Ms. Esperanza Esteban Serna | Cross-Cultural Leadership | Best Researcher Award

Esperanza Esteban Serna is a public health researcher with more than fifteen years of experience in global health, EU-funded cooperation, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Market Research and Techniques, a master’s degree in Planning and Design of Health Services, postgraduate training in R&D management, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Medicine focused on SRHR inequalities in Angola. Her professional trajectory spans research, project leadership, and policy translation across Spain, Africa, and Latin America, where she has coordinated major international initiatives such as CHANCE, INFOHEALTHSEX, FUTURO, CRESCER, MyHealth, and BERENICE. She has contributed to peer-reviewed publications on adolescent SRHR, migrant health, and infectious diseases, while also teaching global health, maternal health, and health systems at multiple universities. Her research interests include adolescent SRHR, gender and social norms, youth empowerment, STI prevention, community-based approaches, global health inequalities, and evidence-based health policy. Through her work, she has strengthened youth-focused interventions, informed SRHR policy reforms, and advanced equity-driven global health strategies. Recognized for her leadership in EU-funded research consortia, she continues to contribute to transformative, rights-based, and context-sensitive public health solutions globally.