WHOCC Core Team
Professor Salman Rawaf
Prof Salman is the Professor of Public Health Medicine, Director of WHOCC at the Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, and Honorary Consultant Physician in the NHS. His medical trainings are in paediatrics and public health medicine. He spent the breadth of his career leading roles in the British NHS; including 26 years as an Executive Director: County Medical Adviser, Medical Director, and Director of Public Health. In the latter 23 years of his service in the NHS, he served as the Executive Director of Health in South-West London with full responsibility for the population health and services in and outside the NHS, from which he then moved to Imperial College as Professor of Public Health, and the Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, which supports several World Health Organization’s Regions and their Member States. He is a dedicated author, lecturer, supervisor, and researcher across different medical disciplines with an average contribution to 8 conferences a year. He is also the President of the International Association of Medical Colleges (IAOMC) and the Arab Public Health Association (ArPHA).
Celine Tabche
Celine is a teaching fellow at the School of Public Health at Imperial and the Co-Director of the WHOCC. She holds a Biology BSc from the American University of Beirut and a Master's degree in Eating Disorders and Clinical Nutrition from the University College London. She is a certified Associate Nutritionist (ANtr), a Fellow of Higher Education in the UK (FHEA), a member of the Royal Society for Public Health, and a CPD Associate Faculty of Public Health member. Celine is working on a range of Public Health projects and has designed multiple trainings with the WHOCC, ArPHA, and IAOMC teams. Her key areas of contribution include supporting the development of a WHO competency framework for the global health and emergency workforce. She also assisted in the establishment of a public health academy in KSA and played a critical role in leading the Rapid Response Teams training at the Ministry of Health in KSA. She secured a grant from the British Council to help develop Disability Education in Pakistan. She also leads multiple research projects and supervises an average of 8 student projects a year at Imperial, spanning across different public health disciplines and topics.
Professor Azeem Majeed
Professor Azeem Majeed is Professor of Primary Care and Public Health and Head of the Department of Primary Care & Public Health at Imperial College London. A Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) and NIHR Senior Investigator, he is among the world’s most highly cited researchers in primary care. He studied medicine at the University of Wales College of Medicine and is accredited in both General Practice and Public Health Medicine. His academic career has spanned St George’s, University College London, and Imperial, where he has led the department since 2004. Professor Majeed’s research focuses on chronic disease management, particularly diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, health policy, healthcare delivery, and the innovative use of clinical and administrative data for research and planning. He also plays a leading role in postgraduate education, serving as Chairman of Imperial’s Master of Public Health programme and Director of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration for North West London. Internationally, he contributes to WHO projects on health systems and universal coverage and is an active member of the Global Burden of Disease Collaboration. Alongside his academic and public health leadership, he continues to practise as a GP in Clapham, with clinical interests in preventive healthcare, cardiovascular medicine, and immunisation.
Ela Augustyniak
Ela Augustyniak is an experienced educational project manager with extensive expertise in coordinating global public health programmes and educational initiatives. She has a strong background in managing complex, cross-border projects, ensuring the timely delivery of outcomes while maintaining quality standards. Ela has worked closely with academic and governmental organisations to foster international collaborations, enhance capacity building, and promote equitable access to education and health services. Her organisational and coordination skills, strategic planning abilities, and dedication to global health make her an integral member of the project team. Ela is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics. She has worked on the development and design of the Health Systems Development module for the online Master in Public Health at Imperial College London.
Dr David Rawaf
David Laith Rawaf is a surgeon, researcher, technologist, innovator and policy developer. Having studied and worked in both UK and the US, David has active academic & honorary roles for Imperial College, World Health Organisation, the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation, Royal College of Surgeons England, Association for Surgical Education, and The Society for Simulation in Healthcare, amongst many others. With medical and clinical director roles in healthtech, he holds dynamic responsibilities spanning academic research, accreditation, thought leadership, product development and validation, marketing and business strategy. David also holds multiple director roles on both philanthropic and venture capital advisory boards in addition to co-founder, clinical advisory & chair roles for various healthtech & medtech startups.
