Jojo Merilles is an award-winning epidemiologist and capacity strengthening specialist. Awarded the 2002 Batseba Phiri Award for outstanding country work and training done in epidemiology and management, and the 2002 Management Training Excellence Award, both given by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Sustainable Management Development Programme. A recipient of the 1998 William H. Foege Award for Outstanding Public Health Intervention given by the Division of International Health, Epidemiology Programme Office, U.S. CDC. His career expands across Asia and the Pacific conducting consultancy services with UN organizations, international agencies, and regional and national technical assistance providers, focusing on capacity development, project management and monitoring and evaluation. Jojo joined the Pacific Community (SPC) in June 2014.