Prof. Ruth Stewart is the Director of the Alliance for Living Evidence (Alive) at the Future Evidence Foundation. As Director of Alive she builds collaborative living evidence partnerships for meaningful impact. Having grown up in Malawi, she studied in the UK, and lives and works in South Africa. Her career has focused on developing approaches for producing useful, policy-relevant evidence for decision-makers. Her focus is on facilitating systems-level change, and supporting others to do so, with an emphasis on evidence-policy partnerships as a mechanism for change. Previously she has led teams supporting significant evidence-to-policy systems-developments within South African policy processes. She has largely pioneered the idea of evidence networks, and formed the cross-sector, transdisciplinary Africa Evidence Network in 2012. The Network now includes 6000 people from across government, academia, business and more. You can read more about her work with Alive here
		Dr Ekwaro A. Obuku is a Uganda Medical Doctor and served as a co-founder member of the Africa Centre for Systematic Reviews and Knowledge Translation and the Uganda Clearing House for Health Policy and Systems Research both situated at the College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. Ekwaro completed his doctoral studies about research to policy at Makerere University, Uganda and McMaster University, Canada. Ekwaro  has been involved in efforts to link research to policy including skills transfer for evidence synthesis across Africa for over 15 years and at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
		Dr Patrick Okwen is a medical doctor and researcher with experience working with policy makers, governments, and development agencies at international level. He has experience working within the basic services (health, education, climate resilience, and agriculture) and knowledge brokering in Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger, and Chad.   Patrick dedicates much of his time to training young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in development work and work across the evidence ecosystem. He is part of the Daara Development Academy, a league of promising African leaders promoting Early Child Care and Education. He has won several leadership awards with Joanna Briggs Institute, Cochrane Aubrey Sheiham, Africa Evidence Network, Campbell Robert Boruch, French Embassy in Cameroon, and the World Bank. Patrick has led projects across the evidence ecosystem, including evidence brokering, storytelling research evidence, and evidence contextualization with partners like Education Endowment Foundation, CEDIL Programme, Grand Challenges Canada, IDRC, iScientia Belgium, and Wakka Foundation Holland.
		Nange Lisette holds a Masters degree in theatre arts and cinematography and currently into PhD program. She is a part time lecturer at the University of Yaounde 1, department of Arts and Archeology. Founder and president of the Visionary Theatre Troupe/Visionary Productions. She is a playwright, director, actress and producer in the theatre and cinema sector. A multi-award winner- emerged as Laureats for the National Writing Competition for Young Authors 2018 in Cameroon organized by the Ministry of Arts and Culture, laureat of 10days for 1 film titled – My Core Indubitably, a screenwriting competition organised by the Goethe Institut in partnership with Ecrans Noirs and Filmarche. The film further emerged as winner for Best Short Film at the Red Feathers Awards, 2017 was further screened on October 29th, 2018 at the 3rd Afro-China Arts and Folklore festival held in Egypt. Has published a drama piece and works currently as the lead storyteller with Ebase Africa. She has so far coordinated storytelling projects like: retreats on storytelling with the German Institute for Development Evaluation (Deval), organized workshops on storytelling at the 2024 TEN conference, generated stories on Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) using rigourous reviews from JBI and Cochrane.
		Prof. Tamara Kredo holds the position of Director of the Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council. She is a clinical epidemiologist leading research in the field of health policy and clinical guideline methods. She trained as a medical doctor, specialising in Clinical Pharmacology, and completed a PhD in Public Health. Tamara is dedicated to enhancing credible and transparent evidence-informed healthcare decision-making particularly in lower resources settings such as in Africa. Tamara has fulfilled several leadership roles, including founding the sub-Saharan African regional network, Cochrane Africa in 2017. Among many highlights, she co-leads the South African GRADE Network; consults to WHO as a guideline methodologist; was a co-opted Trustee of the Guidelines International Network Governing Board; was the host and chair of the local organizing committee for the the Global Evidence Summit in 2017; and in 2020 was elected to the Cochrane Board.
