Jennifer Jones believes in the power of storytelling to move the world forward. In her vocational life, she is the founder of a media company in Ontario, Canada that has helped countless corporations and not-for-profit organizations lead with conviction and credibility. Jennifer served as Rotary International's president in 2022-23, making her the first woman in Rotary’s 118-year history to serve in this role. Her focus on inclusion and equity has helped break down barriers and has opened doors for others to see themselves authentically recognized within the organization. Working alongside world leaders, celebrities, and international thought leaders, Jennifer has raised awareness and hundreds of millions of dollars to eradicate disease, elevate education, support peace, and provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene. She has been recognized for her service with numerous honours including the YMCA Peace Medallion, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Wayne State University’s Peacemaker of the Year Award, a first for a Canadian. She holds a Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) from the University of Windsor and from Queens University. Jennifer is married to Nick Krayacich, a family physician. They share a love for Rotary, travel, cycling, golf, and relaxing at their family cottage, in addition to adventures such as climbing to the summit of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Philip Welkhoff has led the foundation’s malaria program since 2018 and has concurrently led the Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) since 2021. Before becoming director of the malaria program, Philip served as director of research at IDM before it became part of the foundation. In that role, he helped to develop computer simulations of the transmission dynamics of malaria, polio, and other diseases. This work supported public health professionals and scientists in planning eradication strategies. Philip also served as a pro bono external advisor to various Gates Foundation programs, including Agricultural Development and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. Philip earned dual undergraduate degrees in mathematics and aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and holds a PhD in applied and computational mathematics from Princeton University. Philip is a 2004 Hertz Fellow and received a Special Achievement by a Hertz Fellow Award in 2009 for his work on malaria modeling.

Aloyce Urassa is a Public Health Scientist and young Global Health Leader with expertise in health laboratory sciences and public health research, specializing in health systems and implementation sciences. His research focuses on malaria transmission-blocking interventions, novel tools for malaria elimination, health diplomacy, local manufacturing for Africa, and the impact of climate change on health systems. Aloyce has extensive experience in resource mobilization, research, and advocacy. He has over five years of experience leading several projects across African countries and consulting on data-driven advocacy, leadership, and project monitoring and evaluation. He has also engaged in community activities and high-level policy discussions with global health and political leaders. He has also received several awards and recognition for his work including Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International, 25 Under 25 Africa Youth Leaders by iKapture, Tanzania Emerging Youth Awards in the healthcare category and a finalist for Health and Social Care award by Zennith Global Health. He is a former board member of Rotarians Against Malaria Global (RAM-Global) and a Technical Lead for Private Sector Engagement at the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA). In this role, he drives public-private partnerships to strengthen health systems, health financing, and resource mobilization for African Union Member states. He is also an active Rotarian at the Rotary Club of Moshi.

Daniel Perlman, MD, MPH, MBA, is a retired Infectious Disease and Public Health Specialist who now focuses on rotary projects. He volunteered in Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake and has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations. A co-founder of the Colorado Infectious Diseases Society of America, Perlman has actively contributed to the field through his membership in the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, where he has presented multiple malaria projects at annual meetings. Currently, he serves as Chair of RAM-Global and is a dedicated Rotarian with the Aspen Rotary Club, where he was recently honored as "Rotarian of the Year" for his efforts in malaria advocacy. Additionally, he is a member of the Carbondale, Colorado Rotary, continuing his commitment to public health and community service. He has worked on malaria across Africa, including 11 trips over many years. Perlman’s extensive experience and passion for improving health outcomes have made him a respected figure in both the medical and rotary communities.

Dr. Yanow is a Professor in Global Health within the School of Public Health and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Alberta. She trained at McGill, University College London (PhD), and Caltech. She leads a research program on malaria in pregnancy. Together with her partners in Kenya, Colombia, Ethiopia, the US and Australia, she is developing a novel vaccine approach to protect pregnant women in Africa from the devastating consequences of malaria. Her work is also focused on developing better diagnostics for malaria during pregnancy.

Todd Jennings is a development professional experienced in public health, project management, and private sector investment. Based in Zambia, he serves as PATH’s Technical Project Manager across four countries on the Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge (RHCC) and continues to provide communication support to the Gates Foundation-funded Malaria Control and Elimination Partnership in Africa (MACEPA). On both projects he works closely with Zambia’s Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Elimination Center. In addition to PATH, Todd was a Senior Advisor on two USAID projects and a consultant with UNICEF in Sierra Leone and Sudan. He has also served as Executive Director of a Seattle-based environmental non-profit. Todd has a BA from the University of Virginia and an MA from the University of Washington.

