ISSM Future Leaders 2025-2026 Mentors and Mentees

Anna Carling is a licensed clinical psychologist, supervisor, sexologist, and psychotherapist. She is an EFS & ESSM certified Psycho-Sexologist (ECPS) and has been honored with the Philomath Sexology Award from the International Online Sexology Supervisors (IOSS). Anna is employed at a clinic run by a Swedish non-governmental organization specializing in sexual health. During several years she´s been invited to teach in sexual medicine at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 

Her primary focus is on assessing and treating clients with a wide range of issues, including sexual dysfunctions, gender identity concerns, traumatic sexual experiences, hypersexuality, and compulsive sexual behaviors. She is trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and systemic psychotherapy. She is currently undergoing supervision with a special focus on Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) and is expected to soon receive her Specialist Certificate in Psychotherapy.

Anna has a keen interest in scientific journals published by the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM), particularly Sexual Medicine Reviews, where she was recently invited to join the editorial board.

She holds four academic degrees: a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communication Studies, a master’s degree in Psychology, a postgraduate degree in Systemic Psychotherapy, and a master’s degree in Sexology. Her master’s thesis in sexology was a qualitative study exploring partners’ perspectives on intimacy and sexual relationships with individuals who identify as trans or nonbinary: "Navigating Intimacy and Sexuality: LGBTQ+ Partners' Perspectives on Sexual Relationships and Gender Incongruence (With or Without Gender Dysphoria)”.

Professional Memberships:

• Nordic Society for Sexual Medicine (NSSM)

• European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM)

• International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM)

• Swedish Association for Sexology

• Nordic Association for Clinical Sexology (NACS)

• Swedish Association for Transsexual Health (SFTH)

• Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Rights (RFSL)

Dr. Suchanant Chavaengkiat is an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in sexual medicine, transgender health, and menopause. As a dedicated member of the education and global development committees of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), she is committed to advancing patient care through research and education. Her work reflects a passion for improving healthcare outcomes and fostering knowledge in sexual medicine.

Maurizio De Rocco Ponce, MD is an Italian Endocrinologist and Andrologist.
He graduated as a Medical Doctor from the University of Padua (Italy) in 2011 and then specialized in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases in 2016 at the same University with a thesis on Erectile Dysfunction and Diabetes Mellitus.
Since 2016 he has specialized in male reproductive and sexual health issues working as a Research Fellow and Assistant Professor in the Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine at the University Hospital of Padua. In 2017 he obtained a Master’s in Andrology and Reproductive Medicine from the University of Padua. In 2019 he completed the trainee program on andrological echography of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine (SIAMS).

Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya is a board-certified gynecologists, specializing in female pelvic medicine, reconstructive surgery, menopause, and woman’s sexual health. Dr. Dubinskaya is a clinician, researcher, and passionate advocate for her patients. She has completed her medical and general surgery training in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her passion for female pelvic health, surgical reconstruction, genital plastic surgery and female sexuality is what lead her to the United States. She completed obstetrics gynecology residency training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA and St Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. Her surgical skills were refined further during her fellowship at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills, CA. Dr. Dubinskaya enjoys inspiring and encouraging women to embrace their bodies, sexuality, and re-gain control and confidence in their lives.

Dr.Kareim Khalafalla is a Clinical Associate Professor of Urology at the College of Medicine, Qatar University. He also serves as the Communication Chair Committee of the Middle East Society of Sexual Medicine. He obtained his bachelor’s degree with Honors from Ain Shams University in Egypt. Following this, he successfully completed his Urology residency training at Hamad General Hospital in Qatar. This was followed by a two-year clinical & research fellowship specializing in Andrology and Male Infertility at  HMC, Qatar. In 2022, he concluded an Andrology fellowship at the University of Illinois Chicago, USA directed by Prof.Craig Niederberger. Continuing his journey, in 2023, he completed a Sexual Medicine fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science & MD Anderson Cancer Center under the mentorship of Prof.Run Wang. Additionally, he earned the prestigious title of "Fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine (FECSM)" later that year. He is an active member of various professional & global urological associations. He is deeply involved in numerous research projects and has received four awards for the best research proposals at internationaResearch Innovation symposiums. Additionally, he has served as a co-investigator in multiple clinical trialsfocusing on proteomics and next-generation DNA sequencing.  His primary focus lies in the field of reproductive and sexual medicine, with specializations in male prosthetic surgeries and microsurgical male infertility procedures. Dr. Kareim has a substantial publicatiorecord, with numerous articles in international peer-reviewed journals, multiple authored book chapters, and contributions as an editorial board member and reviewer for journals centered around Andrology.

