NETWORK RELEASE

6 May 2025, Geneva (Switzerland) – Today, at the NCD Alliance (NCDA) virtual General Assembly, the President-Elect and Board of Directors were elected for the 2025-2027 term. The NCDA General Assembly, held every two years, convenes NCDA’s global network of members as is its highest governing body.

Dr Saunthari Somasundaram was elected as NCDA’s President-Elect. She is the President and Medical Director of the National Cancer Society Malaysia, with over two decades of leadership experience in advancing cancer and NCD control across diverse health systems globally. She has served on the NCDA Board for the last four years.

Eight new Board Members were also elected by NCDA members for the term, including seven general Board Members and, for the first time, a dedicated lived experience Board Member.

During the occasion, Leslie Rae Ferat, previously NCDA’s President-Elect and Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control, officially began her term as NCDA President.

In total, the Board comprises 14 individuals, including the President, the President-Elect, eight elected Board of Directors, and four appointed representatives of NCDA’s Founding Members.

The Board reflects a rich diversity of experiences, sectors, and geographies, ensuring broad representation and continuity in its leadership.

To mark the start of her term as NCDA President, Leslie said:

“I am honoured to step into my role as President of NCDA, at such an important time for the organisation and the NCD response overall with the upcoming fourth UN High-Level meeting on NCDs and the culmination of NCDA’s current long-term strategy just next year. I look forward to working with the Board, the NCDA team and our members around the world to deliver meaningful change for the millions of people at risk and living with NCDs.”

As the outgoing President, Dr Monika Arora said:

“It has been such a privilege and an honour to have served as the NCDA President over the past two years. I am proud of what the organisation has achieved during these uncertain times, demonstrating the critical importance of global solidarity, collaboration and fearless advocacy in the fight against NCDs. I have every confidence NCDA will continue to go from strength to strength under the leadership of Leslie Rae Ferat and the new Board during these next two years.”

The 2025-2027 Board 

• Leslie Rae Ferat, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (President)
• Saunthari Somasundaram, President and Medical Director, National Cancer Society Malaysia and Co-Chairperson, NCD Malaysia, Malaysia (President-Elect)
• Beatriz Champagne, Executive Director, Coalición Latinoamérica Saludable / Healthy Latin America Coalition, Argentina
• Cristiana Fonseca, UICC Board Member and Head of Capacity Building of Portuguese League Against Cancer, Portugal (UICC Founding Member representative)
• Stefan Islandi, Director, Danish NCD Alliance, Denmark
• Ishu Kataria, Senior Public Health Researcher, RTI International, India
• Cassandra Kelly-Cirino, Executive Director, The Union, Switzerland (The Union Founding Member representative)
• Jackie Maalouf, IDF Vice-President and Founder and President of DiaLeb, Lebanon (IDF Founding Member representative)
• Isabel Mestres, CEO, City Cancer Challenge, Spain
• Joseph Mucumbitsi, Chair, Rwanda NCD Alliance and President, East Africa NCD Alliance, Rwanda
• Chikhulupiriro Stanley Ng'ombe, Project Officer, NCD Alliance Malawi, Malawi (Lived Experience Board Member)
• Fausto Pinto, WHF Past President and Professor of Cardiology, Portugal (WHF Founding Member representative)
• Pubudu Amarajith Sumanasekara, Consultant, Sri Lanka Alcohol and Drug Information Centre, Sri Lanka
• Laura Tucker-Longsworth, Member, Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Belize

NCDA thanks Dr Monika Arora and the outgoing Board for their leadership, commitment, and engagement over the last term. We also thank all member organisations that actively participated in the General Assembly.

With the new Board and President in place, NCDA is poised to continue leading a strengthened global NCD response through 2025 and beyond. 

View the 2025-2027 Board of Directors