Omar is a Nutrition Science Specialist of the Bureau for Global Health. He has worked in public health nutrition from basic research to strategic planning at national and global levels. He has been involved in food analysis, nutrition surveillance, food and nutrient intakes and biomarker interpretation for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of specific nutritional interventions. His major areas of expertise are micronutrient assessment and food fortification.
He has been an advisor to WHO, UNICEF, FAO, WFP, IAEA, PAHO, the CDC, ILSI, MI, GAIN, and SUSTAIN, and he has provided technical assistance to more than 45 countries. He is member of the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG), the Technical Advisory Group for Micronutrient Data project of the Micronutrient Forum, and the PAHO Expert Group to Reduce Salt Intake. Previously, he was a member of the Steering Committees of the Micronutrient Forum, the International Vitamin A Consultative Group (IVACG), and the Iodine Global Network (IGN).
Omar has a BS in Biology with emphasis on analytical chemistry and biochemistry from the San Carlos University in Guatemala. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside.