Hi, I’m
Luca Saraceno
Como,Australia
Summary
Dynamic and results-oriented public health professional with extensive experience leading and managing health programs across diverse and challenging settings. Possessing a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from Cardiff University, leveraged advanced research methodologies to explore complex health issues.
Passionate about global health security issues and health systems transformation, successfully led and managed complex integrated health and nutrition interventions across various regions in Sub-Saharan Africa and the MENA region since 2011.
Successfully built and led large multidisciplinary teams, mobilizing strategic resources in excess of 15 Million USD and forging strategic partnerships to enhance program effectiveness and impact. Spearheaded numerous high-profile emergency health response programs, strengthening health systems and driving innovation in program design and implementation in low-resource settings.
Proficient in multiple languages and equipped with strong cross-cultural communication skills, forged effective collaboration and partnership with diverse stakeholders at local, national, and international levels.
Overview
14
years of professional experience
1
Certification
Work History
IFRC - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Regional Public Health in Emergencies Coordinator
06.2021 - 02.2024
Job overview
- Orchestrated IFRC Emergency Health response programs, supporting 49 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring seamless coordination and resource allocation during crises, including for example COVID-19 waves, Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers outbreaks in Guinea Conakry, DRC Uganda, Tanzania, Cholera in Niger and Nigeria, and post-cyclones health systems disruptions in Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
- Strategically directed public health responses in epidemics, natural disasters, and complex emergencies, optimizing emergency operations for maximum effectiveness in diverse contexts.
- Advised IFRC Clusters and National Societies, aligning health, nutrition, and WASH components in Emergency Appeals and Plans of Actions, resulting in enhanced program outcomes amidst varied emergencies.
- Provided crucial technical support for major emergency health responses, including deploying and supervising surge personnel for rapid and effective deployment during various health emergencies.
- Enhanced organizational readiness by contributing to the development of preparedness plans for anticipatory actions and imminent crises across multiple countries.
- Spearheaded the development of nutrition program capacity in response to food insecurity crises in Sahel, Southern Africa, and Horn of Africa Regions, implementing innovative strategies to address nutritional needs in diverse emergency contexts.
- Integrated health and nutrition components into the Zero Hunger Response Emergency Appeal spanning 14 Countries, ensuring a comprehensive approach to tackling food insecurity and malnutrition amidst varied crises.
- Conceptualized the groundbreaking IFRC / Africa CDC joint program, "Resilient & Empowered African Community Health (REACH)," aimed at addressing health challenges across multiple African countries.
- Strengthened the WHO - IFRC partnership by leading the development of an operational collaboration framework, enhancing coordination in emergency response efforts across diverse emergencies.
- Forged high-value partnerships through regional submission to the Pandemic Fund proposal, bolstering organizational capacity and impact in responding to emergencies.
- Developed organizational capacity and expertise in emergency response and management by conducting training for National Societies on Community Based Surveillance, Public Health in Emergency Coordination, and Operational Research, addressing needs in various crisis settings.
MSB - UNICEF ESARO
Regional Senior Resilience Specialist
02.2021 - 05.2021
Job overview
- Developed the regional resilience program framework as a Secondee from MSB to UNICEF ESARO, enabling multisectoral systems strengthening amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic period.
- Collaborated with Regional Office (RO) Advisors and Country Offices to fully develop an operational framework for building multisectoral resilience in ESAR, employing a system thinking approach.
- Framed the resilience framework around a whole of society model, designing a public health socioecological programming strategy, ensuring a holistic approach to resilience building that considers the interconnectedness of social, environmental, and health factors.
UNICEF
Health and Nutrition Specialist / Head of Health and Nutrition Section
02.2019 - 02.2021
Job overview
- Established and led a team of 9 as Head of the Health Section, significantly enhancing the technical and programmatic aspects of UNICEF's health and nutrition program in Morocco.
- Spearheaded the development of a groundbreaking tripartite partnership between the INDH and the Ministry of Health, resulting in a comprehensive integrated C4D/Health and Nutrition technical assistance project valued at over 3 USD million. This initiative marked the largest program within the health section in several years.