Professor Adrian V. S. Hill FRS is the Director and Founder of the Jenner Institute, and Mittal Professor of Vaccinology at Oxford University. He is a passionate believer in the power of molecular medicine to address many of the most egregious health care inequities globally. His group have been leaders in the development of adenoviral and other vaccines against infectious diseases and he has tested these in extensively in over eighty clinical trials in Africa and Europe. In partnership with the Serum Institute of India and AstraZeneca the Jenner Institute developed rapidly a ChAdOx1 vector- based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine which saved an estimated 6.2 million lives in 2021 alone. His lab also designed a newly licensed high efficacy malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-MTM, which has recently shown unprecedented high efficacy in a phase III trial in four African countries, again in partnership with the Serum Institute of India and also Novavax Inc. This vaccine was licensed in 2023 and rolled out in many African countries in 2024 and promises to make a major impact on reducing the 500,000 childhood deaths from malaria each year. In 2021 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and is a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Maxine Whittaker is a public health physician, applied health systems researcher (ORCID 0000-0002-1677-2991) and applied medical anthropologist. Her focus is improving the health and community systems and services to increase accessibility and acceptability of quality services with equity and inclusiveness. Since 2021 Maxine has been the Civil Society Representative for the Global Fund Regional Artemisinin Initiative of the Greater Mekong Subregion (pro bono). She was the Director/Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases (2016-2024), Dean of the College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences at James Cook University (2016-2021), foundation secretariat co-coordinator of the Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network, Director of the Australian Initiative for the Control and Elimination of Malaria/Pacific Malaria Initiative Support Centre. She has lived in and worked in several African, Asian and Pacific country and presently works on vector borne disease prevention and control including community engagement and ownership, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusiveness, resilience to climate change resilience and a One health approach, in the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Pacific Island Countries and Territories. In 2017 she was awarded the Royal Australasian College of Physicians International Medal in recognition of outstanding service in developing countries. She will discuss how rotary impacts malaria elimination in the Mekong region.

Eric Liswaniso is a prominent public health leader and development strategist at the forefront of Zambia’s fight against malaria. As the Program Manager for the Rotary-led Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia and now Rotary Healthy Communities Challenge (RHCC), Eric spearheads an innovative collaboration between Rotary International, World Vision, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which integrates cutting-edge public health strategies with sustainable community empowerment to combat malaria. Eric has significantly shaped Zambia’s malaria elimination efforts, from strengthening community health systems to deploying thousands of trained health workers equipped to provide life-saving care in underserved areas. His efforts have significantly influenced Zambia's progress toward malaria elimination and inspired scalable models for other regions. Eric, a trusted advisor and collaborator, brings a wealth of experience from his work on Zambia’s national development plans, including the 8th National Development Plan, where he contributed to aligning public health goals with broader socio-economic development priorities. His unique ability to bridge policy and practice makes him a sought-after thought leader in global health circles. As a featured speaker at GMEC, Eric will share insights from Zambia’s successes and challenges in malaria control, offering actionable strategies and fostering global dialogue on achieving a malaria-free world. His dynamic approach and deep expertise promise to inspire and engage audiences, making his session a must-attend for those committed to eradicating malaria.

Axel von Bierbrauer zu Brennstein, of the Rotary Club of Neunkirchen/Saar, Germany, is a medical physician, professor of internal medicine, and head of department at Klinikum Gütersloh. He teaches at Philipps-University Marburg, and is specialized in infectious diseases, lung diseases and sleep medicine. As an infectiologist he is dedicated to the fight against communicable diseases, especially malaria. Axel has been a member of the TRF Technical Cadre since 2012, since 2023 serving as a Technical Coordinator for the area of focus of disease, prevention and treatment. In addition to performing several site visits around the world, he has served on Programs of Scale review committees for The Rotary Foundation and conducted the interim on-site evaluation of the first Programs of Scale award malaria project in Zambia. Recently he was nominated to serve as a reviewer for the new TRF RHCC program fighting malaria, diarrhea and respiratory diseases in the Democratic Republic of Congo Since 2011 he is active as a primary and secondary contact for several TRF global grant projects in rural Western Kenya mainly targeting medical issues. Currently he is leading a USD 350.000 Rotarian malaria project in Kenya funded by the German government.

