GATC Board of Directors

Master of Public Health, Post Grad Dip (Health Promotion), BAppSci. Kylie is the Senior Advisor for National and International Tobacco Control Policy at Cancer Council New South Wales in Australia. She has worked in tobacco control for over 25 years, holding various positions within both government and non-government organisations. Kylie’s expertise and achievements have resulted in being awarded the Nigel Gray Award for career achievement in tobacco control in Oceania in 2017 and a WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award for the Western Pacific Region on WNTD in 2022. She is currently Chair of the Board of the GATC and she also manages a major contract provided by the Australian Department of Health to support implementation of the FCTC in the Western Pacific Region via the GATC. Kylie played a key role in the introduction of plain packaging in Australia and worked intensively with colleagues in Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, France, Norway and Canada to assist them when progressing plain packaging in their countries. She continues to collaborate with colleagues in many other regions to provide ongoing advice on all tobacco policy matters. Her work spans all aspects of tobacco control, with expertise in policy, public and political advocacy and legislative development.

In over 23 years of working within the tobacco control community, Shane has enjoyed dynamic challenges that have utilised a combination of expertise in tobacco control/resistance knowledge, relationship management, developing policy, advocacy and connectivity with Indigenous Peoples/Pacific Island/Māori/community engagement. He bring expertise in tobacco advocacy, prevention and cessation initiatives, and cross sector collaboration. He has contributed to the design and implementation of evidence informed policies that address commercial determinants of health and protect communities from tobacco related harm. His work reflects a clear understanding of the social, cultural, and economic drivers of smoking, particularly among priority populations. He work collaboratively with indigenous, community organisations, universities, researchers, advocates, and government agencies nationally and internationally. Shane enjoys navigating complex political/policy environments while keeping a clear focus on the right of all people in Aotearoa-New Zealand to live free from tobacco harm.
Professional accomplishments: Member on GATC Board; Won defamation litigation against tobacco lobbyists; Recipient of Nigel Gray Award; UN-WHO FCTC Negotiations – Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples clause, attended COPs and regional WHO meetings; Instigator of NZL Parliamentary Inquiry on the Tobacco Industry that led to Smokefree 2025 goal; Agreement by the WHO and the Indigenous Permanent Forum to work on Indigenous tobacco use; Worked on UN Ad Hoc Interagency Taskforce on Tobacco Control; Progressing NZL Smokefree Environments legislation; Removed ‘Maori Mix’ and ‘New Zealand’ branded cigarettes from the market; Received unprecedented apology by Chair/CEO of Altria for the sale of ‘Maori Mix’ cigarettes; Created indigenous social marketing campaigns.

Sampath is the Executive Director of the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC), Sri Lanka’s leading non-profit organization working to reduce the health, social, and environmental harms caused by tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. With more than 30 years of experience in public health, substance prevention, youth leadership, and policy advocacy, he has played a key role in advancing evidence-based reforms nationally and internationally. These include supporting the establishment of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act, implementation of pictorial health warnings, and contributing to global dialogues on tobacco prevention by representing ADIC at key international tobacco control platforms and forums. His contributions span both organizational leadership and individual activism, reflecting my long-standing commitment to public health advocacy. ADIC was honored to receive the World Health Organization World No Tobacco Day Award in 2024, a recognition made possible through the collective efforts of the organization during my leadership. This award reflects ADIC’s contribution to advancing tobacco control and protecting vulnerable communities. Sampath has also contributed to research and policy development, including as an author of the SEATCA Sri Lanka Tobacco Industry Interference Index, and has actively engaged in media advocacy to promote informed public discourse. He currently serves as Treasurer of the NCD Alliance Sri Lanka and is a member of several national technical advisory bodies, including the Ministry of Health Technical Working Group on Tobacco Prevention and Cessation. He is also a member of the WHO Civil Society Commission. Sampath has attended past WHO FCTC Conferences of the Parties (COPs) and remain committed to strengthening global cooperation, protecting communities from industry interference, and advancing health equity through strong civil society leadership.

Alex Wright is Global Lead at Cancer Research UK, with responsibility for CRUK’s International Cancer Prevention programme which has a focus on tobacco control and economics, as well as CRUK’s global partnerships and advocacy to advance effective global cancer control policies. He is also a board member of Smoke Free Partnership Europe. Prior to joining Cancer Research UK in 2021, Alex was Head of Policy & Public Affairs for the Association of Commonwealth Universities, a global membership organisation focussed on higher education’s contribution to sustainable development. Alex has over 20 years’ experience in the international development sector working across programme management, policy, and advocacy. He is also a board member of Smoke Free Partnership Europe. Prior to joining Cancer Research UK in 2021, Alex was Head of Policy & Public Affairs for the Association of Commonwealth Universities, a global membership organisation focussed on higher education’s contribution to sustainable development. Alex has over 20 years’ experience in the international development sector working across programme management, policy, and advocacy. He has worked as an independent consultant for intergovernmental organisations, membership organisations and foundations, with assignments including advocacy around the drafting of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and as an NGO Director. Alex also has extensive experience of intergovernmental organisations and negotiations, having worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat, playing a significant role in the organisation of several multi-lateral ministerial meetings, and representing the Commonwealth in international policy forums and working groups.

