Meet the Changemakers
The MenCare Changemakers are influential stakeholders from business, the media, culture, civil society, governments and more, working together to understand how we achieve health and wellbeing for men and boys together with women and girls, and how to solve some of the biggest problems facing men, boys, and manhood around the world today.
Latest Changemakers
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Ana B. Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care

Ana B. Moreno
Technical Secretary, Global Alliance for Care
Social anthropologist and journalist with over 30 years of experience in public policy, international, and local sustainable development projects.
Specializes in defining and implementing collaboration platforms and multi-stakeholder alliances, participating in intergovernmental processes, and designing advocacy and outreach strategies for sustainable development and resource mobilization.
Notable roles include serving as Coordinator for the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) and the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum (2012-2018), as well as Director of the UN-Habitat Office for Brunei-Darussalam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
Additionally, has held key positions with the Barcelona City Council, Spain’s Ministry of Industry, T ourism and Trade, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Men and Care Policies
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Natalie Shoup
Industry and Data Lead, Safe Online

Natalie Shoup
Industry and Data Lead, Safe Online
Natalie Shoup is Industry and Data Lead for Safe Online, a UNICEF-hosted fund focused on child safety and wellbeing in a digital world. She leads research and technology tools efforts across a $100M portfolio. Natalie is pushing forward the launch of a Mental Health Fund, leads a $3M collaborative Research Fund with tech industry and academia, and spearheaded Data for Change – a community of over 100 experts – to strengthen the data ecosystem for online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Working at the intersection of technology, child protection, and social justice, previously Natalie directed programs for trauma-informed approaches to violence prevention with community organizations serving children at Nest and Developing Minds. At Data-Pop Alliance, she led work around ethical data practices for Big Data and social good initiatives. Natalie has a Masters in Education from University of Cambridge and a Bachelors in Engineering from Princeton.
Action Track
- Caring Online Spaces
- Co-convener
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Luciano Ramos
Executive Director, Instituto Mapear

Luciano Ramos
Executive Director, Instituto Mapear
Luciano Ramos is the Executive Director of Instituto Mapear and holds a degree in History. He is recognized as one of the most active voices in Brazil on issues related to masculinities and fatherhood, working to promote gender equity and prevent violence. He has supported governments in Brazil and across Latin America in implementing public policies that engage men in reducing gender-based violence. Luciano coordinated the First Report on Black Fatherhood in Brazil, highlighting the intersection of gender and race as a central analytical and strategic framework. In several Brazilian states, he has developed and advised Reflective Groups for Men Who Have Committed Domestic Violence, focusing on preventing reoffending. He has worked professionally with the World Bank, USAID, UNICEF, UNFPA, and other international agencies. Luciano also collaborates with Brazilian educational systems to promote positive masculinities from early childhood onward.
“Working with boys and men is a historic urgency in building a truly equitable society — and without confronting the racial dimension, there can be no real transformation and no new social history.”
Action Track
- Men and Care Policies
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Peter Baker
Chief Executive, Global Action on Men’s Health

Peter Baker
Chief Executive, Global Action on Men’s Health
Peter Baker is a leading advocate for men’s health with decades of experience in public health, policy, and communication. Now Chief Executive at Global Action on Men’s Health, he previously served for 12 years as Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum (England and Wales) and later led HPV Action UK, a coalition that successfully secured gender-neutral HPV vaccination in the UK. Peter was a consultant to the European Cancer Organisation for five years and received the Royal Society for Public Health’s 2018 award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Health. He lives on the south coast of England with his partner and has three children, all of whom are now grown up.
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Alanna Williams
Vice President and Managing Director, American Institute for Boys and Men

Alanna Williams
Vice President and Managing Director, American Institute for Boys and Men
Action Track
- Boys & Education
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Galen Lamphere-Englund
Team Lead, The Christchurch Call

Galen Lamphere-Englund
Team Lead, The Christchurch Call
Galen is a senior advisor and consultant with over 15 years’ experience at the intersection of counter-terrorism, conflict prevention, and technology. He leads efforts to address online and AI-related harms linked to extremism, advising governments, tech platforms, and international organizations. As Team Lead at the Christchurch Call Foundation and co-founder of the Extremism and Gaming Research Network, Galen focuses on building safer digital ecosystems and protecting those who work to keep them secure. He has worked in more than 30 countries and is committed to creating a more inclusive, resilient, and joyful world—both online and off.
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Fidèle Rutayisire
Founder and Executive Director, Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC)

Fidèle Rutayisire
Founder and Executive Director, Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC)
Fidèle Rutayisire is Founder and Executive Director of the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC), a leading organization advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence through gender-transformative approaches that engage men and boys as allies in justice and social change in Rwanda and the Great Lakes region.
He brings more than 20 years of experience in community-based programming, policy advocacy, and social norms transformation. Fidèle is a certified researcher and master trainer on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), working across twelve African countries to strengthen peace, governance, and human rights.
Through RWAMREC’s programs, he has supported communities to transform power, care, and relationships reducing violence, increasing men’s caregiving, strengthening women’s agency, and improving family wellbeing. His work connects grassroots realities with national, regional, and global advocacy, ensuring that women’s lived experiences and survivor-centered approaches shape justice systems, public policy, and healthier forms of masculinity.
“I have seen men put down violence and pick up their children; that simple act of care can change the future of a whole generation.”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Richard V. Reeves
President, American Institute for Boys and Men

