MEET THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE
Dr Jinhee Kim
Kelly Andrews
Prof Hoon Han
Melinda Lawton
Dr Keiko Nakamura
Dr Isabel Espinosa
Dr Jinhee Kim is Scientia Academic at the UNSW Cities Institute. She studies the complexities of paradigms relevant to urban policymaking for health outcomes. She applies her research findings in developing real-world transdisciplinary action that engages stakeholders from academic and non-academic backgrounds and across various disciplines and sectors. Prior to joining UNSW, she has worked in all levels of government with a focus on healthy cities and health impact assessment as tools to prioritise health equity in urban policies.
Dr. Jinhee Kim
Scientia Academic at the UNSW Cities Institute
Kelly Andrews
CEO, Healthy Cities Australia
Kelly Andrews is a strategic public health leader with extensive experience in governance, policy, and advocacy.
Skilled in financial and operational oversight, Kelly excels in complex, cross-sector environments, driving systemic change to improve health equity and social outcomes. With over 25 years of experience in health promotion, she has worked across the not-for-profit and government sectors in chronic disease prevention, community development, social and health policy, and advocacy.
Kelly also spent 15 years as a researcher in the university sector, specializing in social marketing and public health research on topics including alcohol and junk food advertising, asthma self-management, organ and blood donation, mental health, and dementia.
Kelly leads high-impact teams and initiatives that influence public policy, secure investment, and enhance community resilience. Adept at facilitating cross-sector collaborations, Kelly brings together government, industry, and community partners to co-design solutions that address the social and commercial determinants of health.
She is currently the CEO of Healthy Cities Australia, a regional not-for-profit charity established in the Illawarra in 1987 as part of the World Health Organization’s Healthy Cities movement. Their mission is to reduce the prevalence of disease and prevent hospitalisations by improving health and wellbeing outcomes in communities that need it most.
Professor Hoon Han is the Director of the UNSW Cities Institute, a Professor of City Planning, and Associate Director of City Futures Research Centre. He joined UNSW in January 2011, following academic appointments at Griffith University (2009–2011) and the University of Queensland (2004–2009), where he also completed his PhD.
Han’s research focuses on Urban AI, smart cities, and automated real estate analytics, employing advanced methods such as machine learning, spatial modelling, and 3D visualisation. His work contributes to the theoretical and practical advancement of smart city planning and policy, with an emphasis on how urban AI tools can be systematically applied to address real-world urban challenges.
Professor Hoon Han
Director of the UNSW Cities Institute
Melinda Lawton
Chair of the Alliance for Healthy Cities Steering Committee
Melinda Lawton is the Chair of the Alliance for Healthy Cities Steering Committee.
Throughout her career, she has established herself as a hands-on leader, committed to building and motivating teams to deliver exceptional results. She is passionate about fostering strong relationships and creating a culture of collaboration and teamwork. Her proven management skills, combined with clear and confident communication, allow her to lead effectively.
With a deep passion for the environment and a solid background in the design and construction sectors, she is well-positioned to critically assess the pros and cons of new developments while ensuring the protection of our precious environment.
As a Councillor of Kiama Council of Australia, she engages with all sectors of the community working together to achieve meaningful outcomes.
Keiko Nakamura MD PhD, is an Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo (Science Tokyo). She also serves as the Head of the Secretariat of the Alliance for Healthy Cities and the former Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Cities and Urban Policy Research.
She is a member of the Urban Health and Wellbeing Scientific Committee of the International Science Council and a member of the Urban Health Working Group of the InterAcademy Partnership. She is also a member of the Science Council of Japan and a Board member of the Japanese Society of Public Health.
Prof Nakamura is a public health scholar with over 25 years of experience with the global Healthy Cities movement. She has researched health and the environment in urban areas with a particular focus on healthy cities, implementation science, and planetary health. She values health promotion, well-being, equity, community engagement, eco-system approach, sustainability, resilience, and planetary health.
She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has been closely working with various institutions and levels of government through research, planning, and implementation.
Dr. Keiko Nakamura
Professor at the Institute of Science Tokyo
Dr. Isabel Espinosa
Regional Technical Officer for Social Determinants of Health and Healthy Settings
Dr. Isabel Espinosa is a Regional Technical Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific, based in Manila. She supports regional efforts to advance Healthy Settings, social determinants of health, and community engagement as core approaches to improving population health and equity across Member States.
With more than 15 years of experience in global health strategy and public policy, Dr. Espinosa advises national and local governments on designing whole-of-society policies and governance structures that turn evidence into action and impact.
Prior to joining the Western Pacific Regional Office, she worked with the Pan American Health Organization, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank, contributing to health systems strengthening, multisectoral governance, and social policy initiatives across Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions.
Dr. Espinosa holds a Doctor of Public Health degree from Harvard University.