Elizabeth Allen is Executive Advisor for Brain Economy at the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, where she leads cross-sector efforts to advance Canada’s emerging brain economy. A long-time Canadian government executive, she brings more than 20 years of experience in public policy, communications, and national strategy across health, social development, and environmental initiatives.

Sheryl Batchelor is a proud Aboriginal woman with ancestral connections to Kunja, Queensland, Australia. She has over 30 years of teaching, training, and leadership experience in various educational, community and health settings along with a Master’s Degree in Education. Sheryl has been mentored by international experts in neuroscience and in 2019 established Yiliyapinya Indigenous Corporation. Yiliyapinya is a registered charity building the brain health of children, young people, and adults by combining cultural wisdom with neuroscience. Sheryl is also an Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology, School of Justice.

Sandra Chapman is Chief Director of Center for BrainHealth® at The University of Texas at Dallas and a Distinguished Professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. She has dedicated her career to understanding, measuring and optimizing brain performance.

She co-created The BrainHealth Project with 32 internationally recognized brain health experts, focused on doubling peak brain performance, inoculating against decline and regaining losses so strong brain function can match our longer lifespans.

With 40,000+ participants, the Project has one of the world’s richest longitudinal brain datasets. Measured by a first-of-its-kind BrainHealth Index and validated by 1,000+ fMRI scans, the Project motivates improvement in 3 core domains: clarity, connectedness and emotional balance.

With 50+ funded research grants and 250+ peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Chapman is expanding access to strategies and tools to transform brain care from reactive treatment to proactive optimization.

Dr. Patricia Conrod, a Montréal psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry and Addiction, is a leading expert in youth substance use and mental health. She is internationally recognized for her ground-breaking research on neurocognitive and personality risk factors for substance use and mental disorders. Her work has influenced policies in Canada and internationally, particularly based on her contributions to the understanding of how social media and substance use affect young people’s brain development, and how targeted prevention strategies provide long-term protection against such harms.

At the Research Centre of CHU Sainte-Justine, Dr. Conrod leads major studies that use state-of-the-art brain imaging technology. She is the founder and co-director of the Centre IMAGINE, a paediatric brain imaging facility. Dr. Conrod is also director of SENSUM, the Université de Montréal’s Strategy for Neurosciences and Mental Health. Building on her research findings, Dr. Conrod founded the PreVenture program, which teaches cognitive and behavioural strategies to help teenagers manage individual differences linked to mental health challenges. Dr. Conrod and her team have shown that this brief intervention is highly effective in preventing substance use disorders in teens. As the Scientific Director of INMHA, Dr. Conrod guides CIHR’s health research priorities and investment strategies to improve the health of people in Canada and around the world.

Professor Suzanne L Dickson is a neurobiologist and Professor of Neuroendocrinology at the University of Gothenburg. She graduated with a Ph.D. in Neuroendocrinology from the University of Cambridge in 1993, where she later became Senior Lecturer in Physiology. She is a leading figure in neuroendocrinology and works within many European Union and international organisations and societies to promote research, facilitate grant funding and training of Early Career Scientists. Her research into the neurobiology of appetite aims to unravel neurobiological pathways that respond to orexigenic signals, such as the hormone, ghrelin, and that drive feeding behaviours, not only food intake but also food choice, food anticipation, food reward and food motivation. This work involves mostly preclinical studies and includes behavioural tasks, viral vector mapping, chemogenetics and RNAscope. She is Secretary and Executive Board member of the European College for Neuropsychopharmacology, and also chairs ECNP’s Workshop for Early Career Scientists in Europe. She also is founder and co-chair of ECNP’s nutrition network and EBRA’s BRAINFOOD cluster.

Dr. Mitchell Elkind is the American Heart Association’s Chief Clinical Science Officer and serves as the senior staff science leader for all Association initiatives related to stroke, brain health and new integrated efforts including cardio-renal-metabolic health. Previously, he was president of the American Heart Association for 2020-21, a tenured Professor of Neurology and Epidemiology and Chief of the Division of Neurology Clinical Outcomes Research and Population Sciences in the Neurology Department at Columbia University.

As Chief Clinical Science Officer, Dr. Elkind’s trusted voice, collaborative approach, and extensive clinical knowledge and experience are instrumental to ensuring the Association’s next generation research efforts are patient-centered, highly participatory and inclusive of all populations.

Dr Elkind’s research focuses on stroke prevention, inflammatory and infectious biomarkers in stroke risk prediction, atrial cardiopathy, immune therapy for acute stroke, and vascular causes of cognitive aging. He is a principal investigator of federally-funded studies examining atrial cardiopathy in cryptogenic stroke; stroke risk factors; short-term high-dose statin therapy in acute stroke; and inflammation in stroke treatment.