Richard V. Reeves
President, American Institute for Boys and Men
Richard V. Reeves is the founder and president of the American Institute for Boys and Men(AIBM). Before founding AIBM in 2023, Reeves was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. While at Brookings, he focused on policies related to economic inequality, racial justice, social mobility, and boys and men.
Reeves is the author of several books, including “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why it Matters, and What to do About It” and “Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That is a Problem, and What to do About It.”
Inspired by his own experiences as a father and policy expert, Richard founded AIBM to bring awareness to the challenges facing boys and men today and to develop evidence-based solutions.
Action Track
- Boys & Education
- Co-convener
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Jude Kelly
Founder Director, WOW – Women of the World

Jude Kelly
Founder Director, WOW – Women of the World
Jude Kelly CBE is one of the UK’s most powerful cultural leaders. She is an award-winning creative, a business leader and mentor, and a celebrated global champion of equality, with a particular focus on intersectional gender equity. In 2018, she founded The WOW Foundation as a force for change. WOW – Women of the World began as a festival created at London’s Southbank Centre in 2010 where Jude was artistic director for 12 years. Now an independent charity, WOW has seeded a global movement with activity in 45 locations across six continents and reached 5 million people.
She has received many awards and accolades, including BBC’s Most Powerful Women in the Arts. She is an inaugural member of Connected Women Leaders, sits on the Global Advisory Board of Pathfinders Presidents Council and the Advisory Board of Julia Gillard’s Global Institute for Women Leaders. Her TED Talk ‘Why women should tell the stories of humanity’ has had over 1m views. She has given keynote talks to business, governments and global leaders, including at UNESCO, COP 22, CHOGM 2022 and at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos.
“The campaign is called MenCare because it affirms we are born as a species to seek care, and we’re also wired to care. As people take part in this initiative, they should expect to feel challenged and inspired; and they should feel an obligation that they have to act.”
Action Track
- Arts and the Power of Story
- Co-convener
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Gary Barker
President and CEO, Founder, Equimundo

Gary Barker
President and CEO, Founder, Equimundo
Gary is CEO and co-founder of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice and a global leader in engaging men and boys for gender equality. He co-founded MenCare and MenEngage, created the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), and leads the State of the World’s Fathers reports. Formerly Executive Director of Instituto Promundo in Brazil, he has advised the United Nations, World Bank, and governments worldwide. Named by Apolitical among the 20 most influential in gender policy, he is an Ashoka Fellow and Voices of Solidarity Award recipient. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
“True democracy asks more than casting a ballot; it demands that each of us – especially as men – step into the roles of caregivers, connectors and collaborators, so our communities don’t just survive but flourish.”
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Caroline Hayes
Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies, Equimundo

Caroline Hayes
Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies, Equimundo
Caroline is Senior Technical Specialist on Digital Strategies at Equimundo, leading efforts to address harmful masculinities online and promote healthy, caring digital engagement. She oversees the LinkUp Lab and guides the design, implementation, and evaluation of digital-first interventions across research, programs, and advocacy. Caroline builds institutional capacity, forges partnerships with digital creators, tech leaders, and policymakers, and represents Equimundo in global forums on digital safety and gender justice. Previously, she worked with the White House Gender Policy Council and the U.S. Department of Justice on gender-based violence prevention, and served in the U.S. Peace Corps.
“I’m certainly no Luddite.” — J.G. Ballard
Action Track
- Caring Online Spaces
- Co-convener
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Glenn Gillis
Co-Founder and CEO, Sea Monster

Glenn Gillis
Co-Founder and CEO, Sea Monster
Glenn Gillis is co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster, and a globally recognised thought-leader on impact games and immersive technologies. With a Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town and over 25 years as a senior executive, consultant, and entrepreneur, Glenn brings commercial rigour to the intersection of play, storytelling, and social change. As Chairperson of Games for Change Africa, Glenn helps shape the continent’s fast-growing games ecosystem, championing the power of games as catalysts for social impact and economic growth across Africa. As co-founder and chair of the not-for-profit social enterprise Relate, he has also helped generate over $5.3 million in employment opportunities and charitable donations across South Africa.
“Games are the digital continuation of humanity’s oldest cultural technology. When we understand play as fundamental human behaviour, not entertainment novelty, we unlock its real potential to engage, educate, and transform.”
Action Track
- Caring Online Spaces
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Andrew Pel
Head of Campaigns, Moonshot

Andrew Pel
Head of Campaigns, Moonshot
Andrew Pel is Head of Campaigns at Moonshot, where he develops evidence-based interventions for online harms. His work addresses violent misogyny, extremism, disinformation, and other challenges young men face online. In Canada, Andrew leads multi-sectoral programs that connect individuals engaging with violent extremist content to confidential support services. He also develops gender-based violence and suicide prevention campaigns that connect people in crisis to local responders. More recently, Andrew ran a global media literacy initiative for Google, reaching over 200 million people across Europe and Indonesia and helping citizens recognize online manipulation tactics. Andrew is committed to translating research into solutions that engage men and boys in positive, pro-social ways.
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Vidhya Ramalingam
Founder and CEO, Moonshot

