The President of IAOTP, Stephanie Cirami, stated “Choosing Dr. Wichro for this award was an easy decision for our panel to make. She provides leadership within her field and is an International Humanitarian worker. We are excited to see more amazing efforts from Dr. Wichro. We are looking forward to celebrating her accomplishments at the Annual Awards Gala.”
As an accomplished Austrian Medical Doctor with more than a decade of professional experience, Dr. Wichro has certainly proven herself as an extraordinary International Public Health Expert. She is a dynamic, results-driven leader who has demonstrated success by serving those most in need and by using her abilities to strengthen local and international capacity, connection and resilience. She is multilingual in English, German, French, Arabic and Spanish. Dr. Wichro has completed more than 10 years of clinical-medical work in Austria and served over 7 years in Worldwide Humanitarian Crisis Management as well as participated in various medical research programs. In June of 2018, Dr. Wichro became the CEO of Peacebuilding and Partners Sarl, a consulting business in Switzerland.
Dr. Wichro’s areas of expertise include serving in health emergencies such as Ebola, Polio, Measles, Bird Flu, COVID-19 and many more for the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Commission (EC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other countries she has served as an International Public Health Expert include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey, Syria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands and the Pacific Countries. Dr. Wichro also took part in the Influenza Pandemic Planning and Preparedness in Austria.
At Peacebuilding and Partners Sarl, Dr. Wichro and her staff serve their clientele with technical advice and activities related to capacity building, advocacy, review assessment, high level coordination, leadership, rapid response, operational management, complex problem-solving, data analysis, and basic research in areas of global health, humanitarian emergencies and the development of health, security and community engagement.
Before embarking on her professional career path, Dr. Wichro received training and education in Economics, Ethics and International Law in Armed Conflict. She is also a Psycho-Social expert in the EU (European Union) Civil Protection Mechanism and trainer in High-Level EU courses. Dr. Wichro completed her Medical Training at the Medical University of Graz and the University Clinic Graz, Austria. Dr. Wichro received her Master’s in Public International Health from Boston University and her Master of Arts from Karl-Franzens University in Graz, Austria. Upon completion of these degrees, Dr. Wichro has continued her education and personal development through various coursework at Harvard University School of Public Health and most recently earned her Executive Master of International Law from Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Throughout her illustrious career, Dr. Wichro has received many awards, accolades and has been recognized worldwide for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the healthcare industry. Last year she was featured in TIP (Top Industry Professionals) Magazine and this year she will be considered for the prestigious International Healthcare Hero Award. She will be honored at IAOTP’s 2021 Annual Awards Gala, being held at the magnificent Plaza Hotel in New York City for her selection as an Empowered Woman of the Year and also for her selection as Top International Public Health Expert of the Year for 2020.
In addition to her successful career, Dr. Wichro is an active volunteer for Disaster and Humanitarian Relief. She is a devoted Senior Technical Expert for the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, an Acute Psychosocial Expert contributing in the Crisis Response Journal, and has lent her expertise in the 7.5 Earthquake scenario in Romania for the European Commission. Dr. Wichro is also a sought-after speaker on managing health security threats, pandemics and resilience and is a contributor to numerous professional publications.
Looking back, Dr. Wichro attributes her success to her compassion and concern for human health, her interdisciplinarity and cross-sectoral understanding, perseverance and remaining passionate in all her endeavors. When not working she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. For the future, she hopes to continue making a difference in people’s lives through her volunteer work and professional dedications.
For more information on Dr. Wichro please visit:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-wichro/