Dr. Elkind has a longstanding commitment to medical education and research training. In addition to leading the Columbia Neurology residency and fellowship programs, he served as editor of the American Heart Association/ASA Stroke journal’s International Stroke Early Career and Training Section. He also runs National Institutes of Health-funded research training programs for residents and fellows.

Harris Eyre is Senior Fellow for Brain Health and Society at the Rice University Office of Innovation. He is is a physician, neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and strategist widely credited for pioneering the brain economy transition.

Eyre leads Neuro-Policy at the Baker Institute and is adjunct with Rice’s Neuro Engineering Initiative and Psychological Sciences. He is a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative, a Senior Advisor with McKinsey and Company, and Advisor at MD Anderson’s Cancer Neuroscience Program.

Eyre is an alumnus of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and the Fulbright Scholar program. He has garnered recognition with the EB1A Green Card, an honor typically reserved for Nobel and Pulitzer prize winners. He has authored over 200 papers and chapters in journals such as Nature Medicine, The Lancet Neurology, Neuron, World Psychiatry, The Brookings Institution, and was the lead editor of the book ‘Convergence Brain Health’ (Oxford Press). His work has been covered in Bloomberg, the Financial Times, and the New York Times.

Abdelfatah Ibrahim is Chair of the OneNeurology Partnership, bringing over 17 years of experience in international development and civil society. As Head of Communications, Campaigns and Advocacy at the MS International Federation (MSIF), he leads global awareness initiatives such as World MS Day and drives advocacy efforts with the World Health Organization. Previously, he oversaw MSIF’s capacity-building work across the MENA region and Asia, supporting organisations to strengthen services for people affected by multiple sclerosis.

Abdelfatah has a strong track record in delivering healthcare and disability campaigns that promote equitable access to treatment and inclusive policy reform. He holds a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of Birmingham and has collaborated with several international governmental aid agencies. Beyond his work with MSIF, he has served as a trustee for organisations addressing poverty and inequality and is also an elected local councillor.

Andy Keller, PhD, is President, Chief Executive Officer, and Linda Perryman Evans Presidential Chair of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, a Texas-based nonprofit that provides nonpartisan policy and program research, development, and advice to local, state, and national leaders towards a single goal: improving mental health care delivery in Texas and across the country.

Andy is a clinical and community psychologist with more than 25 years of experience in behavioral health policy, financing, and best practices. His work has centered on helping federal, state, and local health systems implement evidence-based and innovative care, as well as helping federal, state, and governments develop the regulatory and financial frameworks to support them.

Prior to moving full time into policy work, Andy was a managing partner for 15 years at a national behavioral health management consulting firm where he focused on health financing and system improvement. Before that, he worked in Colorado with a leading Medicaid HMO and the local community mental health system, where he directed and led a range of community-based and care management programs.

During his time in Congress, Patrick J. Kennedy co-authored the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2013, he and wife, Amy, founded The Kennedy Forum, a non-profit that unites advocates, business leaders, and government agencies to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in mental health and addiction. In 2015, Kennedy co-authored the New York Times Bestseller, “A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction,” which details a bold plan for the future of mental health care in America. In 2023, Kennedy called for leaders to achieve 90/90/90 by 2033: 90% of all individuals will be screened for mental health and substance use disorders; 90% of those needing care will be able to receive evidence-based treatment; 90% of those receiving treatment will be able to manage their symptoms in recovery. Kennedy’s second co-authored book “Profiles in Mental Health Courage” delves into the compelling stories of a diverse group of Americans who have struggled with their mental health – many of whom are sharing their stories for the first time.

Kennedy is also the co-founder of One Mind, an organization that pushes for greater global investment in brain research and co-founder of Psych Hub, the most comprehensive online learning platform on mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention topics in the world. In 2024, as a further evolution of his mental health and addiction leadership Patrick joined the nationally-recognized Washington DC health care policy consulting firm focused on federal and state regulatory and legislative policy, Healthsperien. Patrick leads the firm’s Center for Behavioral Health which advances comprehensive, bipartisan strategies to strengthen the nation’s behavioral health system. In 2025, the Center launched Action for Progress and Invest for Progress.

Steven Lewis, MD, is the President of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and a WFN Trustee since 2014. Dr. Lewis is a graduate of Yale University, received his MD at Stanford University, and performed his neurology residency at the University of Chicago.

Dr. Lewis is Physician-in-Chief and Endowed Chair of Neurology at the Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute, Regional Chief for the Lehigh Valley for the Farber Neuroscience Institute at Jefferson Health, and Adjunct Professor of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University.

Dr. Lewis is Past Chair of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and past Editor-in-Chief of Continuum, the official CME journal of the American Academy of Neurology. He is the Editor of World Neurology and Editor-in-Chief of MedLink Neurology.

In 2019, Dr. Lewis received the A.B. Baker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Neurologic Education from the AAN, and in 2023, he received the ANA Award for Excellence in Education.

