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WORLD HEALTH
ASSEMBLY SIMULATION
Opening Plenary Speakers
Rebecca King
Rebecca King is trained in Social Anthropology at the University of Cambridge. She is a Professor of Global Health and Community Engagement and Head of the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development at the University of Leeds. Her research focuses on participatory, community-based interventions, integrating approaches within health systems, and tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally. She currently leads the MRC-funded COSTAR study, exploring how community dialogues can support AMR prevention in Bangladesh and Nepal. Professor King has previously led UKRI, ESRC, HEFCE, and AHRC-MRC-funded studies, including work using participatory film to address antibiotic misuse. She co-leads CE4AMR, a global network promoting community engagement for AMR control, and co-chairs the University of Leeds AMR Steering Group. With expertise in applied qualitative health research, she has contributed to over 30 international health projects across South Asia, West Africa, and the UK.
Arne Ruckert
Arne Ruckert is the Director of Research at the AMR Policy Accelerator, leading research conceptualization and development to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. A political scientist by training, he brings significant expertise in One Health governance and global health equity. Previously, he has advised WHO and Canadian health agencies, and he is currently a special advisor to the Lancet One Health Commission.
Bradley Langford
Brad Langford (PharmD, MPH) is a board-certified infectious diseases pharmacist and antimicrobial stewardship specialist working in public health and chronic care settings. He is also an Assistant Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and Associate Editor for the journal Antimicrobial Stewardship and Healthcare Epidemiology. Brad has worked with various organizations on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship initiatives, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization. His research and practice interests are antibiotic use and resistance surveillance and best practices in implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs.
Mary Wiktorowicz
Mary Wiktorowicz is a Professor of Global Health Governance and Policy in the Faculty of Health. Her research focuses on global governance frameworks for infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and pandemic prevention, particularly wildlife trade regulation. As Co-Principal Investigator on CIHR-funded projects, she contributes to the Global One Health Network and evaluates global health policies impacting women, children, and Indigenous communities. In mental health, she has analyzed the exclusion of community-based care from Canadian medicare and studied governance models for mental health and addiction services. She has advised various Canadian health agencies and legislative bodies. As former Associate Dean and Chair of the School of Health Policy and Management, she helped launch the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research and develop multiple health programs, including the PhD in Health Policy and Equity. She currently chairs the committee developing the PhD in Global Health and is active in graduate education and global health leadership.
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