Yves Miel Hugo Zuñiga is a Policy and Advocacy Advisor on health systems at United for Global Mental Health, working at the intersection of mental health and health systems strengthening. With nearly a decade of experience in mental health advocacy and over three years dedicated to advancing HIV and mental health integration for young people, he focuses on embedding mental health into HIV, TB, and NCD programs to ensure care is integrated, evidence-based, and accessible.

Since 2022, Yves has led the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) grant at United for Global Mental Health, supporting communities, particularly young people, across more than 30 countries, including Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa. His efforts have been instrumental in generating evidence, shifting narratives, and unlocking funding to ensure mental health is no longer an afterthought in global HIV responses.

Beyond his global advocacy, Yves serves as Board of Trustees Chair for #MentalHealthPH, a pioneering youth-led organization he co-founded to advance mental health awareness and policy reforms through digital technology in the Philippines. He is also pursuing an MBA at the University of Western Australia, honing his leadership and strategic management skills to drive transformative change in global health.

Yves is a member of the Royal Society of Public Health in the United Kingdom and the Australasian College of Health Service Management in Australia. He has been recognized as a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia by the Atlantic Institute, a Harvard Public Health Review Fellow, and a Women Deliver Young Leader. With experience spanning grassroots mobilization to global campaigning, he continues to influence global mental health financing, amplify community voices, especially those with lived experience, and harness strategic communications for lasting advocacy impact.