Professor Dato’ Dr. Jafri Malin Abdullah FASc graduated with a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1986, followed by specialist training in Neurosurgery and a PhD (Magna Cum Laude) in Biomedical Science from Ghent University, Belgium, in 1995. He later completed postdoctoral training at the Karolinska University Hospital and Institute, Sweden, and advanced surgical neuroanatomy training under the late Prof. Albert L. Rhoton Jr. in the United States.

A pioneer in Malaysian neuroscience, Prof. Jafri established nine postgraduate programmes, including Cognitive Neurosciences, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Clinical Neuropsychology, significantly advancing neuroscience education and specialist training nationwide. His international collaborations led to his appointment to the Global Brain Consortium (GBC) at McGill University, Canada, in 2018.

In 2023, he represented Malaysia at the 78th United Nations General Assembly during the Brain Health and Research Day Summit. He currently serves as South Asia Chapter Coordinator of the GBC and holds leadership roles in the Brain Capital Alliance, the Brain Economy Hub Steering Committee at Rice University, the International Neuroclimate Working Group at Stanford University, and the Nature Medicine Commission on Brain Health for Economic Resilience.

Prof. Jafri is Professor of Neurosciences and Chairman of the Brain & Behaviour Cluster at Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Facundo Manes, born in 1969 in Argentina, has emerged as one of the most influential neuroscientists of the 21st century, not only within his native South America but also globally. His pioneering research, innovative approaches to understanding the human brain, and commitment to translating scientific discoveries into societal benefits have cemented his reputation as a leading figure in contemporary neuroscience. Throughout his career, Manes has contributed significantly to elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying cognition, emotion, and behavior, fostering a deeper understanding of mental health disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and the plasticity of the human brain. His work has bridged the gap between basic science and applied clinical practice, inspiring new therapeutic strategies and public policies aimed at improving mental well-being in diverse populations.

Besides his contribution to medicine and science, Dr. Manes is deeply involved in disseminating the importance of knowledge in Latin America. Since December 2021, he is a national Congressman and the President of the Committee on Science, Innovation, and Technology of the Argentinian Parliament. His commitment is to work towards a long-term vision based on the idea that the wealth of a country is measured through the value of human capital, education, science and technology; and that in said factors lies the basis of social development. He also believes science has something to contribute to politics. The more solid the bridge between science and state decisions, the closer we will be to a democratic, modern and developed society.

Alfred Kongnyu Njamshi, MD, MA, DMS, FMH, FCAS, FAAS, FRCP (UK), is a professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of The University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon), where he founded and heads the Neuroscience Laboratory, chairs the neurology and neuroscience residency programs and coordinates the school’s 31 residency programs. He is also Chief of Neurology at the Yaoundé Central Hospital, the base of his clinical practice and training of students/residents. He obtained his MD from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, and is Swiss-Board Certified (FMH) in Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology; holder of an MA Education (medical education) from the UK, where he is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP). Prof Njamnshi is a fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences and also a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed scientific articles in high-impact journals. His current research focus is brain health as well as basic, clinical, translational, and environmental neuroscience, targeting dementia, sleep medicine, epilepsy and stroke.

Dr Jeyaraj D Pandian is a Professor and Head of Neurology and the Principal/Dean from Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Dr Pandian is the current President of World Stroke Organisation and Past President of Indian Stroke Association. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Fellow of Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of European Stroke Organization and Fellow of World Stroke Organisation (WSO).

Dr Pandian was the past Chair of World Stroke Campaign International Working Group of WSO. He has been a member of WSO Policy and Research Committees. Dr Pandian was the Co-chair of the World Stroke Congress 2016 held in Hyderabad, India. He is a member of the Strategic Advisory Group (STAG) for NCDs in WHO Geneva. Dr Pandian was conferred the WSO Global stroke services award in 2020 for his contributions to the field of stroke.

Dr Pandian has made significant contributions to stroke care services, epidemiology, and thrombolysis in low and middle-income countries. He is the National PI for the Indian Stroke Clinical Trial Network (INSTRuCT). He has 266 peer-reviewed publications (Citations 190699, h-index 72, i10 index-168).

Professor Parr-Brownlie has internationally recognised expertise in understanding how activity in the motor thalamus, motor cortex and basal ganglia control normal movements and is altered in Parkinson’s disease. Her team use a combination of optogenetic stimulation, electrophysiological recordings, electron and confocal microscopy to investigate brain function and structure. They have applied optogenetic stimulation to determine if there are better places and ways to stimulate the brain to improve movements in models of Parkinson’s disease.

She has been an invited speaker at prestigious conferences in the United States, such as Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Janelia) and Gordon Research Conferences. Professor Parr-Brownlie has extended her research programme to (1) examine anatomical and physiological changes in the brain associated with chronic pain and (2) investigate Māori community perspectives of neurosurgical approaches to treat neurological disorders and traumatic brain injury.