Thairo Pereira, M.D., is a fellowship-trained urologist specializing in Male Infertility and Men's Health. He

earned his medical degree from the University of Campinas in Brazil, where he also completed his Urology residency. During his residency, he simultaneously earned a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology from the University of Campinas. Dr. Pereira then pursued a fellowship in Male Reproductive and Sexual Medicine at Indiana University in Indianapolis, IN.

He is currently completing an additional fellowship in Sexual Medicine at the University of Texas McGovern Medical School and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.

CURRENT POSITION

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry,

Sylhet M A G Osmani Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

EDUCATION

·         FECSM (Fellow European Committee of Sexual Medicine), 2020.

·         M. Phil (Psychiatry), July 2013, MAG Osmani Medical College, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh.

·         MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery), September 2004, North East Medical College, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.

RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

“ESSM School of Sexual Medicine” Participated, October 2016.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP), Life Member

International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM), General Member.

South Asian Society for Sexual Medicine (SASSM), General Member.

GRANTS AND AWARDS

ISSM Scholarship – ESSM School of Sexual Medicine 2016.

Dr. Carolyn Salter is a fellowship trained urologist with a focus on male sexual and reproductive medicine. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from the military medical school, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). She completed her urology residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and went on to attend fellowship in male sexual and reproductive medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Salter is an active- duty officer in the United States Army. She is currently an attending urologist at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington, USA, and an associate professor at USUHS. Her research interests focus on testosterone deficiency, Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, and sexual incontinence.

Andrea Sansone, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist working in the field of andrology and sexual medicine. Andrea studied in Sapienza University of Rome (Italy), where he obtained his MD (2009), his residency

(2015), and his PhD (2019). He has worked as a post-doctoral researcher in reproductive epigenetics in Münster (Germany) between 2019 and 2020. Andrea has been working in the University of Rome Tor

Vergata since 2020, where he is currently employed as an Assistant Professor teaching Endocrinology to 4th year medical students and Sexology to 1st year psychology students.

Andrea's research interest span from basic to clinical studies, focusing on male and female sexual function and dysfunction, particularly in regards to risk factors and clinical management of comorbidities.

I am a Urologist and fellowship trained Andrologist. I currently work as a urologist and andrologist at University of Chile Hospital, Clínica Las Condes and Shady Grove Fertility. My practice is directed to male infertility, sexual dysfunctions, microsurgery and penile prosthetic surgery.

I am an assistant Professor of the Faculty of Medicine. University of Chile.

I am the Urology Residency Director of the Faculty of Medicine. University of Chile

I am member of the European Academy of Andrology. I am member of the International Society of Sexual Medicine. I am member of the European Andrology Research Working Group (ANDRONET). I am part of the Male Contraception advisory group of the World Health Organization. I am currently the President of the Chilean Society of Andrology. I am one of the principal investigators of the CCN017 study (sponsored by the National Institute of Health and Population Council), which studies a male contraceptive gel.

Dr. Wu Han graduated from Peking University with an M.D. degree. Currently, he is employed at the Hospital for Reproductive Medicine Affiliated to Shandong University. His primary research focuses on male infertility and sexual dysfunction. At present, he is in charge of a project funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Municipality. Dr. Wu serves as the secretary of the Chinese Sexology Association (CSA). He is also a member of both the International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) and the Asia Pacific Society for Sexual Medicine (APSSM). Additionally, he writes columns for well - known newspapers such as the Health and Life Times and The Health Page of People's Daily. In 2020, he won the Outstanding Award of the Asian Journal of Andrology. He was part of the team that received the Beijing Medical Science Award and the Beijing Medical Science Award - Public Education Award.

I am a consultant in sexual medicine and a certified psychosexologist.

I graduated as a Medical Doctor from the Saint Joseph medical Faculty (2004). I then obtained my degree in clinical sexology from René Descartes University, Paris V, Faculty of Medicine (2007). I am also a Fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine (2014) and a EFS & ESSM Certified Psycho-Sexologist (2016).

Along with my private medical practice in sexology in Beirut at La Clinique du Levant and at AUBMC, I teach Clinical Sexology at several Lebanese universities (Saint Joseph medical Faculty in Beirut and the Lebanese American University). Member of the MESSM (Middle East Society of Sexual Medicine: http://www.messm.org/site/), I was its Secretary general (2019-2023), treasurer (2017- 2019) and the chairman of its Public Awareness Committee (2011-2017).

