2026 Lead Fellows
Amnuayporn Apiraksakorn
– Amnuayporn Apiraksakorn
Dr. Amnuayporn Apiraksakorn is a pediatrician, medical educator, and health workforce development leader serving as Deputy Director of the Khon Kaen Medical Education Center at Khon Kaen Hospital and Assistant Director of the Bureau of Medical Doctor and Health Care Professional Production and Development, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand. She contributes to the oversight and advancement of 40 medical education centers nationwide. Her career integrates clinical pediatrics, medical education, competency-based assessment, accreditation, simulation-based education, and workforce development. She holds advanced qualifications in medical education, public health, law, research methodology, and health professions assessment, complemented by international training in simulation education and implementation science.
Dr. Apiraksakorn’s expertise centers on medical education leadership and scholarship. She serves on national committees responsible for medical licensing examination development and medical education research and is a member of the editorial board of a national medical education journal. She is the first Thai recipient of Associate Fellowship of the International Association for Medical Education (AFAMEE) and a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE). Her scholarship focuses on simulation-based education, competency assessment, learner well-being, pediatrics, and nutrition. She has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications, contributed book chapters and educational resources, and presented at international conferences, including AMEE, the Ottawa Conference, and IMSH.
For more than a decade, she has taught, mentored, and supervised medical students, residents, and faculty members while leading faculty development initiatives. Through educational innovation, simulation capacity building, and national leadership, she remains committed to advancing evidence-based medical education and strengthening Thailand’s health workforce.
Ana Barrera Vargas
“I am convinced that education is the first step in the long, winding road towards health equity. The LEAD fellowship will help me strengthen and expand my abilities, in order to develop and implement strategies that will allow broader, more accessible medical education programs in Mexico.”
– Ana Barrera Vargas
Ana Barrera‑Vargas, MD, MSc, is an internist and rheumatologist from Mexico with a career that bridges clinical care, research, and medical education. She completed her medical degree at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the country’s largest public university, and went on to train in Internal Medicine at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), a leading tertiary-care referral center in Mexico City. She subsequently earned a master’s degree in medical sciences, further strengthening her foundation in clinical research and academic medicine.
Since 2014, Dr. Barrera‑Vargas has served on the medical staff at INCMNSZ, an institution recognized not only for its high-complexity patient care but also for its scientific production. As a rheumatology attending physician, she has combined direct patient care with clinical and immunologic research, while playing an active role in resident education and mentorship. Her growing commitment to teaching led her to become a university professor in both immunology and rheumatology, where she has contributed to curriculum development and participated in a wide range of academic activities, including conferences, workshops, and interdisciplinary teaching initiatives.
In 2023, Dr. Barrera‑Vargas was appointed Head of the Medical Education Department at INCMNSZ, becoming the first woman to hold this position. In this role, she oversees educational programs for both undergraduate and postgraduate trainees at one of Mexico’s most important teaching hospitals. Her work has highlighted the urgent need to modernize medical education by incorporating new technologies, active learning strategies, and more inclusive, student-centered approaches. Witnessing firsthand how educational inequities translate into disparities in healthcare delivery, she has become a strong advocate for education as a vehicle for social change. She is firmly committed to using educational innovation to reduce inequality and to help build a more equitable, high-quality healthcare system.
Suhela Kapoor
“I see the Harvard LEAD Fellowship as an opportunity to contribute to a growing global movement of women leaders committed to advancing health and well-being through science, innovation, and service. I hope to offer perspectives from my work spanning neuroscience, digital health, entrepreneurship, and public systems, while actively contributing to a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and shared learning. The most meaningful innovations emerge when diverse voices come together, and I look forward to helping build a community where women not only lead transformative change, but also create pathways for others to lead alongside them.”
– Suhela Kapoor
Dr. Suhela Kapoor is a neuroscientist, digital health strategist, entrepreneur, and public health leader working at the intersection of health systems, emerging technologies, and societal impact. She currently serves as Senior Consultant at the ICMR–National Institute for Research in Digital Health (ICMR–NIRDH), where she supports national initiatives focused on digital health transformation, artificial intelligence, data governance, implementation science, and health innovation.
With a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and a multidisciplinary background spanning biotechnology, clinical research, public health, and technology development, Suhela has spent her career translating scientific advances into practical solutions that improve health outcomes at scale. Her work has ranged from neuroimaging and computational neuroscience research to the design and deployment of digital health platforms, connected medical devices, and AI-enabled decision-support systems across diverse healthcare settings.
An entrepreneur at heart, she founded a health technology startup focused on preventive and patient-centered care, leading the development of interoperable digital health solutions aligned with national health priorities. She has also worked extensively with governments, academic institutions, industry, and international organizations to advance evidence-based innovation, responsible technology adoption, and equitable access to healthcare.
Lela Sulaberidze
“I am honored to join the Harvard LEAD Fellowship and become part of a global community of women leaders dedicated to improving health outcomes. The Fellowship will support my professional growth by strengthening my leadership capabilities, broadening my international perspective, and equipping me with new tools to advance health system reforms, particularly in areas of sustainable health financing, pharmaceutical policy, cancer care, and equitable access to quality healthcare.”
– Lela Sulaberidze
Lela Sulaberidze is the Head of Strategic Development and Analytics at the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia. She leads strategic planning, health system analytics, and international partnerships, working closely with senior leadership to advance health sector reforms.
With over a decade of experience in health policy and systems strengthening, Lela has played a central role in the design and implementation of major national reforms, including pharmaceutical pricing policies, policies aimed at improving access and affordability of medicines under the Universal Health Coverage program, hospital financing, primary health care transformation, etc. Her work has contributed to improving financial protection and equitable access to quality pharmaceuticals for the population.
Prior to her current role, Lela worked with the World Bank on the COVID-19 Emergency Response Project and served as a researcher at Curatio International Foundation, a Georgia-based health policy and systems research institution with extensive experience conducting research and providing technical assistance both nationally and internationally. Her professional interests focus on health financing, pharmaceutical policy, health system strengthening, and evidence-informed policymaking.
Lela holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tbilisi State Medical University and has been recognized through several international programs, including the Emerging Voices for Global Health, Young Forum Gastein and the Asian Development Bank’s Future Health Accelerator.
She is committed to strengthening resilient, equitable health systems and advancing innovative policy solutions that improve population health outcomes.