Johanna Ralston

Johanna Ralston is CEO of the World Obesity Federation and a fellow of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Prior to joining WOF she spent six years as CEO of the World Heart Federation, as well as Vice Chair of the NCD Alliance, an organization founded by International Diabetes Federation, WHF and UICC to get NCDs on the global agenda. Johanna’s work in global NCDs started in 1999 when she was hired by American Cancer Society to build a global cancer and tobacco control programme which eventually expanded to projects in 30 countries and engagement and influence globally. At the World Heart Federation Johanna worked to elevate CVD and other NCDs on the agenda and her work at World Obesity engages the global community around issues of overweight and obesity, including accelerating research, training, advocacy and action around one of the most pressing public health challenges the world is currently facing. Prior to joining WOF Johanna was an Executive in Residence at Geneva Centre for Security Policy, writing on issues of health and security, and she is programme chair of the Global Health Security course. Johanna also supported Dr. Sania Nishtar in her campaign for Director General of WHO. Johanna serves on numerous advisory boards and expert groups for the World Health Organization, World Economic Forum, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and has published in Lancet, Global Heart, European Heart Journal, and Huffington Post. Johanna studied at Harvard Business School and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. A citizen of Sweden and the United States, she is based in Geneva and London.