Sheryl Dennis Wright is an Attorney at Law with almost two decades experience in health-related law. As a Caribbean tobacco control leader who is actively involved in the regulation of noncommunicable diseases and advocacy, Sheryl has strong governance and leadership experience, bringing critical perspectives from the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in which she has often facilitated regional capacity-building and multi-stakeholder initiatives toward policy development. Currently a Board member of the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control, her expertise, interpersonal skills and consultative approach have earned her the respect of government officials and key NGO and international development partners. Her skills, advocacy, promotion of accountability and transparency, have shaped policy development, stirred public support and ignited Ministerial discourse and political action. Sheryl played a pivotal role in the development of Jamaica’s tobacco control regulations and has made significant contribution to the current process to implement comprehensive legislation. She has been engaged by PAHO as Health Law Consultant, through which she has supported countries in the Caribbean on a range of matters including the development of tobacco control policies. She has also been engaged as Technical Officer by the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, providing technical support to the over 180 Parties to the Treaty. A certified Project Management Professional, Sheryl is the CEO of SDW Consulting Co. Ltd., has served as Steering Committee member of the Caribbean Public Health Law Forum, and has tutored on tobacco control legislation courses including through the Caribbean Court of Justice Academy for Law.

Monique Muggli, J.D., M.P.H., Vice President of the International Legal Consortium (ILC) at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has worked in global tobacco control policy for over 25 years. Monique leads the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ specialist team of lawyers at the International Legal Consortium (ILC) for the Campaign’s global tobacco control program. The ILC provides legislative, litigation, and advocacy support to civil society and government attorneys and advocates in low and middle- income countries to further the effective implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The ILC also offers essential legal resources, including Tobacco Control Laws, and delivers advance legal training to lawyers from around the world. To date, the ILC has provided legal support in nearly 100 countries and legal education to over 5000 lawyers or advocates from 108 countries. Prior to joining the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Monique was a research and litigation consultant for numerous domestic and international health organizations, as well as for government and private party plaintiffs. In that capacity, Monique led groundbreaking research and published her findings from the once-secret internal tobacco industry documents made public through two U.S. litigation settlements; the 1998 Minnesota Tobacco Settlement and the Master Settlement Agreement. Her research contributed to the evidentiary foundation and the then growing global movement to expose the multinational tobacco companies’ efforts to subvert tobacco control measures aimed at protecting the public from their deadly and addictive products. Monique has authored over 30 peer-reviewed articles and has prepared and co-authored several seminal public health reports.

Robinah Kitungi Kaitiritimba is the Executive Director of the Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organization (UNHCO), bringing over 15 years of leadership in civil society and health advocacy. She is a distinguished voice for patients at community, national, and international levels, and serves as the Patient Safety Champion for the WHO Afro‑Region under the World Health Organisation’s Patient Safety Programme. Robinah has contributed to several WHO expert panels, including those on private sector governance for Universal Health Coverage, patient and family engagement, childhood obesity, injection safety, and surgical site infection prevention. She has represented civil society on the Global Financing Facility and served on the Data and Safety Monitoring Board for the UBV‑01N COVID‑19 vaccine. Her training includes Patient‑Centred Care under ISQUA and Human Research Participant Protection under the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Nationally, Robinah represents community voices on the Ministry of Health’s Health Policy Advisory Committee and has led multiple studies on the Right to Health and Social Accountability. She is widely recognised for advancing community engagement, rights‑based approaches, and people‑centred legislation. Her leadership contributed to major milestones such as Uganda’s Patients’ Charter, community scorecards, the SRMNCAH scorecard, and advocacy for the Tobacco Control Act 2015. She also spearheaded community mobilisation for tobacco control, earning the Global MPOWER Bloomberg Philanthropies Award in 2018. Robinah serves on several governance bodies, including the Makerere University School of Public Health IRB and the National Biosafety Committee. She holds a Bachelor’s and master’s degree in public administration and management, alongside extensive training in citizen engagement, social accountability, and Universal Health Coverage.

Amit has completed 19 years of passionate work in tobacco control, during which period he has worked with several leading public health organisations, including HRIDAY, PHFI, ICMR-NICPR, WHO FCTC KH-SLT, The Union, and currently working as Deputy Director at Vital Strategies, New Delhi. Amit has also served as an elected board member of FCA representing the SEA Region from 2016 to 2019. In his different roles, Amit contributed to training, capacity building, grant writing, research, policy advocacy, partnership building and networking at provincial, national, regional and global levels. He has good experience with the COP and MOP meetings and their processes. He has provided technical support to various governments and non-government organisations during the COP and MOP and beyond in strengthening and advancing tobacco control in line with the WHO FCTC and the Protocol. I have good experience in research and policy documentation with over 100 publications, including peer-reviewed articles in high-impact national and international journals, besides reports, monographs and book chapters. Amit was a member of the Expert Group on Article 19 of the WHO FCTC on Liability that submitted its report to the COP11. He is a Senior Fellow at the Center for Public Health Research, Kolkata and a Professor of Practice at the National Law University of Tripura, Agartala.