		Dr Etienne Ngeh is a Physiotherapist, Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).  He holds several significant positions: Chair of the African Regional Community for the Guideline International Network (GIN), Team Lead at the Research Organization for Health Education and Rehabilitation-Cameroon (ROHER-CAM), Head of the Physiotherapy Department at St. Louis University Institute in Douala, Cameroon, Coordinator of the African Rehabilitation Network. He is a research fellow of the Department of Allied Health Professions at the Health Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University, England. His research interests is in Health Promotion, Evidence Synthesis, Cardiovascular Health, Rehabilitation, and Clinical Guideline Development and Implementation, Knowledge Translation especially in Africa and Low-and Medium-Income Countries.
		Dr Bey-Marrié Schmidt is a public health researcher specialising in evidence synthesis, community engagement, and knowledge translation. Her expertise lies in conducting different types of qualitative and quantitative evidence syntheses of public health and health system interventions. She is also interested in the collaborative design, implementation, and evaluation of community engagement and knowledge translation initiatives that promote inclusive and equitable partnerships for evidence-informed decision-making.
		Dr Karla Soares-Weiser is a global leader and Editor-in-Chief of the Cochrane Collaboration, the world’s trusted producer of scientific evidence. She has led transformative changes in evidence synthesis, delivering timely, high-quality insights to policymakers and governments worldwide. With over 30 years of experience in research, academia, and leadership, Karla is dedicated to tackling health challenges and inequities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Fluent in four languages, she fosters global collaborations and champions evidence-based decision-making. A board-certified psychiatrist with a Master degree in Mental Health Epidemiology and a PhD in Evidence-Based Health Care, Karla excels in building partnerships, shaping strategies, and driving impactful solutions in healthcare and equity.
		Lilian Mayieka is a Senior Research Scientist at The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), She is a certified knowledge manager, specialized in both qualitative and quantitative evidence synthesis, knowledge translation, and science communication. Her efforts have been pivotal in advancing the integration of research evidence into policy and decision-making frameworks. Lilian has actively championed the adoption of evidence-based practices, driving impactful changes across diverse health sectors. She is currently the Acting Deputy Director of Resource Development & Knowledge Management at KEMRI.
		Barbara Miheso is a research scientist specializing in clinical trials, evidence synthesis, and health systems strengthening. With over 12 years of experience, she is committed to transforming research into impactful health policies and practices. She serves as a Research Scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Co-Director of Cochrane Kenya, where she facilitates systematic reviews, policy engagement, and capacity-building initiatives to promote evidence-informed decision-making. Miheso's research primarily targets respiratory health, infectious diseases, and the enhancement of healthcare systems, particularly in low-resource settings. A passionate advocate for evidence-based healthcare, Miheso has spearheaded numerous training sessions and workshops for healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers. Her leadership and expertise continue to drive advancements in health research, evidence synthesis and knowledge translation in Eastern Africa and beyond. Through her dedication, Barbara remains keen on promoting effective healthcare solutions and fostering a culture of informed decision-making.
		Dr JPR Ochieng’-Odero has had a long career as a research scientist (entomology) later building expertise in Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) for Research and Development (R&D) in Africa; as well as capacity strengthening, strategic research, mentorship and resource mobilization. He has been team leader at three research financing facilities since 2008.  He has a keen interest in the place of ST&I in economic development, and the role of learning and knowledge sharing in capacity strengthening, particularly in Africa, as well as within the Global South. He is an ardent lobbyist for the enhancement of research evidence to inform policy and practice and regularly undertakes mentorship sessions on ST&I for R&D-Led Development in Africa; as well as Capacity Strengthening, Research Strategy, Mentorship, Resource Mobilization.
