We are delighted to share the four keynote speakers confirmed for the ISPAH Congress 2026, with more announcements to come.
Ulf Ekelund is a Professor of Sports Medicine and Population Health at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences and Director of a WHO Collaborating Centre on physical activity and population health. He has led major global research initiatives, contributed to WHO physical activity guidelines, and published more than 500 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals.
Jennifer D. Roberts is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and a leading scholar in active living, health equity, and nature engagement. Her work examines how built and natural environments shape physical activity and wellbeing, with a strong focus on equity, truth-telling, and community impact.
Catherine B. Woods is a Professor and Director of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Limerick, Ireland, where she leads research spanning policy, interventions, exercise as medicine, and active mobility. An internationally recognised expert in physical activity policy and implementation, she has secured over €16 million in competitive funding and plays a leading role in major European and WHO-linked initiatives advancing population health.
Deborah Salvo is an Associate Professor who works at the intersection of physical activity and spatial epidemiology, focusing on how physical, social, and policy environments shape health behaviors and equity. She is a leader in advancing research capacity in Latin America and low- and middle-income countries, founder of SLIAFS, co-founder of the Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities, and currently serves as President-Elect of ISPAH (2024–2026).
