Dr. Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo, MD, PhD

she/her/hers

Health Scientist, Researcher, and Lecturer

Intercultural Citizenship and Indigenous Health Unit (UCISI)

Faculty of Public Health and Administration,

Peruvian University Cayetano Heredia

Dr. Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo, MD, PhD, is a Peruvian medical doctor, health scientist, and Indigenous scholar from a Quechua community in Ancash, northern Peru. Her work spans Peru, Bolivia, and internationally, focusing on climate resilience, food systems, and Indigenous health. She is the co-chair of the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON), where she helps advance understanding of the intersection of climate, food, and health, guided by Indigenous perspectives and knowledges. She has served on high-level scientific boards, including as a lead author for UNEP’s Global Environment Outlook (GEO7) and as a commissioner for The Lancet Commission on Sustainable Healthcare. She is also actively engaged with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), contributing to initiatives highlighting Indigenous food systems and knowledges. Dr. Zavaleta-Cortijo’s lived experience as an Indigenous Peruvian woman informs her efforts to bridge global scientific frameworks with Indigenous knowledge. A committed mentor, she supports emerging Indigenous scientists and amplifies their voices in global dialogues to foster sustainable health and food systems solutions.