Governing Bodies

The Leadership Summit on Tobacco Control and the 18th World Conference on Tobacco Control are organised and implemented through the coordinated effort of the three key partners that work together with each contributing specific roles and responsibilities. In summary, this includes the following:

1) The Advisory Board which sets out the ambition for the Summit and each Conference, is represented on the Organising and Scientific Committees and provides technical advice on directions for tobacco control.

2) The Local Partner which appoints the Chair of the Conference, is represented on the Organising and Scientific Committees and engages critical local stakeholders in supporting, promoting and funding the Conference.

3) The Conference Secretariat (currently The Union) which has financial and management responsibilities and is represented on the Organising and Scientific Committees with financial roles and responsibility for meeting the ambitions of the Advisory Board.

Organising Committee

The Organising Committee designs and delivers the Summit and Conference and is co- chaired by the Chair of the Conference, Advisory Board representative, and the Executive Director of the Conference Secretariat or his/her designate. The Organising Committee members are:

  • Dr Harry Lando: Distinguished International Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota and the Chair of the 18th WCTOH Organising Committee (United States of America)
  • Dr Fenton Howell: National Tobacco Control Advisor in the Department of Health and the Chair of the 18th WCTOH (Ireland)
  • Ms Nicola Morley: Development and Training Officer, Mental Health Ireland (Ireland)
  • Ms Norma Cronin: Tobacco Control Consultant, International Network of Women Against Tobacco Europe (Ireland)
  • Mr Paul Gordon: Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Irish Cancer Society (Ireland)
  • Dr Douglas William Bettcher: Senior Advisor, Director-General’s Office, World Health Organization (Switzerland)
  • Dr Vinayak Prasad: Programme Manager, World Health Organization Tobacco Free Initiative (Switzerland)
  • Ms Kristina Mauer-Stender: Program Manager, Tobacco Control Program, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (Denmark)
  • Mr Kelvin Khow: Programme Manager, World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (Switzerland)
  • Ms Florence Berteletti: Director for Advocacy, World Heart Federation (Switzerland)
  • Prof Guy Marks: President and Interim Executive Director, The Union (France)
  • Dr Tara Singh Bam: Deputy Regional Director, The Union (Singapore)
  • Mr David Jackson: Global Director of Conferences and Summits, The Union (France)

Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee ensures a programme which represents, reflects and addresses the most relevant issues and innovative approaches in the Tobacco Control response today and is co-chaired by a technical expert of the Conference Secretariat and a nominee of the Local Partner.

  • Dr Fenton Howell: National Tobacco Control Advisor in the Department of Health and the Chair of the 18th WCTOH (Ireland)
  • Dr Gan Quan: Director of Tobacco Control Department at The Union and Co-Chair of the 18th WCTOH Scientific Committee (China)
  • Prof Luke Clancy: Director General, TobaccoFree Research Institute (Ireland)
  • Dr Maurice Mulcahy: Regional Chef Environmental Health Officer, Health Service Executive (Ireland)
  • Prof Shane Allwright: Board Member, Action on Smoking and Health Ireland (Ireland)
  • Dr Paul Kavanagh: Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Health Service Executive (Ireland)
  • Dr Hebe Gouda: Project Officer, World Health Organization Tobacco Free Initiative (Switzerland)
  • Ms Leslie Rae Ferat: Executive Director, Framework Convention Alliance (Canada)
  • Dr Elif Dagli: Executive Board Member, International Network of Women Against Tobacco (Turkey)
  • Ms Dorcas Kiptui: Programme Officer, Ministry of Health (Kenya)
  • Ms Anne Jones: Technical Advisor, Department of Tobacco Control, The Union (Australia)
  • Mr David Jackson: Global Director of Conferences and Summits, The Union (France)
  • Ms Joanna Awad: Programme Coordinator, The Union (France)

Stay in the loop

Get updates