Advisory Board
Governance, Scientific Rigor & Strategy
The Advisory and Technical Board of the InvisibiliDOWN Institute is the fundamental pillar of our governance. Composed of nationally and internationally recognized authorities—from Law and Public Health to Anthropology and Strategic Management—this multidisciplinary group serves as the guardian of our methodology.
Their mission is to ensure technical excellence and ethical integrity across all Institute initiatives. Whether validating InvisibiliDATA statistics, curating InvisibiliLEARN's pedagogical content, or guiding our political advocacy strategies, our board members ensure that the fight against "Inclusive Racism" is grounded not only in narratives but in scientific evidence and legal security.
The complexity of dual invisibility—Race and Disability—demands solutions that go beyond the obvious. Therefore, we have gathered a Board of excellence that bridges the precision of Science, the power of Law, and the sensitivity of the Humanities.
Meet the minds that validate and drive our mission forward:
Me. Altair Lira
Public Policy & Public Health (SUS)
Anthropologist and Public Health specialist with a solid trajectory in public management and the defense of the right to health. Master in Collective Health with an emphasis on Health Management and Hemotherapy (ISC/UFBA) and Bachelor in Social Sciences focusing on Health Anthropology (FFCH/UFBA). Proudly a descendant of the Fula (Guinea-Bissau), Mende, and Temne (Sierra Leone) peoples.
Current Roles: Institutional Relations Advisor for the Rilza Valentim State Reference Center for People with Sickle Cell Disease and the Hemoba Foundation. Preceptor and Core Faculty Member of the Multi-professional Residency Program in Health Education and Labor Management (SESAB).
Strategic Management: Former Coordinator of the MAIS MÉDICOS Program in Bahia (2022/2023) and Project Manager for the Bahia Research Foundation (FAPESB), acting as Technical Reference for the PPSUS (2019-2022).
Humanization: Former Coordinator of the State Policy for Humanization of Care (SESAB) and UNDP/Ministry of Health Consultant for the National Humanization Policy (2014-2016).
Teaching and Research: Substitute Professor at the Institute of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences (UFBA). Member of the Editorial Board of the Bahia Journal of Public Health. Researcher at NETBIO (Bioethics Research Group/UFBA).
Social Leadership: National reference in sickle cell advocacy. Founder of the Bahia Association of People with Sickle Cell Diseases (ABADFAL).
International Recognition: Invited by the US Government for the International Visitor Leadership Program (2010). Civil Society Focal Point for the Brazil-U.S. Joint Action Plan for the Promotion of Racial and Ethnic Equality (JAPER). TEDx speaker (2018).
Prof. Rita Alves
Governance & Science
Executive and Operational Director of the Buriti DS Network. Multidisciplinary specialist with solid training in Strategic Management, Education, and Culture. Combines executive experience in health and education institutions with a trajectory dedicated to cultural heritage preservation and literature. Author, curator, and project manager focusing on social impact and inclusion.
Foundation and Management: Founder and Administrative Director of the Escola Paulista de Ciências Médicas (EPCM). Founding Member and Institutional Relations Director of the Orlando Villas Bôas Institute. Co-founder of the Professor Antonio Carlos Lopes Institute.
Health Management: Former Manager of the Research and Teaching Institute at APAE São Paulo, where she implemented and coordinated the Research Ethics Committee (CEP), a scientific milestone for the institution.
Education: Professor in the Graduate Department of São Camilo in the chair of Inclusive Education. Former Graduate Professor at the Municipal University of São Caetano do Sul (USCS) and Estácio de Sá (2013-2017).
Culture and Communication: Broadcaster at Rádio Bandeirantes (2009-2018) with a program dedicated to Brazilian and African Literature. Curator of Visual Arts and historical heritage. Author of books on History, Literature, and Art.
Dr. Suiane Costa
Health Innovation & Digital Ed.
Full Professor at UNEB (Bahia State University) and PhD in Education. Post-doctorate from Stellenbosch University (South Africa). Her work is transdisciplinary, focusing on the intersection of Black Population Health, Gamification, and Educational Technologies.
Research & Afro-Inclusion: Leads the "Afrocentrar Saúde: ilera dudu" collective. Research focuses on "Race, pulmonary function, and Black population health," questioning racial biases in clinical diagnoses.
Game Design for Health: Creator of several serious games applied to the SUS (Unified Health System), including "Guardian of the Skin" (pressure injury in Black skin) and "Istar" (The battle for health).
Awards: 1st place in the 4th Acessa Health Self-Care Award (2025). Top rankings in Health tracks at SBGames (Brazilian Symposium on Games and Digital Entertainment) in 2024 and 2025.
Dr. Cynthia Oliveira
Health Law & Neurodiversity
Lawyer specialized in Health Law and Autism Rights. Founding partner of Neves de Oliveira Advocacy, acting nationally in the defense of patients in Home Care and people with disabilities. Member of the OAB/MG Disability Commission. Atypical mother, she transforms personal experience into high-impact advocacy.
Institutional Leadership: Member of the Autism Commission of the Brazilian Bar Association (ABA) Southeast and active member of the Disability Rights Commission of the OAB/MG.
Advocacy & Communication: Journalist and lecturer, she works to translate complex legal terms into accessible language, empowering families with knowledge about their health rights. Her work focuses on dismantling barriers for atypical families.
Prof. Fernanda Rodrigues
Identity & Counter-Colonial Pedagogy
Counter-colonial researcher and educator with over 21 years of experience in literature and inclusive education. Master in Literary Studies (UFMG), Professor at IFNMG, and President of NEABI. Regional Coordinator for the Unified Black Movement (MNU) in the Jequitinhonha Valley.
Institutional Leadership: Founder of IAPEMI (Multidisciplinary Integrated Pedagogical Support Institute). Leads the Center for Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous Studies (NEABI).
Advocacy: Active member of the Unified Black Movement (MNU). Her work focuses on Afro-centered, Afro-transgressive, and Quilombola education, bridging the gap between special inclusive education and racial identity.
Author: Writer of "Afro-Brazilian Literature: Approaches in the Classroom" (Editora Pallas), providing tools for educators to implement Black history in the national basic education system.
Dr. André Naves
Advocacy & Rights Defense
Federal Public Defender, specialist in Social Inclusion and Human Rights. Master in Political Economy (PUC/SP) with international specializations from Princeton University and Hillsdale College (USA). Counselor for high-impact social institutions, merging legal security with economic development in the inclusion agenda.
Strategic Influence: Former member of the LIDE Inclusion Committee. Counselor for the Chaverim Group, assisting people with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities.
Ambassador of Education: Ambassador for the FEFIG Institute and "Friend of Turma do Jiló" (reference in inclusive education).
Communication & Consulting: Cultural Commendator, writer, and professor. Columnist for major media outlets where he translates complex citizenship concepts, defending inclusion as a primary driver of socio-economic development.