MultiPOD Mentoring, "Mentoring for Students and Young Professionals" is a multi-country program designed to accelerate the professional development and personal growth of students and young professionals (SYPs) of any discipline entering or already working in the fields of Global Health, Human Development, and/or Environmental Protection (what is now called Planetary Health and Welfare). The acronym "POD" stands for Pathways, Opportunities, and Decisions, and the main purpose of the program is to nourish and strengthen the talents and effectiveness of these future leaders, innovators, and practitioners of Planetary Health and Welfare. Mentors provide advice and guidance and share their own professional and life experiences to help SYPs make the best choices for a successful career in the international arena. MultiPOD Mentors and SYPs meet via internet (e.g. Zoom, Google Meets, etc.) for one hour every two to four weeks, for nine months, to review technical issues based on the SYP's interests and needs, and to discuss themes of personal growth and professional development (e.g. how to succeed in a job interview, how to prepare a resumé or a project for funding, how to balance your professional and personal lives, strategic planning, options analysis and decision making, etc.)MultiPOD Mentors and Mentées come from more than 100 countries across the world and our Mentors have at least ten years of field experience in international/global health, human development and/or environmental protection.. Additional details on MultiPOD Mentoring are available on our website:www.multipodmentoring.org

Responsible for Health Project Development and Training, and the establishment of a world-wide network of experts on global health, community health, applied sciences, and socioeconomic development.GHIA is a not-for-profit, action-oriented organization whose purpose is "to assist in the development and strengthening of self-sustaining local and national projects that address successfully the most pressing health and social challenges facing a community."GHIA is not affiliated with any political or financial interest and collaborates with any person, agency, or institution within or outside the public sector, which shares its values and mission..GHIA's mission is "to strive for better health and well-being for all peoples through advocacy, health promotion, technical advice, resource mobilization, and support of sound and progressive policies and programs."

During my time working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Scientist and as staff of PAHO/WHO, I provided scientific, technical, and policy advice to a variety of multilateral and bilateral organizations and academic and research institutions, including the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Fogarty International Center, USAID, Family Health International, World Bank, Inter American Development Bank, Organization of American States (OAS), Center for International and Strategic Studies, Rockefeller Foundation, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Health Organization, and many others.

Responsible for preparation of "Health in the Americas", Editions of 2007 and 2012. These quinquennial official PAHO/WHO publications addressed and analyzed the situation, trends, and determinants of health in the 46 countries and territories of the Western Hemisphere and required the coordination of 500+ coauthors in all countries of the Americas. Also advised programs on Family and Community Health on policy, technical, and management issues, to identify and solve functional and performance problems.

I was invited to lecture at various academic institutions including Harvard University School of Public Health (annually), Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, Emory University, McGill University, and others, mostly on Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV/AIDS, and Epidemiology of Diseases in the Americas.

Started epidemiological surveillance of AIDS cases in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) (1984); helped develop National AIDS Programs in all LAC countries through technical support in the areas of epidemiology, policy and management; operational research; laboratory, blood banks, information and education, preventive methods, and care (1987-1996). Initiated efforts to provide pharmaceutical (antiretroviral) treatment of HIV infection and AIDS at affordable prices (1997-2003)Director's Award for Excellence, Pan American Health Organization, 1999.

Assigned to Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) at CDC. Assisted countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the strengthening and development of their STD Programs per request of national health authorities. Activities included: assessment of epidemiological surveillance systems, situation analysis, training of personnel, laboratory and performance reviews, mentoring on clinical and diagnostic methods; and others.

Taught and mentored medical students on social and health situation analysis, family medicine, and community health in a poor community in the outskirts of Mexico City.