ICN CONGRESS 2025

Devora Kestel

Director, Mental health, brain health and substance use, WHO

Devora Kestel is a senior global mental health policy expert with more than 30 years of international experience, implementing and advising governments on national policies related to mental health systems. Ms Kestel worked for 10 years in the development and supervision of community-based mental health services in Trieste, Italy. She joined WHO in post-war Kosovo and then in Albania where she became the WHO Representative. In both countries, she worked closely with the Ministries of Health to help establish comprehensive community-based mental health systems. In 2007, she joined the Pan American Health Organization working with the English-Speaking Caribbean Countries, and later on at the HQ in Washington DC, providing technical cooperation in the mental health field to the entire region. Over the years, she has contributed to and co-authored numerous publications in the area of mental health. Since 2019 Ms Kestel is the WHO Director of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use.

Lydia Aziato

Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)

Erna Snelgrove-Clarke

Professor, Queen’s University

Angela Wignall

CEO, Nurse and Nurse Practitioners of BC

Gillian Janes

Olubunmi Lawal-Aiyedun

CEO, March Health Initiative

Susan

Michaels-Strasser

Ibrahim Namoora

President of the Palestinian Nursing and Midwifery Association

Ali Drummond

Patricia Dykes

Suzanne Bakken

Kaija Saranto

Minna Mykkänen

Tanishq Gupta

DevOps

Teddie Potter

Clinical Professor, Director of the Center for Planetary Health and Environmental Justice, University of Minnesota School of Nursing

Sean DeGarmo

Director, Advanced Practice Initiatives and Certification Outreach, American Nurses Association

Emily Bell

Senior Policy Advisor, American Nurses Association

Alexandra Cockburn

Executive Producer, BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions

Lynn Woolsey

Katrina Comer

Associate Director of Nursing for Cancer at St Bartholomews hospital

Ian Green

Global Clinical Engagement Lead SNOMED International

Marte Rime Bø

Senior Terminology Advisor, The Norwegian Directorate of Health

Phili Reynolds

Lead Informatics Nurse, Barts Health NHS Trust, UK

Yoko Tsukamoto

Professor of Nursing and Social Science, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido; Clinical Nurse Specialist in Infectious Disease Nursing

Rhonda Burka

Infection Prevention and Control Officer, Ministry of Health, Seychelles; President, National Nursing Association (NARS)

Kazi Amena Akter

RN (BNMC), Senior Staff Nurse, National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH), Dhaka, Bangladesh

Ofere Oluwatoyin Anike

Deputy General Secretary & Head of Organization and Professional Services, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM)

Belynda Abbott

Nurse Lecturer, University of Canberra | GNLI Scholar, International Council of Nurses

Francisca Obianuju Okafor

Director of Nursing Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja Nigeria (Government's Chief Nurse)

Catherine Schofield

Executive Director of Nursing /Director of Service for Statewide Mental Health Services in Tasmania

Line Hansund

LFC Norway Lead Coordinator and Trainer, Norway Nursing Association

Irmak Ozer

Senior Manager, International Affairs

Dan Hovey

Direct Relief, VP, Emergency Preparedness & Response

Lizzy Smeaton-Russel

ICN Humanitarian Liaison Officer

Mowafag Hassan

SNO president

Jama Ali Egal

SLNMA president

Kataryna Koomar

Ukrainian CNO

Kamma Skaarup

ICN Humantarian support

Nick Hardiker

ICNP Consultant

Jed Montayre

Associate Head for Strategy, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Shouts Galang’anda

President, National Organization of Nurses and Midwives, ODENNA Africa

Yao-Mei Chen

Assoc. Prof and Sr. Exec Officer, Koahsiung Medical University, LFC National Trainer

Nkiruka Okafor

CEO/Founder, Rare Edge Healthcare Quality Ltd

Patsy Yates

GNLI Deputy Programme Director

Mary Godfrey

Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Kirsten Brubakk

Secretary General, Nordic Nurses Federation

Angela Wignall

Olubunmi Lawal-Aiyedun

Nina Sivertsen

Scientific Committee Member, Congress Helsinki 2025

Gill Adynski

Espen Gade Rolland

Neelam Dhingra

Vice President and Global Chief Patient Safety Officer, Joint Commission International

Gillian Janes

Professor of Nursing and Quality Improvement, Anglia Ruskin University, England

Jean Courtney

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, The Joint Commission, Chicago, USA

Margrieta Langins

Nursing and midwifery policy advisor to the WHO Regional Office for Europe

Margrieta Langins

Nursing and Midwifery Policy Adviser, WHO/Europe

Magrieta Langins

Nursing and midwifery policy advisor, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe

Ken Grubbs

Executive Vice President Accreditation and Certification - Chief Nursing Officer, The Joint Commission

Odette Best

Pro Vice Chancellor, First Nations Strategy, University of Southern Queensland, Australia

Dame Anne Marie Rafferty

Professor of Health & Nursing Policy, King’s College London

Marja Kaunonen

Professor, Tampere University

Wentao Zhou

Deputy Director for Post-graduate, National University of Singapore

Marita Ritmala

Magnet Program Director, Helsinki University Hospital

Michelle Acorn

CEO, Nurse Practitioners Association of Ontario

Barbara Astle

Professor & Associate Dean, Trinity Western University

Kelly Kokus

NP Director - NPAO Board of Directors, Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario

Deborah Harris

Professor of Nursing & Midwifery Research, The University of Newcastle & Hunter New England Health

Eunice Ndirangu-Mugo

Professor and Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa, The Aga Khan University

Franziska Geese

Lecturer and Project Leader, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences

Mary Gobbi

Deb Zimmerman

DNP RN, NEA-BC, FAAN – CEO, DAISY Foundation

Carolyn Fox

BSc (Hons), MSc, RN – Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Excellence UK and DAISY Representative Europe and UK

Mary Lou Ackerman

MBA, BScN, RN, FIEL – President, SONSIEL

Iiro Nahkamäki

Paramedic Supervisor, The wellbeing services county of Central Finland, Emergency medical services

Tim Mitnik

Director of European Affairs, ENSA- The European Nursing students association

Tikva Kronman

Education Officer, ENSA

Francisco Ferraz

President, European Nursing Students' Association

Huub de Graaf

Assistant secretary, European Nursing Students Association (ENSA)

Lea Skaric

VP, ENSA

Marc Folkers

Executive Secretary, European Nursing Students' Association

Shaked Mondani Dollev

Research and Education officers, European Nursing Students' Association

Kaisa Jokinen

OT, MSc

Lina Gürtler

DBfK

Valentin Vallée

Nursing Policy Officer, ENSA

Clayton Hamilton

Digital Health Flagship Programme Lead, World Health Organisation (Regional Office Europe)

Daniela Lehwaldt

Karen Moore

Director of D.N.P. Program, Coordinator of Global and Planetary Health, Saint Louis University

Josette Roussel

Deputy Chair, ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network (NP/APNN)

Hannu Halila

Adjunct professor of health care administration, University of Helsinki, Finland

Kathy Chappell

Chief Executive Officer, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

Lawrence Sherman

President, Meducate Global, Inc

Jun-Ah Song

Professor, Korea University College of Nursing

Jun A Song

Debbie Massey

Elizabeth Elder

Lecturer, Griffith University

Marianne Beaulieu

Professor, Universite Laval

Kathy Holloway

Associate Professor, Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington

Elicia Kunst

Martha Turner

PhD, RN, FAAN, American Nurses Association

Olivia Numminen

PhD, RN, Docent, University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science

Helena Leino-Kilpi

PhD, RN, FAAN, FEANS, FRCN, Member of Academia Europea, University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science

Anne Pienimaa

PhD, RN, Finnish Nurses Association

Megumi Teshima

RN, MSN, Tokyo Healthcare University

Abir El Kurdi Alame

President, Order of Nurses in Lebanon

Carey McCarthy

Technical Officer, World Health Organization

Philemon Ngomu

ICN/ ODENNA Consultant

Diane Grasser

Series Developer, BBC StoryWorks Commerical Productions

Diana Mason

PhD, RN, FAAN, FACN(Hon.), FADLN

Lauri Kuosmanen

PhD, RN, university lecturer and vice-chair of SHKS

Heather Mc Grath

Scientific Committee Member, Congress Helsinki 2025

Abby Kra-Friedman

Karine Lavoie

Head of Partnerships and Programme Development, ICN

Kellie Bryant

DNP, WHNP, CHSE, FSSH, FADLN, FAAN– Director for the Center for Innovation in Education Excellence , NLN

Anna af Ugglas

Chief Executive, ICM

Sirpa Luukkainen

President of the Finnish Nursing Education Foundation SHKS

Virpi Sulosaari

PhD, RN, Turku University of Appleid Sciences

Leena Salminen

PhD, RN, professor, University of Turku

Dileep Kumar

President, Indian Nursing Council (INC)

