Conference Speakers

Beth Frates, MD is a trained physiatrist and a health and wellness coach, with expertise in Lifestyle Medicine. She has received several teaching accolades from Harvard Extension School and Harvard Medical School, where she is an associate clinical professor. Dr. Frates is one of the first Fellows of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and a pioneer in lifestyle medicine. In 2008, Dr. Frates created the first Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group at Harvard Medical School. In  2014, she developed and taught a college Lifestyle Medicine curriculum at the Harvard Extension School, and it is still one of the most well-received courses offered at the school. In 2017, Dr. Frates was selected to be one of four item writers for the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine’s inaugural exam for certification in this specialty. She was voted president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine in August 2020. Dr. Frates serves as President until November 2024.

Having qualified in Medicine in 1975, Rob gained extensive experience as a Family Doctor in Scotland. His principal interests have been primary and secondary prevention of disease and the discipline of Lifestyle Medicine. As well as leading his NHS team to the highest awards for quality (2003-2013) he founded a charity in 1991 providing weekly activity and support in venues around the county of East Lothian for people living with long term conditions including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, lung disease and frailty. He has recently retired from clinical practice to concentrate on the applications of Lifestyle Medicine into healthcare. In 2016 he co-founded BSLM, a registered charity, to promote the principles of Lifestyle Medicine to healthcare professionals and the public.

Aroga is Canada’s largest lifestyle medicine organization, with a comprehensive team of eighty, including medical specialists, allied healthcare professionals, and administrative professionals, dedicated to providing exceptional in-person and virtual care across the country. As an accomplished internal medicine physician, Dr. Saluja is deeply committed to delivering evidence-based treatment focused on patient empowerment, believing everyone has the potential to create a healthy, joy-filled life of their own.

She is the Assistant Dean for the Institute for Population Health (IPH) and Associate Professor of Clinical Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q). She actively participates in the oversight and implementation of the Institute’s education, research, and community programs. Dr. Cheema co-directs and teaches the pre-medical course, Health and Disease: A Global Perspective, and teaches medical students in the Health Care and Public Health Clerkship, for which she also serves as the Associate Director.

With a distinguished career spanning over two decades, he has also held the position of Adjunct Associate Professor at Mohammad bin Rashid University in Dubai. Prior to his current role, Dr. Abdul Jabbar spent more than 20 years at Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, where he served as Professor of Medicine & Head of Diabetes & Endocrine Section.

She completed her family medicine residency in the Hudson Valley of New York,

where she gained experience in a diverse and dynamic healthcare environment.

Following her residency, she pursued a geriatrics fellowship at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, graduating in 2024.

She also serves as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. Board-certified in

Obesity Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Ghazanfar leads both

of these programs at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, where she is dedicated to advancing holistic healthcare and improving patient outcomes through personalized interventions.

Accumulated experience of 35 years

16 years in international service (WHO)

– 13 years in not-for-profit sector

– 4 years in the public sector

– 2 years in the private sector

▪ Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health (State Minister, 2019-2020)

▪ Set-up and led internationally appreciated national response to global pandemic of Covid-19

▪ Led development of National Package of Essential Health Services for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) ▪ Extended health insurance to transgender and disable people of Pakistan ▪ Currently, Professor of Health System & Population Health, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad

He received cardiology / Interventional Cardiology training at Western General Hospital,

Edinburgh, UK through a fellowship from Royal College of Physicians-Edinburgh.

He has played a key role in establishing a reputable, comprehensive academic cardiac program at Aga Khan University, Karachi, where he served as Professor and head of Section of Cardiology till 2018.

Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad is a social scientist and Meritorious Professor, he specializes in Islamic thought and jurisprudence. He is meritorious Professor of comparative ethics and religion and founder Vice Chancellor of Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Prime Minister of Pakistan appointed him Chairman National Rahmatulil ‘Almin Authority in March 2022.

Dr. Xaher Gul currently work as an independent program design and strategy consultant for SBC and Health System Strengthening, delivering technical assistance to several National and International organizations including Pathfinder International, the Aga Khan Foundation, the Aga Khan University, and others. Prior to this he served as Senior Global Technical Advisor for SBC and Health Markets with Pathfinder International’s globalTechnical ServicesDepartment, providing support to programs across 20+ countries, He also served as the Senior technical lead from Pathfinder for the USAID flagship Frontier Health markets (FHM) Engage project, managing USAID investments in private health sector across 11 countries in South Asia and Africa.

Dr. Shagufta Feroz is Pakistan’s first Physician who is running a Drug-less Family Medicine Clinic for past 17yea s, based on
the principles of Lifestyle Medicine, Integrative Medicine and her independent research •called “Synchronized Lifestyle Modification Program-SLP”

Dr Abbas have worked in the field of Clinical education especially in Angioplasty, Tracheostomy and Temperature management. He was consulting for Johnson & Johnson and Smiths Medical for about 22 years being responsible for trainings and talent development.

Diplomate of American Board of Internal Medicine,

Endocrinology and Metabolism and Lifestyle Medicine

Founder of ’Nurturing Our Health’

Vice President of Pakistan Association of Lifestyle Medicine (PALM)

Faculty Adjunct Riphah Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (RILM)