Rooted Leader
This is me

Rooted in evidence.
Grounded in Umeå.
Working for the world.


I bridge evidence, equity, and action. But underneath all of it,  I am someone who believes that health belongs to everyone. And that the world gets better when we have the courage to talk honestly about it.

— Dr. Raman Kaur Preet

Beyond Borders, Below the Surface:
The Story of a Rooted Leader.

Why I am Here

I have spent my life navigating two worlds: the high-stakes precision of global health and the quiet strength of my own heritage. I learned that the most expansive reach only comes from the deepest roots. This is the story of how I found my ground and why I’m dedicated to helping you find yours.


I believe that to lead others, you must first know exactly where you stand. My story doesn’t begin in a boardroom or a lecture hall at Harvard; it begins in the vibrant, rhythmic pulse of India. It was there, amidst a culture that values community and deep-rooted connection, that I first learned what it means to belong. I grew up seeing that health is not just a clinical data point it is a human right, a cultural dialogue, and a pillar of equity. Those early years planted a seed in me: a conviction that the most powerful global solutions are the ones that never lose their human ground.
where it began

Harvard-Trained. Human-Centred.


I started as a dentist in India. I questioned a system. I crossed an ocean. I fell in love with the nature. And I spent the rest of my life making health systems worthy of the people they serve. 

While I was working as a clinical dentist in India, I saw something I could not unsee.
A system built around treatment not prevention. A model that served the people who could already afford care, and quietly left everyone else behind.

I could have accepted it. Many do. But I couldn't.

I chose to question it instead. I chose prevention over profit, equity over convenience, and population well-being over the comfortable routine of clinical practice. That decision, made early, made with conviction, shaped every single thing that came after.

I went to University College London for my Master of Science in Dental Public Health, then earned my Diploma in Dental Public Health from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Not because I wanted more credentials. Because I wanted to understand health at the level of systems, not just teeth. I wanted to know how to change things, not just fix them.


I refused to be a "fill, drill, and bill" dentist.

Season of Silence

When I moved to Northern Sweden, my world changed in ways I wasn’t prepared for. Coming from the eternal warmth of India, the landscape of Umeå felt like a mystery I couldn't solve. I remember the shock of those first winters with the biting cold, the endless polar nights, and a silence so deep it felt heavy. In the beginning, it was overwhelming. I felt like a stranger to the snow and to a culture that was as quiet as mine was loud.

But as the years passed, the Swedish nature began to teach me. I watched the forest endure the harshest frosts, only to burst into an unstoppable, fierce green under the midnight sun. I realized that winter isn't an absence of life; it is a season of gathering strength.

I arrived in Umeå with a backpack and a hunger to understand the world differently, I did not expect the landscape itself to become my teacher. It taught me that rooted things, the ones that go deep before they grow tall, are the ones that survive everything.
The quiet resilience required to thrive in harsh climates, whether in the Swedish cold or in the high-stakes world of global health policy.

Today, Umeå is my home, both physically and at heart.
I have become a woman of two worlds: I carry the sun of India in my soul and the steady, quiet strength of the Swedish North in my hands.

The Calling

While my work is rooted in listening and human connection, it is measured by the clarity and impact it brings to the global stage. I have always believed that knowledge is only as powerful as our ability to share it, communicate it, and apply it where it is needed most.

Over the years, this commitment has led to milestones I am deeply proud of:

  • Championing Equity: I was honored to receive the Equal Opportunity Prize from the Medical Faculty at Umeå University. To me, this wasn’t just an award; it was a testament to the importance of embedding inclusion into the very heart of institutional practice.

  • A Voice on the Global Stage: From the World Health Organization to the European Commission, I have had the privilege of serving as a strategist, an expert evaluator,
    and a moderator. Whether I am facilitating dialogues between ministers or translating complex climate-health data into actionable policy, my goal is always the same: to foster a more inclusive, global conversation.

  • Building Scientific Bridges: My work with major European research consortia and my advisory roles with platforms like the International Conference on Public Health (ICOPH) allow me to foster collaborations between the "Global North" and "Global South."
    I don’t just want to generate knowledge; I want to ensure it is shared equitably, through everything from peer-reviewed journals to documentary storytelling.