Member at large of the ISSM (International Society for Sexual Medicine), I am also a board member of the Société Francophone de Médecine Sexuelle (SFMS). I was the social media coeditor of the Journal of Sexual Medicine. I was the chair of the ISSM Communication Committee (2018-2022) and the social media editor of the MESSM and its public website (2011-2018).

With great enthusiasm, I present my candidacy for Secretary General of the ISSM. My journey with ISSM, including roles as Member-at-Large and Co-Chair of the Communication Committee, has been transformative and inspiring. Additionally, my roles with the Middle East Society for Sexual Medicine (MESSM) as Treasurer, Secretary General, and Ordinary Director have enriched my understanding of the organizational, financial, and strategic aspects of managing a scientific society. I aim to broaden our membership base to include a diverse range of professionals within sexual medicine, enriching our organization with varied perspectives. Increasing our network of affiliated societies will foster global knowledge exchange and benefit our members and the communities they serve. I believe in the power of sexual medicine to transform lives and am committed to advancing this field globally. As Secretary General, I pledge to lead with integrity, innovation, and inclusiveness, elevating ISSM to new heights of success and influence. I humbly seek your support, confident that together, we can achieve remarkable milestones for ISSM.

Fernando Facio, MD. PhD. - Associate Professor of Urology, Chief of the Division Men’s Health in FAMERP Medical School, Brazil. Member and Treasurer of SLAMS Associate Editor of Sexual Medicine Open Access since 2015 Research Fellow in the Department of Urology at Johns Hopkins University (2008- 2009) under the supervision of Dr. Arthur L. Burnett

Emmanuele A. Jannini, MD, OMRI, KSG, KHS, SMOCG, a Full Professor of Endocrinology and Medical Sexology (ENDOSEX) and director of the Postgraduate School of Endocrinology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy, was a guest researcher and fellow at the Clinical Endocrinology Branch, NIDDK/NIH, Bethesda, and lecturer at St Catherine’s College, Oxford on courses of the European Academy of Sexual Medicine. He is or has been a visiting professor of Andrology or Urology at the Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou), Anhui Medical University (Hefei), Jiao Tong University (Shanghai), Daxin Hospital (Xi’an), and Academic Advisor of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; moreover, he is currently an Honorary Professor of Andrology & Sexual Medicine at the Hanoi School of Medicine. Prof. Jannini is chairperson of the Education Committee of the European Academy of Andrology, of the Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on Sexual Medicine of the Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes, and of the Italian Academy for Couple Health; he is also past president and past general secretary of the Italian Society of Andrology and Sexual Medicine and the Italian Society of Endocrinology, respectively. He is an international expert in Andrology and Sexual Medicine, having published about 400 well-recognized scientific studies and books on premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, paraphilias, homophobia, gender incongruence, thyroid hormone receptor, and female sexual function and dysfunction, which produced a Hirsch (H) index of 67 (Scopus). Prof. Jannini received the Gold Medal of the European Federation of Sexology and the Career Award of the European Society of Sexual Medicine. He served the ISSM as co-chairperson of the committee “Infections and Inflammations” at the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine, chairperson of the Education Committee (ISSM Educom) and of the Publication Committee (ISSM Pubcom), member of the University Committee of the Open Online University, and member-at-large of the ISSM Board of Directors ORCHID ID: 0000-0002-5874-039X, Scopus ID: 7003885125

I have a Dream. I dream that, at all levels, it will be understood that psychology and medicine without Sexual Medicine are not psychology and medicine. I dream that Sexual Medicine will finally be recognized as a fundamental part of healthcare and education, as demonstrated by the countless publications and outstanding discoveries in our field. I dream that worldwide, all members of the ISSM might feel at home in our Society and that they might feel more and more like true protagonists. I dream that the ISSM will continue to grow more and more with respect for the various expressions of sexualities, genders, and orientations to build a society free of discrimination and gender violence. I dream that all researchers, scientists, and clinicians working in sexual health might feel like they belong to the same family, regardless of their background – psychosexual science, surgical science, or medical science. I dream that every geographical reality considered peripheral feels increasingly at the center of our ISSM. I dream that scientific merit and clinical competence are increasingly valued, supported, and improved.

I, therefore, dream of being able to serve the ISSM as president because Sexual Medicine is the job that I have always loved with passion and dedication and because I am convinced that, by working together, these dreams will become increasingly solid and robust realities, in the interest of the sexual health of our patients.