Jenny Andrews is the executive director of Malaria Partners International (MPI) where, along with a strong board of directors, she leads efforts to end malaria through a comprehensive approach similar to Rotary’s successful Polio Plus campaign. Jenny works with Rotarians throughout Africa to engage in local, provincial and national efforts to end malaria in heavily endemic countries. Prior to joining MPI, Jenny served as the Director of Global Engagement & Philanthropic Partnerships at PATH where, alongside a team of global professionals, she helped advance people-centered primary healthcare to make good health accessible to everyone, regardless of where they live. Next year, Jenny will celebrate her 30th year as a Rotary member. She has served as the president of her club and has been involved in nearly 20 international service projects. Jenny holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Miami University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oregon. When she is not working, Jenny can be found on a trail preparing for her second pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago.

Ann Marie Kimball is a physician and epidemiologist. Dr. Kimball is a 27 year Rotarian. She has served Rotary in many capacities, She is former President of the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island (2023-2024) and co-chaired the COVID 19 Task Force for Rotary International (2021-2023). She now serves as a representative for the President of Rotary International, and represents Rotary International on the Research Committee of the Polio Eradication effort. She served as Senior Consulting Fellow for the Centre on Global Health Security at Chatham House. She recently completed a scholar residency at Bellagio Center. She served as technical and strategic lead for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation surveillance strategy formation. She was also senior program officer with the foundation, For two decades Dr Kimball served as professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health where she is now emerita. During her tenure at UW, Dr Kimball founded and directed the APEC Emerging Infections Network, and led research and training programs in Peru and Thailand. Her research focus on global trade and emerging infections earned her a Fulbright New Century Scholars award and a Guggenheim Scholars award. She also served on staff with Harborview Medical Center for 2 decades. She is the author of Risky Trade: Infectious Diseases in an Era of Global Trade and has authored numerous scientific publications and served on several Institute of Medicine panels. Most recently she has worked with the West African Health Organization to establish a new post-Ebola infectious disease surveillance network in that region. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Yemen Relief and Reconstruction Foundation,., and Refuge Place, Liberia.

Historically speaking Patrick started his career in service as an INTERACTOR in 1968 when he was in Secondary School in his hometown, Kitwe in Zambia. He had been selected by the Headmaster of the school as one of the 8 boys identified to serve as charter members of the Interact Club of Kitwe Boys High School which was to be chartered by the Rotary Club of Kitwe. He served as charter Vice President of the club. Patrick Daniel Chisanga joined Rotary as a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Nkwazi, Lusaka, Zambia in 1985. He served as President of his Club in 1987-1988. He served as District Governor District 9210 in 1998-1999 and has served on many Committees of the RI Board. In 2003 – 2005 Patrick served as Chairman of the Governor Council of Southern and Eastern Africa. He has twice served as RI Training Leader in 2006 -2007 and later served as International Assembly Leaders’ Trainer, in 2008. He has served as RI President’s Personal Representative to various District Conferences across the Rotary World in; Nigeria, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, United States of America, United Kingdom, Australia, Egypt, Taiwan and the Philippines. Patrick served as Chairman of the RI Zone 20A Institute held in Livingstone, Zambia in 2012. He served as Chairman of the Reach Out To Africa (ROTA) from 2014 to 2016. In 2011 he was awarded the RI service above Service Award. Patrick and his wife Petronella are Major donors. In December 2020, Patrick was nominated as RI Director for Zone 21 and Zone 22. for the period July 2022 to June 2024. During his term as RI Director, Patrick has served as Convener of the following RI Institutes; 1. Abidjan Ivory Cost - 2022 2. Limassol Cyprus- 2022 3. Lusaka Zambia - 2023 4. Bucharest Romania- 2023 5. Mauritius – 2024 In July 2024, Patrick was appointed as MEMBER AT LARGE of the Rotary Council on Legislation in the new Rotary year July 2025. In his home country Zambia, Patrick Chisanga, has served in the Government of the Republic of Zambia as Director General of the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) which is responsible for promoting Zambia’s economic growth and development. He now serves as a Consultant in Corporate Governance across Africa. He also serves on a number of Boards of Directors locally and internationally. Patrick and Petronella have 3 grown up children and 6 grandchildren.

Martha Lungu is a 17-year Rotary Club of Ndola member, Past President, and Past Assistant Governor for District 9210. She is currently a member of The Rotary Foundation Cadre Of Technical Advisors in Auditing and a Rotary Positive Peace Activator. Professionally, Martha is a Chartered Accountant, a Fellow Member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA), and an Associate Member for the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZICA). Martha is the Executive Director for Malaria Partners Zambia and previously worked as Regional Manager for a non-deposit-taking financial institution (Meanwood Finance Corporation Ltd) for seven years. Martha is an End Malaria Council member and the Chairperson for the Partners for a Malaria-Free Zambia Implementing Committee. Martha was named Rotarian of the Year 2023/2024 for District 9210, comprising Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.

