Pilar Montalvo
An Indigenous woman of the Wanka Peoples of Peru with a master’s degree in social, management, over 21 years working to promote sexual and reproductive health, as well as human rights. Since 2006, she has served as the director of programs, developing research and advocacy on the subjects of sexual and reproductive health and HIV in Indigenous Peoples. Montalvo has also served as technical advisory for the Indigenous people of the triple borders in Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, Leader of the International Secretariat of the Indigenous and Afro-Descendants Peoples and HIV/AIDS, Sexuality and Human Rights (SIPIA) and leader for the Latin American entity of the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS (IIWGHA).
Dr. Sekagya Yahaya Hills
(Dip. Law, BDS, MPH, PhD-student) – UGA
Dr. Sekagya is a PhD student with Mbarara University of Science and Technology. He is the Director of PROMETRA Uganda (NGO) and Founder of Dr. Sekagya Institute of Traditional Medicine. He is a traditional healer by calling since 1987, a dental surgeon by training, a Public Health Specialist, with a Diploma in Law. Sekagya is a Board member of the National Drug Authority (NDA) of Uganda, and a Board Director of the International Indigenous HIV & AIDS Community (IIHAC) based in Canada. His major interest is promoting traditional medicine in its totality.
Dr. Sekagya is a PhD student with Mbarara University of Science and Technology. He is the Director of PROMETRA Uganda (NGO) and Founder of Dr. Sekagya Institute of Traditional Medicine. He is a traditional healer by calling since 1987, a dental surgeon by training, a Public Health Specialist, with a Diploma in Law. Sekagya is a Board member of the National Drug Authority (NDA) of Uganda, and a Board Director of the International Indigenous HIV & AIDS Community (IIHAC) based in Canada. His major interest is promoting traditional medicine in its totality.
Denise Lambert
Denise Lambert shares her life with five children who provide her with motivation and support to continue addressing HIV/AIDS issues. Her goal is to get information about HIV to people who need it and to ensure Indigenous peoples are involved in decisions affecting HIV programs and policy. Denise works with the Kimamow Atoskanow Foundation (KAF) in Alberta. KAF is a rural based organization which provides mobile education and support to Aboriginal people affected by HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and related lifestyle issues since 1990.
Amaranta Gómez Regalado
Amaranta Gómez Regalado identifies as Muxhe, Zapotec of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Amaranta has been a social activist for more than 20 years at the local, regional and international level in areas of health, sexuality, human rights and cultural promotion. They were the first Muxhe/trans Mexican candidate to a federal deputy for the former Mexico Possible Party, recognized by the Federal Electoral Insititute. Amaranta is Regional Secretary for the International Secretariat of the Indigenous and Afro-descendants working Group on HIV/AIDS, Sexuality and Human Rights (SIPIA) and a Leader of the International Indigenous Working Group on HIV & AIDS (IIWGHA) and holds a degree in social anthropology, specializing in gender studies, sexuality and human rights. Amaranta is undergoing studies at the Veracruzana University in Veracruz, Mexico. Ms. Gómez was the former regional secretary of ILGA-LAC, for Latin America and the Caribbean from 2014 to 2016 and the former Co-director of the International Fund for Trans People from 2014-2017. Amaranta was also technical secretary of the First Municipal Council against Discrimination in Xalapa, Veracruz from 2016-2017. They are a current citizen assembly member of the National Council to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination (CONAPRED) and coordinator for Latin America of TGV’s TvT project.
Rawiri Evans
Rawiri Evans NZ Maori Is a person who is passionate about seeing people reaching their potential in all areas of their lives from health and wellbeing to achieve the best results for themselves. Rawiri has worked in the Mental Health and Addiction sector in New Zealand for over 30 years and seen many changes in health delivery and is very aware of the gaps that still exist in our health system and prisons in New Zealand.
Having completed his masters in 2011 he has gone on to work with his people in many areas across the health sector. Rawiri has worked in communities and treatment services so brings a wealth of experience to the room.
He is currently living and working in Australia in addiction treatment with indigenous people which has been a huge experience for him.
He still contributes to international work within HIV /Aids area of work which he is very passionate about it.
