<p>We dialogued with Dévora Kestel, the first woman and psychologist in charge of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse of the World Health Organization (WHO), from where public policies are designed at a global scale. The interview revisits her years of training and some key moments in her career in the field of mental health, from her studies of psychology in Argentina to her collaboration in international organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization, passing through her participation in the legendary reform of Triste's psychiatric institutions. From her current position in the United Nations agency, she offers her view on the challenges imposed by the pandemic derived from the COVID-19 disease, for the promotion and prevention in the field of mental health.</p>