Vidhya Ramalingam
Founder and CEO, Moonshot
Vidhya Ramalingam is Founder and CEO of Moonshot, an organization empowering people to thrive online. Under her leadership, Moonshot has pioneered a proven model to offer lifesaving services online to people considering violence; collaborations with tech companies like Spotify and Google to ensure safer user experiences; and critical support to institutions and individuals facing online abuse. Moonshot has twice been named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list. Vidhya is also recognized internationally for her role leading policy responses to terrorism. Following the 2011 attacks in Norway, she led the European Union’s first intergovernmental initiative on white supremacist terrorism. She has been recognized by Fortune’s Most Powerful Women and sits on Spotify’s Safety Advisory Council. Watch her TED talk: The real-world danger of online myths.
“Our work to create a safer future must be rooted in the fundamental belief that – even in the darkest of moments – change is possible.”
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Sasha Havlicek
CEO and Founder, Institute of Strategic Dialogue

Sasha Havlicek
CEO and Founder, Institute of Strategic Dialogue
Sasha Havlicek is a social and policy entrepreneur who, for the last two decades, has incubated and scaled global initiatives to counter the rise of weaponised hate, disinformation and extremism, on- and offline. As founding CEO of the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, she has led the build-out of ISD’s advanced digital analytics capability designed to detect and mitigate information threats to democracy, public safety and national security. Spearheading ISD’s extensive partnerships with governments, cities, businesses and communities, Sasha oversees teams delivering research, policy advisory, training, digital literacy and communications programming around the world.
Sasha has advised a range of governments at the highest levels, has testified before US Congress and the UK Parliament, and is a regular commentator in the media (CNN, BBC, Channel 4 News and other networks). She is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Advisory Boards of the Global Internet Forum on Counter-Terrorism, the Christchurch Call and the Global Partnership for Action against Tech Facilitated Gender Based Violence. She is a founding board member of the Forum on Information and Democracy and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Coalition on Internet Safety.
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Thabo Limema
Head of Structured Lending Products: CAF and AVMS, Absa Group

Thabo Limema
Head of Structured Lending Products: CAF and AVMS, Absa Group
Thabo Limema is a seasoned banking professional with over 15 years of local, regional, and international experience. Born and raised in the Free State province, his humble upbringing shaped his ability to connect with people across diverse backgrounds. His passion for inclusion has driven his active involvement in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging forums & platforms at work, and to serve on boards of social enterprises that champion the empowerment of marginalised communities. Thabo chairs the Absa Men’s Forum, promoting allyship, wellness, and efforts to end gender-based violence (GBV). Following his participation in the Gender & Corruption Symposium in 2024, he expanded his advocacy through events, collaborations and co-founding AWACN Men in 2025. In 2025, he joined the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group, contributing to the GBV prevention priority area. A Chartered Accountant, he holds a Bachelor of Accounting from Rhodes University and an Executive Master in Finance from INSEAD.
“Positive masculinity from men is courage, accountability and care, inspiring boys watching us to inherit gentler, wiser strength that aligns with the spirit of Ubuntu (I am because we are), calling us to use influence with empathy, so dignity compounds like interest for everyone.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
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Wessel van den Berg
Senior Advocacy Officer, Equimundo

Wessel van den Berg
Senior Advocacy Officer, Equimundo
Wessel is Senior Advocacy Officer at Equimundo, where he advances global advocacy efforts and co-convenes the MenCare Global Campaign and Global Boyhood Initiative. A co-founder of MenCare and the State of South Africa’s Fathers report, he is dedicated to evidence-based advocacy on gender-equal parenting, care work, and violence prevention. Wessel’s background spans teaching, counseling, activism, and research, all centered on men’s roles in caregiving. He holds a PhD in Sociology from Stellenbosch University, focusing on engaging South African men in a feminist ethic of care, and lives in Cape Town with his wife and two young children.
“Men can find renewed purpose in everyday acts of care.”
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Men and Care Policies
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Jonathan Njus
Senior Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Jonathan Njus
Senior Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Jonathan Njus is a Senior Program Officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, whose mission is to support families and communities in improving life outcomes for vulnerable children. Jonathan serves on the national leadership team, who guide strategy and grantmaking to advance more equitable food, health, education and employment access for working families. He also leads the Expanding Equity initiative for the foundation, which is partnering with private sector companies to build workplaces that are inclusive of all workers.
Prior to joining the foundation, Jonathan was appointed to the Obama Administration, where he served as a senior policy advisor for the U.S. Department of Labor, helping to strengthen low-wage workers’ rights and protections. His career has been grounded in ensuring that workplaces are fair and safe for all workers, especially women, and elevating the role of men as allies toward that end.
“Men are key to building a more caring and less violent world by simply showing up better in their own individual spheres of influence.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
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Isabelle Santos

Isabelle Santos
Isabelle has a decade of experience working at the intersection of legal frameworks, youth leadership, and the 2030 Agenda. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Brasília and executive training in Early Childhood from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She is currently a postgraduate student at the Center for Public Leadership and a PhD candidate in Social Sciences at São Paulo State University. She has led several advocacy initiatives, including co-founding the first Global Youth-Led Movement on Ending Violence Against Children, and has collaborated with governments, the United Nations, and civil society to advance policy change. She previously served as an advisor at the Federal District Secretariat of Justice and Citizenship, contributing to initiatives on child participation, digital wellbeing, and parenting programs. She is also part of international communities of practice, including United People Global, the Global Youth Forum, and the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee Youth Group.
“Digital spaces are shaping the identities of boys and girls and, with them, the political and economic fabric of our societies. Ensuring that they are nurturing, inclusive, and well-regulated calls for a commitment that spans from healthy interpersonal relations to the institutional foundations of parity democracy.”
Action Track
- Caring Online Spaces
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Cody Ragonese
Director of Programs, Equimundo

