About the Foundation 

Pan American Health and Education Foundation Leadership

Martha B. Pelaez Ph.D.

Dr. Martha Pelaez is currently the Director of the Healthy Aging Initiative of the Health Foundation of South Florida. Between her current position and her long-term tenure at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), she served as an international consultant on aging and health as well as the Executive Director of the Latin American Academy of Medicine of Aging (ALMA). Further, Dr. Pelaez is a founding member of ALMA. She received her doctoral degree from Tulane University and her masters degree from Boston University.
 
Dr. Pelaez was the PAHO/WHO Regional Advisor on Aging and Health for more than 10 years. In this position, her work focused on the development of primary health care services in 28 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean adapted to the health needs of older adults: health promotion, preventive medicine and community-based rehabilitation programs. She coordinated with the WHO Global Program on Aging and Health in Geneva and with the United Nations Program on Aging on international projects and in resource mobilization to implement of the International Plan on Aging.

Prior to PAHO/WHO, Dr. Pelaez was the Director of Education and Training in the Center on Aging at Florida International University. Among many accomplishments, she developed the Center on Aging's international program, largely focused on health and aging issues in Latin American and the Caribbean through collaboration with universities in developing curriculum in gerontology and geriatrics.

Dr. Pelaez has written numerous publications on health and aging, including the book The State of Aging and Health in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has served on the boards of various organizations focused on heath and aging, such as the National Council on Aging.

“Membership in the Board of Trustees of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation is an honor and an opportunity to serve and continue to learn. PAHEF is in a unique position to build the capacity for change in Latin America and the Caribbean. PAHEF, working with PAHO and non governmental organizations, is able to bring new technologies for learning and resources needed by public health systems in order to become sustainable and effective in promoting health and longevity for all,” says Dr. Pelaez.

Dr. Pelaez joined the board of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation in 2008.

Dr. Pelaez signed a conflict of interest statement and agrees to abide by PAHEF's conflict of interest policy.