She was formerly Director, Division of Noncommunicable Diseases and Promoting Health through 
the Life-course at the WHO Regional Office for Europe (Copenhagen, Denmark), Head of Secretariat 
for the Global Coordination Mechanism on the prevention and control of noncommunicable 
diseases (WHO GCM/NCD) at WHO Headquarters (Geneva, Switzerland) from its inception in 2014 
as well as a former CEO of the Southern and Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.
Dr Mikkelsen is trained as a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician and holds a Master’s degree in Health 
Administration and Management from the University of Oslo. 
Her current focus is on achieving the SDGs through the reduction of premature deaths from NCDs 
in the context of WHO General Programme of Work, and working across sectors with 
multistakeholders, within and beyond the health sector using innovation, implementation research, 
health literacy and new technologies. 

Email: mikkelsenb@who.int
Tel.: +41 797639775

https://www.who.int/ncds/en/