GHSYPS is organized by a diverse group of hard-working individuals from across the country who share a common interest and passion for Global Health.
Jana Martic, Co-Chair
Jana is grateful to serve as one of this year’s GHSYPS Co-Chairs and to collaborate alongside this team of remarkable leaders to assure this year’s continued success. She is excited to continue her efforts on creating engaging horizontal atmospheres to promote inter-disciplinary learning, networking, and collaboration among this generation’s global changemakers. Jana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Ottawa and a Master of Science in Public Health and Global Health from University of Montreal. She is currently finishing a microprogram specialisation in program evaluation. She works as an evaluation consultant for projects and organisations at different levels, from community to global. In her spare time, you will find her creating new things from jewelry to art, taking long walks in nature, or reading a good book curled up next to her cat.
Sabina Iqbal, Co-Chair
Sabina is honoured to return this year as Co-Chair following her role as Partnerships Co-lead for GHSYPS 2020. Together with Kathy and Jana, she hopes to build on last year’s successes and continue to facilitate and empower a deeply motivated group of young leaders. Sabina is currently completing a Bachelor of Nursing degree through a collaborative program with the University of New Brunswick and Humber College. She also holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree with a Psychology Specialist from the University of Toronto. Based on a deep passion for health equity, Sabina is involved in multiple professional engagements include community COVID-19 programming and health systems innovation. She is thrilled to once again contribute to the planning and execution of an event designed for SYPs, by SYPs. In her spare time, Sabina is enjoying the reopening of patios, finding a new hiking trail, or planning out her next travel adventure.
Kathy Luu, Co-Chair
Kathy is immensely grateful to serve as a 2021GHSYPS Co-Chair. Kathy received her Master of Science in Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo and her Honours Bachelor of Science from Laurier. She is working as a Research Assistant at the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies at the University of Toronto. With an academic background and personal devotion to strive for health equity, Kathy conducts community-based research projects with various community partners and organizations in Canada and global contexts. She has held various leadership positions on various student-led associations and non-profit initiatives. Kathy is delighted to collaborate with individuals from all different backgrounds and disciplines to execute a summit that offers students an opportunity to learn about the dimensions of global health. She enjoys reading, practicing hot yoga, and painting when she’s not pursuing her interests in global health, social justice, and law.
Daniel Dilliott, Director of Partnerships & Finance
Daniel Dilliott is the Director of Partnerships & Finance for the GHSYPS Planning Committee, and is responsible for building relationships and coordinating collaborative opportunities with external organizations for the successful execution of the 2021 GHSYP Summit. Working closely with his Partnerships & Finance Pod the rest of the GHSYPS Planning Committee, Daniel will also be responsible for identifying and securing additional funding for this year’s Summit, as well as managing the Summit’s finances. Daniel received both his Master of Public Health and Honors Bachelor of Medical Sciences from the University of Western Ontario and is currently working as a Research Coordinator at the Bruyère Research Institute. Starting in September 2021, Daniel will be moving on from his position at Bruyère to begin his Doctor of Medicine degree at Queen’s University. Daniel’s previous research experience has focused on improving the implementation of preventive chemotherapy for the control and elimination neglected tropical diseases in countries around the world. Daniel has developed extensive experience with project and event coordination, as well as community building, by taking leadership roles in numerous student-led and non-profit initiatives over the course of his two degrees and early career. When he is not pursuing his interests in medicine and global health, Daniel enjoys playing sports, experimenting in his kitchen, playing his guitar, and checking out live shows, festivals and events around his hometown of Ottawa.
Wil Wang, Partnerships & Finance Team Member
William will serve GHSYPS 2021 as a member of the Partnerships and Finance Pod focusing on partner relations, financial oversight, and budgetary accountability. He received his Honors Bachelor of Arts (BA), specializing in Sociocultural Anthropology and Geography, and completed his Master of Public Health (MPH) from Western University. Wil currently works as a Policy Analyst in the Office of International Affairs for the Health Portfolio on the Multilateral Relations Division and his main files include Canada’s engagement with the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO-Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and COVID-19 Response. Wil is passionate about healthy built environment, global health governance, environmental determinants of health, and NCDs. In his spare time, he enjoys playing tennis, cooking, and podcasting. Wil is currently a co-host of a public health podcast exploring public health/ global health topics from around the world.
Amna Majeed, Partnerships & Finance Team Member
Amna is a second year medical student at the University of Toronto, and is passionate about health systems equity, economics, and global advocacy. She joins the GHYSPS team as part of the Partnerships Team, and is excited to begin planning for this year’s summit to learn more in depth about global health while facilitating an environment of networking, collaboration, and innovation. Outside of work, Amna enjoys travelling, playing basketball, and learning new languages.
Johanna Manga, Director of Logistics
Johanna joins the GHYSPS planning committee as Director of Logistics. She will work alongside the co-chairs and directors to coordinate the logistical details of the Summit this year, alonside Fazila Kassam and Isaiah Williams. Johanna recently graduated from the University of Montreal with a Masters in Public Health, specializing in Global Health. She is currently working as a consultant in the Health Section at UNICEF headquarters.With a background in biomedical sciences, she is passionate about the transmission mechanisms of infectious diseases but also about health promotion and prevention, and community empowerment. Johanna is really looking forward to bringing her experience, culture and international background to this year’s GHSYPS. Outside of public health, her greatest passion is music and songwriting. If you find her on her piano, feel free to send in a request!