Larissa Al-Uar is a public health advocate and founding member of Tobacco Free Jordan, with over 14 years of experience in tobacco control policy, research, and youth-focused advocacy. Her work spans national, regional, and international levels, from co-authoring Jordan’s Tobacco Industry Interference Index to leading research on tobacco marketing near schools. She regularly engages with policymakers and the public through media commentary, a weekly radio segment, and articles in the national press. Larissa holds a Global Tobacco Control Certificate from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She mentored young advocates through the Johns Hopkins ASCEND program and trains medical students, journalists, and educators across Jordan. She also represents civil society in national committees like the Tobacco Committee at the Jordan Standard and Metrology Organization, in WHO FCTC processes, including the Article 2.1 Expert Group and COP10/MOP3, promoting child-focused and equity-driven approaches to tobacco control. Coming from a multicultural background and fluent in Arabic, German, and English, Larissa brings a regional lens rooted in the complex realities of the EMRO region—where tobacco use is rising in several countries, and challenges include political instability, a wide array of products on the market, and high levels of industry interference. She maintains strong ties with NGOs across the region and is deeply committed to inclusive, transparent, and community-informed governance.

Mônica Andreis is a psychologist and holds a master’s in Clinic Psychology at University of São Paulo, Brazil. She worked at hospitals (1989-2007) and since 1999 has been working with Tobacco Control. She is co-founder and currently Director of ACT Health Promotion (www.actbr.org.br), a Brazilian NGO created in 2006 to monitor and support the WHO-Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) and strengthening the civil society role in the country. Since 2023 ACT became a global partner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Mônica has been participating in activities related to projects management, NGO capacity building, advocacy strategies, campaigns, innovation on health and have regular participation in meetings and conferences at local and global level. ACT coordinates a coalition of over 1800 members from all over the country and has been collaborating for crucial policies adopted in Brazil, such as the smoke free law, tobacco ads and smoking electronic devices ban, taxes and labelling, for instance. In 2009 she completed a Fellowship on the Global Tobacco Control Leadership Program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Previous member of the Board of Directors of the FCA (now GATC) and current member of the GATC’s Policy Committee and Board of Directors of the IAHF – Inter-American Heart Foundation, as well. She has regular participation in events at national and international levels sharing experiences on topics such as tobacco control, NCDs, Agenda 2030 and civil society role on public policies.

Fatou Diouf is a dynamic, bilingual communications leader with over a decade of experience in strategic communications, advocacy, and policy development. She currently serves as Head of Communications and Influencing at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), a specialized agency of the African Union. In this role, she leads the Foundation’s communications, advocacy, and branding efforts across the continent—amplifying development impact, designing high-level convenings, and crafting narratives that inspire action and influence policy. Her career spans both regional and global roles, including leading communications campaigns for MoneyGram International, Brussels Airlines, and Royal Air Maroc in the United States. She has managed the branding, communications, and convening for major continental events such as the 2nd Africa Conference on Tobacco Control and Development, the 10th Africa Think Tank Summit, and the 1st International Conference on Taxation of the Digital Economy. Fatou also led digital engagement for the Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa and directed digital strategy for the Prime Ministry of Mali during an ECOWAS Heads of State Summit. She has worked for the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control, developing advocacy strategies for the AFRO Region and supporting African government participation in WHO FCTC negotiations—advancing public health through inclusive, evidence-based communication. Fatou also played a key role in developing Shine to Lead – Jiggen Jang Tekki, a Senegalese non-profit that empowers girls through education, scholarships, and leadership training, where she served as Executive Director for three years. With global experience, regional insight, and a strong record of delivery, she is passionate about using communication to drive sustainable development.

Judith Mackay OBE, SBS, JP, FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Lon) is the Director, Asian Consultancy on Tobacco Control, a Senior Policy Advisor to World Health Organization, and Special Advisor, Global Centre for Good Governance in Tobacco Control. Judith Mackay is a British medical doctor, living in Hong Kong since 1967, initially working as a hospital physician, then since 1984 concentrating on public health, especially tobacco control. She has published over 280 papers and addressed 640 conferences on tobacco control. Her particular interests are tobacco and women, tobacco control in low- and middle-income countries, new tobacco products, and challenging the tobacco industry. She is author or co-author of a dozen atlases – portraying global health statistics in a colourful, graphic format – on health, sex, tobacco, cardiovascular disease, cancer, oral health, and Global Adult Tobacco Surveys. These have been translated into many languages. She is an Honorary Professor in the School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She has received honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh and Shue Yan University. She worked with the Bloomberg Initiative from 2006-2020, and with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on long projects in China, Qatar and Indonesia. In addition to many international and national awards ranging from the WHO Commemorative Medal and the TIME 100 World’s Most Influential People Award to the BMJ Group’s first Lifetime Achievement Award, she has been identified by the tobacco industry as one of the three most dangerous people in the world.