Conference Speakers

MEHAD, MSF

Pediatrician by profession, with over 20 years of experience in emergency medical humanitarian missions. In 2013, Mego Terzian was elected President of Médecins Sans Frontières France for three consecutive terms, serving a total of nine years. In this role, He guided MSF’s strategic actions, ensured effective organizational management, participated in MSF’s international governance bodies, and remained closely connected to field operations, including operational negotiations and crisis management.

In 2022, He returned to the field, leading MSF operations as Emergency Coordinator in Ukraine, Somalia, Syria, and Sudan. He is currently the CEO of MEHAD, a medical association founded by Syrian practitioners in France.

H.R.H. Princess Sarah Zeid is an advocate for women’s, newborn, child and adolescent health, nutrition and wellbeing in humanitarian and fragile settings, and champions efforts to reduce preventable maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in fragile and humanitarian settings.

MSF

Dr. Suhaib Alajlan is the Head of the Middle East Unit for Médecins Sans Frontières (OCBA) in Jordan. With over fifteen years of humanitarian and medical leadership experience across the Middle East, he has overseen emergency responses in conflict-affected contexts such as Syria, Yemen, Gaza, and Iraq. His work focuses on improving access to quality pediatric and emergency care, health-system strengthening, and strategic partnerships with ministries and academic institutions. Dr. Alajlan is a physician with a master’s in public health and diploma in Humanitarian leadership.

MSF

Ylva Jonsson Strömberg is the General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Sweden and a seasoned humanitarian leader with extensive experience in crisis management and international operations. She began her career with MSF in 1998, serving in projects across Sudan, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Pakistan as a nurse, medical coordinator and project coordinator before moving into strategic roles in human resources and the Access Campaign. Her leadership journey continued at the Swedish Red Cross, where she headed national and international crisis response units. MSF Sweden together with MSF Spain, co-sponsors the Paediatric Days.

War Child Alliance

Dima Mitri AlFarah is a Global Mental Health and Psychosocial Advisor with War Child Alliance, specializing in mental health and psychosocial support for children and adults. With over 17 years of experience in the humanitarian and health sectors, she has worked extensively in protracted crises, emergencies, and development settings worldwide. Dima leads mental health program development and quality assurance, and contributes to research, training, and advocacy aimed at improving the well-being of children and families in crisis contexts.

HALO Trust

Dr Mervat is the Chief Medical Officer for the HALO Trust in Syria, the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian landmine clearance organisation. She coordinates and trains staff and volunteers providing medical support to demining operations in Syria. She has worked for ten years with humanitarian organizations amid the Syrian conflict, contributing to saving lives from under the bombardment and rubble– She is therefore extremely passionate about improving pre-hospital emergency care for all people, particularly the children who are so frequently the victims of unexploded ordnance.

MSF

Mahmoud is a licensed psychologist with extensive experience supporting children, adults, and refugees affected by trauma, including those with war-related injuries and addiction challenges. He has expertise in pain management, employing both clinical and non-clinical approaches that integrate therapeutic, psychosocial, and play-based interventions. Passionate about designing and implementing Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs, he focuses on fostering resilience, coping skills, and emotional well-being. Mahmoud is deeply committed to providing holistic, person-centered care that enhances recovery and quality of life in both clinical and humanitarian contexts.

Red Cross Children’s Hospital, University of Cape Town

Prof AB (Sebastian) van As (MBChB, MMed, FC(SA), MBA, PhD) is Emeritus Professor of Surgery at the University of Cape Town. He headed the Trauma Unit at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital and was Chair of ChildSafe South Africa for over 2 decades. He has published extensively and is editor of the Oxford University Press Textbook on Paediatric Trauma and Child Abuse. He has been active in a wide range of research projects, educational initiatives, advocacy roles and international conferences mainly on child safety initiatives. Creating a safer world for children is his passion.

MSF

Holly Clark is a Play Specialist Consultant with Médecins Sans Frontières’ (MSF) Innovation Unit, based in Sweden. She is also the Co-Founder of Pediatric Potential Inc., a U.S.-based non-profit organization advancing child rights and psychosocial care globally. A Certified Child Life Specialist and Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Holly holds a master’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation and has led psychosocial service design and training initiatives in hospitals across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Her work focuses on integrating play-based, trauma-informed, and child-rights based approaches into MSF’s paediatric care models.