Ms. Goldstein, a graduate of Brown University, is Sexuality Educator and Clinical Research Manager at San Diego Sexual Medicine, responsible for sexual medicine educational programming and clinical research. She works with the SDSM team to develop clinical research projects, write protocols and oversee clinical trials. She also arranges for training in sexual medicine for medical students, residents, fellows and clinicians from all over the United States. She works with regional support groups to provide education to providers, students and the public. In addition, she develops programs for The Institute for Sexual Medicine, a charitable corporation dedicated to research and education in the field. Ms. Goldstein co-authored When Sex Isn’t Good to provide education and empowerment to women with sexual dysfunction. She is an associate editor of Textbook of Female Sexual Function and Dysfunction, and Female Sexual Pain Disorders, and author of multiple peer reviewed papers. Mrs. Goldstein is Past President of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) as well as Industry Relations Chair. In the past she was Education Chair, Global Development Chair and Online Services Chair for ISSWSH. She served on the Education Committee and Scientific Oversight Committee of the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) as well as the Educational Projects, Fellowship and Female Sexual Function Committees of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). She has contributed educational content for the ISSM Online University as well as the AUA Core Curriculum and SMSNA Fellowship Curriculum. She is also a member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and the International Society for Medical Shockwave Therapy. She is an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator and an ACRP Certified Clinical Research Coordinator. Ms. Goldstein, an ISSWSH Fellow, received the Distinguished Service Award from ISSWSH in 2017 as well as from SMSNA in 2017, and along with her husband, the Transformatory Team Award from ISSM in 2024

After obtaining an undergraduate and medical doctor degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1968, he completed a internship and residency in Urology at U.S. Naval hospitals. After serving two more years in the Navy he became a member of Tulane University medical school faculty. There he rose to Associate Professor of Urology and Research Scientist at Tulane’s Delta Regional Primate Research Center. There is research centered on prostate disease, infertility, and urological infectious diseases. He was co-Investigator in Development of a Primate Model of Varicocele in an NIH research grant and several other NIH grants on Training the Urologist in Basic Research.

His primary focus on Andrology began with founding the Tulane University Andrology Clinic with focus on male infertility and erectile dysfunction. He had a strong background in urological prosthesis surgery which gained him a position eventually to Professor and Consultant in Urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to replace William Furlow who was moving to private practice in Tennessee. While at Mayo he continued prostate surgery and introduced urinary incontinence surgery for women and infertility diagnosis and treatment as well expanding the diagnosis and treatment for erectile dysfunction and other male genital abnormalities and diseases. He was at Tulane and Mayo Clinic for 11 and 7 ½ years respectively. During his time at Mayo (and extending to his Georgia position) he was Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Andrology for five years.

In 1994 he moved to Medical College of Georgia (MCG) to assume the Chief of section of Urology in the Department of Surgery with the rank of full Professor. He has trained residents in urology at three institutions. He stepped down as chief of section in 2011 and finally retired in 2018 at which time he received the honor of being named Emeritus Professor of Surgery (Urology) then. He has endowed a Chair in Urological Resident Education at this Georgia institution. He obtained the Lifetime Achievement Award at MCG in 2013. He was also adjunct Professor of Physiology from 2004 to 2018. He established a lab in prostate cancer research at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Augusta. He participated in many clinical drug studies, obtained an NIH and separate VA Merit grants in prostate cancer basis research, and many studies in erectile dysfunction with the Department of Physiology, resulting in over 20 publication from that work alone.

He was one of the founding members of the SMSNA and ISSM. He has served at President of the former and member of the Executive Board, Secretary/Treasurer, President Elect, President, Past-president and Historian of the latter. He is currently chair of the History Committee of the ISSM. For years he led or served on the Publication Committee of that organization. In 2007 he received a Distinguished Service Award and in 2016, the inaugural National Lifetime Achievement Award, both from the SMSNA, which now bears his name. In 2012 he received a Special Service Award from the ISSM. His latest honor was receiving the ISSM Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

Dr. Lewis has strived to fulfil the three major roles of an academic physician: to reach excellence as a surgeon in Urology, to teach residents in this field, and to publish scientific peer-reviewed articles. In addition he has been active in the societies that foster the area of Sexual Medicine since their beginnings.

Andrea Salonia is a Full Professor of Urology at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy, where he also serves as the Dean of Studies of the International Medical Doctor Program and the Co-Coordinator of the PhD Curriculum in Clinical and Experimental Medicine.

Andrea Salonia is the Director of URI-Urological Research Institute of the IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele in Milan, Italy, where he also serves as the Coordinator of the Sexual and Reproductive Medicine Program.

Andrea Salonia is the current Chairman of the EAU Guidelines panel on Sexual and Reproductive health.

Over the last decades, Andrea Salonia’s major research interests have been focused on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of men sexual and reproductive health, with a targeted translational approach.