Conference Speakers
Meet the Voices Behind the Conversations
Please note: Sessions and speakers are subject to change as confirmations are finalized. We strongly encourage you to check back regularly for updates and new additions. The final agenda, including session times, will be shared closer to the conference dates.
Adil Esmail, MD
Dr. Adil N. Esmail is anorthopedist in Panorama City, California and is affiliated with Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center. He received his medical degree from Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and has been in practice for more than 20 years.
Adil Shamji, MPP
Dr. Adil Shamji is an emergency physician and public policy advocate who currently serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Don Valley East in Canada, representing the district that includes the Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre in Toronto. Educated at Western University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Oxford, he has worked in Indigenous communities across Canada and served as Medical Director leading the COVID-19 pandemic response in 11 homeless shelters. He is also a Lecturer at the University of Toronto and holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy. In government, Dr. Shamji serves as the Chief Whip of the Ontario Liberal Party and as critic for healthcare, housing, and Indigenous Affairs, focusing on building healthier civil societies at the intersection of medicine, public policy, and politics.
Ali Tejani, MD
Dr. Ali Tejani is the Deputy Editor and co-host of the Radiology: Artificial Intelligence podcast, a podcast exploring the latest developments in AI research and clinical applications shaping the future of radiology. Dr. Tejani also serves on the Editorial Board for the Radiology: Artificial Intelligence and European Radiology journals and is a Consulting Editor for AI for the American Journal of Roentgenology, working at the intersection of emerging technologies and peer-reviewed medical literature. As a dedicated educator, Dr. Tejani currently serves as the co-director of the National Imaging Informatics Course hosted by the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine and Radiological Society of North America, and has presented over 40 national and international invited lectures on AI and imaging informatics with a focus on AI literacy, AI strategy, best practices for AI research, and optimizing human-AI interactions in medicine. In his clinical role, Dr. Tejani is a Neuroradiology Fellow at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Affiliate Researcher at the UCSF Center for Intelligent Imaging, with his research focusing on clinical integration and governance of generative AI and other emerging technology. Dr. Tejani trained in Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center and Imaging Informatics at the University of Pennsylvania.
Anum Ali, PhD
Dr. Anum Ali is a licensed professional counselor, educator, and mental health systems leader with expertise in clinician wellbeing, burnout prevention, and digital mental health. She holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision and brings over a decade of experience across clinical care, supervision, research, and organizational leadership. Dr. Ali serves as Vice President of Clinical at Ginko Labs, where she leads clinical strategy for evidence-informed, AI-enabled mental health tools supporting youth, families, and clinicians. She also consults with large-scale mental health systems to improve clinical quality and clinician experience. Her work focuses on translating research into practical, person-centered tools that support sustainable caregiving and professional resilience.
Aslam Khan Ghalib, MBA
Aslam Ghalib is the Chief Executive Officer of the Ibn Sina Foundation, USA, where he leads initiatives focused on delivering accessible, high-value primary care to underserved communities. With more than 20 years of international healthcare leadership experience, he has held senior roles across South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and North America, including leadership positions at The Aga Khan University Hospital and as Chief Operating Officer of Medya Diagnostic Center in Kurdistan, Iraq. Mr. Ghalib holds an Executive MBA from the United States and a BSc (Honors) in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. His work reflects a sustained commitment to strengthening community-based care models and improving health system performance across diverse settings.
Aziz Jan, MS
Mr. Aziz Ahmad Jan is the Chief Executive Officer of the French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC) in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Chief of Facilities and Administrative Services at Aga Khan University (AKU) in Pakistan. He provides strategic leadership in the planning and implementation of institutional programs while strengthening the partnership among FMIC’s founding institutions—the Government of Afghanistan, the Government of France, La Chaîne de l’Espoir, and the Aga Khan Development Network. At AKU, he oversees design and construction, facilities management, supply chain, transport, and administrative services across Pakistan. With more than 36 years of experience in the health sector, he has held senior leadership roles with Aga Khan Health Services, Pakistan, and served as Chief Operating Officer at Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad, where he led the organization to JCIA and multiple ISO certifications. Mr. Jan holds a Master’s degree in Health Management from the University of Birmingham (UK) and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Punjab University, Lahore.
