ABOUT CORE GROUP

CORE is the only player in its field that convenes the practitioners and public health professionals in global community health to share knowledge, evidence, and best practices, and then translates these into the real world with a direct impact, creating new standards in clinical and public health as it advances dialogue at the country and global levels.

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Mission & Vision

Mission

Improve and expand community health practices for underserved populations, especially women, children, and adolescents, through collaborative action and learning.

Vision

Communities where everyone can attain health and well-being.

Values

Values Statement

Values Statement

We believe that access to health care is a basic human right and that essential health care for all is attainable through a whole-health-systems approach. All people and communities must have access to safe, affordable, and high-quality health services without having to risk financial hardship. Universal health coverage must be fully implemented in policy and in practice to build a healthier world.
We see communities at the center of our efforts. Community-led decision-making, power, and resources are essential to attaining sustainable and strong health systems.
We believe in decolonizing global health. International health efforts must center the voices of regional, country-level, and local stakeholders and normalize these stakeholders’ leadership in decision-making.
We amplify the voices of vibrant communities whose health care systems do not meet their needs. Understanding the experience and priorities of our members and centering individual and collective voices in their health advocacy helps to effect wide reach and change.
We lift the voices of women and girls. Respecting, learning from, and engaging women and girls in communities whose needs are not met by existing health systems can provide important lessons on priorities, practices, and policies to help achieve health care and well-being for everyone.
We seek an end to racism and discrimination. Equal opportunity for all people can be achieved through dialogue, learning, and advocating in collaboration with and among Black and indigenous communities, people of color, women, gender and sexual minorities, people living with disabilities, and all those who experience hatred and bigotry around the world.
We thrive on collaborative learning and action, which drive innovations to advance health equity. Health equity can be achieved through learning, collaboration, and the application of resulting tools and approaches among all stakeholders engaged in the health system: public and private sector actors, donors, community leaders, religious leaders, mothers, and youth all have an important role to play.
We strive for health equity for all and seek gender-transformative approaches in programming and policies. Equitable approaches, including community-led research and advocacy, can promote gender equity by breaking down barriers to ensure access to high-quality health care for all populations. Ensuring health and gender equity measures, implementation guidelines, and clear policies are essential to achieve health equity for all communities.
We trust science. Evidence-based programs are necessary to effectively support and improve global community health.
We believe in the urgency of addressing climate change and its myriad effects on communities. We strive to protect the environment and commit to environmentally sustainable practices as an organization.

History

History of CORE Group

CORE Group emerged organically, beginning in 1997, when a group of health professionals from non-governmental development organizations saw the value of sharing knowledge and ideas about how to best help children survive. What began in this simple spirit of openness quickly gained momentum as participants realized significant savings in time, thought and resources—all made possible by collaborating. The group realized that this “community of practice” model was also fertile ground for the creation of new knowledge and ideas. In 2001, the group’s original moniker, The Child Survival Collaborations and Resources Group, was streamlined, and the newly named CORE Group incorporated as a coalition of non-profit global health organizations. Though the original scope has broadened from child survival to include women’s health and infectious diseases, the organizing principle for CORE Group membership remains the same: technical excellence in integrated, community-based global health programming.

Learn more in this video:

Annual Reports

In our commitment to transparency and financial accountability, CORE Group publishes an annual report that highlights our accomplishments and financial information for each fiscal year. Our annual reports since 2005 are available below. Reports for 2004 and earlier were only published in hardcopy.

2023 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report (990 form)

2021 Annual Report (990 form)

2020 Annual Report (990 form)

2019 Annual Report (990 form)

2018 Annual Report (990 form)

Our Impact

Since 1997, CORE Group has been at the forefront of advancing community health by fostering collaboration, strengthening local capacity, and scaling innovative solutions. We bring together a diverse network of partners—including faith-based organizations, private sector entities, NGOs, academic institutions, and community-based organizations—to drive sustainable health improvements worldwide. Our work focuses on empowering local health systems through training, knowledge sharing, and technical guidance. We develop case studies, conduct research analysis, and create training curricula to equip health practitioners with practical tools for addressing key health challenges. Through specialized monitoring and evaluation trainings, we help organizations refine their approaches and maximize impact. CORE Group also facilitates cross-sector collaboration to accelerate the adoption of evidence-based strategies, ensuring that proven interventions reach the communities that need them most. By advocating for locally led, community-driven health solutions, we contribute to building resilient health systems that improve maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes on a global scale.

