Who we are

Founded 16 years ago, Instituto Desiderata is an OSCIP (Civil Society Organization of Public Interest) with an innovative history of joint action with public managers and organizations in the development and implementation of solutions for prevention, diagnosis, and care for the health of children and adolescents. For this, it promotes actions of mobilization and articulation between the public sector and civil society, the training of health professionals for early diagnosis, humanization of treatment, and production and dissemination of knowledge in the field.

Since its beginning, Desiderata works to change the reality of childhood cancer in Rio de Janeiro. In 2019, it expands its commitment and actions to other Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCDs) and risk factors, such as childhood obesity.

CNCDs are the leading causes of death in the world, and generate a loss in quality of life, as well as economic impacts on families, communities, and society at large.

Instituto Desiderata’s work aligns itself with the plan of action of the United Nations’ (UN) global agenda, formed by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), taken on by countries as a global commitment to a sustainable and better world for people everywhere. Our actions mainly aim to meet goal 3.4 of the SDGs: “by 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.”

Our mission

Promote solutions that ensure prevention, diagnosis, and timely care for the health of children and adolescents.

Our dream

Brazilian children and adolescents among the healthiest in the world.

Manifesto

To improve the lives of children and adolescents we work collectively and make things happen. This is how we started a story of transformation.

Where one sees complex and insoluble health challenges, we see the opportunity to make a difference. We map the problems, identify who and how. We join individuals and institutions to search for solutions, producing social changes in the collective interest.

Articulate to approximate to mobilize to engage to solve to transform causes projects dreams lives.

Timeline

Board

Deliberative Board

  • Mark Essle
    Guilherme Frering
  • Antonia Frering
  • Arminio Fraga
  • Gabriela Paranhos
  • Germana Bahr
  • Guilherme Teixeira Azevedo
  • Maria Auxiliadora Gomes

Consulting Board

  • Beatriz Cardoso
  • Heloisa H Oliveira
  • Luciano Huck
  • Paula Guedes
  • Rafael G Martinez
  • Rodrigo Capistrano
  • Sergio Bermudes
  • Wanda Engel

Fiscal Board

  • Joaquim Dias
  • Eduardo Poggi
  • Maria Fernanda Carvalho

Our Team

Renata Couto
Executive Director

Passionate about the idea of social transformation, has 20 years of experience in the third sector. She was Director of Fundraising at ActionAid Brasil and worked on the institutional strengthening of social organizations such as Fundo Elas, Canal Futura, Médico Sem Fronteiras, Fundação do Cancer and in the Heritage and Culture area of the Roberto Marinho Foundation. She holds a degree in Social Communication (UFRJ), a master’s degree in Social History of Culture (PUC-Rio) and specialized in Cultural Management (Itaú) and Cultural Finance and Economics (Université Paris-Dauphine). Renata is also Joaquim’s mother and considers that raising a boy with gender equity values is her biggest challenge.

Carolina Dornelles
Administrative manager

Post-graduated in Business Management from FGV, her career was, over the years, consolidated in the areas of administrative, financial and facilities management. With 14 years of experience in the third sector and in the area of culture, she migrated to the health area in search of new knowledge and professional and personal growth.

Thaís Melo
Administrative assistant

Graduated in Tourism and Hospitality and majoring in Business Administration at Unesa. Experience in internal and external customer service for over 10 years. Acting mainly in management of providers, facilities, emphasis on financial administration, companies and various activities.

Luiza Rudge
Director of Institutional Development

Postgraduate in Marketing from Universidade Católica do Rio (PUC-Rio). She worked for more than 10 years with Communication and Marketing in large companies and agencies, as well as with customer relations and project management. She migrated to the third sector seeking to unite her personal values and professional life.

Lana Bauab
Institutional Development Analyst

Researcher with experience in project planning, fundraising and management through national and international grants. She holds two Master’s Degrees, one in Political Science from Kobe University (Japan) and another in International Relations from UERJ (Brazil), and an MBA in Foreign Trade and International Business from FGV (Brazil). International experience in Japan, Germany, USA, and Switzerland.

 

Anna Carolina Cardoso
Communications Manager

Journalist focused on topics related to human rights and public policies, studied at Universidade Federal Fluminense. More than ten years of experience in local and national media and other institutions.

Igor Simões
Communications Adviser

Graduated in journalism from UFF and postgraduate in Press Relations, Strategic Journalism and Crisis Management from UCAM. He has worked in local and national journalistic vehicles and has experience in corporate communication and press relations.

Claudia Bezerra
Project Coordinator

Bachelor of Data Processing Technology and Postgraduate in UX Design / Information Architecture. Experience in IT project management, and 10 years working in projects related to the healthcare area.

Thaís Vidal
Consultant in Pediatric Oncology Projects

PhD in Collective Health (IMS/Uerj), Master in Public Health (Ensp/Fiocruz) and specialist in Oncology (Inca/MS). Graduated in pharmacy from UFRJ and in law from UFF, she dedicates her professional life to research, teaching and defense of SUS, working mainly with the following themes: right to health, social participation and oncology.

Raphael Barreto
Childhood Obesity Manager

PhD student and Master in Public Health (ENSP/Fiocruz). Interested in topics such as Governance and Compliance, he has experience in coordinating management contracts and projects between public entities and Third Sector organizations. She is currently researching racial inequalities in health.

Carolina Rocha
Health Analyst – Obesity

Nutritionist from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and specialist in Collective Health (UFRJ). Master’s student at the PPG-ANS at UERJ in the area of Food and Nutrition in Collective Health, researching public and private sector policies and actions for the creation of healthy food environments. She developed her professional work at SUS from nutritional assistance in PHC to practice as a manager in different spheres of health care.

Fabíola Leal
Advocacy Analyst

Lawyer. Master’s student in Justice and Security at UFF. Legislative Process Consultant. Extensive experience in Parliamentary Advisory. Currently, she develops her professional activities with a focus on the access of Social Movements and Third Sector Institutions to the municipal, state and national legislature.

Veronica Freitas
Advocacy Consultant

Graduated in Social Sciences from UFRJ, with a master’s degree in Sociology from UFF and a doctorate in progress at USP, in the Graduate Program in Sociology. She served as a parliamentary advisor in several terms in Rio de Janeiro, and later devoted herself to her development as a researcher. Throughout this experience, she prioritized action in guaranteeing human rights and social justice, in Brazil and in the world.

Michele Costa
Health Data Analyst

Sanitarian (FSP/USP), specialist in Collective Health (IESC/UFRJ) and Master in Public Health (ENSP/FIOCRUZ). She worked at the Municipal Health Secretariat and the State Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro with management, information, surveillance and health promotion with a focus on the implementation of policies to confront racial inequalities in health.

Ísis Botelho
Consultant – Distance Learning Project

Specialist in Primary Care Management and Family Health Strategy by ENSP/Fiocruz. Nutritionist graduated from UFRJ. At SUS, she has been working since 2014 as a sanitarist in the Management of Primary Health Care at the Rio de Janeiro State Health Secretariat (SES-RJ). It seeks to develop projects focused on professional training and strengthening of the SUS.

Carolina Motta
Paediatric Oncology Manager

Specialist in Primary Care Management and Public Healthcare Resident at ENSP/ Fiocruz. Bachelor of Psychology from PUC-Rio. During the last five years she worked in the Rio de Janeiro State Health Department, as well as with public healthcare management. She seeks to develop projects focused on strengthening the SUS.

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