Panelists
Panel Discussion - The Long View: Leading for Global Health's Next Chapter
M. Rashad Massoud, MD, MPH, FACP
Head, Global Health USA, IQVIA
Dr. M. Rashad Massoud is Head of Global Health, USA at IQVIA. A physician executive and global health leader, he is internationally recognized for advancing healthcare quality, health systems strengthening, and equity. Dr. Massoud has managed large-scale programs in more than 100 countries, overseeing multimillion-dollar portfolios and achieving measurable health improvements worldwide. He teaches healthcare improvement at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In voluntary capacities, he serves as: Chair, International Advisory Board, Ministry of Health, Palestine; Board of Directors, Disaster Health Institute; Executive Committee, ISQua Academy; Board of Directors, Harvard Alumni Association; President Emeritus, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Alumni Association; Advisory Board, World Health Organization Global Report on Quality & Safety.
Panel Discussion - The Long View: Leading for Global Health's Next Chapter
Paul Weisenfeld, JD
Executive Advisor, RTI International
Paul Weisenfeld is the Executive Advisor at RTI International, a global research institute and leading international development organization. For the past 10 years, he has led RTI’s international development practice, which is dedicated to improving the human condition through multi-sectoral, inclusive solutions that lead to sustainable economic growth, climate resilience, improved food security, quality education and healthcare, environmental protection, and greater prosperity. Before joining RTI, he served as a foreign service officer for USAID, achieving the highest rank of career minister in the Senior Foreign Service, and led high-profile initiatives across various international development sectors.
Panel Discussion - Expanding Access, Saving Lives: Global Partnerships for Critical Care
Vafa Akhavan
Chief Executive Officer, World Pediatrics
Vafa Akhavan is the Chief Executive Officer of World Pediatrics, leading efforts to advance children’s health worldwide. A seasoned global executive and management consultant, he has worked with startups, mid-caps and Fortune 500 clients across seven sectors and sixteen countries. He is a senior faculty member at the Schulich Executive Education Centre, Schulich School of Business, York University, and serves on the Board of Children Believe, contributing to its Audit & Risk and Governance & HR committees. Vafa was selected as one of the top 10 most influential Canadian Professionals by Beyond! Magazine In 2023. He has also been a contributing writer to Canada’s premier business publication, The Globe and Mail.
Panel Discussion - Expanding Access, Saving Lives: Global Partnerships for Critical Care
Diane Lynn, MBA
Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Global Health Care, Advocate Health
Diane Lynn is the Enterprise Assistant Vice President of Global Health Services at Advocate Health, the fifth-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the U.S. She leads enterprise-wide international and national programs, including destination care, international strategy and business development, and physician observations. With more than 25 years of experience spanning business administration, operations, and healthcare leadership, Diane has served in key roles at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and University of Michigan Health–Sparrow. She holds credentials from National Louis University and Harvard Business School, and actively contributes to multiple boards, including the U.S. Cooperative of International Patient Programs and the WHO World Rehabilitation Alliance.
Panel Discussion - Expanding Access, Saving Lives: Global Partnerships for Critical Care
Jill Sergison, PhD '26, MA, Cnm, RN
Co-Founder, Points True North Consulting
Jill Sergison is the Co-Founder of Points True North Consulting, a firm dedicated to advancing health, gender, racial, and social justice through strategic coalition building, policy change, and campaign development. Under her leadership, Points True North provides tailored consulting services to nonprofits, policy organizations, businesses, and foundations, with a focus on healthcare, scientific research, and policy. Jill’s expertise lies in building organizational capacity by designing structures, processes, and skills essential for long-term mission success. She is also a PhD Candidate at Duke University, a Duke Margolis Health Policy Scholar, and the Founder and Executive Director of NC Nurses for Reproductive Rights.
Closing Remarks
Closing Remarks
Krishna Udayakumar, MD, MBA
Founding Director, Duke Global Health Innovation Center
Dr. Krishna Udayakumar is the Founding Director of the Duke Global Health Innovation Center and Executive Director of Innovations in Healthcare, a non-profit co-founded by Duke, McKinsey & Company, and the World Economic Forum. His work focuses on advancing the study, scaling, and adaptation of health innovations and policy reforms globally. At Duke University, he serves as Professor of Global Health and has an additional faculty appointment in Medicine. He also chairs the university’s Global Priorities Committee. Dr. Udayakumar earned his MD and MBA from Duke University and has been widely published and featured in leading global media outlets.
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Student Speakers
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Session:
"Getting People in the Room"
Breanna Barrett
MSc Candidate, Duke University
Breanna Barrett is a senior and an Accelerated Master of Science in Global Health student at Duke University, where her work focuses on integrating mental health support into oncology care across Jamaica, the United States, and Tanzania. She has conducted qualitative and implementation research with cancer care providers, community stakeholders, and health ministries, with an emphasis on stigma, psychosocial support, and health systems strengthening. Her current thesis explores pathways for embedding mental health services within cancer treatment settings in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Session:
"Rethinking the Value of Care: Choosing Wiser Over More"
Yue Suo, MS
PhD Candidate, Fudan University
Visiting Scholar, Duke University
Yue Suo is a Visiting Scholar at the Duke Global Health Institute and a PhD candidate at the School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Her research focuses on health services utilization in cancer care, health technology assessment, and health systems. She has worked with the World Bank and the New Development Bank on projects addressing health technologies and health systems in China.
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Session:
"The Forest Fire We Can’t See: Antimicrobial resistance & climate change as one crisis"
Lana Abusalem, MD
MSc Candidate, Duke University
Dr. Lana Abusalem is a physician and global health fellow who is pursuing a Master of Science in Global Health at Duke University. She has trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases. Her work focuses on antimicrobial resistance and she is currently leading a project in Sri Lanka on resistant infections hoping to advance sustainable approaches to global health that bridge clinical medicine, policy, and planetary health.
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Session: "Monitoring Matters: Getting creative about global health evaluation"
Lucy Tantum
PhD Candidate, UNC Chapel Hill
Lucy Tantum is a fourth-year PhD candidate in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina's Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her PhD research focuses on impact evaluation of water, sanitation, and hygiene programs in healthcare facility settings. Prior to UNC, Lucy worked on health system strengthening programs and research projects in Liberia. She holds a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College.
The Ward Cates Emerging Voices in Global Health Session: "The People Closest to the Problem Hold the Solutions"
Anoushka Das
MPH Candidate, UNC Chapel Hill
Anoushka Das is pursuing her Master of Public Health in Global Health at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. She has experience working in Kenya on community-driven programs addressing women's health disparities. Her current research focuses on understanding adolescent girls and women's health and advancing equitable health solutions for underserved populations.
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