Contributions

Contributions to the Field

CORE Group has worked since 1997 to advance the field of community health by:

– Developing case studies and analyzing research data from the field so others can understand what works on the ground level and how it might be replicated.

– Creating training curricula and conducting workshops that address community-level prevention and care, with a focus on social and behavior change, childhood illness, maternal mortality and management of infectious diseases.

– Developing monitoring and evaluation trainings and tools that enable field staff to collect standardized data. More Information, please visit the Monitoring and Evaluation Tools and Resources.

– Fostering in-country collaboration to assist NGOs and global partners in developing secretariats and networks. Recent efforts include malaria, polio, and pandemic preparedness activities in India, Nepal, Ethiopia, Angola, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

– Diffusing Innovations. NGOs working in isolation often create innovative solutions to improve child health outcomes by overcoming common obstacles to development. CORE has worked to diffuse several NGO innovations that have demonstrated improvement in the effectiveness, sustainability, equity or scale of child health outcomes.

– Advocating for Community Approaches to Health. Core Group has partnered with several global initiatives–such as Roll Back Malaria, Stop TB, and the U.S. Coalition for Child Survival—in order to ensure that community approaches to health are integrated into health advocacy efforts.

Testimonials

Dr. Abhay Bang

, MD, MPH; Founder & Director of SEARCH

There is a famous story about a father's last lesson for his five sons who are always quarreling. On his deathbed gathered by his sons, he gives them each one stick and asks them to break it. They each quickly break their stick. The he ties 10 sticks together and asks them to break the sticks. They find them impossible to break. That is the power of a group, of a community.

So like this power of community, world organizations must also form a community. This will give them all power of numbers, power of sharing, power of giving strength to each other and also the power of shaping policies. Individual organizations may be inadequate, they may be a lone voice, but if organizations come together then their voice will be heard, their points of view will be [taken] more seriously...
Tom Davis

, Director of Health Programs, Food for the Hungry International (FHI)

Being an organization with so many members, CORE is able to get new ideas out to a lot of people very quickly. People come together to create tools, methods, and curricula that we normally would not come together to form otherwise.
Diana DuBois

, Executive Director, WellShare International

I think the heart and soul of CORE are the different working groups that develop very specific and practical tools that are used worldwide. I would also like to acknowledge that CORE Group has helped and continues to help in program learning and knowledge generation and diffusion among INGOs. CORE has played a critical role in the CSHGP and global health generally through its effective mechanisms to share program learning and by providing a forum for knowledge generation and diffusion among INGOs. It is far and away the best and most effective knowledge generation and diffusion membership organization for maternal and child health and other health areas.
Antony Duttine

, Handicap International

The CORE Group meetings are really exciting two events over the year to meet new and familiar faces and learn from those with different stories to tell with different perspectives from different parts of the world. It’s a very interesting melting pot of thoughts and ideas and perspectives. I think it is great that there is such a variety of people from different regions and different perspectives, from policy makers to those in the field. It’s a technically-focused forum that is interesting to me as a technical person but also great to see perspectives from donors and learn what is influencing change. Being a niched organization in disability, it is nice to see how welcomed we are to the group which is a mainstream health group. To be welcomed with open-arms for our own perspectives ...
Paul Freeman

, Dept of Global Health, University of Washington

I come to CORE Group meetings because it’s great for networking and keeping up to date on issues for child health and programs. I connect with people from all different programs. It’s good for catching up to date with what’s happening with MCHIP and my interests go across all the different types of interest groups and programs. It’s a great place to bring everything together and catch up.
Kayt Erdahl