Deepika Cecil Khakha

Nursing Advisor, Directorate General of Health Services

Akash Malik

Senior Program Officer, Gates foundation

Kinjal Singh

IAS, Director General of Medical Education, Department of Medical Education, Government of UP

Ravi Teja Buddhi Raju

Gates Foundation

Alice Alum

Baboucarr Cham

Ismalia Mbaye

Christophe Debout

RN MPhil PhD CNA, President of the National council of nurse anesthetists (CNPIA)-France

Elsa Alfonso

Jody Temple White

Filippo Gatti

Chief Nurse, International Committee of the Red Cross

Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo

Christina Wille

Director Insecurity Insight

Marcus Wootton

Associate Director, International Academy RCN

Yunsuk Jeon

PhD, post doc-researcher

Collins Otieni Ajwang

Fray Michelo

Mozhdeh Ghaemiyani

Child Psychologist

Aneta Kosidlo

Project Management Officer, International Council of Nurses

Pavlina Guk

National Professional Officer (Nursing and Midwifery), World Health Organization

Kateryna Komar

Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) of Ukraine and a national nursing leader

Linda H. Aiken

Professor, University of Pennsylvania, USA

Gaetan Lafortune

Senior Economist, OECD Health Division

Hera Tashjian

Chief of Nursing Officer, Almoosa Health Group

Walter Sermeus

Em. Professor, KU Leuven Institute of Healthcare Policy

Jonathan Drennan

Professor, University College Dublin, Ireland

Koen Balcaen

Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Allied Health Professionals Officer, University Hospital Leuven, Belgium

Debbie Burke

Senior VP for Patient Care and Chief Nurse Executive, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA

Marja Renholm

Chief Nursing Executive, HUS Helsinki University Hospital

Kaisa Juuso

Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Government of Finland

Karen Bjøro

2nd Vice President, Board member, International Council of Nurses

Lian-Hua Huang

3rd Vice President, Board member, International Council of Nurses

Ada Hui

Professional Lead for Research, Royal College of Nursing

Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu

Chief Nursing Officer, World Health Organization

Amy McDonough

Managing Director of Strategic Health Solutions, Google

Dr. Byron Scott

President & Chief Operating Officer, Direct Relief

Carolyn Jones

Filmmaker, Carolyn Jones Productions

Devora Kestel

Director, Mental health, brain health and substance use, WHO

Rt Hon. Helen Clark

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Former Administrator of UNDP

Beverly Malone

President and CEO, National League for Nursing

Heljä Lundgrén-Laine

President of the Finnish Nurses Association

Howard Catton

ICN Chief Executive Officer

James Buchan

Professor, HEALTH FOUNDATION/ WHO CC, UTS

Kathleen McGrow

Global Chief Nursing Innovation Officer, Microsoft

Leslie Mancuso

President & Chief Executive Officer, Jhpiego

Masami Sakoi

Vice-Minister for Health Chief Medical and Global Health Officer, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan

Natasha Azzopardi Muscat

Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe

Päivi Sillanaukee

Special Envoy for Health and Well-being, MD PhD, eMBA, Certified Board Member (HHJ)

Pamela Cipriano

ICN President

Paula Risikko

First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Finland

Rola Hallam

Award-winning doctor, trauma-informed coach, humanitarian, and social entrepreneur

David Stewart

ICN Director of Nursing Policy and Practice

José Luis Cobos Serrano

Board of Directors

Mei-Nan Liao, RN, PhD

President of Taiwan Nurses Association

Andrew Barton

Nurse Consultant

Lucy Mkutumula

Fatima Al-Rifai

ICN Board Member

Jill White

Project Director, ICN Consultant

ICN Representative

FNA Representative

Sami Asikainen

psychiatric Nurse

Jessica Hellqvist

Nurse

Nyyti Ry

Job Title

Emmaculate "Emma" Tamankag

Senior Nursing Lecturer

Neris Gonzalez Perez

Nurse

Hoi Shan Fokeladeh

Nursing Senior Policy Advisor, International Council of Nurses

Outi Ahonen

Lecturer in Nursing

Tico Svart

Nurse

Grace Tadzong-Awasum 

Professor of nursing

Marja Härkänen

Academy Research Fellow & Associate Professor, Department of Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland

Joseph Manning

Professor of Nursing and Child Health, School of Healthcare, University of Leicester

Elisabeth Carlson

Professor, Department of Care Science, Malmö University, Sweden

Edna Tallam-Kimaiyo

Facilitator and Faculty, ICN Global Nursing Leadership Institute, Senior Lecturer, AMREF International University

