Alana Officer

Alana Officer currently heads the Determinants, Urban Health, Promotion and Behaviors (DUB) Unit within the Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention at the World Health Organization (WHO). Her academic background spans podiatric medicine, applied sciences such as exercise and sports science, public health, and biomedical science. Prior to joining the WHO, Officer held a range of clinical, technical, and managerial positions across Africa, Europe, South Asia, the Middle East and the Western Pacific. She’s worked in health, disability, rehabilitation, and international development.

After eight years leading the WHO’s work on disability and rehabilitation, Officer joined their Ageing and Life Course team to lead the development of the World Report on Ageing and Health in 2015. She subsequently led the establishment of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. From 2019–2025, Officer served as the head of the Demographic Change and Healthy Ageing (DAH) Unit at the WHO. In that role, she coordinated the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing platform and oversaw the organization’s work on age-friendly environments, including the WHO’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities, the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, and the WHO Commission on Social Connection.