, Technical Officer, TB Team, PATH

If the CORE network wasn't there, something would be lost because what I have found is that the greatest asset are the other CORE members that bring this cast level of knowledge and experience together. It is a group of technical people working together and sharing experiences and learning from each other. I don't know any other venue that quite compares.
Laura Ehrlich

, WellShare International

CORE's listservs connect our staff to valuable and timely technical information---it is like having our own research department. And I cannot say enough good things about the meetings and networking opportunities within CORE. They are extremely valuable.
Laura Ehrlich

, WellShare International

CORE's listservs connect our staff to valuable and timely technical information---it is like having our own research department. And I cannot say enough good things about the meetings and networking opportunities within CORE. They are extremely valuable.
Kayt Erdahl

, Technical Officer, TB Team, PATH

If the CORE network wasn't there, something would be lost because what I have found is that the greatest asset are the other CORE members that bring this cast level of knowledge and experience together. It is a group of technical people working together and sharing experiences and learning from each other. I don't know any other venue that quite compares.
Christy Gavitt

, American Red Cross

I go to a number of different conferences worldwide and I think this is the 7th or 8th CORE Group meeting I have been to. I don’t find one better than the other. I think they are all excellent. The biggest value is the connection back to implementation. There’s not the old touchy-feely, pie in the sky, cloud theory stuff where I am saying, “bring it back to reality.” CORE Group meetings are really focused on how we can put this into action. It’s one of many things that I value the most about CORE Group meetings.
Willow Gerber

, Consultant

CORE is like a catalyst for making things happen. They have a way of bringing the best people together to talk about what they do, make it work, inform each other, and then move through a step-by-step process.
Kristina Gryboski

, USAID Bureau for Global Health

The Spring Meeting is a wonderful forum for collegial discussion of practical experiences and technical updates.
Ann Hendrix

, Jenkins Director of Partnership, CORE Group

CORE Group is an amazing place where passionate people come together to make every development dollar go further. CORE Group members work hard to figure out how to create deep-rooted sustainable change that will last long after the project is gone. Collectively, our members reach 720 million people a year, that's 1/10 of the world's population in over 180 countries.
Joe Miklosi

, Project CURE

I value the peer-to-peer, best practices-sharing so that Project CURE can become a more effective organization. I also enjoy the collaborative spirit that exists. It's very welcoming.
Elaine Murphy

, Visiting Scholar at the Population Reference Bureau

At a time when development efforts are fragmented and sometimes even competitive with each other, the CORE Group provides unifying coordination and inspires collaboration to achieve shared goals.
Todd Nitkin

, M&E Specialist, Medical Teams International

When you are a member of CORE you do not have to wait until something is produced or published. Instead, you are interacting with people as they are conceptualizing, drafting, and developing these materials. You can talk about them, learn from them rather than waiting 5 or 10 years before they are published and available on websites.
Mr. Tolbert Nyenswah

, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare- Liberia

We see community-based activities as the gold standard for public health and health system implementation. CORE Group's strategy is to bring services to the community. I wish I could join as a CORE Group member to champion community healths services in Liberia.
Henry Perry

, Johns Hopkins University/ Future Generations

Through CORE Group, I value access to current up-to-date information on maternal and child health and community-based primary health care, opportunities to learn from other organizations about their current programs, inspiration and fellowship.
David Pyle

, Consultant

I think anybody that is interested in Community-based child health should be involved in CORE Group because this is the place where the ideas are rapidly being developed and promoted and it’s just a great place to learn about the latest and greatest things in the field.
Houkje Ross

, Communications Consultant

The thing that impresses me about CORE Group is that it is a safeplace where health professionals from organizations working all over the world can come together and share information and knowledge. The knowledge and skills that members gain from CORE are invaluable.