April Kapu

Associate Dean Strategic Partnerships and Global Affairs, Professor of Nursing, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University

Michiko Moriyama

Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University

Tener Goodwin Veenema

Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

Petra Khoury

Director of Health and Care at IFRC

John Lowe

Joseph Blades Centennial Memorial Professor in Nursing, Director Indigenous Nursing Research Enhancement Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program, Faculty Affiliate Native American and Indigenous Studies, Director Indigenous Global Research Alliance in Nursing, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas

Ahmad Omar Hawsawi

Chief Nursing Officer, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital; Certified Global Nurse Consultant

Ingrid Patricia Figueroa Salán

Director of the Postgraduate Nursing Programme, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Mariano Galvez University

Glory Msibi

President, East Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing and Midwives

Heidi Eriksen

Chief Physician, Utsjoki Health Care Centre; Project leader, Sámi psychosocial support unit Uvjj – Uvjâ

Ching-Min Chen

Vice President, Taiwan Nurses Association

Kristiina Junttila

Director of Nursing Research Center, Helsinki University Hospital

Jane Ball

Director of the RCN Institute of Nursing Excellence, RCN

Maria Consuelo Cerón

Associate professor/PhD student, Universidad de los Andes-Chile/McMaster Canada

Alison McMillan

Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Australian Department of Health and Aged Care

Kyoko Koto-Shimada

Senior Assistant Director, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine

Louise Chan

Nurse Practitioner | Mātanga Tapuhi, Mental Health & Addiction Services, Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley, New Zealand

Beate André

Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway

Paul De Raeve

Secretary General, European Federation of Nurses Associations - EFN

Manuel Ballotta

Policy Officer, European Federation of Nurses Associations - EFN

Leigh Chapman

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), Health Canada

Josephine Etowa

Professor & Canada Research Chair T1, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Of Ottawa

Elsi Dwi Hapsari

Chief of Research Department, Central Board of the Indonesia National Nurses Association

Helga Bragadóttir

Professor, Dean, Chair Nursing Administration, University of Iceland and LandspÃtali University Hospital

Deborah Kopansky-Giles

Professor, Department of Research & Innovation, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, World Rehabilitation Alliance Primary Care Work Stream

Outi Kanste

Professor, University of Oulu

Sung Rae Shin

President, Korean Accreditation Board of Nursing Education

Aisyahton Suhaimi

Chief Nurse Officer, Malaysian Nurses Association

Kjersti Grønning

Head of Research / Professor, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust

Peter Preziosi

President and Chief Executive Officer, CGFNS International, Inc.

Tarja Tervo-Heikkinen

Senior Specialist, Wellbeing Services County of North Savo and Kuopio University Hospital

Martha Ruiz

CNO, Christus Muguerza

Bente Lüdemann

Director of Nursing and Health Politics, Norwegian Nurses Organisation

Michelle Gunn

Project Rapporteur and ICN Consultant

Marla E. Salmon

Professor of Nursing and Global Health - University of Washington and Emory University (USA)

Suresh Sharma

Professor & principal, College of Nursing and adjunct faculty at the School of Public Health, AIIMS (Jodhpur, India)

Doris Grinspun

Chief Executive Officer, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)

Amalia Graciela Silva Galleguillos

Strengthening Evidence-Based Practice with a Person-, Family-, and Community-Centered Approach

Michael Shannon

Prof. Dr Global Innovation and Leadership Academy RCSI Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland

Heidi Honegger Rogers

Associate Professor, University of New Mexico

Joao Gentil

CGNC, ULS COIMBRA

Joanna Gotlib-Małkowska

Professor, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland

Roberta Sammut

Associate Professor, University of Malta

Shakhnoza Mukhamedkhanova

Dean, Tashkent Pediatric Medical institute

Grażyna Wójcik

President, Polish Nurses Association, Home Health Care Ltd

Felipe Cortes Leddy

National Director of Nursing,Ministry of Health, Government of Chile

Janelle Yorke

Chair Professor, Head School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Tracie Risling

Associate Dean, Innovation, Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary

Bodil H. Blix

Professor, Arctic University of Norway (UiT), Professor II, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

Christine Gustafsson

Professor, Department of Nursing Science, Sophiahemmet University Sweden

Thorsteinn Jónsson

Director of Simulation Education, National University Hospital of Iceland, Adjunct lecturer, University of Iceland

