The UICC President-elect and Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) held its General Assembly on October 8, 2024, during which members elected the Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term.

This election included the appointment of Ulrika Årehed Kågström as the new President and Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu from Nigeria as President-elect.

Election Details

• Date of Election: October 8, 2024
• Candidates: A total of 19 candidates were shortlisted for 14 Board positions, with two candidates vying for the President-elect role.
• Voting Members: The election was open to UICC’s full member organizations, emphasizing the importance of member participation in shaping the future of cancer control initiatives.

President-elect:

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu – Nigeria

Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is a distinguished pediatrician and global health leader, deeply dedicated to women’s health and cancer care. A trailblazer in Nigerian healthcare, she founded Medicaid Radio-Diagnostics and Clinics, the first comprehensive diagnostic center in Abuja, addressing a crucial need in medical services.

Recognizing the critical need for cancer care, she also established the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, which focuses on raising awareness, promoting prevention, and enhancing access to treatment. The foundation has successfully raised over $2 million to help bridge gaps in cancer care.

As the former First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr. Bagudu used her role to lead impactful healthcare initiatives, such as creating a comprehensive cancer control plan and expanding HPV vaccination programs for girls. Her advocacy extends to the global stage through her involvement with the Union for International Cancer Control and First Ladies Against Cancer.

Board Composition

The newly elected Board of Directors represents a diverse group from various countries, reflecting a mix of skill sets and backgrounds in cancer control. The Board is responsible for providing strategic direction for UICC’s activities over the next two years.

The board members are:

Matti Aapro – Switzerland

Matti Aapro is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cancer Center, Genolier, Switzerland and of the International Union for Cancer Control (UICC). He is President of All.Can and President of Sharing Progress in Cancer Care (SPCC), both not-for-profit associations dedicated to education and improvement of the cancer patient pathway. He is an Executive Board Member of the International Society for Geriatric Oncology (SIOG), on the Board of the French-speaking Society for Supportive Care (AFSOS), Past-President of the European Cancer Organisation (ECO), a member of the ECO International Committee, past-President of the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and Scientific Advisor with the European School of Oncology (ESO).

Eric Bouffet – Canada

Eric Bouffet was the President of the International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) from 2016 to 2019, where he worked to foster international collaboration among pediatric oncologists. He currently serves as the Advocacy Chair for SIOP, focusing on increasing awareness and support for childhood cancer issues globally. Since 2003, Dr. Bouffet has chaired the Canadian Paediatric Brain Tumour Consortium, working to unite researchers, clinicians, and families to enhance treatment options and support systems for affected children. He is also an active member of the steering committee of the Children’s Oncology Group’s Brain Tumour Committee, contributing his expertise to national initiatives aimed at improving research and clinical practices.

Stella Aguinaga Bialous – United States

Stella Aguinaga Bialous, RN, DrPH is the President of Tobacco Policy International, a Professor in Residence, the Department of Social Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing. Her research focuses on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, tobacco industry monitoring and building nurses’ capacity for tobacco control nationally and internationally. Dr. Aguinaga Bialous has consulted with the World Health Organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative for over 15 years as well as the Secretariat of The Who FCTC. She is also President of the International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care (ISNCC).

Maira Caleffi – Brazil

Maira Caleffi, Breast Oncologist at Moinhos de Vento Hospital in Porto Alegre, is the Founder and Volunteer President of FEMAMA and IMAMA. She serves as the President Of The Board Of Directors at IGCC – Institute of Cancer Governance and Control. She is also the Head Of Department of the Breast Center at Hospital Moinhos de Vento. Dr. Maria has also serves as the Technical Consultant for GBCI WHO and Chair of the Executive Committee of the City Cancer Challenge Porto Alegre Brazil. In addition, Dr. Maira works as volunteer chair leader for City Cancer Challenge in her hometown, and the local leader of Integrated Cancer Control Initiative in LatAm. She served as a Board member of the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC) from 2012 to 2018.

Hana Chaar Choueib – Lebanon

Hana Chaar Choueib is the General Manager at the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL). She has been a member of the UICC Board of Directors since October 2020. She is also on the Board of Trustees of CCCL UK Limited. Previously, she has served as a Corporate Sales Unit Assistant Manager and Business Development Unit Assistant Manager at LibanCell S.A.L.. Among her credentials is “The Art of Fundraising for NGOs,” issued by The Concord Leadership Group LLC in December 2018, and “The Art of Asking for Money – Fundraising Workshop” from Quest Education – ESA Business School in January 2018.

Todd Harper – Australia

Todd Harper is a prominent leader in public health with over three decades of dedicated service. Since 2011, he has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Council Victoria, guiding the organization’s critical efforts in cancer research, prevention, support, and advocacy. Under his leadership, Cancer Council Victoria has spearheaded significant initiatives, including pioneering research in tobacco plain packaging and the establishment of the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer—an innovative initiative designed to empower legal experts in low and middle-income countries to combat cancer. Previously, as Executive Director of Quit from 1999 to 2007, Todd was instrumental in enacting tobacco advertising and labelling reforms, as well as promoting smoke-free laws.

