Ronel Roos is a Physiotherapist and Associate Professor in the Department of Physiotherapy, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa.

She is a cardiopulmonary lecturer and teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students, coordinates the graduate entry physiotherapy program (GEPP) and undergraduate cardiopulmonary program at the University. She was awarded the Faculty of Health Sciences PV Tobias Distinguished Teacher’s Award for the Clinical Sciences.

Her research interest is ‘Rehabilitation and exercise of individuals with cardiopulmonary impairments and physical function limitations as a means of influencing disability’.

Guy Richards is Emeritus Professor of Critical Care and Pulmonology at the University of the Witwatersrand and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

He was awarded his medical degree in 1978, specialised in internal Medicine in 1985 and subsequently qualified as a pulmonologist and intensivist. He was awarded his PhD in Medicine in 1992 from the University of Witwatersrand and elected to the Academy of Science of South Africa in 2020. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the SA Thoracic Society in 2022.

He was awarded the Mandela Medal in Gold by the president for distinguished service related to the passing of Nelson Mandela: 2014 December.

Michael Pienaar is a paediatric intensivist at the University of the Free State and Mangaung Academic Hospital Complex.

He completed his doctorate in Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of the Free State in 2022. His research focuses on implementations for applied machine learning in paediatric critical illness.

Susan Murphy is a Senior Paediatric Intensivist, who has been based at the PICU at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital for the past 11 years.

She enjoys teaching and is the Director of the Paediatric BASIC (Basic Assessment and Support in PICU) course in Johannesburg.  She has a Masters Degree in Bioethics and Health Law and her interests include clinical ethics, high flow humidified oxygen, optimising analgesia in the PICU, and quality improvement interventios.

John Mpe is the current head of the pulmonology division, Department of Internal Medicine, Sefako-Makgatho Health Sciences University.

Previous head of ICU: Dr George Mukhari Academic  Hospital and University of Limpopo.

Trained in respiratory medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Systems, Baltimore, Maryland.

Publications in national and international journals. Supervisor of medical registrars’ college/MMED research projects.  Examiner for the colleges of medicine of South Africa

Charles Feldman is recognised as a world authority on pneumococcal pulmonary infections. He has spent the entire 40 years of his medical career in academic medicine, and has advised several international health organisations that direct policy formulation and mitigate the risk to human health.

Prof Feldman is currently the Distinguished Professor of Pulmonology in the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, where he obtained his MB BCh degree in 1975.

In recognition of his research excellence, Prof Feldman received the Platinum Scientific Achievement Award of the Medical Research Council (MRC) of South Africa in 2018. He was appointed as a member of the Medical Scientific Advisory Committee (MSAC) of the Global Pneumonia Prevention Coalition (GPPC) in 2016.

Kevin Behrens is the Director of the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences.  He holds a Masters in Applied Ethics for Professionals from Wits and a Doctorate in Public Philosophy and Ethics from UJ. He has also been awarded t he PGDip in Health Sciences Education.

He is a member of the Wits Advisory Committee on Ethics and chaired the Mandatory Vaccine Appeals Committee. He is the Deputy-Chair of the Faculty of Health Sciences Professional and Ethics Standards Committee. He previously served on the Research Ethics Committee of the CSIR and is a clinical bioethics consultant to the Lenmed Hospital Group.

Christel Arnold-Day graduated from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. She specialised in Neurosurgery, where she was also awarded a Masters in Medicine from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She then proceeded as the first Neurosurgeon in South Africa to subspecialised in Critical Care Medicine and completed an MPhil in Critical Care also through the University of Cape Town.

She is currently working as a full-time intensivist in the division of Critical Care at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. She has particular interests in traumatic brain injury, advanced invasive neuromonitoring and patients with neurocritical injuries and diseases.

Shabbir Alekar is a specialist physician and intensivist employed since June 2021 as Head of Clinical Unit as well as joint head of the High Care Unit in the Department of Medicine at CH Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Gauteng Province.

He is a qualified instructor in the internationally accredited BASIC as well as the Beyond BASIC Ventilation and Nephrology courses who has also has a special interest in the use of point of care bedside ultrasound in patient management.

Richard von Rahden specialized in Anaesthesiology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and received his subspecialty training in Critical Care at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital ICU. From 2007 to 2019 he was Head Clinical Unit responsible for the Intensive Care Unit in the Department of Anaesthesia at Grey’s Hospital, Pietermaritzburg.

He is currently  an Anaesthesiologist and Intensivist in the Jones, Bhagwan and Partners anesthesiology practice, working in private hospitals in Pietermaritzburg.

Nivisha Parag believes that exceptional leaders motivate through inspiration. As a  medical doctor she grew up in Ladysmith, KwaZulu Natal and has accumulated diverse academic qualifications and experience during her youthful career. These include an undergraduate medical degree (MBChB – 2007) and a postgraduate Master’s degree in Medicine (MMed – 2013)at the University of KwaZulu Natal. She completed her MBA at REGENT BUSINESS SCHOOL in 2013, whilst also training as a Specialist Emergency Medicine Physician in KZN. She obtained her Fellowship in Emergency Medicine in 2014 (FCEM SA) and subspecialty fellowship in adult critical care in 2017 (CertCritCareEM SA).

