapitalireland.com, and co-founder and deputy Chair of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan www.pollinators.ie
Professor Chad London
Chad London is Professor and Provost & Vice President, Academic at Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary, Canada. He previously served as Dean of the College of Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan and Dean of the Faculty of Health and Community at MRU, where he took a leadership role in implementing the Okanagan Charter at both institutions. He has been a member of the Canadian Health Promoting Campuses Network since its inception in 2016 and has collaborated with colleagues across Canada and internationally over the last 8 years on numerous research projects related to well-being in higher education contexts. Dr. London’s research interests lay primarily in how leadership and leaders can advance health and wellbeing of students, faculty, staff and the broader community. Chad earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lethbridge, a Master of Human Kinetics from the University of Windsor, and a PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of Calgary.
Pre-conference workshop facilitators/Plenary Chairs
Associate Professor Catherine Norton
Catherine Norton is a Registered Dietitian, High Performance Sport and Exercise Nutrition registrant, Researcher and Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Nutrition. Catherine works at the University of Limerick, Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences. She has over 20 years experience in food and health, across industry, healthcare, professional sport, and academia. Catherine is an active member of the Health Research Institute (HRI), Sport and Human Performance Research Centre (SHPRC), UL Cancer Network (ULCaN), and associate member of Physical Activity for Health (PAfH) and Ageing Research Centre (ARC) clusters. Catherine is past chair and current committee member of the Irish Nutrition and Institute (INDI) Sport and Exercise Nutrition Interest Group (SENG), and currently sits on the directorate of the European Sports Nutrition Society (ESNS). She also holds associate membership in the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Sport and Exercise Nutrition Group (SEN).
Associate Professor Audrey Tierney
Audrey Tierney obtained a BSc (Hons) in Human Nutrition and Dietetics in 2003 from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and Dublin Institute of Technology and a PhD in Nutrition in 2008 (TCD) where she was the lead dietitian on an EU (FP6) funded dietary intervention trial (LIPGENE ) investigating the effects of dietary fat on insulin resistance in Metabolic Syndrome. After a post-doctoral position at University College Dublin in the Nutrigenomic Research group, looking at the impact of genetic predisposition and response to dietary changes, she moved to Australia where she resided for 10 years, working in both the clinical (Alfred Health) and academic fields (La Trobe University). Audrey joined the School of Allied Health in July 2017 and is Professor and Discipline Lead of Nutrition and Dietetics .
Professor Catherine Woods
Catherine Woods joined the University of Limerick (UL) in 2016, where she holds a Chair in Physical Activity and Health. In UL she has successfully integrated into the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences within the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, and has already contributed to research (income €500,000+ with partners), publications (journal articles), impact (representative on the national physical activity plan implementation group). Catherine still enjoys teaching on the BSc in Physical Education and the BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences and postgraduate supervision. Catherine is continuing her work by enhancing her research team in intervention design for children and young people, clinical populations and physical activity policy research.
Caroline Mahon
Caroline Mahon is the Healthy Campus Coordinator with the Higher Education Authority, with responsibility for the progression of the Healthy Campus Charter and Framework across higher education, supported by Healthy Ireland. She has previously worked as Health Promotion Officer with Dublin City University, and before this worked on the Health Promoting Schools Initiative with the HSE. She has also worked on the Healthy Together Victoria Initiative with education settings in Australia. She is interested in systems theory and whole setting approaches to health and wellbeing.
