Clarisse Virgino Adriatico
Philippines
Clarisse Yvette Virgino Adriatico has been actively involved in tobacco harm reduction (THR) advocacy since 2018 and serves as the Philippine representative for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA). Having transitioned from smoking to vaping herself, she focuses on promoting consumer rights and access to THR products, particularly in LMICs, while exploring the cultural, psychological, and economic factors that influence smoking cessation. She holds a Juris Doctor degree and enjoys scuba diving.
Michelle A. DesiertoModerator
Philippines
Asst. Prof. Michelle A. Desierto holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Arts in English Language Studies from the University of Santo Tomas, where she is currently pursuing a Doctorate in English Language Studies. She teaches Purposive Communication, Academic Writing, and specialized courses for English Language Studies (ELS) majors. Recently appointed Coordinator for International Relations and Programs at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, she plays a key role in fostering global academic collaborations.
Michael Ellis
United Kingdom
Michael Ellis, MSc is widely recognized as an expert on International illicit trade. He has presented extensively on the subject and now acts as an International Advisor on Illicit Trade, where he helps initiatives to raise awareness to the influences brought by the involvement of organized crime including modern day slavery. He has been engaged in Global illicit trade enforcement, investigations, capacity building and training efforts since 1996 and is a former Assistant Director of Police Services at INTERPOL. He was the Head of the INTERPOL Traffic in Illicit Goods and Counterfeit program where his core responsibilities were to manage and coordinate INTERPOL’s global strategy to fight against illicit trade and counterfeiting infringement, and was leading the police organizations’ international efforts in this area.
Professor Marewa Glover
New Zealand
Professor Marewa Glover, director of the Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty & Smoking in Auckland, champions harm reduction for global indigenous communities. She is a behavioural scientist with over 30 years of experience in public health and over 100 publications in the field. She also serves as a senior editor (tobacco) for the international Harm Reduction Journal.
Professor Jay Jazul
Philippines
Prof. Jay Jazul is a dedicated academic pharmacist, researcher, and advocate for advancing healthcare in the Philippines through evidence-based research. He is currently affiliated as academic staff at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Faculty of Pharmacy, and as an academic researcher at the UST Research Center for Social Sciences and Education. Mr. Jazul is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Health, an independent, open-access journal of the University of Santo Tomas. A recognized expert in harm reduction, Mr. Jazul has been sought by the Philippine Senate Technical Working Group on Health and Demography, where he served as a resource person on the regulatory framework on tobacco harm reduction for crafting the Philippines’ Vape Law in 2019.
Dr Hiroya Kumamaru has served as a cardiovascular surgeon and the Vice Director of AOI Universal Hospital in Japan since 2013. From 2008 to 2013, he operated a private practice in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, specialising in smoking cessation. In recent years, Dr Kumamaru has continued to contribute to the field of tobacco harm reduction through international engagement and scholarly publications. He served as a keynote speaker at the Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum in Seoul, South Korea, in 2023 and has co-authored several international reports examining the role of harm reduction strategies and smoke-free nicotine alternatives in supporting tobacco control efforts and reducing smoking-related disease burden.
Ehsan Latif
United Kingdom / Pakistan
Dr. Ehsan Latif is a physician and senior public health professional with more than 20 years of international experience in tobacco control, tobacco harm reduction, and non-communicable disease policy. He holds a Master of Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. Dr. Latif brings extensive experience of working at every level from community‑based organisations to national ministries of health in more than 40 countries. Throughout his career, he has led multidisciplinary international teams and shaped strategic and investment priorities by collaborating closely with academic institutions, think tanks, and civil society partners. His work has consistently focused on maximising the global impact of evidence‑based interventions, particularly in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
Nancy Loucas founded Paraclete Associates in April 2018. She used her experience as a community and consumer advocate to build similar organizations to reach their full potential by providing mentoring and strategic planning, analysis and guidance in submissions and white paper documentation. She was also co-founder and director of Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) in New Zealand and is currently the executive coordinator for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA). CAPHRA is the collective voice of nicotine consumer organizations in eleven countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Heneage Mitchell, commonly known as ‘H’, has been resident in Asia for over 40 years. He spent most of those decades working in regional media, including as managing editor and co-publisher of Tobacco Asia, a trade publication reporting on the regional tobacco industry. In 2012, he established factasia, an independent, consumer-oriented regional advocacy for rational debate about – and sensible regulation of – the rights of adult citizens throughout the Asia-Pacific region to choose to use tobacco or other nicotine-related products. Heneage smoked for over 45 years before switching to vaping in 2016, since when he has never touched a cigarette.
Professor Tikki Pangestu
Indonesia
Professor Tikki Pangestu is currently serving as a visiting professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Previously, he held positions as a visiting professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and as Director of Research Policy & Cooperation at the WHO. With over 30 years of teaching experience, he specialises in medical microbiology, immunology, and global health policy. He has published more than 250 scientific articles and authored 12 books. Notable for his leadership roles, he is chair of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance and co-chair of the Asia Pacific Immunization Coalition.