She currently works as a subspecialist intensivist with Drs Faurie, Skinner and Partners (Intensive Care Specialists) at Busamed Hillcrest Private Hospital in KwaZulu Natal, prior to which she worked and trained in the public healthcare system mostly in the Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Complex (Edendale and Greys Hospitals). She is passionate and dedicated to her clinical work, which she finds exceptionally gratifying and faces each new challenge as a chance to effect positive change. As head of school for healthcare management studies at REGENT, Nivisha’s vision is to bridge the gaps in health and health care delivery through sector-specific managerial and leadership education.

Dean Gopalan is an active academic, clinician, researcher, teacher, and leader in the fields of anaesthesiology and critical care medicine.

He is currently Associate Professor in the discipline of Anaesthesiology & Critical Care; the immediate past President of Critical Care Society of Southern Africa (CCSSA) and the immediate past President of College of Anaesthetists of South Africa. Additionally, he currently fulfils numerous other international, national and provincial leadership and management roles including as member of international Intensive & Critical Care Medicine Committee of WFSA; Chair of Education Committee and board member of CMSA; member of NSOAP steering group; and member of the KZN Registrar Steering Committee. His current research interests are decision making in ICU, and medical education and training in anaesthesiology and critical care. In his spare time, you will likely find him hacking away on the golf course.

Professor Dean Gopalan is a proudly South African UKZN alumnus with a long record of association and service to his institution and country

Mike Gentile has been involved with Respiratory and Critical Care for 30 years. Mr. Gentile is active in research, administration, teaching and clinical practice. He has been awarded fellowships from the American Association for Respiratory Care and American College of Critical Care Medicine. Mike has published many peer-reviewed abstracts, manuscripts and textbook chapters. He is currently an Associate in Research at Duke University School of Medicine and Health System, in Durham NC.

John Davies is a Respiratory Therapist and Clinical Research Coordinator at Duke Medical Centre in Durham, North Carolina, USA. John also serves as a Co-Chair of the Mechanical Ventilation Simulation Committee for the American Association of Chest Physicians. John has also been recognized as a “Distinguished Chest Educator” for the American College of Chest Physicians. He has lectured nationally and internationally over the years.

Louise Giles, MD, is a leader in the field of pediatric pulmonary medicine. She treats children with a wide range of respiratory disorders, including asthma, chronic respiratory failure and non-CF bronchiectasis.

As an active researcher, Dr. Giles studies pulmonary health for those with chronic lung disease. She has investigated the mechanisms that regulate the expression of extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) in the developing lung. She has also studied the use of mechanical ventilation, such as high-frequency oscillatory ventilation when conventional mechanical ventilation fails.

Director, Clinical Trials Operations
Duke Clinical Research Unit and the Research @ Pickett site, Durham NC

Ms. Hamel has over 30 years combined experience in both clinical and academic settings. Her combined patient care and clinical research experiences have afforded her experience in Respiratory Care, Intensive Care, Mechanical Ventilation, ECMO, Good Clinical Practice, Good Laboratory Practice and Good Research Practice. She is the current Director of Clinical Operations for the Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit and the Duke Research @ Pickett site.

Anthony is an intensivist at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. He is an Associate Professor with the University of Queensland Medical School. Anthony is a Former ANZICS President and served on the ANZICS Board and Executive for a decade. He is a senior examiner for the Fellowship of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand. Anthony has authored nine book chapters and 53 peer reviewed publications.

He is a senior instructor for BASIC and an EMST course director. He is also a director of the Current Concepts in Critical Care course and the Trauma Traps course. Anthony serves as a representative for the National Blood Authority Critical Care Group in developing the Australian Patient Blood Management Guidelines. He is a member of the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce Steering Committee.

Anthony is a current serving officer in the Royal Australian Navy, as the Director Navy Health Reserves. He has deployed on active service on multiple occasions, including several tours to Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf, border protection, four tours to Iraq, the 2020 Bushfires and as the Senior Medical Officer for the Operation COVID Assist Joint Task Group 629.3.

Gavin Joynt is currently Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He trained in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is past Chairman of the Board of Intensive Care of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiology, and Board member of the College of Intensive Care Medicine (AUST and NZ). Research interests include antibiotic pharmacokinetics, infections and infection control, medical ethics related to intensive care, and medical education.

He is a founding member of the international BASIC Collaboration, focused on delivering high quality, affordable education to doctors and nurses treating patients with critical illness.

Dr Klonin  has over 40 years experience in clinical settings, across three continents (Europe, Asia, USA) and has taught and lectured nationally and internationally .She set up the UK’s first stand alone Paediatric High Dependency unit and runs a university paediatric programme for Physicians Associates as well as organizing  the first ever VTA and the first full day UK national high dependency conference, uniquely run by both carers and the clinical team.

She has run her departmental CME  teaching programme for over a decade, rejuvenating it from a small group of determined local learners to a regular lecture programme attracting up to 40 delegates per lecture with lecturers from across the UK and the globe.

She has run TB programmes in remote areas and is the hospital lead for paediatric TB.

Dr Rob Wise graduated from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and worked both locally and abroad where he gained experience in a variety of disciplines. He specialised in Anaesthesiology, where he was also awarded a Masters in Medicine. He then subspecialised in Critical Care Medicine and is completing a PhD at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels. He is the current deputy clinical lead for Oxford Critical Care at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals Trust.

Dr Wise is involved with the Southern African Critical Care Society and the World Society of the Abdominal Compartment. He has particular interests in intraabdominal hypertension, patient blood management, intravenous fluids, acute kidney injury, data collection/ systems management, professionalism in the workplace, and innovation in resource-poor areas.