Speakers

Dr. Ann Aerts

Head, the Novartis Foundation

Dr. Ann Aerts is Head of the Novartis Foundation, an organization committed to transform the health of low-income populations, by leveraging the power of data, digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to reimagine health and care around the world. Ann holds a Degree in Medicine, a Masters in Public Health from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a Degree in Tropical Medicine from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Passionate about improving population health through data, digital and AI, Ann applies her relentless commitment to overcoming health inequities to pioneer solutions that can advance health and care globally. Ann chairs the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development Working Group on Digital and AI in Health and is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health. In 2018 Ann served as a member of the US National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine Committee on Improving the Quality of Health Care Globally and sits on the US National Academies of Medicine Commission on Healthy Longevity. Ann has authored numerous publications on digital health and innovative approaches and multisector partnerships to address global health challenges.

Hani Eskandar

Senior Coordinator – Digital Services, Telecommunication Development Bureau, International Telecommunication Union

Hani Eskandar is the Digital Services Senior Coordinator at the Digital Society Division of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of ITU. He is currently involved in providing assistance to several developing countries by advising on digital applications and services strategies and policies, assisting in implementing technical cooperation projects in areas of digital health, agriculture, governance and education. He has led the development of several guidelines and best practices reports on digital applications particularly on digital Health, digital Agriculture and digital Government. He is currently leading major joint programmes on digital health, digital agriculture, digital government, smart learning and smart villages in collaboration with several governments, UN agencies and other stakeholders.

Sunita Grote

Lead, UNICEF Ventures

Sunita Grote leads the Ventures team within UNICEF’s Office of Innovation and co-founded its Venture Fund. UNICEF Ventures explores how emerging frontier technology can accelerate results for the most marginalized children, including through investments in open source solutions from emerging markets. She steers UNICEF's co-leadership of the Digital Public Goods Alliance, a network of partners who collectively contribute to the discovery, development, and deployment of open source digital public goods. Sunita has a background in innovative financing and previously spent 10 years working in the global HIV and health response based mostly in the UK and in South Asia. She holds an MBA from INSEAD and lives in NYC with her partner and daughter.

Antoine Sebera

Government Chief Innovation Officer, Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA)

Mr. Antoine Sebera Currently works as the Government Chief Innovation Officer at Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), a government authority affiliated to the Ministry of ICT and Innovation that is mandated to coordinate the implementation of the National ICT Agenda toward becoming a knowledge-based society. His work involves driving digital transformation initiatives across many sectors but also playing a catalyzing role in ensuring that innovative technologies are used and there is a strong participation of the private sector especially startups. Mr. Antoine holds a Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering and has over 17 years’ of experience in various sectors of the Information and Communication Technology industry in the both the Government and the Private Sector.

Dykki Settle

Chief Digital Officer, PATH

Dykki Settle has more than 25 years of experience in leadership and development of digital technology, data systems, and their enabling environments in more than 20 countries and global organizations. He is PATH’s Chief Digital Officer and Director of PATH’s Center of Digital and Data Excellence, setting digital transformation strategy for the organization and leading more than 80 staff to deliver a global portfolio of digital and data projects and investments. Dykki is a Commissioner on the Lancet/Financial Times Governing Health Futures 2030 Commission, exploring the convergence of digital health, artificial intelligence (AI) and other frontier technologies with universal health coverage (UHC) to support attainment of the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). He also chairs the board of Digital Square, the USAID/BMGF-funded PATH-led flagship global project for digital health supporting more than 40 implementing partners and over 20 open source software global goods used by almost every country in Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Jason Shellaby

Director, Global Health Policy, Novartis Foundation

Jason Shellaby is the Director of Global Health Policy at the Novartis Foundation (NF). During his time at NF, Jason has led several global health initiatives, including the national scale-up of a telemedicine program in Ghana and the management and policy integration of urban hypertension programs in Senegal, Ghana and Vietnam. Prior to NF, Jason served as Director of External Affairs at Village Health Works, supporting the scale up and capacity building for health care facilities in Burundi, East Africa and managing the NYC office. He was a Program Fellow at the Clinton Global Initiative, and worked on the Environmental Initiatives team at the World Economic Forum. Jason holds a BA in International Relations from Tufts University, an MA in International Affairs from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and an MSc in Global Health Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Catherine Cheney

Senior Reporter, Devex

Catherine Cheney is a Senior Reporter for Devex. She covers the West Coast of the U.S., focusing on the role of technology, innovation, and philanthropy in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. And she frequently represents Devex as a speaker and moderator. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, worked as a web producer for POLITICO and reporter for World Politics Review, and helped to launch NationSwell. Catherine has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Outside of her own reporting, Catherine also supports other journalists to cover what is working, through her work with the Solutions Journalism Network.