A veterinarian and epidemiologist with a career that has taken a fairly indirect route.
These days it involves a PhD, an independent consulting practice, two terrier dogs, and a small human who has strong opinions about all of it.
curious? scroll to read my story
chapter one
I grew up in Peru with an early, stubborn interest in animals and the outdoors. Thanks to my parents’ passion for travelling and exploring the most remote corners of the Andes, weekends were spent disconnected from everything but the landscape — often in an old Land Rover Defender.
chapter two
I trained as a veterinarian in Peru — in practice, a great deal of farm animals, practical classes and a lot of uncomfortable questions. My DVM thesis examined how human activity, fishing gear in particular, was affecting the health of whales and dolphins in the Canary Islands. Somewhere in that work, “animal health,” “human health,” and “environmental health” stopped looking like separate categories and started looking like the same problem, viewed from different angles. There’s a name for that (One Health), though I’d been practicing it a while before I learned the term.
chapter three
Next came the part fewer people expect from a nature-loving kid: a move to Paris (planned initially for two years — yeah, right) for a Master’s in Public Health, trading the Pacific coast and the Andes as my “backyard” for grey skies and a considerable amount of paperwork. Part of that degree took me to Northern Sweden (IKR) where I learned that statistics and epidemiology are actually pretty cool and useful. I eventually set basecamp in France — it’s been nine years plus a massive mortgage — and found my little corner of nature in the Alps.
chapter four
I spent six years doing the less visible but essential work of collecting and fact-checking disease reports from all over the world, and training national focal points on disease notification. I led a global awareness campaign on African swine fever. I worked alongside other international organisations and met some of the most brilliant and nicest colleagues along the way.
chapter five
Eventually, I felt like collecting and processing the data wasn’t enough to satisfy my very curious brain. I had questions and wanted answers — specifically, what climate change is doing to how animal diseases move and spread. That question became a research project at Heidelberg University. I now spend my days exploring and questioning the same data I once helped collect and verify. I also commute quite a bit, since uni is in the neighbouring country.
chapter six — today
My story is still being written — deliberately unfinished, not particularly tidy. I’m still working towards a PhD, running an independent consulting practice, and co-founding a nonprofit. I create content for an online community of nearly twenty thousand people about careers that rarely move in a straight line (mine included). I also became a mother along the way, which reordered the priorities without derailing the work — yet.
So — what brought you here?
01
Here is how we might work together — scientific communication, One Health, epidemiology, or the space where all three meet.
Read my CV →02
A dedicated projects page is on its way — consulting work, the nonprofit, and what I’m building next.
Coming soon03
All the places on the internet where I show up — that I know of, anyway — in one place.
Links →About
I grew up in Peru, where my parents’ love of exploring the country shaped how I see the world. Weekends were spent disconnected from everything but the landscape, often in an old Land Rover Defender.
Those trips gave me an early fascination with wildlife, ecosystems, and the cultures that live alongside them — a curiosity that eventually led me to study veterinary medicine.
That early interest in the connections between animals, environment, and people has stayed with me ever since. Today, I work as a public health professional and epidemiologist, currently completing a PhD in climate-sensitive infectious diseases at Heidelberg University, building on a career that has taken me through the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), international research collaborations, and programme work across Europe and beyond.
I moved to Paris in 2017 for what I thought would be a two-year master’s degree. Nearly a decade later, I’m still here — now with a French family of my own — continuing to explore the questions that first pulled me toward this field: how human, animal, and environmental health are inseparably connected, and how that understanding can be put into practice.
P.S. — if you want the career version of this story, it’s over on the CV page.
Curriculum Vitae
Veterinarian and One Health specialist with over eight years of experience at the human–animal–environment interface, spanning research, policy support, communication, and international collaboration. I focus on the impacts of human-driven environmental change on disease dynamics and the wider biodiversity–health nexus. I bring strong skills in research, project management, science communication, and training, and have a track record of working effectively across sectors, disciplines, and international partners.
Heidelberg University
Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases Lab. Research topic: impact of climate change on the epidemiology of animal infectious diseases.
French School of Public Health (EHESP)
Environmental Health (Honours). Thesis topic: inclusion of entomological indicators in the dengue Early Warning and Response System in Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Scientific University of the South
Highest Honours. Thesis topic: associating anthropogenic activities and gas embolism in cetaceans.
Scientific University of the South
Honours. Awards: best thesis project proposal, poster, and presentation, 2016.
Secretariat of the Convention for Biological Diversity, UN Environment Programme (SCBD–UNEP)
Provide technical and organisational support to the Biodiversity and Health programme, contributing to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health. Compile, organise and analyse information from Party submissions, peer review processes and literature to inform the biodiversity–health nexus and One Health agenda. Coordinate webinars, side events and meetings, liaising with stakeholders and Quadripartite partners (WHO, FAO, WOAH, UNEP). Draft technical documents, reports and communication and training materials, and support the Secretariat’s engagement with the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Heidelberg Institute for Global Health (HIGH)
PhD research on the impacts of climate change and environmental fluctuations on animal infectious disease dynamics, using open-access datasets such as WAHIS and Copernicus. Provide expertise to the research team on the use and interpretation of WAHIS data and support wider research and training initiatives at the human–animal–environment nexus. Help organise and deliver training activities, including annual summer schools, and contribute to grant writing and the development of new partnerships.