Dr Sislena Ledbetter
Sislena Ledbetter is the Executive Director for Counseling, Health and Wellness at Western Washington University. In her role, Sislena provides strategic, financial and budgetary leadership and management of Counseling, Health, and Wellness services at Western. Sislena is a dynamic, highly skilled leader who takes Counseling, Health, and Wellness to new levels of excellence at WWU. She is a social psychologist, researcher, lecturer, author and life coach. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from North Carolina Central University, Magna Cum Laude. She earned, with honors, her master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from Howard University. Her post-graduate studies included educational leadership training at Georgetown University Graduate School of Professional Studies and Harvard University Graduate School of Education. She has received several fellowships and internships, including as an intern during the Clinton administration. Sislena's higher education leadership roles have included director of Counseling and Student Development and associate vice president of Student Development, where within four years she wrote and attracted more than $5 million in grant funds for behavioral health. She is currently teaching in the Psychology programs at the University of the District of Columbia and George Washington University in Washington D.C. She has written and attracted millions of dollars in behavioral health grants to build peer-led programs addressing HIV AIDS, substance abuse, suicide prevention, and domestic violence. Her research interests include exploring wellness, power, and politics for women of color in leadership roles in the workplace, and exploring factors that enhance healthy intimate relationships in the Black community. She is the host of the DC Cable Television program "A Healthy Mind," where she interviews guest on topics related to mental health. As a leader in the Division of Enrollment and Student Services, the executive director for Health and Wellness leads a talented, integrated, multi-disciplinary team of mental health and healthcare professionals and support staff who oversee, and administer the delivery of innovative and high-quality campus-based community health services to Western students. Services include student-oriented outpatient primary medical care and behavioral health services, counseling services, health education and health promotion programs, campus public health programs, educational outreach and student health insurance programs.
Dr Rebecca Kennedy
Rebecca Kennedy serves as the Assistant Vice President for Student Health and Wellbeing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. There she provides administrative leadership to five departments: Student Health Services, Student Counseling Services, Wellness Promotion, Veteran’s Services and University Recreation and holds a faculty appointment in Psychology. In addition to multiple leadership roles at UAB she is the co-chair of the International Health Promoting Campuses Network and was the founding chair for the US Health Promoting Campuses Network. She is also the co-author of a chapter entitled, “Well-being in Higher Education: Evidence- and Policy-based Strategies to Enhance the Well-being of People, Place and Planet” that was published in early 2023 and the December 2024 article, The Okanagan Charter to improve wellbeing in higher education: shifting the paradigm in Frontiers in Education.Prior to UAB she served at the University of West Florida from 1999 until 2018, including for nearly five years as the AVP and Director, Counseling and Psychological Services. She holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology from State University of New York at Buffalo and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from George Mason University. She is deeply devoted to help create a better world for those who are here today and for those who have yet to come. As a licensed psychologist and EMDR therapist she managed a part-time private practice for over ten years, providing treatment to veterans and dependents, specializing in depression, anxiety and complex PTSD. In her current work she aspires to collaborate with others on her campus, in our country, and around the globe to transform the health and sustainability of our current and future societies and contribute to the wellbeing of people, places and the planet.
Associate Professor Catherine Darker
Catherine Darker is a Health Psychologist and her research interests lie in translating evidence into practice, in particular, using theories, evidence and methods for changing the behaviours of healthcare professionals, patients and the general public. This is known in Ireland and the UK as Implementation Science research. She has a particular expertise in applying and developing complex intervention methodology in the context of community based programmes and trials (including intervention design, outcome measurement, fidelity, feasibility, and process evaluation), for prevention related research (e.g., smoking cessation, alcohol, physical activity/sedentary behaviour). She has a proven track record in attracting research funds as PI or Co-Applicant (€2.5 million). She has been PI and Co-PI on funded research by the Health Research Board (HRB) to undertake public health studies relating to COVID-19; a pilot cluster randomized trial of a community-based smoking cessation intervention for disadvantaged women in Ireland, and a a peer-to-peer motivational interview intervention for smoking, alcohol and physical activity among at risk adolescents in low SES communities. Professor Darker is routinely commissioned by the Health Service Executive to conduct outcome and process type evaluations of national programmes and services. All of her research has a clearly defined Knowledge Exchange Dissemination plan with recommendations to change policy and practice in the prevention and management of a range of chronic conditions. She has served as Head of Discipline of Public Health & Primary Care. She is the Director of Postgraduate Teaching and Learning within the School of Medicine. She is a senior member of teaching teams and develops and delivers innovative curriculum's for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. She is an active member of the Psychological Society of Ireland (Chartered Health Psychologist) having held many roles within the governance of the Society. She is a member of the European Health Psychology Society. She was an inaugural member of the Healthy Ireland Council, and a Member of the Expert Committee on Prevention within the Irish Cancer Society. She is a strong advocate for the just and equitable distribution of and access to healthcare services. She has over 100 peer reviewed publications (h-index 20) and supervises and examines PhD and Masters students. In 2024, she was elected as Fellow of Trinity College Dublin.
