Dr. Saskia Popescu is the Chief Executive Officer for the Global Health Security Network (GHSN). Saskia is an infectious disease epidemiologist, infection preventionist, and global health security leader with expertise in outbreak response, biopreparedness, and addressing evolving biological threats. She is a Professor at the University of Maryland in the School of Medicine and holds appointments at RAND and George Mason University, where she teaches courses on global health security and applies analysis to strengthen bioresilience and response across public and private sector infrastructure.

Dr. Andrew Nerlinger is the Executive Director of the Global Health Security Fund, a Geneva-based nonprofit that supports impact investment in global health security innovation.

He is also the Co-founder of PandemicTech, an Austin-based venture philanthropy launched in 2016 that supports health security innovators on the front lines of fighting pandemic infectious disease threats. Andrew is a Venture Partner at Bill Wood Ventures, an Austin-based family office that invests in early stage technology companies, and he previously served as Partner at Vesalius Ventures, a Houston-based telemedicine and digital health venture capital firm. He is a graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine (MD) and the University of Notre Dame (BS).

Samantha is the Chief Operating Officer for the Global Health Security Network (GHSN). In her role, she brings her enthusiasm and innovation to drive the success of GHSN and the conference. With her positive and passionate approach, she ensures that all stakeholders receive the highest level of service. Samantha’s dedication and hard work are evident in her solutions-focused mindset, attention to detail, and creative flair. She excels at creating valuable business opportunities through targeted marketing, networking, communications, and negotiation. As the Chief Operating Officer of GHSN, Smaantha’s strength, determination, and love for challenges make her an invaluable asset to GHS2026.

Dr. Rebecca Katz is a Professor and Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security, and holds joint appointments in Georgetown University Medical Center and the School of Foreign Service. She teaches courses on global health diplomacy, global health security, and emerging infectious diseases in the Science, Technology and International Affairs, Security Studies, and Global Infectious Disease Programs. Prior to coming to Georgetown in 2016, she spent ten years at The George Washington University as faculty in the Milken Institute School of Public Health. Since 2007, much of her work has been on the domestic and global implementation of the International Health Regulations as well as global governance of public health emergencies. She has authored over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts, and five books in addition to numerous op eds, blogs, white papers and book chapters.

From 2004 to 2019, Dr. Katz was a consultant to the Department of State, working on issues related to the Biological Weapons Convention, pandemic influenza and disease surveillance. She returned to the Department of State in January 2021 as a senior advisor on the global COVID-19 response and global health security

In 2019, Dr. Katz co-convened the first international scientific conference on global health security, bringing together over 900 participants from around the world to form a community of practice,

Dr. Katz received her undergraduate degree from Swarthmore College, an M.P.H. from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.