Muayyad Hussein
Corporate Nursing and Midwifery Director, Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA)
President, SINMAC

Muayyad Mohammad Hussein is a transformative nursing leader with over two decades of experience in healthcare strategy, operations, and workforce development. As the Corporate Nursing and Midwifery Director at Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA)—the UAE’s largest integrated healthcare network—he leads the strategic direction and governance of nursing and midwifery services across more than 14 hospitals and 70 clinics.

He holds dual master’s degrees: a Master’s in Health Economics from Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi, and a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Atlanta. This academic foundation empowers his data-driven, policy-oriented approach to healthcare transformation.

Muayyad has played a critical role in steering SEHA’s nursing workforce through complex healthcare challenges, ensuring operational resilience, clinical excellence, and patient-centered care. His leadership spans facility-level and corporate roles, and he is a key contributor to national healthcare committees and task forces, shaping policy and advancing the nursing profession across the UAE.

A passionate advocate for nursing empowerment, Muayyad is committed to building leadership capacity, fostering innovation, and driving continuous improvement. He is known for his strategic foresight, ability to navigate high-growth environments, and dedication to elevating the role of nurses in health systems.

As President of SINMAC, he continues to champion the advancement of nursing and midwifery, reinforcing their vital role in achieving sustainable, high-quality healthcare outcomes.

Her Excellency Prof. Rowaida AlMaaitah
Former Minister of Higher Education
and Scientific Research and former Senator.

President of the Board of Trustees at Yarmouk University, member of the higher Council of the National Centre for Curriculum Development, Advisor for HRH Princess Muna EL Hussein for Health and Social Development, Professor at the college of Nursing/ Jordan University of Science and Technology.

AlMaaitah has held numerous political and academic key positions including: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, President of the Hashemite University, Senator in the Upper House of the Jordanian Parliament, Minister of State for Government Performance, Minister of Social Development, Director General of King Abdullah University teaching Hospital, Chairperson of Higher Education Council, and Vice President and Secretary General of the National Council for Family Affairs. She has also assumed other positions including vice president, dean of college of Nursing/ JUST, founder and director of the WHO collaboration center of excellence at Jordan University of Science and Technology

AlMaaitah is an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing at the Royal College of Surgeons/Ireland and Recipient of Abdul Hameed Shoman Medical Sciences Award for Young Arab Scientists.

AlMaaitah is currently President of the Board of Trustees at Yarmouk University, member of the higher Council of the National Centre for Curriculum Development, Advisor for HRH Princess Muna EL Hussein for Health and Social Development, Professor at JUST, the vice president of the of the board of the Health Care Accreditation Council, board member of Jordanian Nursing Council, Commissioner at the WHO Global Commission on Social Determinants of Health/Geneva. Member of the Advisory Board for RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, member of the International Advisory Board for Qatar University Health and board member of the Education for Employment-Jordan. Board member of WHO Global Community of Practice and board member of Nursing Now Challenge. Member of the education and health committees at the Jordan Economic Modernisation Vision.

Al Maaitah was the first woman in the region to take over the portfolio of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, to serve as a university president (The Hashemite University), as well as Chairperson of the Executive Council of the Arab Women Organization at the Arab League. She was also the first woman in Jordan to serve as President of the Board of Trustees of a University, Vice-President of a university (JUST), and Director General of King Abdullah University teaching Hospital at JUST.

Al Maaitah completed B.Sc./nursing from University of Jordan, Master and Doctoral Degrees in Public Health from Tulane University/USA, post-doctoral fellowship in Health Administration / Louisiana State University, and completed different Senior Executive Education Programs in leadership and power at Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Al Maaitah is a recipient of the Order of the State Centennial, the Order of the Star of Jordan (Wisam al-Kawkab al-Urdani) of the First Order and the Bahraini Decoration of the Second Order in 2006.

AlMaaitah is a former member of the Regional Technical Advisory Committee of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, board Member of the Global Advisory Board of Anna Lindh Foundation and Chairperson of the National Agenda Technical Committee on Health and Social Security.

AlMaaitah has addressed many forums, conferences and global platforms in higher education. nursing, health, health policy, leadership, and women participation in politics, power, policy making, economic growth and nation building as well as global security.

She has many publications in main scientific nursing and health journal and participated/chaired many delegations at different national, regional and global conferences.

Howard Catton, RN, MA, BS (Econ) (Hons)
CEO, International Council of Nurses

Howard was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in February 2019. He is committed to ensure that ICN effectively represents nursing worldwide, advances the nursing profession, promotes the wellbeing of nurses and advocates for health in all policies. He firmly believes that nurses should be at the heart of health policy decision making and leading healthcare systems and delivery.

Throughout his career Howard has worked and written extensively on issues relating to the Nursing and Healthcare Workforce. He co-chaired the first ever State of the World’s Nursing Report and also co-chaired the second SoWN Report, published in 2025. He has led ICN’s work to respond to and support nurses globally during the pandemic and has been at the forefront of advocating for the protection of and investment in the nursing profession.

Howard joined ICN in April 2016 as the Director, Nursing, Policy and Programmes. His team led the development of ICN policy and position statements. He also co-ordinated ICN Programmes and projects and oversaw the development of scientific programmes for ICN events.

Howard qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1988 and held a variety of nursing posts in England and the United States and worked for the New Zealand Nurses Organisation. He studied Social Policy at Cardiff University (BSc Econ Hons) and Industrial Relations at Warwick University (MA) and then worked as a Personnel and Organisational Change Manager in the National Health Service in the UK. For 10 years Howard was Head of Policy & International Affairs at the Royal College of Nursing in the UK.

Majeda Afeef Al-Ruzzieh, PhD, FPCC, CGNC
Chief Nursing Officer, King Hussein Cancer Center
Certified Global Nurse Consultant
Fellow in Person-Centered Care

Dr. Al-Ruzzieh is an executive leader and Certified Global Nurse Consultant (CGNC) with over 30 years of experience in healthcare. She is a recipient of the prestigious HRH Princess Muna Al-Hussein Award for Nursing Leadership in Jordan (Rafidah Al-Islamiah Medal). A recognized expert in nursing excellence and person-centered care, she successfully led KHCC to become the first hospital in Jordan to achieve and renew Magnet® Designation twice. She is also the first in Jordan to be certified as a Fellow in Person-Centered Care (FPCC).

Her passion is evident in her strategic leadership efforts to promote the well-being and empowerment of both patients and healthcare providers. These efforts include chairing KHCC’s Patient-Centered Care Committee and pioneering the implementation of a recognized shared governance model. Under her leadership,
KHCC became the first hospital in the Middle East to be accredited for shared governance by the Forum for Shared Governance.

Her efforts in advancing nursing excellence are reflected through her contributions as an esteemed member of several national and international academic advisory boards and professional organizations. She is a distinguished speaker and has presented widely at regional and international conferences. Her dedication to education, quality, and person-centered care is also reflected in her diverse publications.