Rachel Barker
Rachel is a Healthcare Administration Specialist with over a decade spent working in both the NHS and Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand. She has 25 years of administrative experience in a career encompassing roles such as PA, Project Secretary, Team Administrator, and Medical Secretary. After excelling academically while studying a Diploma in Sociology while shielding during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rachel was recruited to her current position at the WHOCC. Her academic journey has deepened her insights into the social and commercial determinants of health, which along with her lived experience of disability has reinforced her commitment to patient advocacy and patient-centred healthcare models. Her dedication to lifelong learning and further education is ongoing, having completed a BA in Sociology in 2025 she is going to do a PGCert in International Development in 2026.
Dr Mays Raheem
Mays is a teaching fellow at the WHOCC for Public Health Education and Training. She has completed her education training through the postgraduate certification at Imperial. With a strong focus on capacity building and education, she designs and delivers leadership and governance training for health professionals. Mays has a passion for promoting equity and inclusion in education and is skilled at translating global health frameworks into contextually relevant learning materials. Her commitment to fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration makes her a valuable asset to the project team.
WHOCC Topic Leads
Dr Sunil Kumar
Dr Sunil Kumar MBBS MRCA FCAI FRSA FBSLM DipIBLM MAcadMEd is an Anaesthesiologist and Foundation Year Doctors Programme Director at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, UK. He is Board-Certified in Lifestyle Medicine (US & UK) and serves as Lifestyle Medicine Lead Tutor our centre. He also advises the Centre for Perioperative Care on the integration of Lifestyle Medicine in surgical prehabilitation. He is a Council Member of the Royal Society of Medicine (Food & Health Forum), Lifestyle Medicine Ambassador and Lead at the Personalised Care Institute, and faculty for NHS England, the University of Thessaly (Greece), and the European Lifestyle Medicine Organisation. Dr Kumar is also a founding member of the LM Initiative at the Global Wellness Institute and a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and lead on workplace wellbeing group. He is a nationally recognised award winner for his work on physician well-being and a sought-after international keynote speaker. He is a Member of the Academy of Medical Educators (MAcadMEd), reflecting his commitment to excellence in education and mentoring.
Prof Zeenah Atwan
An academic and researcher in Microbiology and Virology, currently serving as a Professor of Virology at the University of Basrah, Iraq, holding a PhD from Warwick University, UK and extensive expertise in virology, gene expression, and infectious diseases. Currently leading projects re- rheumatoid arthritis post-SARS-CoV-2, CCHF, and GLP-1 agonists. She has supervised numerous PhDs and master students, published in high-impact journals, and contributed to global health concerning issues such as participating in training rapid response teams. Her work includes molecular virology, public health, and medical education, all these aspects can contribute in advancing biomedical research and healthcare in Iraq and internationally. She was previously appointed as the Vice Dean of Medical Education and Research at the UOB. She is also the lead on infectious disease teaching and training at our centre. She is also leading on multiple research projects and publications with our centre.
WHOCC Medical Student Interns 2025/26
Rishi Miryala
Rishi is a fifth-year medical student at Imperial College London, with an intercalated BSc in Management at Imperial Business School. He has contributed to over ten academic publications and conference presentations, focusing on global health inequalities, artificial intelligence, surgical outcomes, and medical education. Rishi has held research roles at institutions such as the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery and the National Medical Research Association. As National President of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), he advocates for equitable access to medicines. His work in student organisations further reflects his dedication to global health and sustainable policy development.
Diogo Izidoro
Diogo is a final year medical student at Imperial College London. He completed an intercalated BSc in Global Health with a research project in environmental epidemiology, a field he continues to explore through a research role at the Grantham Institute. His interests revolve around the impact of climate change on human health and local community action and education on wider global health issues. He has been involved with the Imperial branch of Students for Global Health, leading the branch during his fifth year and engaging the student community on topics such as refugee health and the access to medicines movement. He also helped to establish the Imperial branch of Nutritank in his second year and led the delivery of Nutrition4Youngsters, a student-led nutrition workshop aimed at primary school children, showing his commitment for grassroots health promotion across the life course.