Bashir Jiwani, PhD, MA
Dr. Bashir Jiwani is Lead Ethicist and Executive Director of Ethics Services at Fraser Health Authority, providing strategic leadership in clinical and organizational ethics across British Columbia’s largest health system. He serves on the Bioethics Council for Canada and is Past President of the Canadian Bioethics Society. With over 25 years of experience, his work sits at the intersection of ethics, health policy, and pluralism, including advising federal and provincial governments on pandemic planning, medical assistance in dying, resource allocation, and equitable access to care. Dr. Jiwani holds a PhD in Public Health Sciences and an MA in Bioethics and is the author of multiple ethics frameworks and scholarly publications.
Faisal Masud, MD
Dr. Faisal Masud is the Mary A. and M. Samuel Daffin, Sr. Centennial Chair in Anesthesia and Critical Care and founding Medical Director of the Center for Critical Care at Houston Methodist, overseeing intensive care units across nine hospitals. He also serves as System Medical Director of Sustainability, leading enterprise-wide efforts to advance environmentally responsible healthcare. Dr. Masud leads the Green ICU Collaborative and convened the world’s first Green ICU Conference, advancing sustainable practices in critical care delivery. He holds academic appointments at Weill Cornell Medicine, UTHealth Houston, Houston Methodist, and Texas A&M. A nationally recognized educator and leader, Dr. Masud has received numerous honors for excellence in teaching, mentorship, infection prevention, and professional service.
Fazila Lalani, MD
Dr. Fazila Lalani is an ABEM Board-Certified Emergency Medicine physician with over a decade of hands-on experience practicing in high-acuity settings, including New York. She currently serves as an attending physician at Northwell Health, where she delivers efficient, patient-centered care in fast-paced emergency environments. Previously, she served as Head of the Emergency Department at Aga Khan Health Services in Dar es Salaam, playing a key role in strengthening emergency care systems and operations.
Farhat Abbas, MD, FRCS, FACS
Dr. Farhat Abbas, T.I., S.I., is the Chief Executive Officer of the Aga Khan University Hospital and Health System, Pakistan, and Special Advisor to the President of Aga Khan University. A distinguished surgeon and academic leader, he has served AKU for over four decades, advancing patient-centered care, medical education, and healthcare delivery across the region. He has held several senior leadership roles at AKU and is a Fellow of multiple international surgical colleges. His contributions to healthcare have been recognized with national honors including the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
Dr. Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, is a physician-technologist, investor, and globally recognized Chief Medical Officer known for bridging clinical care and emerging technologies such as AI. A former CMO at Salesforce and AT&T, she is a leading voice in health tech, helping organizations build trust between technology, physicians, and patients. She is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness. Dr. Nayyar also serves as an advisor and board member for several digital health organizations and remains a practicing rheumatologist and clinical educator.
Gijs Walraven, MD, MPH, PhD, is the Director for Health at the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and General Manager of the Aga Khan Health Service (AKHS) companies across South and Central Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East. Based in Geneva, he joined AKDN in 2003 after 15 years of health care leadership, management, and research in Africa, with a focus on district health systems. Dr. Walraven is an Honorary Professor of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University, a former technical advisor to the World Health Organization, and has co-chaired global expert committees on optimizing health workforce roles. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and frequently advises on health systems strengthening and capacity-building initiatives worldwide.
Gulshan Harjee, MD
Dr. Gulshan Harjee is a physician and community health leader whose work centers on advancing health equity and patient-centered care for underserved populations. After a 35-year career in primary care, she co-founded a comprehensive, multi-award-winning clinic for uninsured communities in Clarkston, Georgia—often referred to as the “Ellis Island of the South”—where she has served pro bono for more than 11 years. Educated in Tanzania, Pakistan, Iran, and the United States, she completed medical school and residency at Emory University. Dr. Harjee’s work integrates clinical care, education, mentorship, and advocacy, addressing the social and cultural determinants of health. She is the recipient of numerous humanitarian and health equity honors, including state and national recognition.
