Juan Pablo Peña-Rosas coordinates the Evidence and Programme Guidance, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. He joined WHO in 2008 and oversees the development of WHO evidence-informed guidelines for interventions addressing the double burden of malnutrition for neonates, infants, children and women in stable and emergency settings. He is an Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at Emory University Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta, United States since 2011 and Professor (Adjunct) at Cornell University since 2017.

Education

He received his Medical Degree from Universidad Central de Venezuela in his native country and a MSc in Public Health Nutrition from University of Puerto Rico. He holds a PhD in Epidemiology and Human Nutrition from Cornell University, Ithaca, USA. A member of the American Society for Nutrition, Latin American Society of Nutrition, the Society for Implementation Science in Nutrition, the American Evaluation Association, Cochrane, GRADE working group, and the WHO Guidelines Review Committee 2010-2012. In May 2012 he received an award as outstanding graduate alumnus from University of Puerto Rico. His work with the WHO/CDC births defects surveillance toolkit received recognition by the British Medical Association in 2015 and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s Honor Award of Excellence in Surveilance and Health Monitoring in 2016.

Career

Before working with WHO, Peña-Rosas worked several years in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, United States. He was involved in planning, implementing, and reporting of nutrition surveys, and programme monitoring and evaluation for nutrition interventions in Uzbekistan, Morocco, Egypt, Peru, Nicaragua, Georgia and Dominican Republic.

In the private sector, Dr. Peña-Rosas worked at the Kellogg Company, Latin America and the Caribbean Headquarters where he served as Manager of Nutrition Communications and Public Relations, Manager of Nutrition and Scientific Affairs and Manager of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for the regional operations. He was a member of the food norms and standards commission Venezuela in Venezuelan Food Industry Chamber (CAVIDEA). He also worked in the food service and in the hospitality industry.