Public Health Specialist

Mazin Elmahi a Sudanese Public Health Specialist with a robust academic foundation, holding a Bachelor of Public Health from Gezira University, Sudan, and an Advanced Diploma from the Africa Centre for Humanitarian Studies, Kenya. He is also a prospective Master’s graduate from Atlantic International University, USA. His extensive field experience spans various international NGOs (NRC and Oxfam), national NGOs (PHF), and both state and federal Ministries of Health. Additionally, he has contributed as a reviewer for the 12th TEPHINET Scientific Conference and Global Field Epidemiology and has conducted over 100 workshops.

HALO Trust

Tim is the Global Medical Officer for the HALO Trust, the world’s oldest and largest humanitarian landmine clearance organisation. He coordinates staff and volunteers providing medical support to demining operations in over 30 countries. Tim has been a UK registered Paramedic since 2017, is a father to two young boys and a frequent visitor to conflict zones around the world – he is therefore extremely passionate about improving pre-hospital emergency care for all people, particularly the children who are so frequently the victims of unexploded ordnance.

Al-Shifa Hospital

Dr Mohammed Ghniem is an Emergency Medicine Registrar based in London. He holds an MSc in Global Health and Management from the University of Aberdeen and has a strong background in clinical medicine, public health, and healthcare management. He previously served as an Emergency Medicine Doctor at Al Shifaa Hospital in Gaza, where he worked during periods of conflict and managed numerous mass casualty incidents. His interests include major trauma, mass casualty management, and global health. His teaching focuses on health systems strengthening, while his research explores evidence-based decision-making, health policy, and quality improvement in emergency care

MSF

Melissa Hozjan-Gaudin joined Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2011, completing 12 assignments before joining the OCP Medical Department in 2018 as Paediatric/Neonatal Nursing Advisor. Melissa has worked as a nurse in over 25 countries including varying roles with MSF, international student immersions and volunteering with Operation Smile.  In addition to postgraduate qualifications in public health, tropical medicine, intercultural and international communication, infection control, global healthcare and quality improvement she is currently undertaking her PhD evaluating paediatric early warning systems in humanitarian settings. 

University of California

Zeena is a Palestinian global health researcher with extensive experience working with refugees in pediatrics and mental health. She currently serves at St. Jude Children’s Global, overseeing medical evacuations and treatment access for children with cancer in Gaza. Zeena previously led the adaptation and scaling of the Youth Readiness Intervention for war-affected Somali youth in Kenya. A graduate of Stanford University with a Master’s in Global Health Sciences from UCSF, she co-founded Palestine P.A.L.s, a Stanford–Al Quds University collaboration advancing paediatric research in the West Bank. 

International Medical Corps

Abdel has spent 19 years working with NGOs, providing mental health interventions, and is now the MHPSS global advisor for the Middle East region at IMC. Passionate about volunteering, he contributed his expertise to nonprofits focused on mental health and community well-being. As a licensed MHPSS professional, the presenter uses an eclectic, Rogerian approach centred on empathy and reflective listening, tailored to marginalised and trauma-affected groups. He has also published psychology research. His vision is to bridge knowledge and practice in MHPSS, improving care quality and making a meaningful impact on individuals and communities in the region.

MSF

Ana Marques holds a degree in Psychology, a Master’s in Palliative Care, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Positive Psychology, with additional training in Family/Systemic Therapy. She began her career providing psychosocial and clinical care to vulnerable populations in Portugal. Since 2015, she has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in various MHPSS roles at field, coordination, and headquarters levels, serving as Global Mental Health Advisor since 2019.  She co-leads MSF-OCBA’s MHPSS strategy and provides expert guidance for operational decision making in quality, evidence-based MHPSS programming.