Jin Xiao, DDS, PhD
Dr. Jin Xiao is a tenured Professor and Associate Dean for Oral Health Education at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and Founding Director of Perinatal Oral Health. She leads the Pregnancy and Infant Oral Health Program, delivering integrated oral health services to pregnant women and young children. Dr. Xiao also directs the K12 clinician-scientist training program at the University of Rochester’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute. An international leader in dental research, she serves as President of the IADR e-Oral Health Network, Past President of the IADR Clinical and Translational Science Network, and Vice Chair of the American Dental Association Scientific Council. Her NIH- and NSF-funded translational research focuses on maternal and child oral health, oral microbiome science, and AI-enabled early detection and prevention of oral disease.
Karim Damji, MD, MBA
Dr. Karim Damji is Dean of the Medical College at Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi and served as the inaugural Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from 2022 to 2025. A glaucoma specialist and clinician-scientist, he previously held faculty and leadership roles at the University of Ottawa and the University of Alberta, including Chair of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Dr. Damji completed his medical training at the University of British Columbia, with fellowships at UBC and Duke University, and holds an Executive MBA from Queen’s University. His work focuses on expanding access to glaucoma care in underserved regions, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sub-Saharan Africa, while advancing research in stem cell therapy, virtual eye care models, and innovative surgical techniques. He has authored more than 190 peer-reviewed publications and has received multiple awards for teaching, research, and humanitarian service.
Karima Velji, RN, PhD, CHE, FCAN
Dr. Karima Velji, RN, PhD, CHE, FCAN, is a health-care leader known for advancing patient-centered care and driving innovative, high-performing models that integrate research with practice. She currently serves as Chief of Nursing & Professional Practice and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Province of Ontario.
With extensive leadership experience across academic health centers and at the national level, including roles with Accreditation Canada and the Canadian Nurses Association, Dr. Velji also advises global organizations on healthcare policy, training, and system development.
Khairunnissa Karim, NNP-BC
Khairunnissa Karim, APRN, CPNP-PC/AC, NNP-BC, is an Instructor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, specializing in child and adolescent health. As an advanced practice nurse, she brings expertise across pediatric primary and acute care, as well as neonatal care.
Her work focuses on clinical practice, education, and advancing pediatric health outcomes, combining hands-on patient care with training the next generation of nursing professionals.
Lisa Patel, MD, MESc, FAAP
Dr. Larry Brilliant is a physician and epidemiologist, senior advisor at Skoll Foundation, CEO of Pandefense Advisory, and a CNN Medical Analyst. He co-founded the Seva Foundation, whose programs have given back sight to more than 5 million blind people. Dr. Brilliant was an associate professor of epidemiology and international health planning at the University of Michigan. He was a key member of the successful WHO Smallpox Eradication Programme for SE Asia as well as the WHO Polio Eradication Programme. He was the founding chairman of the National Biosurveillance Advisory Subcommittee, a member of the World Economic Forum’s Agenda Council on Catastrophic Risk, and a “First Responder” for CDC’s bio-terrorism response effort. Dr. Brilliant is the author of “Sometimes Brilliant,” a memoir about working to eradicate smallpox, and a guide to managing vaccination programs entitled “The Management of Smallpox Eradication.”
Mansoor Saleh, MD
Dr Saleh is the Founding Chair in the Department of Hematology and Oncology and the Founding Director of the Cancer Centre at the Aga Khan University Nairobi. He received his medical degree from University of Heidelberg in Germany and conducted his doctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. From there, Dr Saleh completed his clinical and translational research training in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Centre where he was a tenured Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Director of the First-in-Human Early Drug Development Programme. His area of research and clinical focus is targeted therapy of cancer.
Mohammed Ali, MD, MSc, MBA
Dr. Ali is the William H. Foege Distinguished Professor of Global Health at Emory University, a practicing primary care physician, and Vice Chair for Research in Family and Preventive Medicine. He also serves as Co-Director of the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center and holds advanced degrees from the University of Cape Town, the University of Oxford (as a Rhodes Scholar), and Emory University.
Dr. Ali is a leader in diabetes research, with expertise in epidemiology, prevention, and health systems. His work spans multiple countries and focuses on improving care delivery, scaling prevention efforts, and advancing policies to address diabetes globally.
