Team Leadership

Miriam Chickering, RN, BSN, NE-BC
Chief Executive Officer: NextGenU.org and its initiatives

Miriam Chickering builds globally scaled education solutions in healthcare and science education. An executive with over ten years of experience, she and her teams create synergy and opportunity for learners everywhere. Ms. Chickering, a transformative leader, specializes in team building, strategic partnerships, nourishing volunteer networks, and managing costs. Ms. Chickering indulges her curiosity and love of learning by bringing experts together for innovation and collaboration. She enjoys participating in think tanks, recently, on K-12 education, which resulted in STEPS, a project in primary STEM curriculum funded by IDRC and occurring now across four school systems and three countries providing materials to 10,000 primary school students.

Dr. Eduardo Bianco, MD, MSc, BIR
Director: Addiction Training for Health Professionals (ATHP)

Dr. Bianco, a cardiologist and expert on Tobacco Control Policies and Tobacco Cessation Treatment with a Masters in Addiction, directs the ATHP. For over 25 years, he has significantly contributed to the development of Uruguay's and Latin America's tobacco treatment. Dr. Bianco was the Regional Coordinator for the Americas of the Framework Convention Alliance (now, Global Alliance for Tobacco Control), and a PAHO and WHO consultant which underscores his commitment to global addiction training. His regional and global contributions and leadership roles have equipped him to enhance ATHP's mission. Dr. Bianco aims to support developing countries in building capacities for tobacco and alcohol control, expand ATHP's training to address various addictions, and reduce global educational disparities through innovative initiatives.

Dr. E. Anne Peterson, MD, MPH
Director: Public Health U

Dr. Peterson directs Public Health U at NextGenU.org, overseeing public health and education programs. She has held roles such as Assistant Administrator at USAID and State Health Commissioner for Virginia, managing health policy and emergency response. As Vice-Dean at Ponce Health Sciences University and Research Professor at George Washington University, she led accreditation and curriculum development. At World Vision International and Americares, she expanded health programs across 32 countries, focusing on chronic diseases and mental health. Her humanitarian work includes AIDS prevention in Africa and work in conflict zones. At Public Health U, she updated the Ph.D. in Global Health Program and launched a Master of Education for Health Professionals, advancing public health education globally.

Dr. Kirsten Johnson, MD, MPH
Director: Humanitarian U

Dr. Johnson has worked in emergency and disaster medicine, disaster risk reduction, humanitarian response, coordination and health sector capacity building throughout the world. Her research has focused on genocide, child combatants, sexual gender-based violence and conflict-related health, mental health and psychosocial support. She has published works across the emergency management cycle in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings including Humanitarian U’s Assessment of the Impact of eLearning on Humanitarian Aid work (2019), UNFPA’s State of the World Population Report (2015), Global Humanitarian Medicine and Disaster Relief in Auerbach’s Wilderness Medicine (2015) and Médecins Sans Frontiers book on Professionalizing Humanitarian Action (2012).