Dr Magda Robalo is the President and co-founder of the Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD). She is a public health physician and infectious disease expert, whose career spans over 30 years in the global health ecosystem. She held senior leadership positions at the domestic and international levels in various professional settings, working with Governments, multilateral and civil society organizations. She has a track record in promoting gender equality and equitable access to quality health care, social justice, ethics, and accountability.

She has solid knowledge and experience on a broad range of public health issues, gender equality, ethics, and governance. She spearheaded various successful initiatives as former Minister of Health, High Commissioner for the COVID-19 response in Guinea-Bissau, WHO Representative and Director of Communicable Diseases, Global Managing Director of Women in Global Health. She serves on several Boards and Councils, such as the Global Fund. She relies on a vast network of experts in the areas of public health (HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Hepatitis, Health, and Environment, Climate Change, Maternal and Child health, Gender, Ethics, Governance, Women Empowerment, International Relations, and Political Sciences).

Dr Magda Robalo is a medical doctor (Universidade do Porto, Portugal) with a Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health and Tropical Medicine (Universidade Nova de Lisboa) and a Master of Sciences degree in Epidemiology (Université Laval, Canada) and is concluding her Ph.D. on Political Science and International Relations (Universidade Católica, Portugal).