Noora-Lisa Aberman, PhD is a Senior Technical Specialist in Knowledge Leadership for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), based in Washington, D.C.. At GAIN, Dr. Aberman supports evidence-based design and evaluation of projects related to food systems, nutrition, gender, and governance. In addition, she leads GAIN’s Crosscutting Theme on Gender. Previously, she was an Associate Research Fellow for the International Food Policy Research Institute in Accra, Ghana. She holds a PhD in Agriculture and Natural Resource Economics, from the Centre for Social & Institutional Change in Agriculture at University of Hohenheim and an MA in International Economic Policy, from the School of International Service at American University.

Dr. Nancy Aburto is the Deputy Director of the Food and Nutrition Division of the FAO, where she supports the strategic planning, development and management of the broad portfolio of FAO’s work in nutrition. With nearly 20 years of experience working globally in the field of nutrition, her expertise spans acute undernutrition, overweight/obesity and the double burden of malnutrition; nutrition science research; nutritional epidemiology; and large-scale programming and policy. Prior to joining FAO, Dr. Aburto worked at the UN World Food Programme, World Health Organization, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mexican National Institute of Public Health. Dr. Aburto, a United States national, received a PhD in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Emory University, a Master’s Degree from the University of Georgia, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Duke University. Dr. Aburto is an avid endurance athlete who regularly runs marathons and ultramarathons. She also enjoys scuba diving.

Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai is the Director General (Health) of Ministry of NHSR&C, in his role he heads the technical wing of the Ministry, guiding the completion of important strategies and frameworks, His portfolio revolves around project management, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation. He graduated with an MBBS degree from Sindh Medical College and completed his Masters in International Relations in Pakistan and Masters in Public Health at Leeds University in the United Kingdom in 1998. He possesses a wealth of experience in public health spanning 29 years and has rendered his services as Provincial and National Programs Manager for numerous initiatives with expertise in effective stakeholder management, negotiation, communication, leadership, and collaboration skills. He has led the success of mega public health programs including National Nutrition Program, National Hepatitis Control Program, National Avian Influenza Control Program and as National Coordinator (PHC Program) of Lady Health Workers. Before his appointment as Director General (Health) in 2023, he served as the Director of Nutrition Regulations and National Health Programs, as well as the Focal Person for Floods in Pakistan, leading HPSIU at the national level. Dr. Baseer Khan Achakzai’s impressive accomplishments are indicative of his unwavering commitment to public health.

Dr. Katherine (Katie) Adams is a researcher with the Institute for Global Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. As an applied micro-economist, her research interests are at the intersection of economics and maternal and early childhood nutrition in low- and middle-income countries. Her current research is focused on modeling the costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of nutrition interventions. Katie is a member of the Condiment Micronutrient Innovation Trial (CoMIT) Project and Micronutrient Action Policy Support (MAPS) Project teams.

Dr. Kehinde Adeniyi is a highly respected professional in Nigeria's public health sector with expertise in strategic planning, team building, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder management. He serves as the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist for the Government of Nigeria’s flagship Nutrition Project - the $232 million Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) Project, providing technical leadership for M&E strategies and Adolescent Health and Nutrition Programs. With a Master's in Business Administration and Health Economics, Dr. Adeniyi is well-equipped to address project bottlenecks and drive effective implementation in collaboration with project stakeholders using innovative tools like the ANRiN Mobile and Web Application. He advocates for quality assurance and capacity building, ensuring accurate data recording and reporting at all levels. As a dynamic conference speaker, he fosters cross-learning and empowers diverse stakeholders to implement effective policies, improve program implementation, and drive positive change in the public health sector.

I am an early-career academics in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Bells University of Technology in Nigeria, specialising in Public Health and Community Nutrition. Currently, I am planning a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) that would be focused at Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) and its influence on maternal gut microbiota, human milk composition, infant gut microbiome, and overall nutritional status. Malnutrition remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, particularly among pregnant and lactating mothers and children. Micronutrient deficiencies, often underestimated, are of particular concern, given the consistent inadequacy of essential nutrients among lactating mothers in low and middle-income countries. During my tenure as a local consultant with UNICEF, I had the privilege of being part of an expert team that facilitated the integration of Vitamin A supplementation into Immunization plus Days (IPDs) in Nigeria. Looking forward, my future aspirations involve planning and conducting more extensive RCTs. These trials aim to uncover the intricate links between Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation, micronutrient levels, the microbiome, and Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) in lactating mothers. Furthermore, these studies will closely monitor the growth and cognitive development of children up to the age of 5. This comprehensive approach seeks to make a substantial contribution to our comprehension of nutrition and its implications for maternal and child health in the region. Ultimately, my overarching career goal is to bridge the divide between nutrition research, food systems, and health systems, taking into account the role of technology in achieving desired outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Olutayo Adeyemi is a Nutrition Consultant with agriculture, health, social protection, and education sector experience. Her work supports the translation of scientific evidence into household and community impact, primarily in Nigeria, and includes relevant research, contributing to policy and strategy development, and nutrition capacity strengthening of institutions. Her research interests focus on understanding nutrition behaviour from community to policy levels and how to leverage on such knowledge to create an enabling environment for nutrition. Olutayo is also an Associate Lecturer (Adjunct Professor) at the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where she teaches nutrition policy and co-supervises postgraduate research. She holds a PhD in Nutrition with a policy focus from Cornell University.

Nkechinyere Adinoyi, MSc, joined Nutrition International in January 2023 as a Project and Technical Coordinator. She is a self-motivated program development professional with experience in multi-sectoral livelihood integrated nutrition programs, food security and research in northern Nigeria.

Seth Adu-Afarwuah is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and the Head of the Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana. His research is in the area of maternal and child nutrition, focusing on the prevention of undernutrition. He was a key member of the International Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (iLiNS) Project team that completed trials of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) in Africa and has participated in follow-up studies assessing the impact of early SQ-LNS exposure on children’s growth and development.