Christopher Jackson – New Zealand

Chris Jackson is a medical oncologist and Professor of Cancer Medicine, recognized for his expertise in gastrointestinal cancers and melanoma. Throughout his career, Chris has held various prominent roles, including serving as the Medical Director of the Cancer Society of New Zealand from 2015 to 2021. In this capacity, he was instrumental in shaping cancer care policies and advocating for improved services and standards for patients. Currently, he is the Clinical Leader for Oncology Research at Dunedin Hospital, where he drives innovative research initiatives and collaborates with other specialists to enhance cancer treatment protocols. In 2011, Chris co-founded Mercy Cancer Care in partnership with Mercy Hospital.

David Kerr – United Kingdom

David Kerr is a Professor of cancer medicine at the University of Oxford in England. He has also established three university spin-off companies: COBRA Therapeutics, Celleron Therapeutics, and Oxford Cancer Biomarkers. In 2002, he was appointed Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth, and in 2010, he was elected president of the European Society for Medical Oncology. David became a Fellow of the European Academy of Cancer Sciences in 2010. He chaired the Cancer Services Collaborative from 1999 to 2003, leading a redesign program to improve NHS cancer services, for which he was awarded a CBE in 2002. He also authored the “Kerr Report” in 2006, outlining a 20-year plan to reform Scotland’s NHS.

Gilberto Lopes – United States of America

Gilberto Lopes is the medical director for international programs and associate director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. He is also chief of the medical oncology division and a professor of clinical medicine at the Miller School of Medicine. Lopes is a board member of the Union for International Cancer Control and serves as Editor-in-Chief for JCO Global Oncology, published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Previously, he was an assistant professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University and held senior roles in clinical research at Johns Hopkins Singapore International Medical Center. He also served as Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for Oncoclinicas, the largest oncology provider in Latin America.

Kenji Lopez-Cuevas – Mexico

Kenji Lopez-Cuevas founded and serves as the president of Cáncer Warriors de México, an organization dedicated to advancing the rights of cancer patients and enhancing cancer care in the country. Through his advocacy efforts, López Cuevas was instrumental in initiating the “ElCáncerEnLaAgenda” campaign, which aims to elevate cancer as a national policy priority. Additionally, he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), where he worked on global initiatives to improve access to cancer treatment and inform policy changes. He is also the founder of Promalud. He has served as the Deputy Private Secretary to the President at National Commission on Human Rights, Mexico.

Asem Mansour – Jordan

Asem Mansour is the Director General of King Hussein Cancer Center. He was a Board Member of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and a Commissioner for the Lancet Commission on Cancer and Health Systems (2022-2024). Dr. Mansour’s involvement with KHCC began in 1998 as the Chairman of the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, where he transformed the department into one of the Kingdom’s leading diagnostic imaging centers, equipped with advanced technology and skilled personnel. In 2006, he advanced to the role of Deputy Director General, and in early 2012, he became the Director General of KHCC as well as the Executive Chairman of the Jordan Breast Cancer Program (JBCP), a national initiative aimed at enhancing early breast cancer detection and improving service quality throughout Jordan.

Miriam Mutebi – Kenya

Miriam Mutebi is a Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. She is the President of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and past president for Kenya Society of Hematology and Oncology (KESHO) and on the Board of Directors of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). She is the co-founder of the Pan African Women’s Association of Surgeons and is part of the Kenya Association of Women Surgeons. She is an avid supporter for the education and support for women, especially in surgery and she aims to provide mentorship for women in surgery and to improve women’s health and surgical care in Africa.

C.S Pramesh – India

C.S. Pramesh currently serves as the Director of Tata Memorial Hospital and the Professor and Head of Thoracic Surgery at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai, India. He has been an influential member of the UICC Board of Directors since 2020 and plays a pivotal role as the convener of the National Cancer Grid. Dr. Pramesh’s dedication to addressing disparities in cancer care has earned him the prestigious Rachel Pearline Global Cancer Research Humanitarian Award from the National Cancer Institute in the USA. His clinical interests focus on the management of esophageal and lung cancers, with a particular emphasis on minimally invasive surgical techniques. As a visiting professor at institutions like King’s College London and the National Cancer Center Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy in Korea, Dr. Pramesh shares his expertise on a global scale.

Kathleen Schmeler – United States of America

Kathleen Schmeler is a Professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at The MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Kathleen Schmeler provides surgical care and chemotherapy for women with gynecologic cancers. She also serves as the Director of the colposcopy clinics at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) Hospital, where she treats women with pre-invasive cervical, vulvar, and vaginal diseases. Her main research focus is on cervical cancer prevention and treatment, particularly in developing countries and among medically underserved women in the U.S. She is conducting several clinical trials with MD Anderson’s Sister Institutions in Latin America and globally. Dr. Schmeler has authored and co-authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals.

2024-2026 Board of Directors and President-elect profiles