Dr. Jimmy Opigo is the Program Manager of the Uganda National Malaria Control Program. He has 22 years of public health work experience spanning from medical practice, primary health care, public health and national malaria program management. He is a holder of public health training in master of Health Care Quality Improvement from University of Helsinki in Finland. He undertook a fellowship of health systems management training by Makerere University and University of Antwerp and a bachelors of medicine and surgery. As the malaria program manager he has collaborated, sourced funding and implemented programs with various donors including the Global Fund, the US President’s Malaria Initiative, UKAID and Against Malaria Foundation amounting over a billion US dollars. He has led the implementation of three over 100 million dollars LLIN mass campaigns, initiated the Mass Action Against Malaria, MAAM, political and multisectoral engagement including at the level of the Presidency and Parliament. He has led a program policy change introducing stratified programming including private sector engineering and urban malaria. He has developed and implemented measures to mitigate impact of COVID SOPs on malaria including among food market vendors and slum areas in cities. He has built a strong malaria program both at the national and sub national level. He is now leading efforts to transform Uganda’s malaria program into an elimination program, mitigate antimalarial resistance, introduce molecular malaria surveillance and malaria death reduction through the 24/2 initiatives. Under his leadership malaria prevalence has dropped from 19% to 9.2% in Uganda, with several new technologies and approaches. These innovations include PBO & dual AI nets, 3rd generation insecticide for IRS, rectal artesunate, SMC, PDMC and malaria vaccines. He led program relevant research & innovation agendas conducting various studies and publishing widely, over 50 articles in peer reviewed journals. He is married with 4 children, an environmental aesthetics enthusiast and is passionate about tourism, conservation & sustainability. He prides himself on building alignment and strategic partnerships (including with Rotary), and is working to direct the Uganda malaria program to reduce climate change and variability.

Marcy is the Lead – Malaria Programmes at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). In this role, she leads the Alliance for Malaria Prevention (AMP), a global partnership focused on scaling up access to and use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) for malaria prevention. The AMP Partnership focuses on three core activities – coordination of partners, development of operational guidance and provision of technical assistance – to support malaria control and elimination efforts, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. The Partnership, in which Rotarians Against Malaria play a critical role, tracks ITN procurement and shipping, ITN distribution planning and operations and supports with dissemination of information and lessons learned linked to innovation in the ITN space (for example, use of GIS tools for microplanning and digitalization for campaign operations). A Canadian national, Marcy was hired by the Canadian Red Cross in 2004 to support planning and implementation of the first national campaign integrating ITNs with measles and polio vaccination, as well as administration of deworming medication, in Togo (West Africa). This national campaign leveraged the experience and outcomes from the proof of concept campaigns in Ghana and Zambia, which were led by the American Red Cross, US Centres for Disease Control and Rotary partners. Marcy is based at the IFRC headquarters in Geneva where she leads a team of experts focused on ensuring optimized ITN distribution to maximize impact on malaria transmission.

Dr. Emma Bruce is a medical doctor with a passion to eradicate malaria in West Africa. In January 2018, she was inducted as a Charter Member into the newly formed Rotary Club of Bijilo in The Gambia. Later that year she was appointed to the position of Chairperson of the Rotary District 9101 Sub-committee on Malaria. Rotary District 9101 comprises of 10 West African countries namely: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone. Dr Bruce joined RAM-GLOBAL in 2019 and later became a Board Member. In 2022, Dr Bruce became the Executive Director of Malaria Partners West Africa (MPWA) which is an affiliate of Malaria Partners International. Dr. Bruce sets up policies and guidelines for the Rotary District 9101 to participate in the fight against malaria in West African. She has created Rotary D9101 Malaria Committees which ensures that Rotarians are actively involved in malaria prevention projects in collaboration with National Malaria Control Programs across the countries in the Rotary District 9101. She embarked on raising awareness about the devastating effects of malaria across the whole District by organizing a Malaria Walk during the March 2019 Rotary District 9101 Annual Conference and Assembly that was held in Banjul, The Gambia and another Malaria Walk during the April 2024 Rotary District 9101 Annual Conference and Assembly that was held in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire. Since then, Dr. Bruce has coordinated Community Impact Small Grant Projects in The Gambia, and overseen small grant projects in Liberia, Mali, Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso which has been funded by Malaria Partners International (MPI) and RAM-GLOBAL.