Biography

Senior mental health policy specialist at PAHO/WHO with more than twenty five years of international experience in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, implementing and advising governments on national policies related to mental health systems. She is a strong advocate for the rights of people with mental health issues.

Ms. Kestel obtained her MSc in Psychology from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, in Argentina and her MSc in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. After completing her university studies in Argentina she worked for 10 years in the development and supervision of community-based mental health services in Trieste, Italy. In 2000 she joined WHO in Kosovo, as a mental health officer; then joined WHO Albania as mental health officer, and later as the WHO Representative to Albania. In both countries, she worked closely with the Ministries of Health to help establish comprehensive community-based mental health systems.

In 2007 Mrs Kestel joined PAHO as a Sub-regional Mental Health Advisor for the English Speaking Caribbean Countries, based in Barbados. In 2011 Mrs. Kestel was appointed to the position of the Regional Mental Health Advisor, based in Washington DC, providing technical cooperation in the mental health field to the entire region, with special attention to the Caribbean. In 2015 she was appointed to the position of Unit Chief for Mental Health and Substance Use at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization.