Why would you like to be on the NCDA Board of Directors?

As an accomplished international development specialist with over a decade of experience working in sustainable development and global health, I would welcome the opportunity to serve another term on the NCDA Board of Directors to continue to widen my experience and make a contribution in the field of NCDs. I am passionate about sustainable development, health and inequality issues and am very keen on advancing the NCD agenda and working to increase funding and attention for NCDs within the development community.

As Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Tobacco Control (GATC), formerly the Framework Convention Alliance for Tobacco Control (FCA), a global network of civil society organisations working towards a world free from the health, social and economic consequences of tobacco and tobacco use, I have extensive experience with multi-stakeholder alliances and partnerships and I am a strong advocate for effective policies that contribute to decreasing the burden of NCDs on people, communities and health systems. My passions and experience are very much aligned with the mission and focus of NCDA, and I would like to use my skills gained over the last two years on the Board and throughout my career to support the work of the alliance by continuing to engage and connect the NCDs and tobacco control communities and contribute to pursuing sustainable development globally.

What makes you a good candidate for the NCDA Board of Directors?

I have previously served one term 2021-2023 on the NCDA Board of Directors and am well placed to ensure continuity on the Board over the next term. As Executive Director of GATC/FCA, I lead our work on key policy issues such as financing for development, the SDGs and NCDs and also manage all of the day-to-day operations of the organisation. The work of GATC/FCA is very much aligned with the mission and focus of NCDA and I believe that she would continue to bring a number of essential skills to both the Board and alliance if re-elected.

I bring over a decade of leadership and management experience in cross-cultural, global teams managing budgets, human resources, governance and communications. I have extensive experience mobilizing resources, monitoring programs and fostering stakeholder relations and have proven capable of managing and strengthening multi-stakeholder networks of 200+ partners worldwide. I have ample experience managing governing bodies and participating in Board activities and am very familiar with the work involved as a Board member given my past and current experience.

I am well-known within the international development and tobacco control community and in addition to serving on NCDA’s Board, I am currently a member of the WHO Civil Society Working Group on NCDs, the Advisory Board and Scientific Committee for the WCToH, the Global Coalition for Circulatory Health and a member of many expert groups and committees. I have a great amount of experience with governance and boards as I serve as Vice-President and Board Member of two non-profit organisations in Canada.

Biography

Leslie Rae Ferat is the Executive Director of GATC, a global civil society alliance working towards a world-free from the consequences of tobacco and tobacco use. She is currently on NCDA’s Board, is a member of the WHO Civil Society Working Group on NCDs and the Advisory Board and Scientific Committee for the WCToH.

Leslie has extensive international experience, mainly working with low and middle income countries to collect and use data to drive sustainable development and meet the SDGs. Before joining GATC/FCA, Leslie worked for several international organisations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data at the United Nations Foundation.

Leslie serves on numerous Boards, holds an MSc in International Development and is fluent in English and French.