Cody Ragonese
Director of Programs, Equimundo
Cody is the Associate Director of Programs at Equimundo, where he leads U.S. and international efforts to engage men and boys in building more caring, equitable communities. He’s passionate about helping organizations – from schools to global companies – challenge harmful gender norms and promote healthier models of masculinity. Cody designs programs, develops curricula for boys, young men, and fathers, and partners with public and private sector leaders to advance male allyship in the workplace. He also trains facilitators worldwide to spark conversations that drive real social change.
“If you build it right, they will come. Yes, including men.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
- Co-convener
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Dian Castillo Maheia
CEO, Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology of Belize

Dian Castillo Maheia
CEO, Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology of Belize
Mrs. Dian Castillo Maheia has spent her life in and around schools. Raised by a mother who was a teacher and later a principal, she found herself following in those capable footsteps. After completing her Bachelor’s degree as a Fulbright scholar at 19, she returned to Belize and to her alma mater, SCA, where she taught English and Literature for 12 years, preparing students for CXCs and immersing herself in academic life.
In 2003, she led the planning of the first National Education Summit, which resulted in a four-day gathering, published papers, and a national action plan. She later served as Action Plan Coordinator for Belize’s Ministry of Education and worked with Macmillan Caribbean as a writer, editor, and trainer. In 2009, she co-founded Horizon Academy, a child-centred, inclusive school where she has served as principal since its inception. As a teacher, mother, and leader, Mrs. Maheia remains deeply committed to education and to Belize.
“When boys feel seen, heard, and valued, they rise. Our work at Belize’s Ministry of Education has always been about fostering environments where young men understand that their voice matters and their future is worth investing in.”
Action Track
- Boys & Education
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Taveeshi Gupta
Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo

Taveeshi Gupta
Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Taveeshi is Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning at Equimundo and a global expert on gender equality, masculinities, and the transformative power of care. Her research bridges developmental psychology and social change, advancing equitable caregiving and challenging harmful gender norms worldwide. She has advised the United Nations, OECD, APEC, and Movember, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Lancet Commission on Violence against Women and Girls. Her widely cited work, featured in The Guardian and NPR, explores issues such as the “manosphere,” men’s isolation, and the redefinition of masculinity through care
“When we meet boys and men with genuine care – acknowledging their vulnerabilities and strengths – we create space for transformative change, because supporting men’s health uplifts everyone.”
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Darby Saxbe
Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California (USC)

Darby Saxbe
Professor of Psychology, University of Southern California (USC)
Darby Saxbe, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and tenured professor of psychology at the University of Southern California.
She has published over eighty scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals and secured major research grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. She earned awards from the American Psychological Association and the Society for Research in Child Development and was a Fulbright fellow. Dr. Saxbe received her PhD in clinical psychology from UCLA and her BA in English and psychology from Yale University.
Her research focuses on the transition to parenthood, particularly the neural and hormonal underpinnings of fatherhood. She integrates neuroscience and psychology to explore how close connections shape health and wellbeing.
When she is not doing research, she plays guitar in an all-mom indie rock band and writes the Substack newsletter, Natal Gazing.
“When men step into their full potential as care providers, it’s good for children, societies, and men’s own health, well-being, and sense of meaning and purpose.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Cities & Regions
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Dr. Derek M. Griffith
Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Derek M. Griffith
Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor, University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Derek M. Griffith is the Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Population Health and Health Equity University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also serves as Senior Advisor on Health Equity and Anti-Racism. A leading scholar on racial, ethnic, and gender equity in health, he specializes in community-based interventions to advance Black men’s health and intersectional approaches to health policy. Dr. Griffith chairs Global Action on Men’s Health and edits the International Journal of Men’s Social and Community Health. Widely published and honored, his work bridges research, policy, and practice to dismantle structural racism and promote health equity globally.
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Dean Peacock
The Lancet Commission on Global Gun Violence and Health

Dean Peacock
The Lancet Commission on Global Gun Violence and Health
Dean Peacock has been involved in work for gender equality, violence prevention, and health equity for the last three decades. He is a commissioner with the Lancet Commission on Global Gun Violence and Health and an expert advisor to the Global Taskforce on Halving Global Violence. Dean is affiliated with the University of Cape Town’s School of Public Health, the Gender Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and the Violence, Inequality and Power Lab at the University of San Diego. He has co-founded and co-created many local, national and global initiatives, including the Men Overcoming Violence Youth Program, Sonke Gender Justice, the MenEngage Alliance, the MenCare Campaign, the Mobilising Men for Feminist Peace Initiative, and the Global Coalition for WHO Action on Firearm Violence where he is the co-director. His work has been published widely and he has used the arts extensively, including documentary films, photo exhibitions, murals and photo-voice.
“Acknowledging that most men do in fact care deeply about their families, friends and communities opens up so many exciting possibilities for what we can all do together to build a more just, equitable, peaceful and sustainable world.”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Melissa Wong Oviedo
Senior Program Officer, Equimundo

