Who We Are?

Former Chief Veterinary Officer for Denmark and Veterinary Director at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, Per Henriksen serves as a key advisor to IDA on animal health issues. With over 30 years of experience in veterinary science, public health, and food safety, he has a proven track record of collaboration with national and international health authorities, including WOAH and the European Council. His extensive background in regulatory roles and research offers valuable insights into animal welfare standards, sustainable practices, and effective policy implementation, significantly strengthening IDA’s mission and initiatives.

With nearly 40 years of expertise in infectious disease prevention and vaccine development, Norman has led impactful initiatives across both public and private sectors. At GlaxoSmithKline, he played a key role in developing and introducing life-saving vaccines, supported by his international experience from his work with the World Health Organisation. His expertise will provide strategic guidance to strengthen our vaccine advocacy initiatives, playing a critical role in advancing our mission to combat infectious diseases through a One Health approach.

Former Director of Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Prevention, Statens Serum Institut, agency under Danish MoH, Prof. Kåre Mølbak endorses IDA: "The landscape of infectious diseases is fragmented, with various actors working independently across different disease areas. There is an urgent need for a unifying platform like the Infectious Disease Alliance (IDA) to bring together diverse perspectives from civil society and foster collaboration, creating a unified advocacy voice to address infectious diseases globally."

Tine Rikke Jørgensen is a senior global health expert with 20+ years’ experience in infectious diseases, vaccines, AMR, policy, and innovation across public and private sectors. She has led initiatives at WHO and major pharma companies, driving access, advocacy, and strategy. Currently a guest researcher at the Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, she focuses on AMR and bacteriophages. Tine also advises ID Alliance and founded Women in Global Health Denmark.

Linda Mackinnon is the Executive Director of ISID, overseeing the organization's mission to improve global infectious disease care, clinician training, and research. With extensive experience in international health and humanitarian aid, she has worked across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Mackinnon has held leadership roles in surgical programs, focusing on expanding access to safe, high-quality care and advocating for local leadership in global health initiatives. She earned her Ph.D. in cancer research from the University of Oslo and an MSc in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr. Erta Kalanxhi is a Fellow and Director of Partnerships based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. At the One Health Trust, she leads efforts advocating vaccines as a tool against antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries, collaborating with the World Health Organization to develop policy briefs on national antimicrobial resistance strategies. She also contributes to the Mapping Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Partnership project across 14 African countries. Dr. Kalanxhi holds a Ph.D. in cancer research from the University of Oslo and an MSc in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Olivia Ngou is a public health specialist and the founder and Executive Director of Impact Santé Afrique an African based non profit organisation. She also co-founded and co-established the first Global Network of Civil Society for Malaria Elimination (CS4ME) which she now coordinates with more than 900 members from 43 countries.Her work focuses on development of tools and capacity building, development of smart advocacy campaigns and interventions, influencing policy makers & mobilisation of multiple stakeholders in health, building strong community health systems and community based approaches in health

Dr. Rolando Tomasini joined PATH in 2023 as the Director of Partnership Development for Europe. With over 20 years of experience in the development sector, he has supported numerous public health initiatives, including in Mexico through his work with the United Nations. Dr. Tomasini holds a PhD in Supply Chain Management and a Master’s in International Procurement and Humanitarian Logistics. He has also lectured at leading institutions such as INSEAD and CBS.

Dr. Milka Sokolović has served as EPHA’s Director General since April 2021. With over 20 years of experience in scientific research, science communication, and stakeholder relations, she has held leadership roles at the European Food Information Council and the European Nutrition Leadership Platform. Dr. Sokolović holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Amsterdam and a degree in Biology from the University of Belgrade. She is also a member of the WHO Civil Society Steering Committee .​

Yuliia is the TB Europe Coalition Executive Director. She is a specialist in European Union law. Since 2011, Yuliia has worked in public health and has been involved in processes related to widening access to treatment at national, regional, and international levels. Her main areas of expertise include community mobilization, involving grassroots communities in international advocacy on access to essential medicines, and the development, design, and implementation of advocacy activities and campaigns, as well as monitoring the procurement of drugs and medical appliances.

Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim is a renowned clinical infectious diseases epidemiologist, serving as the CAPRISA Professor of Global Health at Columbia University and Director of CAPRISA in South Africa. His pioneering research in HIV prevention, notably the CAPRISA 004 tenofovir gel trial, provided critical evidence for antiretroviral-based prevention strategies. He chairs key advisory panels for UNAIDS and WHO and has been honored with prestigious awards, including the 2024 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award.