Three O’Clock
Responsible for communication, knowledge translation and stakeholder engagement across EU-funded research projects related to public and environmental health, specifically the IDAlert Project. Drafted policy briefs and evidence-based summaries to inform discussions and facilitate the integration of research findings into decision-making. Translated scientific outputs into multiple accessible formats to promote evidence uptake by policymakers, practitioners, and wider audiences. Coordinated partners, managed communication deliverables, and developed training and public engagement materials. Created and maintained project websites and social media channels.
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
Verified and published global animal disease reports in WAHIS, ensuring data quality, coherence and transparency to support evidence-based decision-making and international standards and guidance. Provided technical support and training to Member Countries on disease notification and reporting procedures. Analysed surveillance data and produced written and visual outputs for stakeholders. Coordinated departmental training activities and contributed to the redevelopment of the WAHIS platform through testing and technical feedback. Member of the WOAH Internal Research Coordination Group.
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
Led the design, implementation, and monitoring of the global WOAH/FAO “ASF kills pigs” awareness campaign. Managed external providers and donor reporting, produced diverse communication materials, and supported press relations on high-profile animal health issues. Contributed to risk-communication training and handled urgent communications on emerging topics (COVID-19).
Institut Pasteur
Developed models using statistical and spatial tools to analyse the spatiotemporal distribution of dengue incidence in Khon Kaen, Thailand, within a 2-year study period, using entomological and meteorological indicators.
Planetary Health Alliance
Supported the conceptualisation of the “Clinicians and Planetary Health” project and engaged various international health organisations. Created a panel exhibit on “Climate Change and Infectious Disease” for the Harvard University Museum of Natural History.
SOS Veterinary Clinic
Provided high quality veterinary care to domestic animals while maintaining a professional relationship with clients.
Instituto Universitario de Sanidad Animal, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Conducted systematic necropsies, and collected and processed tissue samples.
Trainer and moderator
WAHIS contains official data on animal diseases provided by WOAH Members and verified by WOAH staff; wildlife disease data is notified voluntarily through WAHIS-Wild. I organised, conducted, and moderated a virtual training on wildlife disease notification for the region of Asia and the Pacific.
Young Scientists Forum Panelist
This conference brought together climate change and health researchers, funders, and policymakers to reflect on current challenges and priorities, and supported the launch of a strategic research and innovation agenda. I was nominated to join the young scientists panel, among five co-panellists, to discuss our views on the topic of the conference.
Workshop facilitator
Conducted a workshop on interdisciplinary collaboration for the Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases Lab’s annual summer school, and moderated the students’ capstone project activity.
Trainer and moderator
Organised, conducted, and moderated an in-person training on animal disease notification for the region of Asia and the Pacific.
Member of the Future Generations Commission
The Future Generations Commission was created for the 100th anniversary of the IFRC. Together with other young leaders, mostly health professionals and students, I contributed to creating a communication tool to increase youth awareness of the health impacts of climate change.
French School of Public Health
Developed and pitched the project proposal for a WHA simulation event for students, partnered with national and international bodies, and raised €10,000 for the conference. Managed a team of 8, recruited and coordinated 10 keynote speakers, and researched and wrote a guide on Environmental Health for the event.
Young Explorer
The PANGAEA Project was a 4-year circumnavigation of the world founded by explorer Mike Horn. At the project’s closing ceremony at the Monaco Yacht Club, held in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, a press conference gathered the testimonies of the young explorers.
@1healthvet
Science communication platform focused on One Health, sharing experiences, case studies and news related to veterinary public health, environmental health, and climate change. Reached an audience of nearly 18k, including students and practitioners from veterinary medicine and related fields.
International Red Cross Federation
Developed a communication tool to raise awareness of the interlinkages between health and climate change among the general population.
Mike Horn’s Pole2Pole Shark Tagging Project
Environmental awareness project led by explorer Mike Horn and a team of former PANGAEA Young Explorers during Mike’s Pole2Pole expedition. Attended a shark tagging expedition on board PANGAEA and took part in a research and awareness-raising project.
Zeehondencentrum
Provided high-quality veterinary care to common and grey seals at Zeehondencentrum, a seal hospital in the Netherlands, including feeding, medication rounds, triage, check-ups, and releases.
PANGAEA Young Explorers Programme
Environmental awareness project led by explorer Mike Horn. Attended a selection camp in Château d’Oex, Switzerland (Oct 2010) and a press conference in Monte Carlo, Monaco (Dec 2012), and planned and executed the “Peru — Know to Protect” expedition in northern Peru (Jul–Aug 2013), building partnerships with the public and private sectors and mobilising 10k USD for the expedition.
Microsoft Office desktop and online suites
R, STATA
ArcGIS, QGIS
Canva, Adobe (InDesign, Lightroom), WordPress, Mailchimp, CapCut
Links
Legal
Andrea Lavarello Schettini
Contact: hello@andrealavarello.com
This is a personal website. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not represent the views, positions, or policies of any current or former employer, university, or organisation mentioned on this site. Mentioning an organisation or linking to its website is for informational and biographical purposes only, and does not imply that it endorses, reviews, or is affiliated with the content of this site.
This site links to external websites for reference and context. I am not responsible for the content of those sites, which are outside my control and may change after publication.
Text on this site is © Andrea Lavarello. Photographs are © Andrea, Romina, and Alberto Lavarello.
