Jeffrey Himmel is the founder of the Harriet Joyce Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes children’s health in Latin America, especially in Ecuador. The Foundation collaborates with medical and research institutions to strengthen health systems, build capacity in science and medicine, develop epidemiological data to inform policy, and support physicians and families. Himmel, a seasoned healthcare entrepreneur, was previously President and CEO of The Himmel Group, where he led the growth and sale of major consumer health brands. In 2025, he was named Strategic Advisor to the International Rare Diseases-Lancet Commission, advising on pathways from global recommendations to national-level execution, especially in Latin America, drawing on his expertise in health financing, public partnerships, and implementation strategy. Himmel has lectured extensively on rare diseases across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Dr. Desmond A. Schatz, a leading pediatric endocrinologist and world leader in type 1 diabetes research and care. He serves as Professor of Pediatrics, Medical Director of the Diabetes Institute and Director of the Clinical Research Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Dr. Schatz’s work has contributed to the advancement of knowledge about the prediction, natural history, genetics, immunopathogenesis, prevention and management of type 1 diabetes, especially in children and adolescents. He has been involved in this area since the mid-1980s and has published hundreds of peer-reviewed scientific articles. He has held leadership roles in the American Diabetes Association, including Chair of Science and Medicine, and directs multiple NIH-funded research initiatives, including TrialNet, TEDDY, and the Human Islet Research Network. His contributions have been recognized with awards such as the Banting Medal and the George Eisenbarth Award for his research in diabetes prevention and treatment.

Dr. Josefa Palacio Riofrío, internist with specialty in Endocrinology and high specialty in Diabetes, graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de México. She develops her clinical practice in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Participates in the ECHO project of online education on Diabetes type 1 in 2020. Part of the research team Valdivia Project on Wolfram Syndrome developed at UEES. I live with type 1 diabetes since I was 14 years old, I have participated more than 20 years ago with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Ecuador in national and international camps for people with type 1 Diabetes and education programs for doctors and patients. My greatest inspiration is to transmit knowledge and accompany people and families living with type 1 Diabetes. I am convinced that education and technology change lives.

Dr. Francisco J. Pasquel, Associate Professor of Medicine and Global Health at Emory University School of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipids. He is a specialist in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, and also serves as Medical Director of Endocrinology at Grady Health System. He completed his training in internal medicine, endocrinology and epidemiology at Emory University, and obtained his medical degree from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. His clinical and research work focuses on diabetes, cardiometabolic diseases, and the use of technologies to improve the management and monitoring of patients with diabetes. Dr. Pasquel also actively participates in translational diabetes research as co-director of research programs at the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center, leading initiatives to improve clinical care and technology use in patients with metabolic diseases.

Dr. Raquel Faradji, graduated in Medicine from the Universidad Anáhuac and specialist in Internal Medicine from Jackson Memorial Hospital at the University of Miami. She subsequently completed her fellowship in Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes at the Joslin Clinic at Harvard University, one of the world-leading institutions in diabetes research and treatment. Her academic and scientific work has focused on the development of innovative therapies for diabetes, including research in genetic engineering for the creation of artificial beta cells. She also holds a subspecialty in intensive diabetes therapy using insulin pumps. Dr. Faradji participated in the TOLERACEL-DT1 project, aimed at developing tolerogenic dendritic cells for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. She has also been the national leader of the international HAT study (Hypoglycemia Assessment Tool), a research initiative focused on evaluating hypoglycemic episodes in insulin-treated patients. She is the founder of the EnDi Clinic, dedicated to the comprehensive management of patients with endocrine diseases and diabetes, and currently serves as Vice President of the Mexican Society of Nutrition and Endocrinology. She was awarded the Alfonso Rivera Prize from the SMNE, recognizing professionals who have made extraordinary contributions in the academic and scientific field before the age of 45, and is author and co-author of numerous scientific publications.

Dr. Fabián Ortiz Herbener, specialist in Nephrology, with an outstanding clinical, academic and scientific career in the management of kidney diseases. He obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Guayaquil and completed his specialization in Nephrology at the Hospital Clínico Universitario of Valencia, Spain. He also holds a Master in Public Health from the Pompeu Fabra University of Barcelona and advanced training in hemodialysis and renal medicine. Throughout his career he has actively participated in research and medical education, including his work as a researcher at the Nephrology Service of the Puigvert Foundation and as a professor in nephrology training programs. Dr. Ortiz has held leadership positions in the scientific and clinical field, including the presidency of the Ecuadorian Society of Nephrology (2015-2017) and his role as vice-president of the Andean Region of the Latin American Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH). He is a member of multiple international scientific societies, including the American Society of Nephrology, the International Society of Nephrology and the European Society of Nephrology.

