Keynote speakers

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Michel Landry

Keynote address 1: Technology in physiotherapy and rehabilitation

Mike Landry has more than 30 years of experience as a physiotherapist. He is the founder of an EdTech startup company, and is a professor at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Bergen, Norway) where he teaches in healthy aging and rehabilitation. His research focuses on global health, health policy, workforce and artificial intelligence. Prior to this, he was the chair of the department of physical therapy and associate dean for global health at Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States, and also spent a decade as division chief of the doctor of physical therapy division at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina in the United States.


He has been a rehabilitation leader in global humanitarian aid organisations for several decades. He began as a project manager with the International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR) at Queen's University, where he participated in implementing the war victims rehabilitation project. He has collaborated and led humanitarian initiatives in settings including the Balkans, South Asia, the Caribbean. Following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, he worked as a policy consultant to the World Health Organization (WHO) field office in Kathmandu and the WHO headquarters in Geneva.


Mike has served as president of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and as a mentor for World Physiotherapy's SUDA project in West Africa, a multi-year USAID funded initiative to strengthen physiotherapy associations and education programmes in Mali, Niger, and Senegal.


He was elected as World Physiotherapy president in 2023.

David K. Tumusiime

Keynote address 2: Digital rehabilitation in Rwanda: expanding access through innovation, integration, and partnership

David K. Tumusiime is a Professor of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences and Deputy Director of the East Africa Regional Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering, eHealth, Rehabilitation and Mobility Sciences, hosted by the University of Rwanda. He has experience in Higher Education training and leading, conducting and publishing of Health research for more than 23 years, research ethics reviews, regulations and monitoring of Clinical research, for more than 12 years. He has led and contributed to more than 20 donor and AfDB, funded projects. He has also authored and co-authored more than 45 peer reviewed scientific paper publications.


Professionally, David obtained PhD in Medical Rehabilitation Sciences (Physiotherapy) from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa. David’s PhD studies included a randomized controlled trial with physical exercise intervention for treatment and rehabilitation of people with peripheral neuropathy and functional limitations of lower extremities, associated to HIV and Antiretroviral therapy.

Also trained in Public Health, specifically in Evidence Based Public Health/Evidence Based HealthCare, and Global health.


David’s interests are directed to conducting innovative research for evidence-based practice, dissemination and engagement of various stakeholders including policy makers for effective implementation. He has worked in the areas of medical rehabilitation sciences, Digital health, prevention and management of both Communicable and Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs), and Health Research reviews and publications. He is currently applying digital technology interventions for rehabilitation and other NCDs conditions management, for example he is the PI of Rehabilitation for All through Digital Innovation Competencies” (RADIC) project, funded by ERASMUS, PI of the study regarding “the use of smartphone in self – management of type 2 diabetes; an academic – industry collaboration study; funded by NCST, Digital Rehabilitation Global Marketplace (DIRECT)” project financed by Business Finland. He is also one of the Multiple PIs on NIH grants regarding Data Sciences for Health and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa),


Additionally, David is interested in training health care professionals in their research and carrier development, conducting and supervising projects (have supervised more than 40 undergraduate and 30 PG, projects) in the research related to healthcare; HIV, eHealth, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), specifically preventive and management strategies in diabetes and cardiovascular physical disorders, especially the preventions of NCDs with focus on exercise and physical activity, and use of digital technological interventions to improve accessibility of healthcare services.

Sidy Dieye

Keynote address 3: AI in physiotherapy

Sidy Dieye is World Physiotherapy chief executive officer, and is responsible for management and administration of World Physiotherapy. He is responsible for the implementation of the strategic plan to ensure that World Physiotherapy achieves its objectives as determined by the executive board and member organisations.


He was previously World Physiotherapy's head of programmes and development and led on project design, implementation, and monitoring in collaboration with partner institutions.

Lester Jones

Keynote address 4: Pain and Movement Reasoning Model – covering all the angles

Lester Jones is an experienced educator and physiotherapist. He has had academic positions in the United Kingdom, Australia, and now Singapore (since 2018), where he is a Senior Lecturer at Singapore Institute of Technology. He has an adjunct research position with La Trobe University’s Judith Lumley Centre in Melbourne, Australia and much of his research has been exploring clinical reasoning, focusing on the application of the Pain and Movement Reasoning Model which he co-created. He has published on stress and pain, sports-related pain, pain associated with survivors of torture and women’s experiences with labour pain and breastfeeding pain. He has been active in professional organisations including the Australian Physiotherapy Association where he was the inaugural chair of the National Pain Group. Currently, he serves as an elected councillor for the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and for the Pain Association of Singapore. He is also on the executive of the IASP Special Interest Group for Pain and Trauma (formerly Pain related to Torture, Organised Violence and War) and has been a member of faculty for IASP Pain Camps including the first African Pain Camp in 2025.