Melissa Wong Oviedo
Senior Program Officer, Equimundo
Melissa is a Senior Program Officer at Equimundo, overseeing international projects with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. She brings extensive experience in preventing violence against women and children, advancing women’s economic empowerment, and promoting human rights. Previously, she worked with Plan International Peru and Innovations for Poverty Action, collaborating closely with grassroots, rural, and Indigenous communities across Latin America.
“To teach is to show what is possible; to learn is to make yourself possible.” — Paulo Freire
Action Track
- Boys & Education
- Co-convener
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Paula Peláez
Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, IDB Invest

Paula Peláez
Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, IDB Invest
Paula Peláez leads the Economic Opportunities work at IDB Invest, advancing a more inclusive and sustainable private sector across Latin America and the Caribbean. Her work focuses on shifting market systems and business practices to expand economic opportunity, with emphasis on gender equality and social inclusion.With more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of private sector and international development, Paula partners with companies and financial institutions to address structural barriers, reshape incentives, and embed inclusion into core business and investment decisions. Her expertise spans inclusive finance, sustainability strategy, and the design of innovative financing mechanisms that translate social commitments into measurable outcomes at scale.
Paula has worked across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Studies from York University (Canada) and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de los Andes (Colombia).
“Expanding agency and building systems of belonging.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
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Sabeena Akhtar
Head of Projects & Programmes, WOW – Women of the World

Sabeena Akhtar
Head of Projects & Programmes, WOW – Women of the World
Sabeena is an award-winning festival programmer, curator, writer, and cultural leader with over a decade of experience delivering pioneering events across the UK and internationally. As Head of Projects and Programmes at WOW, she develops and curates world-class festivals and participatory programmes, working with global partners to platform diverse voices and urgent ideas.
A co-founder of the award-winning Primadonna Festival and Prize, Sabeena is passionate about equity in the arts and championing working-class creativity, drawing deeply from her own background and lived experience. Alongside her programming work, she is the editor of Cut From the Same Cloth? and the author of Talking About Islamophobia. A mum of four, Sabeena balances creativity, care and community within her work.
“Arts and culture don’t just reflect society, they shape it. Policy can shift structures, but art shifts imagination. If we want to change systems, we must also change the stories and narratives that sustain them”
Action Track
- Arts and the Power of Story
- Co-convener
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Holly Milburn-Smith
Co-Executive Director, City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE)

Holly Milburn-Smith
Co-Executive Director, City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE)
Holly Milburn-Smith (she/her) is Co-Executive Director of the City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE), where she leads a global network of municipal governments advancing gender-equitable urban policy. She works closely with city leaders across six continents to strengthen local approaches to caregiving infrastructure, gender-based violence prevention, and the use of gender data in policymaking. Holly joined CHANGE in 2021 from the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs in the City of Los Angeles and brings over a decade of experience in international collaboration and community development, with a focus on turning research and partnerships into implementable local policy. Her prior work spans gender equity, inclusive education, workforce development, and initiatives serving justice-impacted communities. Holly is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar and an Aspen Institute Rising Leader in Foreign Policy (2022). She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons, where she is regularly reminded that care is, indeed, infrastructure.
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Cities & Regions
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José Campi-Portaluppi
Director of Communications and Advocacy, Equimundo

José Campi-Portaluppi
Director of Communications and Advocacy, Equimundo
José is the Director of Communications and Advocacy at Equimundo. He leads the communications and advocacy teams, amplifying research and programming on masculinities and gender justice to inspire action and drive impact in personal opinion, community norms, and public policy. Prior to joining Equimundo, José worked with different international organizations in educommunications, capacity strengthening, political incidence, research and learning experience design.
“Real transformation comes from moving people, the culture that shapes them, their attitudes and mindsets.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Cities & Regions
- Caring Online Spaces
- Co-convener
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Hannah Phillips
Respectful Politics Policy Manager, The Jo Cox Foundation

Hannah Phillips
Respectful Politics Policy Manager, The Jo Cox Foundation
With a decade of experience in the public sector and academia, Hannah is an expert in advancing gender equality. Currently, she leads The Jo Cox Foundation’s policy development and advocacy to address abuse in public life and strengthen democracy. Her unique background spans local, national and international policy. She has significant experience advising and implementing strategic priorities, including at the United Nations and UK House of Commons. Originally from Scotland, she pursued her undergraduate studies at Harvard University. While also working, she studied for her MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities at the London School of Economics and completed her DPhil (PhD) at the University of Oxford.
“We can change institutional cultures for the social good through collaborative action.”
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Emma Fulu
CEO and Founder, Equality Institute

Emma Fulu
CEO and Founder, Equality Institute
Dr Emma Fulu is a feminist activist, researcher, and entrepreneur who has dedicated her life to advancing gender equality and ending violence against women and girls. She is the founder and CEO of the Equality Institute, a global organisation dedicated to creating a more just and inclusive world that has worked in more than 30 countries. Emma has led some of the world’s largest studies on violence against women, including at the United Nations, and co-founded VOICE, supporting women and girls in crisis settings. A TEDx speaker and writer with a PhD from the University of Melbourne, she brings together data, storytelling, and lived experience to inspire change. Emma has advised governments, UN agencies, and global brands, and her work has been featured on Aljazeera, BBC, CNN, and beyond. She believes deeply in the power of evidence, activism, and bold communication to create lasting change.
“I believe what we focus on expands, so even when we are working to stop extremism and harm, we must do so by centring love, care, and our shared humanity.”
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Marcos Nascimento
Senior Researcher, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz)

