Mark Jit is professor and chair of the Department of Global and Environmental Health at New York University. He also holds honorary appointments at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS). His research focuses on epidemiological and economic modelling of vaccines to support evidence-based public health decision making. This work has influenced many of the major changes to immunisation policy around the world. He also organises or contributes to academic and professional courses on vaccine modelling, economics and decision science.

Georges C. Benjamin, MD, is a well-known health policy leader, practitioner, and administrator. He currently serves as the executive director of the American Public Health Association, the nation's oldest and largest organization of public health professionals. He is also a former secretary of Health for the state of Maryland where he oversaw a $4.5 billion agency. Dr. Benjamin is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois College of Medicine. He is board-certified in internal medicine, a Master of the American College of Physicians, a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, a fellow emeritus of the American College of Emergency Physicians, and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. At APHA, he serves as the publisher for APHA Press, the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Health newspaper. In addition, he sits on the boards of Research! America (Vice chair) and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Professor Marshall AM is a clinician researcher and NHMRC Investigator Fellow. She is a Consultant and Professor in Vaccinology at the Adelaide Medical School and the inaugural Clinical Research Director, Women’s and Children’s Health Network. She has previously been a member of the ATAGI, which advises the Federal Minister of Health on immunisation for the National Immunisation Program. Prof Marshall has published over 290 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and received > $60 million in grant funding. She was awarded the SA Science Award for Excellence in Research Collaboration in 2019 and a Member of the Order of Australia in 2022. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and the 2023 South Australian Scientist of the Year. She was the 2022 SA Australian of the Year and SA Woman of the Year. In 2022 she was awarded Member of the Order of Australia. Prof Marshall leads the NHMRC funded NEIS CRE: Centre of Research Excellence in Neisseria disease control.

Prof Penttinen is the Chief Executive Officer for Gulf CDC, based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is leading the establishment of this regional Center for Disease Prevention and Control in a scientific and managerial role. Dr Penttinen is a part-time professor at the Florence School of Transnational Governance. As a public health leader with a distinguished career of more than 20 years he has managed and lead disease prevention and control activities in multiple countries, at local, national and international levels both in the public and private sector. Prior to his current roles, Dr Penttinen lead the establishment of epidemic intelligence activities at ECDC, lead the scientific and programmatic work on the influenza and other respiratory viruses. He managed multiple public health emergencies for ECDC, including the 2009 influenza pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. His research interests include surveillance, pandemic preparedness, epidemic intelligence, surveillance of respiratory viruses and vaccines. Dr Penttinen has also worked with the national public health institutes in Finland and Sweden and advised a large privately funded public health program in Papua, Indonesia with components on primary health care, TB, HIV-STI and malaria control.

Catherine is Distinguished Professor and the foundation Chair in Epidemiology at Deakin University. Over her career, her experience extends across sectors as an infectious disease epidemiologist and public health researcher with universities and government, including Deakin University, the University of Melbourne, NSW Health and the Victorian Government. She was Director of Population Health Practice at the University of Melbourne before joining Deakin as Head, School of Health and Social Development from 2010-2019. Her research focusses on community transmission of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance. Catherine is a public analyst on public health matters and advisor to industry, governments, and institutions globally, and as one of the three-person Independent Panel that led the Australian Government COVID-19 Response Inquiry.

Senior health executive, Mary Wood, is the head of the Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control. Ms Wood has a broad span of experience in policy development both within the Australian Public Service and in the non-government sector. Her previous work at the Department of Health and Aged Care includes leading negotiations for the Commonwealth on the National Health Reform Agreement with state and territory governments, health system reform, and population health. Ms Wood has also served as a Deputy Director-General in ACT Health, led corporate citizenship at the Business Council of Australia, and been a Chief of Staff to a federal minister.

Brett is Director of Health & Biosecurity at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. A qualified public health physician, he brings extensive experience and clinical expertise in public health and communicable diseases, developed through roles in government, emergency medicine, and international fieldwork. Before joining CSIRO, Brett served as Victoria’s Chief Health Officer and Chief Human Biosecurity Officer. He also held senior positions within the Victorian Department of Health, including Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease) and head of Health Protection Branch. With specialist knowledge in tropical medicine and infectious diseases, Brett has worked extensively in lower-middle-income countries and complex humanitarian settings. His international experience includes specialised health roles in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Timor-Leste, and Fiji. Brett’s career reflects his passion and commitment to advancing health outcomes in Australia and globally

Tina D Purnat is a Doctor of Public Health candidate and Prajna Leadership Fellow at TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. Her DrPH studies focus on improving services to vulnerable and at-risk communities experiencing social, commercial, economic and health information inequities and barriers to health and wellbeing. Tina is an accomplished health informatician whose global footprint spans over two decades of public health work. She has worked across academia, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the frontlines of public health organizations, consistently pushing the boundaries of health information and evidence, digital public health, AI technologies, and addressing health misinformation. Tina believes modernizing the business of public health means integrating cutting-edge technology and human-centered approaches to solving the world’s most wicked problems. She is a sought-after conference speaker and academic lecturer, especially in health misinformation and digital public health and AI.