Current staff in the laboratory are Dr Elodie Kip (ARF), Conor Underwood (PRF) and Mariana Te Pou (ARF). Current postgraduate students are Alexander Woolrych (PhD) and Lily Bentall (Hons).

Ian Robertson is Professor Emeritus and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and T. Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair at The University of Texas at Dallas. He was Founding Director of both the Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin and the Global Brain Health Institute.

Dr. Robertson serves as Co-Leader of The BrainHealth® Project, a landmark longitudinal study designed to define, measure, and improve brain health and performance across the lifespan. An internationally recognized cognitive neuroscientist, he has authored more than 600 scientific papers, which have been cited more than 43,000 times. His most recent popular science book is How Confidence Works (Penguin), and his forthcoming book, Brainspan (Orion/Hachette), will be published in early 2027. He is a member of the Academia Europaea and the Royal Irish Academy. In 2024, he was awarded both an honorary Doctor of Science and an honorary MD by Trinity College Dublin.

Tomás Ryan is professor of neuroscience in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology and a principal investigator at the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. He holds a joint faculty position at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne in Australia. His research group aims to understand how memory engrams change over development and how they interact with innate representations. His research has been supported by the European Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland, the Jacobs Foundation and the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, among other sources. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). He serves as a Board Member of the European Brain Council and as the Chair of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Advocacy Committee.

Krystal Sexton, PhD, is a globally recognized leader helping organizations create cultures that support employee mental, brain, and social health. She brings more than two decades of experience across academia, healthcare and industry, with a career dedicated to advancing mental, physical and brain health at scale.

As Senior Advisor, Workplace Initiatives for Center for BrainHealth, she advises on equipping organizations with science-based tools that optimize workforce performance and resilience. She also serves as Founder and CEO of Cognitive Capital Group; her previous role as Global Health Analytics Manager at Shell plc positioned her at the forefront of integrating brain health into workforce performance strategies across multinational operations.

She has spoken at the UN General Assembly, G7, Davos World Economic Forum, and many international and US-based symposia. She is an author as well as an advisor and board member for scientific non-profit and government organizations.

Dr. Liron Sinvani is a board-certified internist and geriatrician with deep expertise in clinical research, translational science, and aging-related health innovation. She has been at Northwell Health since 2008, when she began her Internal Medicine residency, and currently serves as the Director of Research & Innovation for the Institute for Healthy Aging and the founding Co-Director of the SinMak Lab. She is Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Sinvani is a nationally recognized “geriatrician-hospitalist,” reflecting her pioneering approach to integrating geriatric principles into acute care medicine. She has built an internationally recognized research program focused on improving care and outcomes for hospitalized older adults, with a particular emphasis on dementia, dysphagia, and delirium. She is the Co-Founder and Director of the Nancy and Neal S. Kaplan Dysphagia Program, which she conceived and developed to translate research discoveries into direct clinical care.

As a principal investigator on six NIH-funded grants and leader of a research portfolio exceeding $25.6 million, Dr. Sinvani is a proven architect of federally funded research programs. She has authored over 90 peer-reviewed publications and is a dedicated mentor, having guided numerous trainees and junior faculty to secure their own independent NIH funding. She was elected as the Program Chair for the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting, a national leadership role shaping the future of geriatric research and education. A passionate advocate for older adults, Dr. Sinvani is a frequent expert voice in national media, with her work and insights featured in over 36 outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN.

Venerable Burin Thitakusalo or Monk Burin is the Executive Director of The Middle Way Institute (MDWI), a New York-based global non-profit educational organization that extracts ancient wisdom from Buddha’s Teachings to create modern solutions for humanity. As a Thai Theravada Buddhist monk, he has been working tirelessly since 2000 to deliver the profound wisdom of Buddha’s Teachings in the most engaging and practical way to people of all ages, races, religions, and no religion. He travels globally to impact hundreds of thousands of practitioners of 36 countries in 6 continents. He teaches business leaders who take executive education courses at Harvard Business School. Young kids in New York who come to learn Buddhism with him, call him “An Orange Man.”

George Vradenburg is Chairman of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, which he co-founded with his late wife, Trish. He was named by U.S. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as a founding member of the Advisory Council on Research, Care, and Services established by the National Alzheimer’s Project Act and has testified before Congress about the global Alzheimer’s pandemic. Under his leadership, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s co-convenes the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease Coalition and the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2021, UsAgainstAlzheimer’s launched the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, a global initiative where he serves as Founding Chairman. He is also a founding member of the World Dementia Council. He is a dedicated member of Washington’s civic and philanthropic community, serving as Chairman of the Phillips Collection for 13 years. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of Washington, and held various positions at CBS, FOX, and AOL/Time Warner