Marcos Nascimento
Senior Researcher, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz)
Marcos Nascimento is a psychologist with a doctorate in Collective Health from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro. He is currently a senior researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). He is one of the cofounders of the Men´s Network for Gender Equality in Brazil and was coordinator of the MenEngage Alliance for Latin America (2007-2011). He has experience leading national and international projects involving research, social intervention, and advocacy on topics related to gender, sexuality, masculinities, violence, and health.
“When we think about health, we need to discuss men´s participation in democracy, social justice, promotion of gender equality, and a culture of care. Men’s health affects everyone´s health, including women and children, and we need to engage them on it.”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Michael Feigelson
Chief Executive, Van Leer Foundation

Michael Feigelson
Chief Executive, Van Leer Foundation
Michael Feigelson has spent the last 11 years as a dad and the last 25 working on policies and programmes for new parents and children. He currently serves as Chief Executive at the Van Leer Foundation, a Dutch organization working worldwide with scientists, policymakers and business leaders on parenting and early childhood. The foundation has been focused on this since the early 1960s, making it one of the oldest global organizations dedicated to making sure all children (and parents) get a good start in life.
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Cities & Regions
- Co-convener
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Julia Munroe
Policy Officer, Metropolis

Julia Munroe
Policy Officer, Metropolis
Julia serves as a Policy Officer in Metropolis, specialising in local care policies, mainstreaming gender equality, and local feminist agendas in large cities and metropolitan areas. Her role involves leading international city-to-city policy exchanges, developing knowledge and toolkits and supporting the International Fund for Metropolises: Local Care Systems.
Hailing from South Africa, she has a background working with local government, international cooperation and grassroots organisations in Cape Town, Barcelona, and internationally. She previously held positions with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and the City of Cape Town. She has a Joint Masters degree in Urban Studies from the Universities of Brussels and Vienna and a Bachelors (Hons) in Social Anthropology from the University of Cape Town.
“Gender equality is not only about who holds power, but who has the right to be supported; where tenderness is strength, and care is a shared public good.”
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Cities & Regions
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Chloé Lewis
Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo

Chloé Lewis
Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning, Equimundo
Chloé is Deputy Director of Research, Evaluation, and Learning at Equimundo. For over 15 years, her work has focused on gender and armed conflict, with a particular emphasis on addressing and preventing sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before joining Equimundo, she was a Senior Research Associate with Oxford’s Global Security Programme and a Research Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government. She has collaborated with organizations including the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, the World Bank, and the U.K. Ministry of Defence. Chloé co-edited the Routledge Handbook of Masculinities, Conflict and Peacebuilding.
“More unites us than divides us. In these fractured times, we must believe this now more than ever.”
Action Track
- Co-convener
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Dr. Yalda T. Uhls
Founder and Executive Director: Center for Scholars & Storytellers, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Dr. Yalda T. Uhls
Founder and Executive Director: Center for Scholars & Storytellers, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Dr. Yalda T. Uhls is the founder of UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS), the leading organization bridging developmental science with entertainment and media creation. A former senior executive at MGM and Sony Pictures, she now collaborates with studios, streaming platforms, and game companies to bring research-based insights into storytelling and youth-focused content. Dr. Uhls is an internationally recognized expert on media’s impact on adolescent development and the author of Media Moms & Digital Dads.
“Young people are growing up with screens, and the stories they consume shape their understanding of themselves and their world. We’re building a future where stories help young people thrive.”
Action Track
- Boys & Education
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Colette Bailey
CEO, WOW – Women of the World

Colette Bailey
CEO, WOW – Women of the World
Colette is CEO at WOW – Women of the World and a creative producer, with an established history and over 25 years experience of leading SME organisations and teams in the UK. Previously she was Artistic Director and CEO of Metal (2002-2021) and Managing Director at the Royal Society of British Sculptors (1998-2022). Her work has always been purpose-driven, creating arts programmes that are underpinned by social change, community participation and nurturing talent within people of all ages.
She is a passionate advocate for the transformational power of the arts to create change – for both people and places – and equally passionate that access to culture should be available to everyone. All her work to date has been to find ways to advocate for, develop and deliver this.
“Time and again I have seen first hand how the arts can transform possibilities for people, places and ideas. A warm welcome; exposure to a multitude of stories; feeling represented; and multiple entry points for getting involved can really begin to shift embedded behaviour, foster understanding and change hearts and minds in a way that traditional education or doctrine does not.”
Action Track
- Arts and the Power of Story
- Co-convener
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Jim Milne
Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning, and Management: Gender Equality Strategic Initiatives, Gates Foundation

