Minutes of Meetings

ISVEE meeting 2/26 – February 16

VIEW RECORDING – 81 mins (No highlights)

Introductions and logistics @ 0:00

The meeting began with participants greeting each other and discussing logistics like time zones and locations. There was some small talk about the meeting participants’ current whereabouts.

Noluvuyo’s challenges and request for volunteer chair @ 1:59

Noluvuyo expressed that she was having a very difficult day, with multiple phone calls and messages distracting her from the meeting. She requested that someone volunteer to chair the meeting in her place, as she was struggling to stay focused.

Sponsorship proposal overview @ 8:00

Anita provided an overview of the sponsorship proposal that she and Mohamed had developed, including three tiers of major sponsorship (platinum, gold, silver) with different benefits. They also discussed potential additional sponsorship opportunities like student bursaries, registration materials, and workshop sponsorships. The group provided feedback and suggestions on the sponsorship packages.

Incorporating University of Pretoria branding @ 1:08:23

Anita proposed including the University of Pretoria’s collaborating center logo on conference materials, as many of the organizers are affiliated with the university. The group discussed the history of the university’s involvement and agreed this would be appropriate to demonstrate their support.

Scheduling next meetings @ 1:14:49

The group scheduled two follow-up meetings – one on February 26th at 2pm and one on March 26th at 3pm – to continue discussing the sponsorship proposal and scientific program.

ISVEE meeting 1/26 – January 22, 2026

VIEW RECORDING – 48 mins (No highlights): https://fathom.video/share/ppiZD7iByd96wTwapzy6tQ-4UnYQnEMN

Introductions and meeting logistics @ 0:00

The meeting began with participants greeting each other and discussing technical issues with the video call. Noluvuyo Magadla welcomed everyone and noted that the ISVEE conference in Cape Town is now only 10 months away, so the group needs to start moving faster on preparations.

Review of previous meeting decisions @ 3:18

Noluvuyo recapped the key decisions from the previous meeting, including:

  • Agreeing to have a full 1-hour meeting on February 12th to go through all the outstanding items
  • Discussing the ECCESA society’s involvement and their request to have one of their members as a keynote speaker
  • Needing to finalize the scientific program themes and keynote speakers

Scientific program themes and keynotes @ 6:24

John Grewar presented the proposed scientific program themes, including:

  • Analytical modeling and quantitative methods
  • Digital and connected epidemiology
  • Investigative diagnostics and laboratory innovation

The group discussed potentially merging or removing the “Climate change and environmental resilience” theme, as its topics could be incorporated into the other themes.

John requested feedback on the proposed sub-themes by February 9th, and said he is still looking for keynote speaker recommendations, especially for the methodology-focused sessions.

ECCESA society involvement @ 29:53

Dishon Muloi from ILRI provided input on ECCESA’s potential involvement, noting they would be a good fit for Theme 3 on community engagement, or potentially Theme 4 on AMR. He offered to provide some keynote speaker recommendations from ECCESA.

Next steps and future meetings @ 44:06

The group agreed to hold a longer, more comprehensive meeting on either February 12th or 13th to finalize outstanding items like the scientific program, keynotes, sponsorship agreements, and conference logistics. Noluvuyo emphasized the need to move quickly given the short timeline before the conference.

Meeting 1: 27 Feb 25

RECORD OF MEETINGS AND ACTION ITEMS   https://fathom.video/share/f7vK2cp_vdLfLm4L1D7U1hzswbeB-bj8
     
1. Completed ISVEE17 Finalisation of contract Venue and establish planning meetings – February 27
2. In Progress Meet w/ Anita + auditor re 360 conferences acct setup for ISVEE18 funds – WATCH
3. Completed Arrange contract signing w/ CTICC; prep for 10% deposit payment within 30 days – WATCH
4. In Progress Respond to Erin/Poppy email re ISVEE17 fund transfer details – WATCH
5.   Schedule monthly ISVEE18 planning mtgs; send invites to LOC members – WATCH

 

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Meeting 2: 25 April 2025

ITEMS TO ACTION    
ISVEE meet up 1/25 -25 April 20 25 Not actioned Finalize account setup w/ Anita;
Renegotiate venue payment dates 2027;
R1 228 058.75 30-APR-27
R1 228 058.75 03-MAY-27* (to be renegotiated)
Investigate social event venues w/ Lesley;
Send meeting scheduler for year – WATCH
  Not actioned Contact ILRI re collaboration;
Follow up w/ Galvmed & Gates Foundation re sponsorship;
Hand over contacts to Mohamed – WATCH
  Not actioned Prepare sponsorship proposal & timeline for next meeting – WATCH
  Not actioned Send Australian workshop management doc to Madaleen;
Discuss pre/post-congress workshop mgmt with Madeline – WATCH
  Not actioned Work w/ Madaleen on marketing strategy – WATCH
  Not actioned Investigate social event venues with Madaleen; Prepare social program proposal (incl. gala dinner, tourist attractions, accompanying persons program) – WATCH

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ISVEE meeting 2 25 April 2025

Recording: https://fathom.video/share/bxcn767XeQzbDY46nbRJuZPTteNqwHWj

Meeting logistics and agenda @ 0:00

The meeting began with participants joining and Noluvuyo providing an overview of the agenda, which included discussing collaborations, timelines for different portfolios, social events, sponsorship, and marketing strategy.