Dr. Joffre Lara, cardiologist specialized in hemodynamics, with extensive clinical and academic experience in the management of cardiovascular diseases. He currently serves as Head of the Interventional Cardiology Service at the Hospital Universitario of Guayaquil. He is a postgraduate professor in Cardiology at the Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES) and a faculty member in Internal Medicine at the Universidad Estatal de Guayaquil. Throughout his career he has held important scientific leadership positions, including the presidency of the Pan-American College of the Endothelium and the Ecuadorian Society of Atherosclerosis and Endothelium, as well as the vice-presidency of the Ecuadorian Society of Cardiology, Guayas Chapter. Dr. Lara is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (Spanish edition) and is author and co-author of scientific publications in high-impact journals including International Journal of Cardiology, Journal of Hypertension, The Lancet and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Erika Backhoff Alard is a clinical psychologist, certified diabetes educator and contextual behavioral therapist, with over ten years of experience supporting children, adolescents, adults and their families in the process of living with type 1 diabetes. Throughout her career she has developed an interdisciplinary approach that integrates mental health, diabetes education and emotional well-being, promoting psychological tools to improve the quality of life of people living with diabetes. She is the founder of the Yo Consciente platform, through which she promotes education, psychological support and self-care strategies aimed at strengthening emotional well-being and self-management in people living with diabetes and other health conditions.

Ntr. Mercedes Helena López holds a degree in Biological Sciences and a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Universidad San Francisco de Quito. She served as a full-time Nutrition professor for 12 years at Universidad San Francisco de Quito. In 2008, following her daughter’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis, she redirected her professional career toward this field. In 2009 she obtained her Certified Diabetes Educator credential from the Universidad de La Salle in Mexico. She was Director of Education at the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Ecuador until 2021. She currently dedicates herself to training people with type 1 diabetes in nutrition and the use of new technologies for managing their condition. Her primary professional interest is to contribute to improving the quality of life of people living with diabetes in Ecuador.

Dr. Sebastian Manzanares Cortés, Honduran physician with experience in the comprehensive management of type 1 diabetes and the integration of technology in healthcare. He currently coordinates the first Public Intensive Control Clinic for Type 1 Diabetes in Honduras, driving a structured, evidence-based, person-centered care model. His work integrates clinical practice, diabetes education and health advocacy, promoting the standardization of care and the defense of equitable access to treatment and technology for those living with type 1 diabetes.

María Fernanda Rumbea is an attorney with more than 20 years of experience leading teams in public affairs management. She is a legal professional and expert in sustainable development, administrative law, and corporate law, holding a specialization and Master’s degree in Corporate Law. Her career spans extensive leadership roles in legal, administrative, and sustainability-focused initiatives.

She is recognized for her work in environmental management in the city of Guayaquil, where she served as Director of Environment and Preservation of Green Areas at the Municipality of Guayaquil (2021–2023). In this role, she led and implemented sustainable development strategies and programs aimed at protecting fragile ecosystems, including ecological restoration and the reforestation of more than 20,000 native trees of the tropical dry forest.

Her leadership has also extended to the nonprofit sector, where she led Recicla LATAM Foundation in Ecuador, an organization also present in Peru and Colombia focused on environmental sustainability.

She currently serves as Operations Director at Setenta-30 Consulting, where she leads initiatives related to ecosystem conservation and strategic transformation focused on sustainability.

Dr. Pablo Suárez Saona is a physician graduated from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (Quito) and a specialist in Ophthalmology, trained at OftalmoSalud in Lima, Peru, where he also completed a fellowship in Anterior Segment and Refractive Surgery.

He currently serves as Medical Director of the Ecuadorian Foundation for the Blind (Fundación Ecuatoriana Vista para Ciegos) and is the President of the Ecuadorian Society of Ophthalmology. Throughout his career, he has been actively involved in advancing the academic and scientific development of ophthalmology in the region.

In his clinical practice, he is part of the ophthalmology staff at QRA Especialidades and leads Suárez Oftalmología, combining his clinical work with a strong commitment to promoting visual health and expanding access to high-quality ophthalmic care.