Jim Milne
Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning, and Management: Gender Equality Strategic Initiatives, Gates Foundation
Jim Milne is a global social impact leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing global health and development initiatives across the public, private, and social sectors. He serves as Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning and Management in the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation, where he partners with senior leaders to set strategy, steward complex investment portfolios, and embed evidence and learning into decision-making.
Jim’s work advances gender-equitable norms, women’s leadership, adolescent and youth outcomes, and sexual and reproductive health equity. He brings deep experience aligning global strategy with regional and local priorities, ensuring execution reflects lived realities and delivers sustainable, long-term impact. Earlier in his career, Jim advised public and private sector organizations on strategy, organizational change, and performance improvement. He brings a deep commitment to evidence, partnership, and collective action to advance wellbeing for men and boys in parallel with progress for women and girls.
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
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Maria Caridad Araujo
Chief of Gender and Diversity Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

Maria Caridad Araujo
Chief of Gender and Diversity Division, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
M. Caridad Araujo is the Chief of the Gender and Diversity Division at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In this role, she leads efforts to promote gender equality and inclusion across Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, she served as Principal Economist in the IDB’s Social Protection and Health Division, focusing on early childhood development and anti-poverty programs. Her career also includes academic experience as a professor at Georgetown University and work at the World Bank. A native of Ecuador and mother of two daughters, she holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley
Action Track
- Men and Care Policies
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Celmário Castro Brandão
Coordinator, Men’s Healthcare, Brazilian Ministry of Health

Celmário Castro Brandão
Coordinator, Men’s Healthcare, Brazilian Ministry of Health
Coordenador da Coordenação de Atenção à Saúde dos Homens do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil (COSAH/DGCI/SAPS/MS), conduzindo, nacionalmente, a implementação da Política Nacional de Atenção Integral à Saúde dos Homens, com destaque para os eixos da prevenção de violências, saúde sexual, saúde reprodutiva e paternidade e cuidado. Possui 16 anos de experiência em gestão do Sistema Único de Saúde, é servidor público federal, Tecnologista em Gestão de Políticas Públicas de Saúde. É doutor em Saúde Coletiva pela Universidade de Brasília (UnB) analisando a Governança Federal na Gestão da Atenção Primária à Saúde para o Enfrentamento à Pandemia de covid-19 no Brasil; Mestrado em Saúde Coletiva pela mesma Universidade, estudando a Capacidade de Gestão em Secretarias Municipais de Saúde; Pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva com concentração em Gestão da APS pelo Instituto de saúde Coletiva (ISC/UFBA) e pós-graduação em Microbiologia pela Faculdade de Farmácia da UFBA; Graduação em Farmácia pela UFBA.
“É fundamental a compreensão acerca do quão determinante é o debate acerca das masculinidades, consequentemente, do engajamento de homens em uma agenda ampla de cuidados, para a conformação de políticas públicas visando a criação de sociedades saudáveis.”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Giovanna Lauro
Deputy CEO, Equimundo

Giovanna Lauro
Deputy CEO, Equimundo
Giovanna has more than 20 years of experience advancing gender equality and preventing gender-based violence, with a focus on transforming harmful masculinities. As Equimundo’s Deputy CEO, she leads global research and program strategy. Previously, she was Associate Director of the Women and Population Programme at the United Nations Foundation and conducted research at the London School of Economics. A native of Italy, Giovanna is fluent in English, French, and Spanish, and serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth in the United States.
“Let’s choose care over fear; speaking up for equality over silence; and let’s do it together!”
Action Track
- Boys & Education
- Co-convener
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Rosemary Morgan
Co-Director: Gender and Health, Global Health Summer Institute

Rosemary Morgan
Co-Director: Gender and Health, Global Health Summer Institute
Rosemary Morgan, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (BSPH) where she holds the Edgar Berman Professorship in International Health. Dr. Morgan is recognized as a specialist in gender analysis in health and health systems research, interventions, and programs. Her work spans research, teaching, and policy engagement to examine how gender norms, roles, and relations shape health and health system experiences and outcomes, and to advance more equitable, people‑centered health systems for all. Dr. Morgan co-directs the Gender and Health Track in the Global Health Summer Institute and coordinates the Gender and Health Certificate at BSPH.
“Gender equality cannot be achieved without challenging and changing norms that harm men and those around them.”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Alex Lloyd Hunter
Co-Founder, The Dad Shift

Alex Lloyd Hunter
Co-Founder, The Dad Shift
Alex is co-founder of The Dad Shift, a grassroots, dad-led campaign for active fatherhood in the UK. The UK has the worst paternity leave in Europe, and The Dad Shift was launched in September 2024 with a mission to change that. To date, the campaign has mobilised tens of thousands of members of the public and sent paternity leave racing up the media and political agenda. The UK Government is now reviewing parental leave in 2026, creating a once in a generation opportunity to win longer, better paid paternity leave.
Before co-founding The Dad Shift, Alex spent his career working on digital campaigns with charities and the UK Labour Party. As co-founder and CEO of Forward Action, a digital campaigning agency for progressive causes, Alex worked on issues including domestic abuse, assisted dying and climate change. He also launched the “Campaigns By You” platform at online campaigning organisation 38 Degrees, which gives thousands of people the technology to run their own campaigns every year.
“Gender equality isn’t a zero sum game. We need to bring more men into proudly pro-gender equality campaigns that not only benefit women, but benefit them too. Promoting active fatherhood is a key part of this.”
Action Track
- Men and Care Policies
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Adewunmi Emoruwa
CEO, Gatefield