Fazila Kassam, Logistics Team Member
Fazila Kassam is one of this year’s Logistics Team Members. Fazila holds a Master of Science in Global Health Degree from McMaster University and is an incoming medical student at the University of British Columbia. Fazila was inspired by last year’s summit to employ her agency to address Canada’s global health challenges. A significant issue that caught her attention was inadequate knowledge dissemination regarding COVID-19. Accordingly, she currently serves as an Editorial Associate for the ONCANADA project, a youth-led initiative that helps inform young Canadians about COVID-19, its impact and other social inequities. She also has vested interests in Health Policy, MNCH, SRH and Health Systems strengthening. For pleasure, Fazila enjoys baking, strength training and henna art. Fazila is excited to learn from the unique perspectives at this year’s summit. She hopes that they may facilitate others’ self-reflection and development in a manner that encourages them to be changemakers too.
Isaiah Williams, Logistics Team Member
Isaiah is a recent graduate from McGill University, having earned an Honours Bachelor of Science in Physiology with a Minor Concentration in Economics. As a member of the logistics team, he will be working with Johanna Manga and Fazila Kassam to manage all logistical aspects of the event to ensure that this year’s GHSYP summit runs smoothly. Isaiah is passionate about better understanding poverty as a social determinant of health and currently volunteers at the Projet Autochtones du Québec, a shelter and support center for Montréal’s homeless and at-risk population. Before commencing his graduate studies, Isaiah is taking time to acquire more experience in the realms of healthcare and research. When he is not busy, you can find Isaiah playing the piano, the saxophone, or reading through his backlog of impulse-bought books.
Lisa Stallwood, Director of Speakers & Programming
Lisa is honoured to join GHSYPS 2021 as a Director of Speakers and Programming. She received her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology at Western University and subsequently completed her Master of Science in Global Health at McMaster University. Since graduating, Lisa has been involved in various health equity research projects, and she is currently working at SickKids hospital in Toronto with a research program focused on the quality of life for children with chronic disease. Lisa is thrilled to collaborate with the GHSYPS interdisciplinary team, as we plan for the 2021 Summit. When Lisa has free time, you can find her going for long runs by the water or planning her next trip to the mountains somewhere abroad!
Shatabdy Zahid, Speakers & Programming Team Member
Shatabdy has a Master of Public Health and currently works as a public health research analyst in Toronto. When she isn’t thinking about statistics and health inequities, she can be found crocheting, reading or creating posts for her public health education account! If you ever meet her, ask her about her plants, her favourite tea or which new hobby she is trying to pick up that month. Shatabdy is really excited to be a part of the Speakers and Programming team planning this year’s GHSYPS conference and hopes to see you there!
Christina Ricci, Speakers & Programming Team Member
Christina has completed her Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. She has had the opportunity to work within public health and epidemiology within the pharmaceutical industry, government and academia. A lot of her current work is around COVID-19, breastfeeding rates in Canada and pediatric oncology surveillance. Christina is very interested in perinatal health, identifying health inequities and chronic disease and hopes to one day be a leader at the intersection of this space. She is also interested in decreasing maternal mortality and rates of chronic disease globally through programming and policy.
Lis Huang, Director of Communications
Lis Huang is excited to join this year’s Global Health Students and Young Professionals Summit (GHSYPS) Planning Committee as the Communications Director. She looks forward to working with Kathy, Esther, Eliza, and Zhanara, on the communications and marketing efforts of this year’s Summit. She is passionate about collaborating with others to address systemic issues to foster a more inclusive, sustainable and equitable future. She holds a Master of Science in Global Health from McMaster University. In her spare time, she enjoys going for jogs, fostering positive relationships with plants, playing board games, and experimenting with new culinary creations.
Eliza Yadav, Communications Team Member (Marketing)
Eliza Yadav joins the 2021 Planning Committee as a Communications team member. Her role is to build the communications strategy for GHSYPS 2021 as well as perform the daily management of @GHSYPS social media channels. Eliza recently completed a B.A. from McGill University with a major in International Development Studies and minors in Global Health and Social Entrepreneurship. She is passionate about health law and looks forward to planning GHSYPS 2021 alongside talented students and young professionals from across the country.
Zhanara Baisalova, Communications Team Member (Web designer)
Human Experience Designer from Kyrgyzstan with passion in photography, cooking and running. Currently, preparing for a half marathon and excited to meet new people from different parts of the world to learn more about the cultural anthropology.
Esther Kim, Communications Team Member
Esther is excited to be joining the GHSYPS 2021 Committee as one of the Communications team members. She recently completed an Honours Bachelors of Arts and Science in Cognitive Science with a minor concentration in Health Geography from McGill University. Towards the end of her undergraduate studies, Esther realized her passion for public health, which has led her to pursue a Master of Public Health with a specialization in Indigenous Health from the University of Toronto. In her spare time, Esther enjoys reading and hiking – fortunately, two very COVID friendly activities.
GHSYPs Summit 