Clarification on scientific committee leadership @ 10:16

Anita sought clarification on the previous decision to have Mohamed lead the sponsorship efforts while Chris Marufu could potentially assist him. Noluvuyo explained the reasoning behind the initial rejection, and Mohamed agreed to provide a recommendation for who could assist him with the sponsorship committee.

Financial updates and planning @ 16:11

Vetlink provided updates on the deposit payment from Australia, which has been covered by Vetlink, and the need to set up a dedicated bank account for the event. The group discussed the significant upcoming payments due in April and May 2026, and explored options for securing funding from SASBEPEM to cover those.

Timelines for key event milestones @ 28:24

The group worked to establish a detailed timeline for the event, including the call for abstracts, abstract submission deadline, notification of abstract acceptance, and opening of early bird registration. They aimed to have these key dates finalized by the next meeting.

Social event planning @ 31:21

The group acknowledged the need to quickly identify and book suitable venues for the social events, such as the gala dinner. Lesley and Vetlink were tasked with researching options and presenting proposals at the next meeting.

Collaborations with other African countries @ 1:02:07

Noluvuyo raised the initial plan to collaborate with other African countries, particularly Kenya, and proposed reaching out to ILRI to continue those discussions and potentially involve them in the organizing committee.

Next steps and meeting frequency @ 1:14:00

The group agreed to hold the next meeting in the second week of June, with the specific date to be confirmed after checking with John’s availability. They also discussed maintaining a meeting frequency of approximately one hour per session.

ISVEE meet up 13 June 2025

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Meeting 3: ISVEE meet up 2/25 – June 13

VIEW RECORDING – 104 mins (No highlights)

Meeting Purpose

Discuss ISVEE 2027 conference planning progress and next steps

Key Takeaways

Topics

Conference Timelines

Sponsorship

Social Events

Pre/Post Conference Workshops

African Representation

Next Steps

Action Items

  • Contact Mohamed & Jeff re scientific committee progress. Establish local & international scientific committees. Plan abstract submission structure similar to previous years.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Draft response to FAO proposal, indicating logistical preparations ongoing. Commit to concrete response by mid-September after finalizing scientific themes.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Email Andres Perez requesting proposal for Progress Vet setup with Kenyan group. Contact Erin Kelly re Australia’s sponsorship experience & lessons learned.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Review workshop management document with Madaleen. Adapt timeline & management fees for ISVI-18 context.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Research venue options for gala dinner (outside venues, 500-600 capacity). Investigate pre/post-conference social program options & tour quotations for website.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Meet with Madaleen & Katlego to review sponsorship proposal. Develop clear plan considering market, registration costs, other factors. Present at next meeting.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Add ‘Contacts’ tab to shared Google Sheet. Create columns for name, country, contact info, potential committee assignment.  – WATCH (5 secs)

 

 

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Meeting 4: ISVEE – June 13

VIEW RECORDING – 104 mins (No highlights)

Review of previous action items @ 0:09

The group quickly reviewed the action items from the previous meeting, including progress on the sponsorship proposal and plans for upcoming meetings.

FAO proposal for partnership @ 2:19

Mohamed presented a proposal from FAO to be a strategic partner and sponsor for the conference, including providing a keynote speaker, organizing special sessions, and offering financial and technical support. The group discussed concerns about FAO potentially dominating the agenda and agreed to review the proposal in more detail before responding.

Updating conference timeline and themes @ 2:46

The group reviewed the proposed timeline for the conference, including key dates for abstract submissions, keynote speaker announcements, and registration. They agreed to finalize the themes and scientific committee by early 2026.

Organizing pre-conference workshops @ 7:22

Peter presented a detailed timeline and process for organizing pre-conference workshops, based on the approach used at the previous ISVE conference. The group discussed venue options and logistics, aiming to have 3-4 workshops running concurrently.

Planning the gala dinner and social events @ 1:00:06

The group debated whether to include the gala dinner in the registration fee to encourage higher attendance. They agreed the gala should be held at an attractive off-site venue to create a memorable experience for attendees.

Finalizing the sponsorship strategy @ 1:22:13

Mohamed, Madaleen, and Katlego will meet to review the sponsorship proposal and pricing, considering lessons learned from the previous conference. The group agreed to have a single sponsorship structure rather than separate local and international tiers.