Zaynub Jamil
Zaynub is a third‑year medical student at Imperial College London with academic interests spanning neurodegenerative diseases, global health, medical education, and humanitarian medicine. She is a co‑founder of Global Brigades Imperial, a student‑led charity focused on improving access to healthcare, and currently serves as President of Imperial Friends of Médecins Sans Frontières. Alongside her studies, she is committed to community engagement and leadership within global‑health initiatives. Beyond medicine, she enjoys rowing, running, and exploring long‑distance hiking trails.
WHOCC MPH Interns 2025/26
Alex Odametey
Alex is an MPH student at Imperial, she is passionate about health systems improvement and providing equitable access to care. Outside of public health, Alex is an artist at heart, she loves painting and her favourite medium is Gouache. She hopes to contribute to health literacy and health promotion through collaborating with the WHOCC hubs across the globe and is excited to develop her research skills.
Shazbah Ahmed
Having previously graduated with a BSc in Global Health & Social Medicine, Shazbah is now undertaking her MPH at Imperial. Her academic and research interests focus on health communication, non-communicable diseases, and community engagement, and she is particularly passionate about making public health evidence more accessible to diverse communities. She has gained experience through research internships, community health projects, and health-focused communications roles, all of which have strengthened her skills in writing, analysis, and outreach. Over the next few months, you can expect clear, engaging, and evidence based content that highlights the work of the WHO Collaborating Centre and promotes key public health themes
Kendall McBride
Kendall is passionate about health system design and digital health advancement. Before coming to Imperial, she completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at Columbia University and gained experience working in quality improvement and patient access. She is driven to find ways to bridge the gap between research and implementation and looks forward to working within the WHOCC to ensure that interventions are adoptable, equitable, and sustainable. Outside of her public health interests, she enjoys running, traveling, and playing football.
WHOCC Collaborators
Prof Alessandra Scagliarini
Professor Alessandra Scagliarini graduated in Veterinary Medicine and obtained a PhD in Epidemiology and Control of Zoonotic Diseases. She is Full Professor at the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (School of Medicina) where she is in charge of several One Health undergraduate and post graduate programs. Her scientific interests focus on the inter- and transdisciplinary approach of One Health in research, particularly in exploring the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems that can trigger health emergencies.
Prof Zacharoula Sidiropoulou
Senior Consultant, Certified Breast Surgical Oncologist, currently Head of the Breast Unit at Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental. Invited Professor at the Universidade Nova de Lisboa Medical School and the University of Barcelona, where she contributes to the Senology Master Program. PhD in Medicine/Breast Cancer from the University of Barcelona and a Master's in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery from the Instituto de Investigación Biomedica da Corunha. Currently I am a Public Health Masters program student.
Prof Lisa McNally
Lisa is the Director of Public Health for Worcestershire, where she leads health improvement, health protection, community safety and emergency planning. She is also an advisor to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, specialising in public sector research partnerships. Her work centres on tackling health inequalities through community led, place based approaches, as well supporting health behaviour change and promoting public mental health. Lisa’s work has won several national awards including the LGC Public Health Award (2025) and Faculty of Public Health Mental Health Award (2026). She also writes regularly for the media on public health matters including for Healthcare Management, The Municipal Journal and The British Medical Journal.
Dr Ishani Sharma
Ishani is a medical graduate from Imperial College London with an intercalated BSc in Global Health. She has been involved in project work and activism with Students for Global Health UK, chairing the Imperial branch during her 5th year, and Médecins Sans Frontières, on a range of prevalent global issues including antimicrobial resistance, refugee and migrant health, and health education in schools. She has been mentored through research and internships, including with Critical Care International, and the HIV research team since her intercalated year, improving her understanding and approach to global health problem solving and innovation. These have supported her in exploring the fields of public and global health, and in academia including publishing research papers and presenting at international conferences. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from the experience of the WHOCC team during her 2-year internship.
Prof Ahmed Mandil
Professor of Epidemiology and Supervisor, Community Medicine Unit, College of Medicine, King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (seconded from the High Institute of Public Health, University of Alexandria, Egypt). He received his bachelor degree in medicine and surgery degree (1981) and master’s degree in Pediatrics (1985) from Alexandria University, Egypt. He currently serves as KSU-MPH Council Coordinator; board member/peer reviewer of scientific journals including WHO Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal (EMHJ), Journal of Epidemiology & Global Health (JEGH), Journal of Family & Community Medicine (JFCM).