- Strengthened UNICEF Morocco's role as a key player in both national and regional contexts, particularly in the enhancement and reshaping of primary healthcare (PHC) services, especially at the community level.
- Led the revision of the strategic approach to address stunting and micronutrient deficiencies in Morocco, utilizing a multisectoral private sector engagement approach, which resulted in securing additional funding.
- Appointed as COVID-19 Focal Point in February 2020, collaborated with the Ministry of Health to design a response and resilience strategy, ensuring continuity of care at the PHC level.
- Designed and implemented a multisectoral-integrated COVID-19 response program focused on RMNCH service continuity, activation of emergency community and mobile health structures, and IPC at the PHC level, contributing to the mobilization of over 800K USD in 4 months.
- Developed a comprehensive 3R approach (Response, Recovery, and Resilience) to strengthen PHC in the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic period, integrating emergency response interventions with medium-term structural actions.
HelpAge International
Regional Health Program Manager / Technical Team Leader
03.2017 - 02.2019
Job overview
- Directed and coordinated integrated health programs for HelpAge International across diverse contexts, focusing on community-oriented primary healthcare and health equity.
- Managed a 5 member technical team of international Program Managers, ensuring effective coordination and development of system-thinking programs.
- Supervised the integration of preparedness approaches into resilience-building programming, enhancing the organization's capacity to respond to emergencies in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Ethiopia.
- Spearheaded the development of multisectoral and adaptive programs in multiple African countries, including Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, South Sudan, DRC, and South Africa, implementing a successful strategy of program development that secured funding for 3 years in priority countries.
- Increased donor and multilateral interest in the neglected area of aging issues, influencing decision-making processes through targeted advocacy efforts in regional coordination bodies like RIATT-ESA/SADC.
- Developed and implemented the first high-value legacy funds program, securing over 1 USD million to support HelpAge International's mission and expand its impact in addressing the needs of older people globally.
GOAL Global
Global Transitional Health Advisor
01.2016 - 01.2017
Job overview
- Supported multiple GOAL Global Health programs in five "transitional" fragile Countries, addressing post-conflict, post-emergency, or potential crisis development scenarios with a resilience-building-focused system thinking approach in public health:
South Sudan: Emergency RMNCH and PHC programs to address critical health needs in a challenging environment.
Niger: Community health and nutrition initiatives to enhance healthcare access and nutritional outcomes.
Uganda: Health services accountability programs, ensuring transparency and effectiveness in healthcare delivery.
Sierra Leone: Ebola Virus Disease response efforts and post-epidemic RMNCAH services to rebuild health systems.
Honduras: Health and Disaster Risk Reduction programs, resilience and disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities.
Partially Kenya: Mental health programs - Provided backstopping technical capacity on Health Systems Strengthening, epidemiology, translational research, and health-integrated models during emergency deployment missions.
- Integrated system thinking health resilience mechanisms developed using the GOAL ARC-D toolkit principles, enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of health interventions in fragile contexts.
INTERSOS
Global Health and Nutrition Advisor
11.2013 - 01.2016
Job overview
- Pioneered health and nutrition advisory services as the first-ever Health and Nutrition Advisor for INTERSOS, delivering critical support to country programs in emergency and fragile contexts across multiple countries.
- Translated initial assessments into actionable programs during severe humanitarian crises, ensuring timely response to health needs and establishing solid partnerships with stakeholders and coordination mechanisms.
- Provided technical leadership in defining health priorities and supervised multisectoral program development, ensuring integration of WASH, Food Security, and community social protection models for comprehensive health interventions.
- Established health and nutrition programs in:
Mauritania: Community Nutrition initiatives to address nutritional challenges.
Central Africa Republic: RMNCH services at regional hospital, PHC, and community levels, including inpatient/outpatient nutrition services and emergency mobile units for IDPs.
Kenya: HIV/AIDS programs.
Yemen: RMNCH services and emergency trauma care at PHC level, establishing an emergency ambulance network.