Andrea Deverell
Andrea Deverell is Director of Sustainable Futures and Innovation at UL, and is responsible for collectively exploring and actively shaping sustainable and regenerative futures for Higher Education. There are two central elements to our work: 1) Strategic Foresight: actively exploring and articulating preferable futures; and 2) Innovation: backcasting from the preferred futures, while designing and developing a portfolio of innovation plays or experiments. From my experience there are a number of ingredients that are central to successful strategic foresight these include; enabling deep and meaningful participation in future making, re-igniting individual and collective imagination and taking a systems view of organisations. As a team we work to articulate future narratives and design speculative artefacts that help bring the future into view today. Futures is a relatively new area for HE and so I count myself privileged to be on this journey at the University of Limerick.
Assistant Professor Cuisle Forde
Cuisle Forde is an Assistant Professor in the Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin. She graduated with a BSc in Physiotherapy from Trinity College Dublin in 2008. Having been awarded a Trinity scholarship during her undergraduate career, and an Irish Research Council scholarship to carry out a PhD, she began work on her doctoral thesis the following autumn, which she completed in 2012. During her doctoral studies, Cuisle investigated the efficacy of active video games as a form of exercise for children who have cystic fibrosis and those attending weight management clinics. She also examined the capability of an active video game to be used as a tool to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness. She completed a Diploma in Statistics and was also involved in research projects investigating arterial stiffness and physical activity in adults. After spending some time working clinically and lecturing in critical thinking in Kosovo, Cuisle returned to Dublin in September 2013 to begin a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin. With an interest in technology and innovative teaching methods, Cuisle helped develop the Online Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in Clinical Exercise and is now coordinator for this course. Her latest publications investigate the efficacy of e-learning for the acquisition of clinical competencies.
Dr Marie Connolly
Marie Connolly was appointed as the inaugural Director for Human Rights, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (HREDI) in the University of Limerick in March 2021. Dr. Connolly’s academic record includes a Masters’ Degree in Education (M.Ed) with distinction from the University of Sheffield in 1998 and a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) specialising in Higher Education Management from the University of Bath in 2018, where she was honoured with the prestigious Richard and Shirley Mawdiff prize for exceptional performance. Dr. Connolly brings with her an impressive track record spanning over three decades, dedicated to spearheading and executing pivotal change initiatives within the realms of Higher Education and the Semi-State Sector in Ireland. Widely recognised as a leader in gender equality, Dr. Connolly led UL's successful bid to achieve the prestigious Silver Athena Swan Institution Award in the Irish HE Sector in 2022, marking it as the first institution in Ireland and internationally outside of the UK to accomplish this notable achievement. Dr. Connolly extends her influence beyond the university’s borders by representing UL on external bodies, where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the national agenda on equality, diversity and inclusion. Former chair of the Irish Universities Association (IUA) Vice Presidents (VP’s) EDI Committee and the National Athena Swan Committee and leading on the establishment of the National Athena Swan Practitioners Network. With a commendable history of securing research funding and leadership in several key sectoral projects, Dr. Connolly currently leads the Gender Equality Enhancement Funded (GEEF) Preparing for Academic Advancement (PAA) sectoral programme and is co-editing a book on Transforming Gender Equality and Inclusion in Higher Education in Ireland. In her capacity as Director (HREDI) she remains steadfast in her commitment to drive transformative, meaningful and sustainable change within the academic landscape.
Dr Paola Ardiles Gamboa
Paola Ardiles Gamboa is a Latinx practitioner scholar focusing on building innovative, collaborative, and inter-sectoral approaches in health promotion policy, practice, research and education. Her passion is to co-create decolonial futures, develop partnerships and facilitate dialogue to foster sustainable and creative upstream solutions to tackle complex public health challenges. She is the co-founder of Bridge for Heath co-operative focusing on equity centered approaches in youth engagement and wellbeing in the workplace. Since 2015, Paola has been developing and teaching participatory and community-based experiential courses at SFU, including the co-design of the Health Change Lab, in collaboration with SFU RADIUS and the Beedie School of Business, City of Surrey, Fraser Health and many community-based organizations. The Health Change Lab is an experiential program to help students identify community health challenges and co-design innovative and entrepreneurial solutions. In 2021, she co-designed the new Capstone course of the Master of Public Health; where interdisciplinary student teams work with community partners to address complex and pressing public health challenges. Paola has led and collaborated on various knowledge mobilization and research initiatives related to health promotion, education, policy and social innovation. She is co-principal investigator of an arts-based community-based research project Art on the Go to promote newcomer youth engagement in policy making related to improving road safety in Surrey. Paola is also the co-principal investigator of a community-based study understanding experiences of exclusion for foreign trained health professionals. Paola’s educational research spans from studies aimed to strengthen democratic practices in teaching and learning at SFU, by understanding systems level policies and practices impacting student learning; to peer reviewed studies assessing student experiences of educational innovations she has co-designed such as the Health Change Lab and the Surrey CityLab, working alongside diverse community partners in Surrey.
