Maria Paola has a degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacological Sciences and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Since 1995, she has worked at Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA, where she held various roles, primarily in international marketing and strategic planning. Since 2010, Maria Paola has been responsible for the Paolo Chiesi Foundation, initially as coordinator and since 2021 as President. Maria Paola was appointed Vice President of Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA in 2023 and President in 2026.

After obtaining a degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Social Enterprise Management, in 2007 he began his career in international cooperation, working for several years in West Africa and subsequently in Central America.

He has collaborated with several international NGOs, both in the field and at headquarters, managing humanitarian programs in the fields of health, nutrition, and protection. Since 2021, he has been the Managing Director of the Paolo Chiesi Foundation.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in International Cooperation, in 2018 she began her professional career in Zambia, working with various NGOs operating in the sectors of education, human rights and livelihoods .

From September 2022 to 2026, as Program Development Officer of the Paolo Chiesi Foundation, he oversaw the NEST Model in Benin, Burkina Faso, and Burundi, and the GASP Model in Guyana and Nepal, supporting the Managing Director in strengthening collaboration with existing partners and building new strategic partnerships. In early 2026, he assumed the role of Neonatal Health Program Manager.

After several experiences working in international cooperation, in Zambia and Sudan, and collaborations with Italian NGOs and foundations, he joined the Foundation in September 2024 as Program Quality Officer.

Between 2024 and 2025, he directly supervised the NEST Model in Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, and the GASP Model in Peru, also ensuring cross-functional oversight of processes related to data collection, management, and analysis, as well as quality improvement . In early 2026, he assumed the role of Respiratory Health Program Manager at the Foundation.

After earning a master’s degree in Languages ​​and Cultures for International Communication and Cooperation, she built her professional career in communications in various fields, including higher education , martech , and healthcare . She joined the Paolo Chiesi Foundation in May 2024 as Communication & Fundraising Manager.

In this role, she oversees all internal and external communications activities, supporting the rest of the team in promoting the Foundation’s initiatives and projects. She also coordinates the organization of events and fundraising campaigns.

Federico holds a degree in veterinary medicine and a PhD in endocrinology. He has been working at Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA since 2005, where he held various roles in the Neonatology and Special Care departments. During his time at Chiesi, he spent ten years in research and development, leading the neonatology preclinical pharmacology team and as a project leader.

Federico’s main research areas were aerosol administration and other less invasive techniques for surfactant administration. During his time in R&D, he supported the Foundation by serving on the scientific committee responsible for evaluating neonatology projects.

In 2020, Federico joined the Global Medical Affairs department as Head of Care, coordinating a team of medical directors working in various therapeutic areas: neonatology, transplantation, and intensive care. Since 2024, in addition to his role in Care, he has been working as a technical advisor to the Paolo Chiesi Foundation.

Ousmane Ndiaye, a pediatrician specializing in neonatology and epidemiology, has made significant contributions to the field of child health. As a researcher and professor of pediatrics at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, he has undertaken numerous teaching missions in the subregion, including Niger, Guinea, Benin, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. His expertise has been sought by UNICEF, AWARE, and LUX-Développement as a child health consultant.

Leading a dedicated team, she coordinates various research activities focused on improving child health outcomes. She serves as head of the Department of Pediatrics at the Albert Royer Children’s Hospital in Fann and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Dakar. She is also director of the African Center of Excellence for Maternal and Child Health (CEA-SAMEF), a project of the Association of African Universities that focuses on research and training, and vice-president of the Association des Pédiatres de Langue Française.

Mario received training in respiratory medicine and critical care at the University of Milan School of Medicine and in respiratory research at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. While at the University of Miami, he was an associate professor of medicine from 1994 to 2006. He subsequently served as a full professor of medicine at the West Virginia University School of Medicine from 2006 to 2010.

In 2011, Mario joined Chiesi Farmaceutici, where he held various roles in clinical development. From 2011 to 2018, he was clinical lead for the Foster and Trimbow programs, focusing on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mario moved to the Global Pharmacovigilance department in 2019, taking on the role of Head of Risk Management Unit and, until 2025, Senior Lead Physician for Respiratory , serving as Deputy Qualified Person for Pharmacovigilance .

Mario’s research has focused on the fundamental mechanisms of airway inflammation and the impact of environmental exposure to air pollutants on respiratory diseases. Since 2014, Mario has collaborated with the Paolo Chiesi Foundation.