Adewunmi Emoruwa
CEO, Gatefield
Adewunmi Emoruwa is a global policy leader and CEO of Gatefield, a Sub-Saharan Africa-focused public strategy and media group. He has led landmark policy and regulatory reforms across public health, governance, fiscal policy, democracy, and gender equity, contributing to improved health outcomes, stronger democratic institutions, and expanded economic opportunity for millions of Africans.
He advises foundations and multilateral institutions — including the Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Luminate, Open Society Foundations, the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Union — on strategy, narrative, political risk, and public accountability. An investor in African media, he is known for building coalitions, shaping public discourse, and holding institutions and political power to account by aligning evidence, narrative, and platforms to deliver lasting reform. Adewunmi regularly speaks on evidence-based advocacy, gender and power, and the politics of policy design, contributing to global debates across the World Economic Forum, The Guardian, Project Syndicate, Bloomberg, BBC World, and Al Jazeera.
“Outcomes reflect choices about people, power, and platforms. When systems fail at scale, those failures are designed.”
Action Track
- Men and Care Policies
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Alex Blower
Founder, Boys’ Impact

Alex Blower
Founder, Boys’ Impact
Dr. Blower is an author, researcher and global thought leader on issues related to masculinity, inequality and education. Since completing his doctoral research which focused inequality and access to university for white working-class boys in the West Midlands in 2020, he has been a keynote speaker at national and international conferences, talking on issues related to inequality and the experience of young working-class men in education. In 2023, he founded Boys’ Impact, a UK wide network of educators who are committed to taking an evidence-based approach in closing the gap in educational outcomes for young men who are eligible for Free School Meals. Regularly commenting on issues related to masculinity and inequality in education for media outlets such as the BBC, LBC and The Times, his first book, Lost Boys: How Education is Failing Young Working-Class Men, was published last summer.
“To truly protect and honour the emotional lives of boys we must challenge the patriarchal culture. And until that culture changes we must create subcultures, the sanctuaries where boys can learn who they are uniquely, without being forced to conform to patriarchal masculine visions. To love boys rightly we must value their inner lives enough to construct worlds, both private and public, where their right to wholeness can be consistently celebrated and affirmed, where their need to love and be loved can be fulfilled”. – bell hooks
Action Track
- Boys & Education
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Cynthia Miller-Idriss
Director, Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University

Cynthia Miller-Idriss
Director, Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL), American University
Cynthia Miller-Idriss is a Professor in the Schools of Public Affairs and Education at the American University, where she is also the founding director and chief vision officer in the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). She writes frequently for the public, most recently in Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism, as an opinion columnist for MS Now, and in recent by-lines in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, and more.Her current book-in-progress, on how gender is dividing a new generation, reports on qualitative research with young men across five countries.
“None of us wants our best measure of violence prevention to be how good we’ve become at barricading the doors. Solutions need to begin much further upstream, starting with ensuring every individual feels seen, heard, and needed.”
Action Track
- Boys & Education
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Odanga Madung
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Odipo Dev

Odanga Madung
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Odipo Dev
Odanga Madung is a Kenyan data journalist and researcher whose work examines how digital platforms reshape power, democracy, and public accountability. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of Odipo Dev, a Nairobi-based media and impact think tank, and has written for outlets including The Guardian, WIRED and CNN on disinformation, platform governance, and the political economy of attention. His focus is strengthening the integrity of the information environment and understanding how media systems shape democratic outcomes—particularly from the vantage point of the Global South.
He was also a Mozilla Fellow and has helped surface and challenge disinformation-for-hire ecosystems and advance real-world accountability conversations with major tech platforms. He’s also currently on the boards of DW Akademie and Amnesty International Kenya.
Action Track
- Democracy, Violent Extremism & Tech-Enabled Harms
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Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams
Senior Research Fellow, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet

Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams
Senior Research Fellow, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
Dr. Michael “Uncle Mick” Adams is a respected Elder in the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. He is a descendent of the Yadhiagana/Wuthathi peoples of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and the Gurindji people of Central Western Northern Territory. His extensive involvement in key policy and program development processes and forums has enabled him to translate his own and others’ research into action. His efforts at knowledge translation have directly impacted on health system responses and led to better informed approaches to address the needs of Australia’s Indigenous peoples who are social excluded and often have poor access to services. He is recognised as a pioneer in the Australian male health movement. He was recently presented with the inaugural Australian Male Health Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for his long-term commitment to supporting men’s health.
“The way to the future is overcoming the negativity, being positively involved in creating safe places and celebrating our achievements”
Action Track
- Men’s Health & Health for All
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Lisa Pusey
Director of Engagement and Impact, Champions of Change Coalition

Lisa Pusey
Director of Engagement and Impact, Champions of Change Coalition
Lisa Pusey is a gender equality and human rights expert with over 25 years experience leading complex gender equality initiatives, in Australia and internationally.
Over the past 10 years, Lisa has held various roles at the Champions of Change Coalition, working with the CEO to support, grow and execute the strategy. As Director of Engagement and Impact, Lisa co-leads the program workstream and engagement with the Coalition’s ~250 CEO Members.
Prior to joining Champions of Change, Lisa was adviser to Elizabeth Broderick (former Sex Discrimination Commissioner) at the Australian Human Rights Commission, and has worked in several international women’s human rights organisations where she worked closely with United Nations expert bodies to advance gender equality.
Action Track
- Caring Manhood in Workplaces
- Co-convener