		Dr Mohammed Aliye is a dedicated policy analyst and researcher with strong knowledge in public policy and project monitoring and evaluation in the health system with Master's degree in international master of international communication and a Ph.D. in public Administration. He held notable positions in the health sector, such as Coordinator of the resource mapping, and leading the policy, strategy, and research lead executive office in Ministry of health. He has an experience in public relation and health communication department as a senior health communication officer and health program producer in the health sector. Working in different departments of the ministry, helped him to be collaborative and dedicated professional with strong communicating and presenting skills, with a constant desire to learn and share experience in and abroad with various professional expertise to improve the ability to work and play leadership roles. His research interest includes global and regional health development, health policy analysis, infectious disease prevention and control, and investigating intervention impacts on public health challenges. He published more than 8 (eight) research papers in high level factor journals such as Journal of Infection and Public Health, BMC Infectious Disease. He has coordinated national and international projects supporting the health sector programs in the ministry, such as global fund, UNICEF, UNFPA, KOICA, for more than six years. Since 1st of November 2024 Dr. Mohammed is Leading and coordinating the Policy, Strategy and Research Lead Executive Office of the Ministry of Health-Ethiopia. In his leadership he contributed a lot to ensure evidence informed decision making and translation across the health sector by strengthening institutionalization of health evidence network with research organizations and policy makers.  Dr. Mohammed is highly motivated analyst of policy, strategy and research in the health system, having over 11 years of experience working in a position of project monitoring and coordination expert for a period of 3 years, and as resource mapping coordinator and Diaspora coordination officer in Federal Ministry of Health for over 4 years. He is an outgoing analyst of the health sector program specializing on public policy particularly on communicable disease prevention and control that imposes him work as policy, strategy and research analyst under Policy, Strategy and Research Lead Executive Office of the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia to enhance and ensure evidence informed decisions and practice in the health system. He supported the development of the revised National medicines and medical device policy, Medical Wellness and Tourism Roadmap, Ethiopian health research ecosystem, and contributed in the development of Ethiopian health policy (revised). He has engaged in policy dialogue at national and international levels such as the dialogue on health workforce brain drain on AHOP conference in Abuja, Nigeria, and public private engagement in the health service delivery Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and involved in policy brief productions and standardizations.
		Dr Moriam Chibuzor is a senior research officer at Cochrane Nigeria. She has authored and co-authored Cochrane and Non-Cochrane reviews. She has worked with various stakeholder groups to promote knowledge translation of evidence from systematic reviews including media practitioners, consumers, health care professionals and policy makers.  She has also contributed to the development of systematic reviews that have informed policy and practice locally and globally. She is an active member of the Cochrane trainer’s network with experience in facilitating trainings on conducting and accessing Cochrane systematic reviews for people interested in conducting Cochrane Reviews, Cochrane Review authors and other stakeholders. She has a science background and holds a postgraduate graduate diploma in education, a Master’s degree and PhD in information science.
		Dr Nkirote Mugambi-Nyaboga is a seasoned and dynamic Global Health Leader with over 16 years experience in health systems strengthening,  government and stakeholder relations, policy and strategy formulation and program implementation within the African Health sector. She has proven expertise in strategy development, fostering strategic partnerships, donor relations and project execution of multiple, large and complex programs with measurable impact. She has successfully secured and managed over $130M in health funding, leading high impact innovations for beneficiaries and shaping policy. She has a proven track record of creating meaningful relationships with government agencies, civil society, bilateral and multilateral agencies to influence policy, implement high-impact health initiatives and advance affordable, high-quality and equitable care in Sub Saharan Africa. She is adept at building and nurturing winning teams and is passionate about leveraging data and research-driven insights, technology and scaling transformative healthcare solutions for the underserved. She is a Global Fellow of WomenLift Health, is a WHO Global task force member of the Public Private Mix, and has provided technical assistance to several Sub Saharan countries to develop evidence informed health strategies and roadmaps. She is keen on mentoring women leaders aspiring to grow in Global Health. She is a Medical Doctor, has a Master’s and Doctorate in Public Health, and is currently serving as the Chief of Party for USAID Tamatisha TB at Centre for Health Solutions-Kenya.