Plenary Speakers
Professor Martha Chadyiwa
Sefako Makgatho Health Science University, South Africa
Professor Martha Chadyiwa
Sefako Makgatho Health Science University, South AfricaBiography
Professor Martha Chadyiwa is a distinguished leader and Associate Professor of Public Health with expertise in Environmental and Occupational Health. She combines academic excellence with strategic leadership, holding an MBA from the University of Twente and a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand. As Head of the Department of Environmental Health at the University of Johannesburg (2012–2017), Professor Chadyiwa spearheaded the development of the Master of Public Health (MPH) curriculum and pioneered an innovative MPH chatbot, demonstrating her commitment to digital transformation in higher education. As an AfOx (Africa Oxford Initiative) Scholar, she is deeply engaged in global academic collaboration and research excellence. Her scholarly contributions have attracted significant research funding, serving as Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator on projects funded by the South African Medical Research Council and the University of Johannesburg’s Global Excellence and Stature 4.0 for Societal Impact initiative. Her work applies systems thinking and health systems analysis to strengthen occupational and public health programmes, integrating data-driven and AI-enabled approaches to improve service delivery, governance, and workforce wellbeing in resource-constrained settings. In 2025, she served as Chair of the Organising Committee for the 7th Annual International Public Health Conference, reflecting her leadership in convening impactful global health platforms. She is also a panel speaker at GLOBEHEAL 2026 in Bali, contributing to international dialogue on global health innovation and equity. A committed mentor, Professor Chadyiwa has supervised numerous Master’s and PhD candidates to successful completion. Her excellence has been recognised through prestigious accolades, including being named among South Africa’s InspiringFifty women in STEM (2021), the Black Women in Science Fellowship (2025), and the Olympus International Awards South Africa (OIASA 2025). Her global influence is further evidenced by her tenure as Vice-Chair of the U21 Sustainable Development Goals Committee (2019–2024), where she led international initiatives shaping health policy and sustainable development. Professor Chadyiwa now seeks to leverage her leadership, policy expertise, and strategic vision to advance internationalisation, networking, and collaboration as a representative from Southern Africa.
Speech Title
will be updated soon
Professor Kathleen J Sexton Radek
Elmhurst University,
USA
Professor Kathleen J Sexton Radek
Elmhurst University,USA
Biography
Kathy sexton-Radek has received her doctorate of Philosophy degree from Illinois institute of technology in 1989 and interned at Rush Medical University 1988-
1989 in sleep Medicine, Behavioural Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Health Psychology rotations. Currently, she is working as professor in Elmhurst College,
Psychology Department since 1988. She received her board certification in Behavioural Sleep Medicine. She completed two-year Doctorate certificate program in
Clinical Psychopharmacology which included a yearlong preceptor ship with psychiatry and pulmonary rotation.
Speech Title
will be updated soon
Mariano Votta
Active Citizenship Network, Italy
Mariano Votta
Active Citizenship Network, ItalyBiography
Mariano Votta is responsible for EU Affairs at the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva and Director of its EU branch “Active Citizenship Network”.
Passionate about health & consumer issues, Mariano has 25 years of experience in advocacy, stakeholder engagement, communication, European Public Affairs & EU funded-projects.
Mariano holds a Degree in Political Science and two post-graduate master's degrees in European Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. He is also a journalist with more than 50 publications in international peer-reviewed journals.
He led the political initiative to launch in 2015 at the EU Parliament the Interest Group "EU Patients' Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare," – now at its third mandate - endorsed by more than 100 organisations across Europe and dozens of Members of the European Parliament. In 2016 Mariano won the Efhre International University Excellence Awards on patients’ rights.
Speech Title
Grassroots Mobilisation: Leveraging Civil Society and Community Leadership to deliver novel antibiotics for-and-with society.