Liam Mannix is a multi-award-winning national science reporter for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, as well as Nine’s other stable of mastheads. He won the 2022 Press Club Quill Award for Excellence in Science, Medical and Health Reporting, the 2020 Walkley Award for Short Feature Writing, the 2019 Eureka Prize for Science Journalism, the 2019 Barry Williams Award for Skeptical Journalism and has twice won the Walkley Young Journalist of the Year (Innovation) award. He lives in Melbourne.

Dr Nadia Charania is an Associate Professor in Public Health, Deputy Director of the New Zealand Policy Research Institute, and Co-Director of the Migrant and Refugee Health Research Centre based at the Auckland University of Technology. She has a background in public health and environmental sciences. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of Waterloo in Canada before migrating to Aotearoa New Zealand. Her research aims to reduce inequities in health care access among marginalised populations and inform improvements to health systems. She has expertise in critical qualitative, quantitative, and participatory methodologies, and engaging with Indigenous communities and communities with migrant and refugee backgrounds. She is leading research related to access and experiences of maternal and childhood health and immunisation services; vaccine attitudes and behaviours; and community-based pandemic planning.

Dawn Casey is a Tagalaka traditional owner from North Queensland. Dawn joined the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation in 2016 as Deputy CEO. Dawn served as Director of the National Museum of Australia, Western Australian Museum and Powerhouse Museum. Dawn has held positions as Chair of Indigenous Land Corporation and Indigenous Business Australia, key executive positions in the Public Sector, including: Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Indigenous Affairs. Dawn has been awarded the gold Sidney Sax Public Health Medal in 2021, three Honorary Doctorates (QLD Charles Sturt, QLD and Macquarie Universities), Commonwealth Government’s Public Service Medal (PSM), Australian Government’s Centenary Medal, three Australia Day Public Service Medals, the Australian Institute of Architects’ Clem Cummings Award, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA).

Professor James Ward is a Pitjantjatjara and Narungga man, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and researcher. He is currently the Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at The University of Queensland. Holding various roles over the last 25 years in Aboriginal public health policy for both government and non-government organisations, in urban regional and remote communities he has built a national program of research in the epidemiology and prevention of infectious diseases, with a particular focus on STIs, HIV and viral hepatitis in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In 2024 he was indicted as a Fellow of The Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

My research interest are currently focussed on documenting, describing and reviving Indigenous languages. I have a new focus on the Indigenous languages of Pakistan, including Saraiki of the Punjab and Torwali of Swat. I have two Australian Research Council Discovery Projects one with Prof John Maynard on the history of Aboriginal missions and reserves in eastern Australia and the history of Aboriginal people who were not institutionalised. The other DP is about the practise of 'corroboree' by Aboriginal people in the 'assimilation period' of the mid C20 in Australia. I am interested in the use of Indigenous research methodologies and community engaged research practises. I am Aboriginal Australian and my community is Ngarigu of the Snowy Mountains in south eastern Australia.

Professor Nicola Spurrier is the Chief Public Health Officer for the Department for Health and Wellbeing, being appointed in 2019. The Chief Public Health Officer is responsible for statewide preventative health activities including the identification and management of communicable diseases. Professor Spurrier’s role includes advising the Minister and the Chief Executive of SA Health about proposed legislative or administrative changes in relation to population health. Professor Spurrier specialises in developing and implementing policies and programs across child health, obesity prevention and Aboriginal health. She also has extensive experience in health protection and promotion, public health partnership and health diplomacy activities. Professor Spurrier is a dual qualified medical specialist, public health physician and paediatrician, with 32 years’ experience within SA Health including 13 years in the Department for Health and Wellbeing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Spurrier has been instrumental in South Australia’s effective virus response and continues to take a personal focus on the health and wellbeing of every South Australian.

Sarah is an experienced executive leader with 30 years of One Health and biosecurity experience across government, private, and not-for-profit sectors. She is the Director of One Health in the interim Australian CDC, the principal consultant of One Biosecurity Solutions, and the former NSW Chief Veterinarian Officer. She has led multiple emergency responses, such as Japanese Encephalitis, Hendra virus, Salmonella Enteriditis etc. Sarah is passionate about One Health and improving human, animal and ecosystem health.

Professor Steer (MBBS BMedSci MPH FRACP PhD FAHMS) is Director of Infection, Immunity and Global Health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, a research theme with 20 groups and over 500 staff. Prof Steer is Group Leader of the Tropical Diseases Research Group at MCRI (founded 2012), and Honorary Professorial Research Fellow in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne. He is a paediatric infectious diseases physician at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Medical Sciences. Prof Steer was awarded the 2024 Sir Gus Nossal Medal for Global Health from the Australian Academy of Science.

Dr Carroll was appointed Chief Health Officer in December 2024. She brings 30 years of experience as a medical professional to the role of Chief Health Officer, 20 years of which have been dedicated to Public Health. As a Public Health Physician, she has worked in a variety of settings across different Hospital and Health Service and departmental portfolios, including the Communicable Diseases Branch and public health units in West Moreton, Logan and Metro South. Dr Carroll’s interest in public health began in 1996 when she was involved in managing the first Australian case of Australian Bat Lyssavirus. Since then, she has been involved in many incident responses including Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Mpox, COVID-19, swine flu, zika, measles and flood events.