  • Global Visibility: Being recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus in India and nominated within the Women in Global Health movement reminds me that no matter how far we reach, our influence is a reflection of the communities that raised us.

  • First-ever: In 2024, I had the honour of moderating the high-level segment of the first-ever WHO Global Oral Health Meeting. That moment represented something I had worked toward for years, placing oral health where it has always belonged: at the centre of global health.
    Your mouth is part of your body. Your body is part of your community.
    That truth should never have been controversial. But for too long, it was overlooked and I refused to let it stay that way.

Today I lead coordination of the EU Climate-Health Cluster, bringing six Horizon Europe projects into a shared platform for scientific synergy and policy translation. In a world where evidence and decision-making too rarely meet, I build the bridges between them.

I do this work because the world doesn’t just need more managers; it needs Rooted Leaders.
It needs visionaries who are as unshakable in their values as they are ambitious in their reach.


When I walk into a room, I come ready to listen first.

Because the best conversations are the ones that actually move things, and it begin with someone who is genuinely present. Not performing. I strongly believe that the most powerful thing any person can do is to truly listen to another human being.
Not strategically. Not professionally. Just listen.
That belief is why I created HealthWE Conversations. It isn't just a programme; it is a space built on the radical act of genuinely hearing each other. It is where we strip away the titles and the data to find the clarity that only comes through connection.

Who am I behind the work

When the spreadsheets are closed and the collaborations are set in motion, I return to what truly sustains me. My family is my ultimate ground. I believe that the love we receive and the love we give plays a massive role in who we are, who we become, and, most importantly, how we treat ourselves and others.

In my home, love is the soil. It is where I learn, every day, how to be a better mother, a better partner, and a better human.
I am raising my daughter to walk her own path with courage, and in her eyes, I see the reminder that all our global efforts are ultimately for the next generation.

When I am not working, you will find me singing, laughing with my loved ones, and rooted in the quiet joy of being present.
I am a lifelong learner and a believer that we are all capable of incredible reach, as long as we are anchored in love.

I am here to help you find your ground, so you can finally reach your height.
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Through someone else's eyes

My sister wrote this.
I could not have written it myself.


The most honest portrait of a person is always written by someone who has watched them become who they are, not from a CV, but from a life lived alongside them. I am sharing her words here because they say something about me on a deeper level that I can not descripe myself.


"What distinguishes Dr. Preet is her willingness to challenge systems that do not serve people well."

- Dr. Kanwal Kochhar

On her vision

"Her capacity to connect ideas, sectors, and institutions across infectious diseases, climate and health, oral health, and health systems is itself a form of innovation. She has shown that leadership is not only about expertise in one area, but about the courage to see what others miss."

On her resilience

"Her path has not been linear, but it has been purposeful, resilient, and deeply rooted in vision. She established credibility in new systems, adapted to new cultures, and continued expanding her scope of influence."

On her leadership

"She leads with intelligence and humility, with ambition and compassion, and with the conviction that progress must be both inclusive and sustainable.
The multiplier effect that she demonstrates is a sign of a leader with long-term impact."

Selected Works & Global Dialogue

Impact is never a solo journey, it is built through the voices we amplify and the collaborations we bridge. Here is a look at where my work meets the world:

  • READ | The WHO Global Oral Health Report (Bangkok 2024) The roadmap for a new era of health equity. I contributed to this landmark publication to help turn global dialogue into a systemic reality.

  • WATCH |Innovation Through Collaboration 
    A window into the ZikaPLAN initiative. See what happens when we bridge borders and lead with collective intent to solve urgent health crises.

  • LISTEN | Perspectives on Global Oral Health A deep dive into the "why" behind the strategy. Join me as I discuss why oral health can no longer be an afterthought, it is fundamental and an inseparable part of our human story.

  • EXPLORE | The EU Climate-Health Newsletter
    These insights reflect my ongoing work at the intersection of climate action and health strategy, building systems that are as enduring as the nature that surrounds us.
A final word, from me to you

If you have read this far,
something brought you here.

I have built my career at the intersection of evidence, equity, and action.
But underneath all the projects, the stages, the consortiums and the credentials. I am someone who believes that health belongs to everyone.
And that the world gets better when we have the courage to talk honestly about it.

If that resonates with you, I would love to talk.
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