South Sudan: Community health and nutrition programs to address health needs in vulnerable populations. - Rapidly established INTERSOS as a key health partner in each country, fostering multisectoral health responses and resilience-oriented models to address humanitarian crises effectively.
- Supervised INTERSOS Health Coordinators in each Country and led the development of a diverse portfolio of health and nutrition programs in Africa and the Middle East, positioning INTERSOS as a key player in emergency response and resilience building through integrated health systems strengthening.
INTERSOS
Health and Nutrition Coordinator
08.2011 - 01.2016
Job overview
- Successfully designed and managed over 20 integrated health and nutrition interventions in Somalia, starting from a single project with a limited budget, and expanded services to cover hospital inpatients and outpatients, primary health centers (PHCs), community health initiatives (with a focus on RMNCAH), emergency medical services, and nutrition services, benefiting over 250,000 individuals, particularly women and children, in South-Central Somalia.
- Built and led a team of 12 directly, including international staff, ensuring effective management and coordination of project activities in a complex security and operational environment.
- Developed regional health system strengthening response models, integrating WASH, Food Security, and community social protection components to enhance resilience and responsiveness to acute emergencies such as conflict, drought, famine, floods, and epidemics.
- Implemented a remote management/Health Management Information System (HMIS) that facilitated real-time programmatic monitoring and swift response to disasters, ensuring efficient coordination and management of health and nutrition programs.
- Managed a health and nutrition program with a budget exceeding USD 6 million and a wide donor portfolio, overseeing program implementation, fundraising, and donor reporting responsibilities, thereby ensuring financial sustainability and accountability.
World Health Organization, WHO
Intern
02.2010 - 06.2010
Job overview
- Developed a comprehensive research protocol utilizing case crossover design and randomized controlled trial (RCT) methodologies for an international multi-site WHO mental health study focusing on alcohol and suicide, contributing to advancements in understanding and addressing these critical public health issues.
- Provided support to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse of the World Health Organization, contributing expertise and assistance to various programs aimed at improving mental health outcomes globally.
Education
Cardiff University , Cardiff, United Kingdom
Ph.D. from Epidemiology
10.2011
University Overview
- Dissertation: Temporal association between childhood depressive symptoms and alcohol problem use in early adolescence: findings from a large longitudinal population-based study.
Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan, Italy
Master of Science from Molecular Medicine (Neuroscience Specialty)
10.2006
University Overview
- Thesis Statement: Effects of the transplant of adult neural stem cells in a model of motoneuron degeneration.
- Score: 108/110
- Studied: neuroanatomy, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, biostatistics, neural networks, A.I.
Università Degli Studi Di Milano , Milan, Italy
Bachelor of Science from Medical Biotechnology
07.2004
University Overview
- Thesis Statement: Molecular analysis of SPG4 gene in a family affected by hereditary spastic paraparesis.
- Score: 107/110
- Studied: molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, anatomy, physiology and pathology, pharmacology.
Skills
- - Emergency Response Coordination
- - Program Management and Resource Mobilization
- - Strategic Planning and Advisory
- - Team Leadership and Team Management
- - Partnership Development and Management
- - Capacity Building and Training
- - Health Systems Strengthening
- - Cross-cultural Communication
- - Advanced Research and Analytical Expertise
- - Statistical Analysis and Data Visualization
Certification
- Health Systems Transformation (School of System Change), 11/2023
- Community Based Surveillance (Norwegian Red Cross), 02/2023
- Epidemic Preparedness and Response in Communities Training (IFRC), 05/2022
- Technical, security and leadership training packages of the IFRC (IFRC), 06/2021
- Business for Results (B4R) Training (UNICEF Morocco), 11/2020
- IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) Training of Trainers (UNICEF, MENARO), 05/2020
- Leadership Development Program (The Management Center, UK), 08/2017
- HEIST (Hostile Environment Individual Safety Training) (NSP Somalia), 10/2011
- Open-source GIS, GPS, and Google Earth Training (FAO Somalia, Kenya), 11/2015
- Public Health Research Advocacy (Cardiff University, UK), 10/2010
- Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling (University of Sheffield, UK), 11/2009
- Advanced Epidemiological and Statistical methods (University of Bristol, UK), 07/2009
- Advanced STATA (University of Bristol, UK), 05/2009
- Introduction to Health Economics (University of Bristol, UK), 03/2009
Languages
Italian
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual
French
Full Professional
Spanish
Professional Working
Portuguese
Limited Working
Awards
- Won a full three-year PhD scholarship offered by Cardiff University, UK.