Mandeep Sagoo, MD
Dr. Mandeep Sagoo is a globally recognised consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, specialising in adult and paediatric eye tumours, including retinoblastoma and ocular melanoma. He is professor of ophthalmology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and leads the ocular oncology service at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Trained at Cambridge, Oxford, and Wills Eye Hospital (USA), Professor Sagoo is a Fulbright Scholar and international authority in ocular oncology. He provides expert care in complex retinal and tumour-related eye conditions, combining cutting-edge research with compassionate, patient-centred treatment.
Muhammed Walji, PhD
Dr. Muhammad F. Walji is the D. Bradley McWilliams Professor and inaugural Chair of the Department of Clinical and Health Informatics at the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston. He holds a joint appointment as Professor and Endowed Chair in Dental Informatics at the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry and serves as Director of the Texas Center for Oral Healthcare Quality and Safety. Dr. Walji is Principal Investigator on NIH- and AHRQ-funded studies applying informatics to improve patient safety and quality, including dental diagnostic accuracy, quality measurement, patient-reported outcomes, and antibiotic stewardship. He led the development of the BigMouth Dental Data Repository and is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award and a Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics.
Najma Siddiqi, PhD
Najma Siddiqi is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of York, in a joint appointment with the Department of Health Sciences and Hull York Medical School where she is a member of the Centre for Health and Population Sciences. Her research is focused on physical and mental illness comorbidity. She is leading programmes of research on diabetes and mental illness (Diabetes and Mental Illness Improving Services and Outcomes (DIAMONDS)) and delirium in care homes. She is also leading a research and capacity building programme focused on mental and physical health comorbidity in South Asia (IMPACT). Najma also holds an honorary appointment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Nasiruddin Jamal, MD
Dr. Nasiruddin M. Jamal is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and Emeritus Clinical Professor of Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He has provided long-standing leadership within Jamati institutions, serving as Chair of the Aga Khan Health Board for the USA and as President of the Aga Khan Council for the Northeastern United States. A Fellow of multiple national and international professional societies, Dr. Jamal has also contributed extensively through Time and Knowledge Nazrana (TKN), supporting the development of advanced cardiology services within the Aga Khan Health Services network. His work includes helping establish cardiac catheterization laboratories at Aga Khan Hospitals in Tanzania and Kenya, strengthening cardiovascular care capacity across AKDN institutions.
Naz Bhanji, MD
Dr. Bhanji a Clinical Associate Professor with the Department of Pediatrics and is a graduate of the Pahlvi University in Shiraz, Iran. He subsequently completed post graduate training in Pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital/University of British Columbia, Department of Pediatrics and he is currently a general pediatrician with postgraduate designation from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeon of Canada.
Dr. Bhanji is a Past President of BC Pediatric Society and received the the 2011 UBC Faculty of Medicine Clinical Faculty Award for Career Excellence in Clinical Teaching. He has extensive experience in volunteering abroad and locally.
Nizam Damani, MBBS, MSc
Dr. Nizam Damani is an internationally recognized expert in Infection Prevention and Control whose work has shaped health systems strengthening and global public health policy. He has served as Assistant Medical Director within the UK health services and as a Senior Consultant and Advisor to the World Health Organization, contributing to the development of more than 25 WHO guidelines supporting safe, resilient health systems. He currently advises the Public Health Agency of Northern Ireland and serves as Director of the Institute of Infection Control in Pakistan, with additional advisory roles across Africa and Europe. A prolific scholar and author, Dr. Damani has published extensively on infection prevention, pandemics, and health system resilience. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his global contributions to public health.
Nooruddin Punjwani, MD
Rashid Khalani, MBA
Rashid Khalani is the Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan University Hospital, a role he has held since February 2022. Previously, he served as the hospital’s Chief Finance Officer. A finance and business professional with nearly two decades of experience within the Aga Khan University and the Aga Khan Development Network, he has held leadership roles across Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tanzania, and Kenya. He holds an MBA and has completed the Adaptive Leadership program at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Reef Karim, DO
Dr. Reef Karim is a transformational scientist, humanistic psychiatrist, and educator whose work focuses on the intersection of mental health, human behavior, and communication. Double board-certified and academically trained, he integrates clinical psychiatry, neuroscience, and narrative medicine to help individuals and professionals navigate identity, meaning, and psychological resilience. Dr. Karim has developed educational programs for healthcare professionals and leaders that emphasize effective communication, emotional intelligence, and ethical influence across clinical, academic, and public-facing settings. His work has been widely disseminated through academic, media, and public platforms, contributing to broader conversations on mental wellbeing, storytelling, and the human condition. He has served as a researcher, clinician, and public educator, translating complex psychological concepts into practical frameworks for personal and professional growth.