Tordis Tróndarson

PhD Student, University of the Faroe Islands

Joanne Reid

Professor of Cancer and Palliative Care, Queen's University Belfast

Ann-Charlotte Falk

Senior lecturer, Sophiahemmet university

Azwa Shamsuddin

Lecturer in nursing, Edinburgh Napier University

Jennifer Mensik Kennedy

President, American Nurses Association

Karen Lasater

Associate Professor of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

Charlotte McArdle

Global Nurse Consultant/ PhD researcher, FFRCSI, FQNI, RCN

Parveen Ali

Professor of Nursing and Gender based Violence, University of Sheffield

Ann Bonner

Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University

Patricia Sharpnack

Dean and Strawbridge Professor The Breen School of Nursing and Health Professions at Ursuline College and Chair NLN, Ursuline College/NLN

Karrie Long

Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, Victorian Government, Australia

Vanessa Heaslip

Professor of Nursing and Healthcare Equity, University of Salford

Annie Butler

Federal Secretary, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation

Anu Nurmeksela

University Lecturer, University of Eastern Finland

Tarya Morel

Senior Policy Analyst, British Columbia Nurses' Union

Rolf-André Oxholm

Ward Nurse/Board Member, Norwegian Nurses Organisation

Shelley Nowlan

Chief Nurse Officer, Queensland Health Australia

Emily McWhirter

Associate Director, Leadership, Royal College of Nursing

Martha Inés Ruiz Chávez

CNO, CHRISTUS MUGUERZA

Cecilia Ndungu

Head of Nursing Education, World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA)

Hanne Mainz

Senior researcher, PhD, Nurse, Aarhus University Hospital and Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark

Rhoda Redulla

Director of Nursing Excellence/Magnet, NewYork-Presbyterian

Wendy Preston

Head of Nursing (Workforce), Royal College of Nursing,

Lukas Billiau

Staff Member Strategic Policy Cell, Ghent University Hospital

Barbara Glickstein

Professor, KU Leuven, Belgium

Nuhad Dumit

Professor of Nursing, American University of Beirut

Marissa Abram

Secretary, Global Board, International Nurses Society on Addictions

Paul Mahon

Operations and Education Manager, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Colleen Wilson

Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer, Fiji, Ministry of Health & Medical Services

Hildegart Gonzalez-Luis

Full Professor / Journalist, Nursing School University of Navarra / Fuden TV / Center for Health Policy & Media Engagement GW University

Liz Stokes

Director, Center for Ethics and Human Rights, American Nurses Association

Ingibjorg Hjaltadóttir

Professor, University of Iceland

Carolin Nymark

Director of nursing development, Karolinska University Hospital, Heart and Vascular Centre/Karolinska Institutet

Debra Burke

Senior Vice President for Patient Care and Chief Nurse, Massachusetts General Hospital

Sheila Bonito

President, Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing

Kathryn Zeitz

Chief Executive Officer

Dorthe Boe Danbjørg

President, Danish Nurses’ Organization, Vice-president, Nordic Nurses’ Federation

Kavita Khasa

Deputy Nursing Advisor, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India

Mari Kangasniemi

Professor, Department of Nursing Science University of Turku

Devon Noonan

Treasurer, International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA); Associate Professor

Pieterbas Lalleman

Professor of Nursing Leadership

Shanoja Naik

Director, Monitoring Evaluation and Research, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario

Sarah Beaman

Secretary of the Qld Nurses and Midwives Union

Nightingale Wakigera

President, Africa Community of Planetary Partners for Health and Environment (ACOPPHE)

Dana Murphy-Parker

President, ANCC Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and an ANCB Certified Addictions Registered Nurse

Dave Clarke

Associate Director for Education, Royal College of Nursing

Jesus Bujalance Hoyos

Nurse in the Care Management Unit of the Regional University Hospital of Malaga

Hege Ersdal

Professor in Simulation and Global Health, Stavanger University Hospital, University of Stavanger

Christine Hancock

Founder and CEO, C3 Collaborating for Health

Lill Sverresdatter Larsen

President, Norwegian Nurses Organisation (NNO), President, Nordic Nurses' Federation

Gerli Liivet

Vice President until May 2025, then Advisor for International Relations, Estonian Nurses Union

Zuzana Tomaskova

Clinical Nurse Specialist/International Relation Representative/Executive Committee Member, General Teaching Hospital in Prague, Neonatal Department / Czech Nursing Association

Zuzane Tomášková

Clinical Nurse Specialist / International relations representative, General Teaching Hospital in Prague, Neonatal Department / Czech Nursing Association

Dorota Kilańska

Head Division of Community Nursing & Health Promotion, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery

Jamie Murphy

Student Officer, Irish Nurse and Midwives Organisation

Devora Kestel

Speakers