Victoria Smith
Victoria Smith is the Executive Director of the ISCN (International Sustainable Campus Network). She joined the ISCN from The University of British Columbia where she spent eight years in various senior leadership roles in sustainability at the university. While at UBC Victoria led the development of the UBC 20-Year Sustainability Strategy; the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting University and Colleges; and on behalf of the President’s Office, managed UBC’s leadership of the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3). Victoria has been actively engaged with ISCN since 2014. She joined the inaugural ISCN Advisory Committee in 2016, hosted the 2017 Annual ISCN Conference at UBC, updated the ISCN Charter in 2018 and developed the network’s Strategic Plan (2020-2023). Over the last few years, Victoria launched a pilot seed funding initiative, supported the development of the ISCN Latin American Chapter and ensured that the network was well represented at COP26 events. Victoria holds a Master of Arts in Environment Education and Communication and brings over 25 years of public and private sector sustainability experience.
Dr Havidán Rodríguez
Havidán Rodríguez is the 20th president of the University at Albany, one of the nation’s most diverse R1 universities. Under Dr. Rodríguez’s leadership, UAlbany has launched a campus-wide artificial intelligence initiative, opened two state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, and become the first R1 institution in the northeast to earn the Seal of Excelencia for its commitment to Latina and Latino student success. In 2023, he led the return of the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering to UAlbany, where it merged with an existing college to form the new College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering, solidifying UAlbany as an essential partner in semiconductor and nanoscale research and contributing to Albany’s selection in 2024 as the site of a federal CHIPS & Science Act-funded National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). During Dr. Rodríguez’s tenure, UAlbany has extended the reach and impact of its globally significant research while also becoming a national leader for educational equity and social mobility. Dr. Rodríguez has over 30 years of experience as a leader in higher education. He serves in leadership roles on numerous professional organizations, including the boards of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU), Excelencia in Education, Campus Compact, and the America East Conference. He also serves as Commissioner for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and is a member of the Presidents and Chancellors Council on Public Impact Research established by the Pew Charitable Trusts. In 2022, Dr. Rodríguez was appointed to President Biden’s Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics. Led by Dr. Rodríguez, the Commission successfully advocated for the creation of a President’s Board of Advisors on Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which was established via Executive Order on July 17, 2024. Dr. Rodríguez is co-chair of the New York State Capital Region Council for Economic Development (CREDC). Dr. Rodríguez is a respected social scientist and scholar of disaster response and resiliency. Before coming to UAlbany, Dr. Rodríguez served as the founding provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) after having served as president, ad interim, and provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Texas – Pan American (UTPA). Prior to UTPA, Dr. Rodríguez served in various leadership roles at the University of Delaware, including deputy provost, vice provost for academic affairs and international programs, and director of the Disaster Research Center (DRC). He also held several administrative and leadership positions while on the faculty at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM) for over a decade. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Rodríguez earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a PhD in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Born in Puerto Rico and raised on the island and the U.S. mainland, Dr. Rodríguez is fully fluent in English and Spanish.
Dr Julia Pointon-Haas
Julia Pointon-Haas (she/her) is the Head of Advice and Wellbeing at KCLSU where she founded and manages a unique, sector-leading student wellbeing service that empowers students to create communities of good wellbeing through health promotion and peer support. Her PhD research was built on this work to explore university peer support as an intervention to improve student mental health and wellbeing in postsecondary education settings as part of a whole university approach. She is a board member of the UK Healthy Universities Network and part of the International Health Promoting Campuses Steering Group.