Caroline Cameron
Dr. Caroline Cameron is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Victoria in Victoria BC, Canada and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. Dr. Cameron served as Chair of the 2019 STI & HIV World Congress held in Vancouver, Canada, President of the International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research (ISSTDR, 2017-2019), and currently serves on the Executive Board of the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections, Canada Branch. Dr. Cameron’s research focuses upon the molecular interaction of Treponema pallidum, causative agent of syphilis, with the host.
Febe Deug
Drs. Febe Deug CMC studied sociology, intercultural communication and finalized a masters management consultancy. She was a lecturer women’s studies at the University of Amsterdam and worked as a researcher and trainer on sexual violence against women. Most of her professional life she was consultant with assignments on diversity and organisational development. She published books on sexual violence as well as on organisational change in relation to diversity. She was deputy director of a high school in Amsterdam and since 2014 Febe is director Programs, Lobby and grants national of Aidsfonds – Soa Aids Nederland; and member of the H-team: an alliance focused on getting Amsterdam to zero new HIV infections.
Dennis Fortenberry
Dr. Fortenberry is Professor of Pediatrics and member of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. He is past president of the International Academy for Sex Research, past president of the American STD Association, a fellow of the Society for Scientific Study of Sex, and past chair of the Board of Directors of the American Sexual Health Association. His research program has five major elements: adolescent health, sexuality and sexual health, sexually transmitted infections, HIV prevention and treatment for adolescents, and clinical issues related to health care of gender diverse people. Dr. Fortenberry has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed papers, reviews, and book chapters.
Derek Freedman
Derek Freedman is a consultant GenitoUrinary Physician, now in private practice in Dublin, Ireland, having retired from the GUIDE Clinic, St James’ Hospital, Dublin. In the 1970-80’s he led a campaign for the establishment of a modern GenitoUrinary service in Ireland. He founded the Society for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Ireland in 1975, and served as its Chair until 1998. He is a founder member of the EADV, a member of its first Executive Committee, and a founding editor of the JEADV. He hosted the 6th EADV Congress in Dublin. He was a Board Member of the ISSTDR from 2002-9. He has been actively involved with IUSTI-Europe, as Chair for Congress Management and Scientific Policy. He hosted the IUSTI World and Europe Congress, Dublin 2018. He has a particular interest in the clinical aspects of STI’s, and the application of science.
Francis Ndowa
Dr Francis J. Ndowa is currently based in Zimbabwe as Director and Physician (Specialist Venereologist) at the Skin & Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic. Additionally, he provides international consultancy on surveillance and the control of sexually transmitted infections, containment of antimicrobial resistance, in general, and in Neisseria gonorrhoeae, in particular. He is the Regional Director of the Africa and Middle East & North Africa Branch of the International Union against STIs (IUSTI Africa-MENA). He is a member of the WHO SRH/HRP Scientific and Technical Advisory Group. He currently is a member of the ReAct Toolbox International Advisory Group on antimicrobial resistance. He served as a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance from September 2013 to September 2016.
Dr Ndowa acquired his medical degree at the University of Birmingham Medical School, UK, and has postgraduate diplomas in Venereology and Dermatology from London, UK. He worked in the National Health Services in the UK, the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe and then in Geneva from 1996 to 2012, based, initially, in the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and then World Health Organization (WHO) working on Controlling Sexually Transmitted & Reproductive Tract Infections until the age of mandatory retirement in 2012.
Bobbie (Barbara) van der Pol
Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, MPH is a Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has been involved in research in this field for nearly 40 years and currently serves as the President of the American STD Association.
Kees Rietmeijer – co-chair
Cornelis “Kees” Rietmeijer has a 4 decade-spanning career as an STI clinician, researcher, educator, and program director. He is a past president of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association (ASTDA) and former director of the IUSTI North American region. He served on the boards of the ISSTDR and the IUSTI World Executive Committee. He was the scientific chair of the 2018 IUSTI World Congress in Dublin. Since his retirement, he continues working as an associate editor for the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases and he is a member of the Committee on Prevention and Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) in the United States at the National Academy of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering (NASEM).
Clarissa Vergunst – co-chair
Clarissa Vergunst, MD, PhD, dermatologist-venerologist, Consultant Dermatologist and Medical supervisor STI outpatient clinic, Health service Amsterdam; Consultant Dermatologist department of Dermatology, Noordwest Hospitals (NWZ), Den Helder.