ICRC

Audrey McMahon, MD, FRCPC, is a Canadian Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist specializing in transcultural psychiatry, global mental health, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in humanitarian emergencies. She has worked with Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank. As a Global Mental Health Consultant for the World Health Organization, she supports French-speaking countries in crisis and previously helped Djibouti develop its first national mental health strategy. Most recently, she served as MHPSS Delegate for the ICRC in Gaza.

MSF

Dr. Karan Parikh is a physician and epidemiologist with over five years of experience in global health implementation and research. He is currently based in Damascus and supports MSF Spain’s epidemiological activities in Syria. He specializes in monitoring, evaluation, and operational research focusing on disease surveillance, malnutrition, and immunization in conflict-affected settings. Dr. Parikh holds a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University and a medical degree from Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, India. 

MSF

Mariana is a Mexican paediatrician who completed both medical and specialization studies in Mexico. She began working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a field paediatrician in 2019 and has since served in diverse contexts, including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone. In 2023, she earned a Master’s in Tropical Paediatrics from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Since late 2024, she has been part of MSF France headquarters as a Paediatric Advisor, currently serving as Chair of the Intersectional Breastfeeding Initiative and member of the Neonatal Guidelines Review Group.

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Dr Paul Reavley is a Paediatric Emergency Physician at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, United Kingdom. He has a specialist interest in paediatric trauma, specifically blast and conflict related trauma. He has extensive experience of treating children injured in war and is the co-founder of the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership, dedicated to supporting healthcare workers through training and resources, promoting research and advocating for children in conflict areas. He authored and edited the Paediatric Blast Injury Field Manual and the Emergency Pain Management for Injured Children Quick Guide.

Boston Children’s Hospital

Rasha Srouji is a paediatric nurse practitioner working in the outpatient Neurology clinic at Boston Children’s hospital. Prior to that she worked in Emergency Medicine at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Rasha obtained her nursing degree at McGill University, her master’s- NP at the University of Toronto/ Canada and her DNP at Simmons. She is passionate about health equality and access, especially in paediatrics.

MSF

Dr. Temmy Sunyoto is an Indonesian medical doctor and public health specialist with extensive experience in humanitarian and global health research. She holds an MPH in Disease Control (2010) and completed her PhD in 2019 through the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme, focusing on access to care for neglected tropical diseases. Over her career with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), she has worked across Africa and Asia and has authored multiple publications on neglected diseases, child health, and health systems in crisis-affected settings. She currently serves as Senior Research Advisor with MSF’s LuxOR unit.

MSF

Ana Valori is a paediatrician with over a decade of humanitarian experience with Médecins Sans Frontières. She has worked across sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, and Bangladesh as both a field and mobile paediatrician. Ana brings expertise in implementing innovative programmes, including simulation-based training and electronic clinical decision support tools. She is a certified trainer of trainers for the Essential Newborn Care 1 course, focusing on basic neonatal resuscitation. For the past four years, she has served as a paediatric adviser for MSF Spain, providing technical support to a wide range of projects, both remotely and on-site.

University of Washington

Hannah Wild is a General Surgery resident at the University of Washington whose focus is on improving casualty care in low-resource conflict settings. She is the founder of the Explosive Weapons Trauma Care Collective (EXTRACCT).

GINA Infant Nutrition Alliance

Nour is a Lactation Consultant/Nutritionist based in Jordan and a volunteer with the GINA Infant Nutrition Alliance. Since April 2024, GINA has supported mothers in Gaza with breastfeeding during the war.

MEHAD

Taha Alomar is a medical doctor with extensive experience supervising primary and reproductive health services in the Syrian context. He specializes in designing and implementing health programs aimed at enhancing service delivery and quality of care. Currently, he oversees the Health Department at MEHAD, managing primary and reproductive health programs. His expertise includes health program management and healthcare supervision, contributing to improved health outcomes through effective service delivery. 

GINA Infant Nutrition Alliance

Reem is an Emergency Medicine Consultant based in Scotland, she founded GINA Infant Nutrition Alliance in April 2024 to support mothers in Gaza in their breastfeeding journeys during the war. GINA expanded over the last 19 months to cover multiple sites in Gaza and provide 1:1 breastfeeding support for just under 3 thousand mothers every month. Reem was a Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellow and a Postgraduate Dean for Quality with NHS Education for Scotland.

