Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
My drive is to create simple solutions to complex problems, just like John Snow did during the times of cholera. As background, I am a public health physician with over 25 years of experience in health communication and health policy, with a focus on communicable diseases prevention and emergency preparedness, as well as in sexual and reproductive health, family planning, STI/HIV/AIDS. I have a PhD in public health and a certificate in global health diplomacy. My area of work includes Europe, both within and outside of the EU, and various international organizations, such as the EU, USAID, and the UN. I have strong diplomatic, facilitation, public speaking, and training skills, as well as a commitment to volunteerism and intercultural collaboration.
• Spearheaded initiatives in health promotion and education to enhance health literacy in communicable disease prevention. • Bridged the gap between epidemiological and biomedical research with social sciences to inform policy and practice. • Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to develop strategies that integrate social and behavioral insights into public health.
• Coordinated the Targeted Country Support initiative, enhancing data collection and analysis for ECDC's key areas. • Fostered partnerships with national organisations in the Member States to identify strengths and needs at the country level. • Developed a corporate approach for expert country missions, and a structured program for the ECDC Director's visits.
• Coordinated strategic support initiatives for Member States, ensuring timely responses to public health needs. • Led post-graduate training projects focused on behavior change communication to enhance vaccination acceptance. • Coordinated courses on Antimicrobial Resistance and Hospital Acquired Infections, contributing to public health education.
- Served as radio editor for health programs, e.g.: "Health pill", other dedicated programs around health education
- Coordinated the policy and health communication component of the Romanian Family Health Initiative (a project funded by USAID - more than 20 million US$): ensuring partnership building between US and Romanian authorities - public and private - Facilitated national policies design and approval, e.g. National Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy, National STI Strategy, National Public Health Strategy - Coordinated the component "Technical assistance to the Romanian Government for pandemic flu preparedness" (avian influenza component), including: proposal writing, SWOT analysis, strategic approach, initial assessment, workplan, M&E, coordination with other institutions and organizations at national and international level, budget estimation and tracking, reporting. Technical work included consensus building policy, create partnership and alliances, training of trainers and training of field staff, create and supervise innovation in awareness mass media and outreach campaigns (e.g. puppet theater for children in rural areas) - Coordinated the behavior change communication component: mass media campaigns (especially in the area of HIV/AIDS, family planning, breast cancer), mass media relations, trainings, materials development, production and distribution - Coordinated inter-country high level exchanges with Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Albania; supervised the design of databases with experts, selected country teams, organized schedules and set up meetings, including at protocol and field levels; prepared high level meetings with US Embassy and senior management of USAID and Romanian and neighboring countries officials - Managed sub-contractors (technical content, outputs/results, funding), e.g.: Population Services International (PSI), Romanian Association Against AIDS (ARAS) - Presented project achievements in various international conferences, e.g. APHA, IUHPE - Ensured project visibility among mass media and clients respecting USAID communication standards
- Managed a project aimed at selecting US experienced professionals to provide technical assistance without consultancy fees to Romanian organizations in health and child welfare: needs assessment, SWOT analysis, strategic planning, workplan, budgeting, reporting - Assessed technical assistance needs among Romanian organizations active in health and child welfare - Coordinated and facilitate major public events involving the US Embassy to Romania, Romanian organizations and US volunteers. - Insured the project visibility among mass media and clients (Romanian Ministry of Health, national Agency for Child Protection and USAID) - Designed and implemented public activities around volunteerism - Developed a database with Romanian non-governmental and US institutions involved in health and child welfare
- Coordinated the National Center for Health Promotion - Served as delegated person in the Ministry of Health on health promotion - Set up the basis and led reform in health education and health promotion in Romania (from pre-90's sanitary education) - Led public mass media campaigns for Ministry of Health, funded from various international donors especially UN agencies - Coordinated the implementation of mass media campaigns and outreach activities with other institutions and key NGOs through partnership building in various areas of public health, e.g. tobacco consumption, healthy lifestyle - Coordinated post-graduate training for professionals working in health and education sectors in behaviour change/ health promotion, and journalists in public health issues; in charge of the health promotion module for the Master in Public Health, Master in Management of Health and Social Services, post-graduate diploma in family planning, etc. - Actively involved in qualitative and quantitative research, e.g. National Reproductive Health Surveys 1995, 1999 - Coordinated fundraising efforts for the health promotion activities for the public sector and advocated for dedicated funding in the public budget - Represented Romania in international meetings related to health promotion and served as liaison with WHO/EURO, EU, UN agencies, CDC, being involved in international projects, e.g.: "European Network of Health Promoting Schools", European Committee for Health Promotion Development, all major health promotion and public health projects and activities at European level - Co-responsible of the World Bank Loan - health promotion component (more than 1.2 million US$) - Organized joint programs with BBC and WHO-EURO, UN agencies, World Bank - Served as Member of the Management Board of the Institute of Health Services Management. supervised directly a team of 14 staff; coordinated the technical and professional development support to more than 250 staff at national level