Saad Omer, MPH, PhD, MBBS
Dr. Saad B. Omer is a globally recognized epidemiologist, public health leader, and vaccine policy expert. He serves as the founding Dean of the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where his work focuses on vaccine hesitancy, maternal immunization, and infectious disease epidemiology. His research has informed vaccination strategies and policy recommendations worldwide, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Omer has published extensively in leading journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, The Lancet, Science, and Nature. He earned his Ph.D. and M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from The Aga Khan University.
Sahirzeeshan Ali, PhD
Sahir Ali is an accomplished technology and healthcare leader, investor, and board advisor with extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence, medical imaging, cancer research, enterprise technology, and cloud computing. He has advised and led some of the world’s largest companies and organizations in implementing and integrating cutting-edge technologies and data science practices.
As a researcher and scientist, Sahir is recognized as a thought leader in the field of precision medicine and AI. Sahir’s graduate research in medical imaging and AI resulted in 30+ publications, patents, and extensive funding.
His venture fund (Modi Ventures) and family office actively invests in the areas of AI and biotechnology.
Dr. Salim S. Virani serves as the Inaugural Vice Provost for Global Research at Aga Khan University (AKU) and leads the University’s multilateral and bilateral international collaborations. After spending 23 years in the United States, he returned to his alma mater to advance global research partnerships across South Asia, Europe, and East Africa in fields including medicine, nursing, education, Muslim civilizations, media, climate change, and environmental sciences. Dr. Virani holds the Nizar E. Noor Mohammed Mewawalla Endowed Professorship in Cardiology at AKU in Pakistan and is also a Professor of Population Health at AKU’s Medical College in Kenya. An internationally recognized leader in cardiovascular disease prevention, he has authored more than 800 peer-reviewed publications with over 180,000 citations. He has been recognized as a global expert in cholesterol by Expertscape and listed among the World’s Top 2% Most-Cited Scientists by Stanford University, ranking among Pakistan’s leading researchers.
Salimah Meghani, PhD, MBE, RN, FAAN
Dr. Salimah Meghani is the Carol E. Ware Endowed Professor in Mental Health Nursing and a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania. She has held multiple national and state leadership appointments, including service on state advisory committees and Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Medicine panels addressing healthcare quality, pain, and serious illness. Her federally funded research—supported by the National Institutes of Health and foundations—has informed national health policy reports and congressional testimony. Dr. Meghani is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has received numerous national and international honors including induction into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for her scholarly contributions.
Salimah R. Walani, PhD, MPH, MSN
Dr. Salimah Walani is the Dean of the Aga Khan University (AKU) School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan, a role she assumed in 2024. An alumna of AKU, she holds an MPH from Harvard University, an MSN from Simmons University, and a PhD from New York University. With over three decades of experience, she is a globally recognized leader in maternal and newborn health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Prior to joining AKU, she held senior leadership roles with organizations including March of Dimes and MiracleFeet, advancing global advocacy and partnerships to improve maternal and newborn outcomes. Her research on congenital anomalies has informed global health policy and earned her recognition among Stanford University’s Top 2% most-cited scientists in 2024.
Shariq Khoja, MD, PhD
Dr. Shariq Khoja is a distinguished scientist, innovator, and planner in Health Systems with over 20 years of experience. Dr. Khoja founded Tech4Life Enterprises, a socially motivated enterprise dedicated to implementing affordable telehealth and point of care solutions around the world. Under his leadership, Tech4Life has developed groundbreaking telemedicine solutions and low-cost devices, including digital stethoscopes, non-invasive health monitors, and AI-based telemedicine platforms, which are used in more than 20 countries. Dr. Khoja’s extensive background includes serving as Technical Advisor on Mobile Health for the United Nations Foundation and Director of eHealth for the Aga Khan Development Network. He has been recognized with multiple awards in Digital Health and has authored more than 100 peer reviewed and policy papers and several book chapters, along with holding 10 patents for innovative technologies. He also serves as Adjunct Faculty at the Aga Khan University, further contributing to the field through education and mentorship. .
