Karen Villanueva

Karen Alparce-Villanueva is currently President of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) and a Board Member other non-profit organizations, namely the Patients For Patient Safety Observatory of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) as well as the Patient Safety Advisory Board (Asia-Pacific). She also sits as Board Member of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society.

She has over 30 years experience in the private sector specializing in communications & policy work, 20 of which were spent in the healthcare industry. Karen left her corporate job in 2015 to devote her long experience in health advocacy to advancing patient rights. She also served in government as Board Member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) and as consultant for the Health Promotions and Communication Services of the Department of Health (DOH).

Karen was previously External Affairs Director of MSD and was also Corporate Affairs Director of Pfizer Philippines. She also runs a communications consulting firm called Health PRx Communications Inc. and was also past Chairperson of the International Public Relations Association Philippine Chapter (IPRA Philippines).