A Message from the President
Thank you for visiting the Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform website. On behalf of the members of GAAPP and its Executive body, I welcome you and invite you to explore this website, become more familiar with our network, and share your ideas and concerns with us.
In 2009, patient groups gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to establish GAAPP as a network linking organizations with a common interest: to support and improve the quality of life of people around the globe who have allergies and asthma. Since then we have grown into a vibrant worldwide organization with more than 160 constituent members from every continent sharing information, best practices, concerns, and hopes.
While based in Vienna, Austria, our Board is representative of diverse regions of the world, both large and small groups, all with a common purpose: empowering patients and raising the collective patient voice so decision-makers in the public and private sectors, in government and industry, will be mindful of patients’ needs, desires, and rights. Since 2024 we also have a branch office in Tennessee, United States of America.
While patient-focused, we work in concert with healthcare professionals, researchers and scientists, industry, and governments to further the care of people with atopic and airway diseases. We acknowledge profound regional differences and work to support the aspirations of all patients regardless of where they live.
Our goal is to help patients and their families throughout their healthcare journey. Equally, we raise issues of concern to patients with national and international decision-makers. We are a forum to share program and policy ideas.
I invite you to explore these pages and our links to various international partners. We value your ideas and expressions of support, including financial support, as we work to increase public awareness of these diseases and improve the lives of those affected by them.
The importance of listening to the patient’s voice is critical, and now it will be heard more than ever as we serve on WHO GARD, GINA, GOLD and publish peer-reviewed articles from the patient’s perspective.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with either questions or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Tonya Winders
President & CEO, Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform
Note on translation: This page translation has been reviewed by a native language speaker in German and Spanish. All other languages have been auto-translated from English.
GAAPP Board of Directors
Tonya A. Winders
President & CEO
Tennessee, United States of America
Migdalia Denis
Vice-President of the Board
Florida, United States of America / Venezuela
Ugochukwu Nwangoro
Secretary
Lagos, Nigeria
Dr. Ashok Gupta
Treasurer
Jaipur, India
Vildana Mujkić
Vice-secretary & Digital Health and Innovation Lead
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dr. Vũ Trần Thiên Quân
Vice-treasurer
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Chief Medical Officer
Karen Rance DNP, CPNP
Chief Medical Officer
United States of America
Advocacy Pillar
Tonya A. Winders
President & CEO
Tennessee, United States of America
Riley Sanders
Head of Government Relations & Public Affairs
Toronto, Canada
Research Pillar
Ruth Tal-Singer, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Pennsylvania, United States of America
Lila Martinez Ucha
Research Coordinator and Project Manager
Málaga, Spain
Paul W Jones
GAAPP Senior Research Physician (Consultant)
London, United Kingdom
Education Pillar
Kristen Willard
VP of Education
Washington DC, United States of America
Stephanie Williams
Speak Up for COPD Lead
Tennessee, United States of America
Bruna Rocha Pedroso
Community Engagement Manager
Navegantes, Brazil
Awareness Pillar and Operations
Víctor Gascón Moreno
Chief Operating Officer
Barcelona, Spain
Sthefanie Petti
Digital Media and Outreach Manager
California, United States of America
Haris Badžić
Event Manager and Media Relations
Eastern European Alliance Admin (EEA)
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yvonne Ugonna Duruoha
Event and Community Coordinator
Abuja, Nigeria
Perpetual Obiageri Nwangoro
Africa and the Middle East Alliance Administrator (AMEA)
Abuja, Nigeria
Gloria Huang
Asia Pacific Alliance Admin (APAC)
Guangzhou, People´s Republic of China
Luciano Fantini
Latin America Admin (SAREAL)
Buenos Aires, Argentina