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Challenging health inequalities and empowering communities to take control of their health.

Dr Vanessa Apea

Co-Founder and Medical Director of Phoenix Health Movment

Dr Vanessa Apea is a consultant physician in Genito-urinary and HIV medicine at Barts Health NHS Trust and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. She is also the deputy academic lead for equality, diversity and inclusion within its School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Vanessa has made reducing inequities in healthcare a central focus of her clinical work and research and has an established track record of exploring barriers to engagement in care in marginalised populations. She has a particular research interest in participatory approaches and the intersection of race, gender and health.

Vanessa is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Fulbright scholar.

Videos featuring Vanessa

News featuring Vanessa

Zero Stigma Day

Zero Stigma Day

Zero Stigma Day is a grassroots awareness campaign that mobilises and unites people, organisations, and entire countries across the world to take action against HIV stigma. The campaign was conceived by our Co-Founder Dr Vanessa Apea, as Medical Director of Naz in...

Black Women’s Health Manifesto Collective

Black Women’s Health Manifesto Collective

On Friday 16th May 2025, the Black Women’s Health Manifesto Collective met in London. Co - chaired by Professor Jenny Douglas and Dr Vanessa Apea, key leaders and strategic drivers of the Collective, the meeting brought together healthcare professionals, activists,...

Positive Health – Episode 1

Positive Health – Episode 1

Susan Cole and Denis Onyango were joined by phenomenal guests: Dr Vanessa Apea from SHARE Research Collaborative (also Phoenix Health Movement Co-Founder!) and Rev. Jide Macaulay CEO of House of Rainbow & Co-Chair of One Voice Network (OVN). We discussed a wide...

Christina Ganotakis

Christina Ganotakis

Christina Ganotakis Christina Ganotakis is Policy and Programmes Manager at Naz, a sexual health charity dedicated to reducing sexual health, HIV, and mental health inequalities within Global Majority communities. Christina works in sexual health, HIV, and health...

Idris K. Mwendwa

Idris K. Mwendwa

Idris K. Mwendwa Idris K. Mwendwa is a Kenyan HIV and human rights advocate and co-founder of the HIV/AIDS Peoples Alliance of Kenya (HAPA Kenya). As Head of Programs, he leads community-led HIV, SRHR, and human rights programming across several counties in Kenya....

Dr Oni Blackstock

Dr Oni Blackstock

Dr Oni Blackstock Dr Oni Blackstock is a primary care and HIV physician, researcher, and public health leader. Who decides? That question anchors her work. Dr. Blackstock founded and leads Health Justice, which partners with health institutions on racial and...

Oluwakemi Agunbiade

Oluwakemi Agunbiade

Oluwakemi Agunbiade Oluwakemi ‘Kemi’ Agunbiade is a Senior Research and Policy Officer at National AIDS Trust. She read Law at the University of Oxford, has spent 4 years working in HIV research and advocacy and 5 years working in policy and parliamentary influencing....

Amanita Calderon-Cifuentes

Amanita Calderon-Cifuentes

Amanita Calderon-Cifuentes Paulie Amanita Calderón-Cifuéntes (she/they) is a Colombian scientist and trans rights advocate with over 20 years of education in molecular biology and more than a decade of experience in HIV advocacy. She conducts participatory research on...

Alberto Pereira Jr.

Alberto Pereira Jr.

Alberto Pereira Jr. Alberto Pereira Jr. is a Brazilian journalist, director, TV presenter, and actor with more than 15 years of experience in television, streaming, and digital media. He creates and directs entertainment formats, including variety shows,...

Dr Melvina Woode Owusu

Dr Melvina Woode Owusu

Photo: Sharron WallaceDr Melvina Woode Owusu Melvina is an Honorary Associate Professor at UCL’s Institute for Global Health, the Founder and Director of Purple Pen Research and Evaluation Consulting, and a Trustee of the Race Equality Foundation. She has worked in...

Juddy Otti

Juddy Otti

Juddy Otti Juddy has more than 15 years of experience in the HIV sector, delivering and leading a wide range of initiatives across Hertfordshire and London. Her expertise spans HIV prevention programmes, including PrEP, as well as providing holistic support to people...

Florence Riako Anam

Florence Riako Anam

Florence Riako Anam Florence Riako Anam is the Co-Executive Director at the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+). She is a global advocacy thought leader in the HIV response and movement. It matters to her that global policy and research decisions translate...