Paula Johns was born and grew up in Brazil. She obtained a Master of Arts Degree in English and International Development Studies in Denmark, at Roskilde University Center. She is the co-founder and director of the ACT Health Promotion (former Alliance for the Control of Tobacco Use), a Brazilian coalition of over a thousand members, created in 2003 to support the process of ratification and implementation of the WHO-FCTC in Brazil. Since 2013, ACT has expanded its scope of work to include the agenda of the NCDs. ACT is also one of the leading organizations of the Alliance for Healthy Diets formed in 2016 to support food policy issues. Johns has been a presenter at conferences and other events on tobacco control, other risk factors for NCDs, Advocacy and civil society mobilization issues nationally and internationally. She is also a former chair of the Board of Directors of the FCA – Framework Convention Alliance, an elected member of the Brazilian National Health Council, Board Member of the NCD Alliance, Board Member of the Interamerican Heart Foundation and Board Member of GAPA - Global Alcohol Policy Alliance. Johns is also an Ashoka Fellow.