Webinar 1 Speakers
Hon. Dr. Ximena Aguilera
Minister of Health, Chile
Dr. Ximena Aguilera Sanhueza was appointed as the Ministry of Health for Chile in September 2022. Prior to her appointment as Minister of Health, she served as director of the Center for Epidemiology and Health Policy in the Faculty of Medicine at the Universidad del Desarrollo. Aguilera has held significant roles within the Ministry of Health of Chile, including head of the Epidemiology Division and the Health Planning Division. She also served as Senior Advisor for Communicable Diseases at the Pan American Health Organization, where she coordinated the technical response to the 2009 swine flu pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was a key member of the National Commission for Pandemic Response, leading its External Advisory Council and advocating for transparency in data delivery. Dr. Aguilera Sanhueza holds a Degree in Medicine from the Universidad de Chile, where she subsequently specialized as a surgeon, as well as a master’s degree in public health.
Dr. Rafael Ignacio Araos Bralic
Principal Investigator, Universidad del Desarrollo
Dr. Rafael Araos trained as a doctor at the Salvador Hospital as an internist, he also worked as an infectious disease specialist at the Clinical Hospital of the Catholic University and Father Hurtado. In the academic area, he has been working for nine years at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad del Desarrollo. For the last ten years, he has been involved in the study of antimicrobial resistance. During the pandemic period, he was a member of the advisory committee, head of the Department of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health and advisor to the Undersecretary of Public Health in the management, control and prevention of Covid-19. He has publications in prestigious journals such as The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine and Nature Medicine, all these publications are related to the effectiveness of vaccines in Chile. These studies were crucial at the national level to make public policy decisions in the management of the pandemic and served as a reference for other countries to decide on booster doses in their vaccination plan.
Dr. Joseph Domachowske
Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Dr. Joseph Domachowske holds the position of Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. His expertise lies in Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Dr. Domachowske also serves as the Director of the Maternal-Child and Pediatric Global Health Program at the Institute for Global Health and Translational Science. His research focuses on pneumovirus pathogenesis, particularly the molecular interactions between pneumoviruses and pulmonary epithelium. His work aims to understand virus-induced alterations in epithelial cell gene expression and develop targeted interventions for viral bronchiolitis treatment. Dr. Domachowske’s contributions extend to clinical trials, including a first-of-its-kind treatment for infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at SUNY Upstate. Dr. Domachoswke holds a Doctor of Medicine from SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse.
Dr. Jefferson Jones
Medical Officer, U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Dr. Jefferson Jones is currently serving as a Medical Officer in the Respiratory Disease Branch, for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he leads epidemiologic studies on SARS-CoV-2, RSV, and other respiratory viruses. Dr. Jones has held other roles at the CDC and has experience background in outbreak investigations, epidemiology, and data analysis, and has contributed to numerous evidence-based guidelines and vaccine policies. In addition to his role at the CDC, Jefferson practices as an Urgent Care Physician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. He holds a Doctor of Medicine and a master’s in public health from Northwestern University.
Dr. Jaime Pérez Marin
Head of Prevention & Health Protection, Regional Ministry of Health of the Region of Murcia, Spain
Dr. Jaime Pérez Marin, is the Head of Prevention & Health Protection for the Reigonal Ministry of Health of Murcia, and is a specialist in preventive medicine and public health. Dr. Pérez was the spokesperson for the Health Department of the Region of Murcia during the Covid pandemic and is the president of the Spanish Association of Vaccinology (AEV), a leading scientific society for professionals and citizens, especially in the field of vaccines. Previously, he was the head of the Public Health Service of Lorca.
Dr. Jeanne Santoli
Chief, Vaccine Supply and Assurance Branch, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States of America
Dr. Jeanne M Santoli completed pediatric training and a fellowship in primary care research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She has worked at CDC since 1998 and currently serves as the Chief of the Vaccine Supply and Assurance Branch within the Immunization Services Division at CDC. This branch is responsible for activities related to vaccine spend plans, procurement, and distribution, as well as management of national vaccine supply disruptions, maintenance of pediatric vaccine stockpiles, and the provision of technical assistance to state immunization programs around vaccine storage and handling. In addition, the branch works collaboratively with CDC’s IT team to support VTrckS, CDC’s vaccine order management system and its user base.
Disclaimer: This project is a self-funded initiative by the proposing APEC economy, Chile, with the support of co-sponsoring economies. APEC does not provide funding for this project and will not be responsible for any financial, legal, or other liabilities that may arise in relation to this project, including but not limited to those concerning the use, distribution, or administration of vaccines or prophylactic treatments discussed or promoted within the scope of this project. The responsibility for the outcomes and impacts of this project lies solely with the proposing economy and its collaborators.