Medical Teams International

Mastewal Bekele is a senior nutritionist with over eight years of experience in development and disaster response programs with various international organizations. For the past three years, she has served as Nutrition Advisor for Medical Teams International, Ethiopia. Previously, she worked as Regional Health and Nutrition Specialist, overseeing programs in Sudan and Ethiopia. Mastewal holds an MSc in Human Nutrition and a BSc in Nursing, and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of South Africa, focusing on factors contributing to childhood stunting in Ethiopia.

Independent Consultant

Chido is an epidemiologist with experience developing, coordinating, and evaluating implementation research studies with particular focus on projects evaluating the provision of HIV and sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and young people in facility and community-based settings. Her previous work has also involved validation of oral HIV tests for children and evaluating the use of assisted HIV testing for children by their caregivers. Her current research focus is the co-development and implementation of a digital self-care intervention to improve the sexual health of adolescents and youth. She is based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

MSF

Lara Dufes is one of the Nursing Science Referent with the MSF Academy for Healthcare, based in Brussels since January 2024. A neonatal and paediatric nurse, she also holds a Master’s in Political Science and a postgraduate in Tropical Medicine. Since 2015, she has worked with organization such as PUI, Terre des Hommes, ICRC, and MSF as a nurse trainer, nursing activity manager coach, health advisor/programme manager, and hospital project manager across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Europe. When not working, Lara enjoys time discovering theater in Brussels, or getting caught up in a good board game.

MSF

Greg is a medical doctor from New Zealand. He also holds a Masters of International Affairs from Columbia University in New York. He began working in humanitarian relief in the Great Lakes in the mid 90’s. After completing graduate studies he joined MSF and worked in Operations for the subsequent 16 years. Half of that time was spent in field roles and half in HQ as Med-desk in NY and then Deputy Director & Interim Director of Operations in Paris. In 2017 he became the Medical Coordinator of the Access Campaign and he is currently the MedOps ‘Changing Humanitarian Landscape’ Taskforce Lead. 

MSF

MSF

Dr Eliane Pegdewende Kiema is a paediatrician in Burkina Faso. She is working on MSF-OCBA pilot project in Bobo-Dioulasso, which implements the Zero-Separation approach to enable mothers and their babies to stay together from birth.

Winner of the Newborn Toolkit Essay Contest 2025, Dr. Eliane advocates for neonatal care focused on closeness, compassion and dignity, while promoting the involvement of families in the care of premature newborns. Her vision reflects inclusive paediatric care where every child has the right to tenderness as well as care.

MSF

Mark Lee is currently Paediatric Advisor for MSF Operational Centre Geneva providing technical support to paediatric, nutrition and neonatal projects in 15 countries. Originally from the UK, he completed paediatric training in London and obtained a diploma in tropical medicine and hygiene in 2013 with his first experience of humanitarian work in an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone later that year. Mark went on to join MSF in 2017 with field missions as a paediatrician and flying paediatric trainer before transitioning to an advisor role in 2023.

MSF

Rebecca is a Canadian pediatric nurse with over 20 years of experience in emergency, labor and delivery, and surgical care. Since 2012, she has worked in humanitarian development, joining Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2020. As Pedagogical Officer for the MSF Academy for Healthcare, she helps shape education strategies to strengthen clinical capacity. Guided by deep compassion, Rebecca believes people hold the answers to their own challenges. A lifelong learner and educator, she champions inclusive, human-centered systems and balances her professional commitments with her roles as a mother, wife, and advocate.

MSF

Dr. Kemi Ogundipe is a paediatric advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières, Belgium. She attended medical school at Duke University School of Medicine and completed her pediatric training at Baylor college of medicine in a specialized training program focused on global health and pediatric HIV and TB. She holds a master’s in public health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a concentration in maternal and child health. In her current role she supports MSF paediatric care in projects worldwide, advising MSF projects on the organization and quality of their pediatric and neonatal care.

