Mark Tyndall MD, ScD, FRCPC is a Professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He was formerly the Executive Director of the BC Centre for Disease Control and the Deputy Provincial Health Officer. He received his medical degree from McMaster University, his infectious diseases training at the University of Manitoba, and his doctoral degree in public health from Harvard University. He has over three decades of community-based research and advocacy experience with a focus on global health, drug use, HIV, and harm reduction. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, presented a 2017 TEDMED talk on harm reduction, and is releasing a new book; “Vaping: Behind the Smoke and Fears” at this year’s GFN. His current research and advocacy efforts are focused on innovative programs to reduce drug overdose/poisoning through safe drug supply programs and accelerating the global transition away from combustible cigarettes to vaping and other safer nicotine products.

Mark Oates is the Director of We Vape and the Snus Users Association, which are both consumer groups standing up for the right of individuals to use safer nicotine products. He advocates for evidence-based harm reduction in a range of areas from tobacco to drug policy, a subject he has written on for the Institute of Economic Affairs and the Adam Smith Institute, where he is a Fellow. He also provided consumer evidence in the 2018 ECJ case to overturn the ban of snus across the European Union.

Kasia runs the Global Public Health Foundation, which aims to share research and experience in public health across all relevant sectors. She is also a lecturer at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Kasia's area of experience includes harm reduction, public health and event management.