Dr Harumi Quezada Yamamoto
Medical doctor with a cross-cultural perspective on public health. She has experience in clinical medicine, qualitative and quantitative research, as well as managerial roles. Areas of expertise include: sexual and reproductive health, maternal and child health, health systems research, gender perspective in health services, community outreach, in addition to medical and health education. She has collaborated in diverse projects both in global public health research and field work, in alliance with social enterprises and global organisations such as WHO, UNFPA and the MENA Health Policy Forum.
Dr Attila Hertelendy
Dr. Hertelendy is the Director of Innovation and Technology, Director of Research and a faculty member at BIDMC, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hertelendy is also an assistant professor in the College of Business, Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics and has a secondary appointment at the Wertheim College of Medicine at Florida International University in Miami. Dr. Hertelendy teaches healthcare reimbursement/ health policy and management and leadership in the Healthcare MBA program.
Mona Kuroiwa
Mona is a Research Assistant at the WHOCC and holds a BSc in Population Health and Sciences from University College London and completed Master’s in Public Health at Imperial College London. She has gained practical experience through internships in academic and health technology settings, contributing to modelling studies on non-communicable diseases. Her interests lie at the intersection of climate change and public health, focusing on how environmental factors affect global health outcomes. Passionate about policy development, Mona is committed to integrating data-driven research with advocacy to support sustainable, equitable healthcare solutions in response to the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Helene Davis
Helene is a Research Assistant at the WHOCC and has a Master of Public Health from Imperial College London, with a BSc in Medical Sciences from the University of Exeter. She has experience in clinical research and has contributed to published studies on obesity treatment and cancer screening. Her research has been presented at national conferences and shared with the national screening committee. Helene’s interests include health systems development, digital health literacy, and tackling social determinants of health. She is particularly committed to using policy and cross-sector approaches to address global health inequalities and advance innovative public health solutions.
Dr Austen El-Osta
Director of the Self-Care Academic Research Unit (SCARU) at Imperial College London, Director & Trustee of the International Self-Care Foundation & Trustee of the Self-Care Forum. He is a fellow of WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education & Training, the primary care theme lead for NIHR Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative London & General Manager of the Directorate of Public Health at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Mr Kyle Higgins
Kyle is a President’s Scholar at Imperial College London, where he is pursuing a PhD in Clinical Medical Research with a specialisation in bioinformatics and artificial intelligence. He holds a degree in Physics from Lehigh University and a Master’s in Cancer Informatics from Imperial College London, where he now also serves as an instructor in the program. Kyle’s research spans the intersection of graph machine learning and bioinformatics, with a particular focus on integrating multi-modal patient data, including omics, radiological imaging, and clinical metadata, to uncover systems-level drivers of disease. His recent work focuses on the development of graph-based AI models and explainable machine learning methods for precision medicine.
Dr Basil Assoufi
Dr Basil Assoufi is an accredited specialist consultant in occupational medicine. He holds substantive lead consultant jobs in two major NHS foundation trusts. He has extensive experience in the field ranging through NHS teaching hospitals, and a number of private and public sectors. He has also held academic appointments and has a PhD in the field. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
Dr Hani Fares
Public Health Specialist | Mental Health & Addiction Expert | Migration Health Advocate Hani Fares is a seasoned public health professional with over two decades of experience in global health, emergency response, health system strengthening, and capacity building. Currently serving as the Division Director of Mental Health & Addictions at the Foundation ARHM in Lyon, France, Hani leads initiatives aimed at addressing mental health challenges and addiction disorders, with a focus on policy development, program management, and advocacy.
Dr. David Huang
Clinical Innovation Director at MANUAL and Angel Investor. Graduated from St George's Hospital Medical School and worked in the NHS for 6 years.
Ms Holly Exton-Smith
Holly is a Master’s in Public Health student at Imperial College London. Her interests focus on non-communicable diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular disease, and obesity, and the influence of social and environmental factors on these conditions. She is passionate about evidence-based policy and user-centred design. Prior to her Master’s, she gained professional experience in social and market research within the healthcare industry. She holds an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from UCL.