Welcome Dr. María del Carmen Calle Dávila - October 2025
We are excited to announce our newly elected IAAH Council:
President: María del Carmen Calle Dávila
Immediate Past President: Jonathan Klein
Treasurer-Secretary: Meera Beharry
Vice President Caribbean :Jennifer Stuart Dixon
Vice President East Asia: Dyana Safitri Velies
Vice President, Europe: Melis Pehlivanturk-Kizilkan
Vice President, Latin America: Mauricio Scarpello
Vice President, Middle East & North Africa: Farnaz Sabet
Vice President, North America: Risa Turetsky
Vice President, Oceania: Melissa Kang
Vice President, South Asia: Preeti Galagali
Vice President, Sub Saharan Africa: Adesola Olumide
Dr. María del Carmen Calle Dávila, newly elected president of the International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH), embodies nearly four decades of unwavering commitment and heartfelt leadership in adolescent health across Latin America and the world.
Born in Peru in 1956, Dr. Calle Dávila’s passion for medicine began at the tender age of eight. Her dedication to adolescent health emerged powerfully in her early twenties during medical training, where she witnessed young mothers confronting profound challenges. Reflecting on this pivotal moment, she recalls, “The girl having the baby was my age and had already experienced multiple pregnancies and abortions. That moment etched the importance of adolescent care deeply in my heart.”
Graduating from the prestigious Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Dr. Calle Dávila specialized in pediatrics and pioneered innovative programs in adolescent health and development. Her studies were comprehensive, including a master’s degree in health governance and management and a doctorate in public health. She also has had specialized training from renowned institutions including Harvard University (Refugee trauma program), Universidad Católica de Chile (Adolescent health), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Global health and Diplomacy in Health), KOICA(Drugs), and UPCH (Mental health).
Her career story is one of profound dedication. In the 1980s, she managed adolescent care for youths in a major orphanage, then progressed to establish Peru’s first specialized adolescent health services in the Callao region. Throughout her tenure in leadership roles within Peru’s Ministry of Health, she championed national policies that elevated adolescent health. Her influence spread internationally through her presidency of CODAJIC (Confederation of Adolescents and Youth of Ibero-America, Italy, and the Caribbean).
Dr. Calle Dávila’s relationship with IAAH spans twenty years, including her role as vice president for Latin America and as a valued advisor. Notably, she co-led the successful transition of the 12th IAAH International Congress to a virtual platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, engaging over a thousand professionals plus hundreds of young leaders worldwide—demonstrating resilience and innovation in crisis.
Her impact extends globally through collaborations with the International Pediatric Association and the WHO/IAAH Technical Working Group on Adolescent Health Standards, crucially integrating adolescent health into pediatric practice worldwide.
Previously, she served as Regional Advisor of Adolescent Health for PAHO in Washington D.C., and as Peru’s Vice Minister of Public Health, orchestrating one of the nation’s largest adolescent health congresses with over 2,000 attendees.
She has been honored with prestigious career awards (PAHO, SAHM, SPAJ) including the Hipólito Unanue Medal with the Grand Cross—Peru’s highest public health distinction—and the Extraordinary Merit Distinction from the Peruvian Medical Association (2024).
A prolific speaker and author, her publications include “Global Health and Health Diplomacy: A View from Latin America and the Caribbean” (ALASAG, 2021) and “The Health of Adolescents and Youth in the Region of the Americas: Implementation of the Regional Strategy and Plan of Action on Adolescent and Youth Health (2010-2018)” (PAHO/WHO, 2018).
Currently, Dr. Calle Dávila leads public health policies including adolescent health initiatives across six Andean countries under the Andean Health Organization (ORAS-CONHU), collaborating closely with PAHO, United Nations agencies, and other partners. She also presides over the Adolescent Medicine Chapter of the Peruvian Pediatric Society, represents Peru in the adolescent health committee of the Latin American Association of Pediatrics and is advisor of CODAJIC.
Beyond her professional achievements, Dr. Calle Dávila is a devoted spouse to a nephrologist and mother of three sons. She embraces her role as a proud grandmother and a committed member of Rotary International, where she serves as cadre, global technical adviser, and regional project leader supporting underserved communities.
Her personal passions—studying, reading, knitting, watching k-dramas and painting mandalas—complement her profound joy in working with young people. “Young people always surprise you with things you’re not prepared for,” she says, underscoring her deep belief in their creativity, resilience, and limitless potential.
As president of the IAAH, Dr. Calle Dávila envisions a world where adolescent health is central to global public policy. She stresses the need to address mental health, lifestyle, and social factors crucial for long-term well-being.
“I am committed to collaborating with regional vice presidents and national societies to strengthen their focus on adolescent health,” she states. “Many nations lack dedicated adolescent health societies, and that must change.”
Dr. Calle Dávila also advocates for expanding educational resources—such as webinars—and integrating adolescent health into international medical curricula, especially where it’s underemphasized.
She calls for a united global investment in adolescent health, emphasizing that adolescent well-being is key to the future of society.
“Our world is increasingly complex,” she observes. “Adolescents face unprecedented challenges—digital influence, mental health crises, and climate change—but we don’t seek to control them. We believe in them, honor their rights, and champion diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Under her leadership, the IAAH community anticipates a renewed global commitment to advancing adolescent health, driven by experience and dedication.