MSF

Marina Pomares is an intensive care nurse with over a decade of experience in clinical care and public health, specializing in medical-humanitarian programming in crisis-affected and resource-limited settings. She has worked extensively with MSF in conflict zones, refugee camps, and disaster responses. Her expertise includes epidemic response, health system strengthening, and emergency preparedness, with a strong focus on equitable access to care. Combining hands-on clinical experience with strategic public health insight, Marina is deeply committed to humanitarian principles and currently serves as a Medical Coordinator in Emergency Projects.

MSF

Claire Rieux is a clinical haematologist, with a Master's degree in public health and epidemiology. She worked for several years in clinical haematology at university hospitals in Lyon and Paris, France, before contributing to the structuring of haemovigilance and healthcare risk management. With Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), she carried out several missions as field doctor and medical coordinator, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. She was elected to the Board of Directors of MSF France from 2008 to 2014 and served as Vice-President for 3 years. Since 2016, she championed oncology within MSF and supported projects dedicated to women's cancers in Mali et Malawi. Since 2022, she is the Medical Director of MSF France. 

MSF

Haitham Salim Al-Mutiuti is a professional nurse. He began his career in nursing in 2010, working at a hospital in Mosul under the Ministry of Health. In 2017, he joined Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when the organization established a hospital during the post-war rehabilitation in Mosul. Since then, he has been serving as a supervisor for the nursing team in the pediatric ward. Additionally, he is currently working with the Ministry of Health as the head of medical assistants at a Primary Health Care Center (PHCC).

MSF

Matiul Haq Samimi has been working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since 2014. Over the years, he has served as a Community Health Educator, Nurse Assistant, NICU/PICU Nurse and SOPD/TB Departments Supervisor. For the past three years, he has been the NICU Nursing Team Supervisor, direct line manager of 65 staff in a 78-bed unit. He also facilitates the Newborn Care Course, having co-facilitated two cohorts and independently led one with support from the NAM and Neonatal Nursing Implementor.

MSF

Johanna currently serves as the leader of the MSF International Paediatric Platform and as the paediatric referent for the MSF Academy for Healthcare. She completed her specialist paediatric training in Australia and holds a Master of International Public Health, along with award-winning expertise in paediatric education. Since starting with MSF in 2011 as a field paediatrician, Johanna has balanced clinical practice with strategic leadership roles at MSF headquarters. Her work has focused on the design, development, and implementation of global training initiatives, with a strong emphasis on standardising paediatric care through evidence-based guidelines and capacity building.

MSF

Dr Liz Ledger is a Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant working with MSF as a Paediatric Advisor in OCP, and in the Emergency Department of Bristol Children’s Hospital in the UK. Outside the UK she has worked in East Timor, Nepal, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Haiti, NE Nigeria and The Gambia in clinical, training and research roles. Her areas of interest include nutrition, newborn care, recognition of the sick child and emergency trauma care. 

MSF

Dr. Amira is a medical doctor with a Diploma in Global Health. She has experience working in public health facilities and with international organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières. Her work in both national and humanitarian settings where healthcare systems are often subject to rapid change has deepened her commitment to delivering quality, dignified medical care to vulnerable populations and strengthened her leadership and coordination. 

MSF

Sophie is a passionate paediatrician specialised in newborn care, dedicated to advancing maternal, newborn and child health globally. With a master's degree in International Health and Tropical Medicine from Oxford University, she brings extensive experience from diverse roles across Africa, Asia, and America, both within and outside Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Since 2019, she works as a paediatric advisor with MSF Spain based in Dakar, Senegal, where she continues her commitment to this important cause.

MSF

MSF

MSF

MSF

MSF

MSF

Celia has been working with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) since 1994, holding a variety of positions both at headquarters and in the field. She served twice as a Medical Cell Advisor. The first tenure was with the Emergency Unit, where she supported emergency response activities for nearly four years. In her current role held for almost seven years, she provides strategic and technical support to country programs across the region, including the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Turkey, and Afghanistan. A nurse by training, specializes in psychiatry. She holds two master’s degrees: one in Tropical Medicine from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and another in Public Health (MSc) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has also been a strong advocate for integrating mental health care in humanitarian interventions, leading the first mental health project of OCBA while part of the Emergency Unit.