- Granted additional funding (GBP 3000) by Cardiff University, UK for covering internship costs at WHO.
Affiliations
- Member of the RIATT-ESA Steering Committee, South Africa (2018).
- Member of the Technical Review Group at FSNAU/FAO/Somali Nutrition Cluster (2013-2015).
- Member of the Technical Assistance Committee of the Somali Health Cluster (2012-2014).
- Honorary Research Associate, Department of Social Medicine, Bristol University, UK (2009-2011).
Publications
- Gender differences in the relation between childhood depressive symptoms and problem alcohol use in early adolescence: findings from a large longitudinal population-based study. Saraceno, L., et al. (2012) Addiction, Mar;107(3):567-77.
- Genetic and non-genetic influences on the development of co-occurring alcohol problem use and internalizing symptomatology in adolescence: a review. Saraceno, L., et al. (2009), Addiction, Jul;104(7):1100-21
- Symposium: The Development of Alcohol Problem Use in Young People: Relations with Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviour, Social and Biological factors. Van den Bree M.B.M., Shelton, K., Jones, R., Saraceno, L. Presented during the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services Annual Conference; 24-26 June 2009, Edinburgh, UK.
- Human cord blood cells reduce symptoms progression and neuromuscular decay in a murine model of motoneuron disease, the wobbler mouse. Bigini, P., Rigon, C., Barbera, S., Saraceno, L., et al.. Presented at EuroStemCell International Conference; 8-10 September 2006, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Timeline
Regional Public Health in Emergencies Coordinator
IFRC - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
06.2021 - 02.2024
Regional Senior Resilience Specialist
MSB - UNICEF ESARO
02.2021 - 05.2021
Health and Nutrition Specialist / Head of Health and Nutrition Section
UNICEF
02.2019 - 02.2021
Regional Health Program Manager / Technical Team Leader
HelpAge International
03.2017 - 02.2019
Global Transitional Health Advisor
GOAL Global
01.2016 - 01.2017
Global Health and Nutrition Advisor
INTERSOS
11.2013 - 01.2016
Health and Nutrition Coordinator
INTERSOS
08.2011 - 01.2016
Intern
World Health Organization, WHO
02.2010 - 06.2010
Cardiff University
Ph.D. from Epidemiology
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Master of Science from Molecular Medicine (Neuroscience Specialty)
Università Degli Studi Di Milano
Bachelor of Science from Medical Biotechnology
- Health Systems Transformation (School of System Change), 11/2023
- Community Based Surveillance (Norwegian Red Cross), 02/2023
- Epidemic Preparedness and Response in Communities Training (IFRC), 05/2022
- Technical, security and leadership training packages of the IFRC (IFRC), 06/2021
- Business for Results (B4R) Training (UNICEF Morocco), 11/2020
- IPC (Infection Prevention and Control) Training of Trainers (UNICEF, MENARO), 05/2020
- Leadership Development Program (The Management Center, UK), 08/2017
- HEIST (Hostile Environment Individual Safety Training) (NSP Somalia), 10/2011
- Open-source GIS, GPS, and Google Earth Training (FAO Somalia, Kenya), 11/2015
- Public Health Research Advocacy (Cardiff University, UK), 10/2010
- Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling (University of Sheffield, UK), 11/2009
- Advanced Epidemiological and Statistical methods (University of Bristol, UK), 07/2009
- Advanced STATA (University of Bristol, UK), 05/2009
- Introduction to Health Economics (University of Bristol, UK), 03/2009
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