Francisco Mendina Callero
Francisco Mendina Callero was born in Uruguay and completed an Honours Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences, with an interdisciplinary minor in Sustainability, at McMaster University. He later earned a Master of Management of Applied Science in Global Health Systems from Western University, where he is currently a PhD candidate in Health Information Science.
Francisco brings experience in community health initiatives, education, community engagement, and qualitative research. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he worked in community-based health programming, including HIV prevention and self-testing initiatives, case management, health promotion, and public health education. He currently works as a research assistant with the Global Health Solidarity project: Moving Beyond Solidarity Rhetoric in Global Health and with Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador.
His doctoral research examines the meanings and practices of solidarity among humanitarian healthcare workers who have operated in prolonged conflict settings. His work centers the perspectives and experiences of those working on the front lines, exploring how solidarity is understood, practiced, and negotiated alongside concerns such as neutrality, safety, and access to populations .