Expanding the local organizing committee @ 1:32:10

The group discussed expanding the local organizing committee to include representatives from different African regions, to help promote the conference and increase attendance from underrepresented areas.

Next steps and action items @ 1:43:19

The group agreed on several next steps, including Madaleen and Noluvuyo meeting to hand off conference materials, and Mohamed, Madaleen, and Katlego meeting to finalize the sponsorship proposal.

Action Items

  • Contact Mohamed & Jeff re scientific committee progress. Establish local & international scientific committees. Plan abstract submission structure similar to previous years.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Draft response to FAO proposal, indicating logistical preparations ongoing. Commit to concrete response by mid-September after finalizing scientific themes.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Email Andres Perez requesting proposal for Progress Vet setup with Kenyan group. Contact Erin Kelly re Australia’s sponsorship experience & lessons learned.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Review workshop management document with Madaleen. Adapt timeline & management fees for ISVI-18 context.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Research venue options for gala dinner (outside venues, 500-600 capacity). Investigate pre/post-conference social program options & tour quotations for website.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Meet with Madaleen & Katlego to review sponsorship proposal. Develop clear plan considering market, registration costs, other factors. Present at next meeting.  – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Add ‘Contacts’ tab to shared Google Sheet. Create columns for name, country, contact info, potential committee assignment.  – WATCH (5 secs)

Meeting 6: ISVEE – November 14

VIEW RECORDING – 69 mins (No highlights)

Apologies and updates @ 0:00

Noluvuyo Magadla opened the meeting by apologizing for the lack of meetings in recent months. She shared that Madeleine is currently in the hospital but is expected to recover soon. The group also acknowledged Mohamed’s need to leave the meeting early for another commitment.

Scientific program themes and keynotes @ 3:29

John Grewar presented the proposed themes for the scientific program, which included climate change, epidemiologic methods, frontline/participatory epidemiology, one health, economics, digital epidemiology, and health policy/capacity building. The group discussed merging some of the themes to have a total of 5 themes with 1 keynote each. They also agreed to explicitly include antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a sub-theme under the one health topic.

Keynote speaker considerations @ 23:31

The group discussed potential keynote speakers, with a focus on having a gender-balanced lineup and representation from Africa. They agreed to finalize the keynote speaker list by January 2026.

Conference logistics @ 32:12

The group reviewed the status of the venue, registration app, and sponsorship packages. They agreed to have a separate meeting to further discuss the venue and sponsorship details.

Next steps and meeting schedule @ 1:06:02

The group decided to continue discussions via email and hold the next full meeting in the second-to-last week of January 2026, likely on January 22nd.

Action items

  1. Themes submitted by John for comments https://docs.google.com/document/d/184XfeGye-U4eC1D4WxahD9Oq6WkVasAa/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116869824295255161118&rtpof=true&sd=true
  2. Keynote speaker list to be finalised in January
  3. Separate meeting for conference logistics eg. venue and sponsorship (Sponsorship options here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x2ES-FwH_ogItbDHq8WHU6S_ArgT9feU_68DnaI_y_U/edit?gid=1705128259#gid=1705128259)

 

BUDGET.

Excel planning document 

SHARED FOLDER 

 https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Tm8bcYa6F2Lb6P1t3KYAYO3kKEvkWhBa?usp=drive_link

SHARED PROGRAMME

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_lZ8OAw-lqmusupyIHkHpWNlAQxX5XDz/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116869824295255161118&rtpof=true&sd=true

 

 ISVEE18 Sponsorship Committee – February 02

VIEW RECORDING – 69 mins (No highlights)

PROPOSED DOCUMENT:  https://www.canva.com/design/DAHBNKe49bs/agvgJo3YhFXwmWcrYesm4Q/view?utm_content=DAHBNKe49bs&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hf7b2aef5c9

Potential Sponsors: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WINPUQ8MDeGUorkGBPx_pFTn4fV-ohwfYjos_fesYVI/edit?usp=sharing

Gates Foundation etc

NRF: https://www.nrf.ac.za/funding/nrf-call-for-proposals-for-funding-in-2025-and-2026/

Tourism:  In process

 

Meeting Purpose

Finalize the sponsorship package structure and pricing for ISVEE18.

Key Takeaways

Topics

Sponsorship Strategy & Pricing

Package Benefits & Deliverables

Sponsor Identification & Outreach

Next Steps

Action Items

 

  • Confirm foyer capacity; update floor plan for 2×2 booths – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Confirm 32-page magazine print cost (1,000 copies) – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Email Gates Foundation contacts/process to Mohamed; request Mariki’s assistance – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Pull SASVEPM sponsor list; add to potential sponsors doc – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Get NRF application forms; coordinate submission – WATCH (5 secs)
  • Update sponsorship doc: remove bronze/breakfast/email; add reg sponsor, student bursary, pre/post workshops; set pricing (R250k/R150k); add summary – WATCH (5 secs)