Director / founding member of ENDs Cigarette Smoke Thailand (ECST). Also, member of the Parliament’s committee on Laws and Regulations of E-Cig.
Asa is a former smoker who smoked for over 37 years and had tried almost all quit methods until he found vaping in 2005 and completely switched over 15 years ago (there were some years of dual-use) which made him successfully quit smoking ever since. Asa is an avid advocate for Tobacco Harm Reduction who resides in Thailand, the country that prohibits importation and distribution of vape products. ECST is a consumer group that Asa founded over 10 years ago when vaping became illegal. ECST had sent petition letters to various governmental and related entities asking for the right to choose. The primary goal is to legalize THR as an alternative for those who want to quit smoking.
Sairah Salim-Sartoni
United Kingdom / Pakistan
Sairah Salim-Sartoni BSc MSc CPsychol is a chartered health psychologist and award-winning stop smoking clinician with over 20 years of experience within the smoking cessation, public health and tobacco harm reduction sector. After her time in public health she worked with Juul Labs within scientific engagement assisting the leadership team within their THR work program and behavioural research. She is currently the managing director of Salim-Sartoni Associates (SSA) which provides services in behavioural science, consumer research, scientific/clinical and regulatory engagement, external affairs and healthcare professional training support for smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction.
Jagannath (Jaggi) Sarangapani
India
Jagannath (Jaggi) Sarangapani is an independent tobacco harm reduction advocate from India with more than a decade of lived experience as a consumer of safer nicotine products. After smoking nearly 40 cigarettes a day for 20 years, he quit smoking through vaping and has remained smoke-free for over 10 years. His advocacy focuses on the consumer perspective in tobacco harm reduction and the importance of ensuring that adult smokers have access to safer alternatives.
Professor Dr. Rohan Savio Sequeira
India
Consultant Cardio-Metabolic Physician, Specialist in Non-Invasive Cardiology, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity Management.
Prof. Dr. Rohan Savio Sequeira, a distinguished Consultant Cardio-Metabolic Physician with an extensive career spanning over 25 years. He specializes in Non-Invasive Cardiology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Management, and holds senior consultant positions at prestigious institutions such as Jaslok Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospital, S.L. Raheja Hospital, Holy Family Hospital, and Breach Candy Hospital in India. His wealth of experience extends to cross-country healthcare implementation and the international medical and para-medical domain. With a keen understanding of addressable market needs and a vast network in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, Dr. Sequeira plays a vital role in advancing healthcare solutions.
Professor Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh
Malaysia
Professor Dr. Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh is a public health physician whose work spans medicine, health economics, and public health. Trained as a medical doctor, she obtained her postdoctoral qualification in Health Economics from the United Nations University–International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH). She currently serves as Professor of Public Health (Health Management and Health Economics) at the National University of Malaysia, with extensive expertise in the burden of non-communicable diseases on national health systems. A recognised leader in her field, she has held senior roles including Deputy Dean for International Relations, Dean of Liberal Science Studies, President of the Malaysia Society of Harm Reduction, and advisor to the Ministry of Health on health economics and casemix systems. Professor Sharifa lectures internationally and provides consultancy on health financing, public health, nicotine addiction, and hospital efficiency. She has published widely and contributes to regional and global initiatives, including the Asia Pacific Network on Health System Strengthening and the Global Expert Alliance for Tobacco Harm Reduction.
Ron Christian Sison
Philippines
Prof Ron Sison is a highly accomplished medical technologist, educator, and public health advocate with extensive experience in clinical laboratory science and academia. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor, Clinical Instructor, and Research Advisor at the University of Santo Tomas Manila, Department of Medical Technology, a role he has held since 2007. Prof. Sison earned his Master of Public Health from the University of the Philippines Manila and his Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from University of Santo Tomas Manila. His clinical versatility is backed by international credential certifications from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the American Medical Technologists (AMT), alongside several publications in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Pathology as well as recent hands-on global experience as a Generalist and Blood Bank Medical Technologist at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Missouri, USA (2023–2025). An active leader in health policy and harm reduction advocacy, he also serves as the Convenor of the Harm Reduction Alliance of the Philippines (HARAP) and a Regional Consultant for the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA), specializing in clinical hematology, clinical chemistry, urine & body fluid analysis, epidemiology, and public health research.
Dr Alex Wodak is an Emeritus Consultant at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, and currently serves as the President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. He was instrumental in launching Australia’s first needle syringe program in 1986 and the first medically supervised injecting centre in 1999, both prior to legalisation. He also contributed to founding the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, the Australian Society of HIV Medicine, and the NSW Users and AIDS Association. With over 250 scientific publications, he is recognised for his expertise in HIV prevention, harm reduction, and drug policy reform.
Speakers, session times and programme details are subject to change without notice.