A pediatrician with over 12 years of experience in neonatal and child health, nutrition, and health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries, she has extensive experience implementing projects, building capacity, and improving the quality of care in humanitarian and post-conflict settings, including Haiti, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Chad.

He currently collaborates with the NGO Doctors with Africa CUAMM as a technical assistant on the project supporting the Pediatric Referral Hospital in Bangui, Central African Republic.

She is an active member of the African Neonatal Association (ANA), where she has served as chair of the research committee for the past four years. She is currently treasurer of the association’s board of directors. She has a solid research background, with several publications in peer-reviewed journals and collaborations with academic institutions.

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Ousmane Ndiaye, a pediatrician specializing in neonatology and epidemiology, has made significant contributions to the field of child health. As a researcher and professor of pediatrics at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, he has undertaken numerous teaching missions in the subregion, including Niger, Guinea, Benin, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. His expertise has been sought by UNICEF, AWARE, and LUX-Développement as a child health consultant.

Leading a dedicated team, she coordinates various research activities focused on improving child health outcomes. She serves as head of the Department of Pediatrics at the Albert Royer Children’s Hospital in Fann and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Dakar. She is also director of the African Center of Excellence for Maternal and Child Health (CEA-SAMEF), a project of the Association of African Universities that focuses on research and training, and vice-president of the Association des Pédiatres de Langue Française.

After graduating from high school in Ouagadougou, she continued her medical studies in Burkina Faso, Togo, and then in Dakar, where she earned her medical degree, followed by specializations in pediatrics and perinatology. She has been a full professor of pediatrics since 2020 and has authored over one hundred scientific publications and articles at the national and international level.

In the hospital setting, he held the position of head of the neonatology department at the Charles de Gaulle University Hospital for over 15 years and, since 2017, he has been director of the pediatrics department at the Bogodogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou

In her private life, she is a member of several associations and fights for the promotion of women’s and children’s rights. She is married and the mother of three children.

William Checkley, MD, PhD, is Professor of Medicine, International Health, and Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins University and Director of the Center for Global Noncommunicable Disease Research and Training.

He received his medical degree from Northwestern University and his PhD from Johns Hopkins University, completed his residency in internal medicine at Emory University, and trained in pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University.

Her research focuses on chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in low-resource settings, with most of her work conducted in Peru, Uganda, and Nepal. She is a member of the World Health Organization Guideline Development Group for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

His honors include the American Thoracic Society World Lung Health Award, election to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, Johns Hopkins Mentoring Awards, and the 2026 Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association Global Achievement Award.

Dr. Levy completed his residency in Internal Medicine and Pulmonology at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and served as Director of Research at Meakins-Christie Laboratories. He is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He is a past President of the Canadian Thoracic Society.

Dr. Levy was Medical Director of the British Columbia Lung Transplant Program. He currently heads the Regional Department of Medicine at Vancouver Coastal Health/Providence Health Care. He is also the Specialist Manager for the Shared Care Program at Providence Health Care.

Dr. Levy’s primary research interests include physiological and functional outcomes following lung transplantation. He also has interests in chronic disease management and global health in resource-limited settings.

Dr. Nicolaou is an Associate Professor in the Division of Pulmonology and Intensive Care, with a joint appointment in Environmental Health and Engineering. She has a background in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in aerosol science, exposure assessment, and high-performance computing.

Her research interests include global health and environmental epidemiology, and her current focus is on air pollution and noncommunicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Specifically, Dr. Nicolaou’s research integrates exposure assessment and in silico modeling techniques to better characterize exposure to pollutants and their health effects.

Dr. Nicolaou has eight years of experience in field research settings and currently leads air pollution projects in Peru, Uganda, and Nepal.

Professor Masekela is a leading paediatric pulmonologist and Professor of Research in Global Health at the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research), with over 17 years of experience in lung health research, particularly paediatric asthma and respiratory physiology.

A former Academic Director of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, she holds several international leadership positions, including Co-Chair of the Global Asthma Network, outgoing President of the Pan African Thoracic Society, and President of the South African Thoracic Society.

A highly experienced researcher, she has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to eight book chapters, and supervised 36 PhD and Master’s students. Dedicated to strengthening research capacity across Africa, she is co-director of the PATS-MECOR program, a faculty member of the VIPPRA initiative, and a mentor to young researchers through the SMART4TB program.

Its work combines scientific excellence, global leadership, and a strong commitment to developing the next generation of African health researchers.