Shirin Karsan, MS
Shirin Karsan is a bioethicist, educator, and mediator whose work centers on faith-informed ethical frameworks, ethical pluralism, and healthcare decision-making in culturally diverse contexts. She holds a Master of Bioethics from the University of Pennsylvania and was the sole Fulbright Scholar at Penn, where her research examined reproductive ethics and emerging technologies from an Islamic ethical perspective. Her scholarship has been published in academic journals and edited volumes. Ms. Karsan serves on the Medical Ethics and Health Policy External Advisory Board at the University of Pennsylvania and the Dean’s Executive Advisory Council at Drexel University. Informed by lived experience across multiple countries and decades of community service, her work emphasizes dialogue, moral reasoning, and compassionate leadership at the intersection of faith, medicine, and public life.
Hon. Suleman Lalani, MD
Representative Dr. Suleman Lalani is a physician-legislator serving his second term representing Texas House District 76. A board-certified internist, geriatrician, and hospice and palliative care physician, he brings nearly 30 years of clinical experience to health policy and is currently the only general practitioner in the Texas Legislature. Dr. Lalani has authored and passed significant legislation strengthening healthcare access, mental health, public education, and technology safeguards, including funding for family medicine residency training, creation of a statewide dementia institute, and public health protections related to digital harms and substance use. He serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Land & Resource Management and as a member of the Higher Education Committee, advancing evidence-informed policy grounded in clinical practice.
Sulaiman Shahabuddin, DHA, MBA, MS
Sulaiman Shahabuddin has served as President of the Aga Khan University since 2021, leading a global institution with campuses on three continents, 4,000 students, and a health system serving approximately 2.5 million patients annually. Under his leadership, AKU has expanded academic programmes and research initiatives, opened its new campus in Uganda, and advanced sustainability efforts across the university. Prior to becoming President, he served as Regional CEO of the Aga Khan Health Services in East Africa and spent 15 years at AKU in Karachi. He holds degrees from the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi, Imperial College London/SOAS University, and Central Michigan University. In 2024, he was awarded Pakistan’s Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
Tania Bubela, PhD, JD, FRSC
Tania Bubela, BSc (Hons), PhD, JD, FCAHS, FRSC, is Provost and Vice President Academic at Aga Khan University. Previously, she served as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University (2017–2024) and held faculty appointments at the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and Alberta School of Business. A Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada, she holds a PhD in biology from the University of Sydney and a JD from the University of Alberta. Dr. Bubela clerked for The Honourable Louise Arbour at the Supreme Court of Canada and was called to the Alberta Bar in 2005. Her research focuses on intellectual property and health law, particularly collaborative science networks in genomics and advanced therapeutics. She has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and secured more than $35 million in research funding.
Zahra Hoodbhoy, PhD, MBBS
Dr. Zahra Hoodbhoy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at The Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi. Trained as a physician at AKU, she holds a Master’s degree in Health Education from the University of Cincinnati and a PhD in Population and Public Health. Her research focuses on the application of digital health, point-of-care technologies, and artificial intelligence for risk stratification to improve maternal and child health outcomes in low-resource settings. Dr. Hoodbhoy has led hospital- and community-based projects supported by major global funders, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and was named a Global Goalkeeper Champion for her work in maternal nutrition.
Zeenat S. Khan, PhD, MSN, MHA
Dr. Zeenat Sulaiman is the Regional Chief Executive Officer of Aga Khan Health Services in East Africa, overseeing five hospitals and more than 50 outreach centers. She also serves as AKDN Health System Coordinator for Quality and Patient Safety across East Africa and Asia and leads the Aga Khan University Kampala Campus project. With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Sulaiman brings deep expertise in nursing and hospital administration, quality improvement, and patient safety. She has led major hospital development projects across East Africa and serves as a Joint Commission International surveyor and Governing Council member of the International Hospital Federation. An alumna of the Aga Khan University School of Nursing, she holds advanced degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Minnesota.