Diffusion of Innovations

NGOs working in community health often create innovative solutions to improve maternal and child health outcomes by overcoming obstacles to effective implementation. Many of these obstacles (lack of community ownership, ineffective referral, drug unavailability, low use of services, and low retention of community health agents) are present in communities around the world. Innovations created by one organization can assist others in improving mother and child health; however they are often not developed or transferred in a way that would enable others to learn about, evaluate and uptake the innovation for wider benefit. CORE Group is interested in diffusing NGO innovations that demonstrate a proven track record in improving the effectiveness, sustainability, equity or scale of maternal child health outcomes. CORE Group facilitates a peer review of promising evidence-based innovations, provides guidance to ensure that the product will be practical, and supports trainings and diffusion through its Community Health Network so the innovation can be used worldwide.

Who We Are

Staff

Lisa M. Hilmi

Executive Director

Lisa Hilmi has over 30 years of global health experience in over 20+ countries, employing both human rights, gender transformative, and community-based participatory approaches to addressing health disparities for women, children and communities. As a nurse, researcher, and public health expert, Lisa has worked at multiple levels of global health, in policy, research, emergency relief and response, development, workforce development, health systems strengthening; from local to global levels. She has worked in development settings, led response to HIV/AIDS/STIs/GBV in refugee and conflict settings, and developed policy for outbreaks, disasters, and epidemics in multiple countries. She has led over $180 Million of development, relief and rehabilitation efforts. Clinically, Lisa has worked in pediatric hospital, community, academic, and crisis settings, and has held leadership positions in the UN, Sigma Theta Tau International, INGOs, and foundations. She has a strong history of partnership and coordination with UN, INGOs, CSOs, and other stakeholders. She is the chair of the WHO CSO Commission, and has had leadership roles on the WHO PMNCH Board, the Steering Committee of the Child Health Task Force, the Board of Directors at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation, as well as other review committees. She holds an MPH from Columbia University, a BSN from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, was a Jonas Nurse Scholar, and holds a BA in Communications and Political Science from Villanova University. She is currently a Center for Global Health Scholar at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

Theo Molenbrugge

Director of Finance and Administration

Theo Molenbrugge has over 25 years of experience in accounting, audit, finance, and operations, both in the private sector and in international development. He also has experience in training/capacity building in accounting, audit and finance. Theo started his career as a lecturer at the Department of Accounting and Information Management at Maastricht University (Netherlands) before moving to public accounting. After that he traveled for six months in South America before working as a consultant training local government auditors in Liberia. Subsequently. Theo started working for Catholic Relief Services, first as a Senior Auditor, and later as Regional Finance Officer in Latin America and Asia. Theo holds a MA in Economics and a Master of Tax Law, both from Maastricht University, and is a CPA in the Netherlands as well as a Certified Internal Auditor. He is currently finishing an International Executive Master in Finance and Control (iEMFC) program, again at Maastricht University. Theo is a Dutch citizen residing in Guatemala, and he is fluent in Dutch, English and Spanish, and has a working knowledge of French. In his spare time, Theo loves to travel and watch movies and tv series.

Mesaye Bersoma

Accountant

Mesaye Bersoma has 15 years of experience as an accountant, specializing in full-scope accounting, general ledger management, bank reconciliation, monthly close processes, financial statement preparation, and budget development. He has hands-on experience with US-GAAP and is proficient in Excel, MIP Fund Accounting, Great Plains, Peachtree, and QuickBooks accounting software.

Dr. Brooke Farrenkopf

Humanitarian Immunization Technical Advisor

With experience and training in vaccine access and equity, Brooke Farrenkopf is joining the CORE Group as the Humanitarian Immunization Technical Advisor, supporting Gavi’s Zero Dose Immunization Project. She recently received her PhD in International Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as well as a Certificate in Vaccine Science and Policy. Her thesis work focused on approaches to measure zero dose status and reach zero dose children with integrated primary care services, so she is excited to take forward some of those learnings in though ZIP. She has training and experience in research design, qualitative and quantitative analysis, health systems strengthening, and technical advocacy. Brooke previously worked at the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center and the Center for Indigenous Health on several implementation and epidemiology studies aimed at improving vaccines access, availability, and effectiveness.

Kate Kabore

Communication and Advocacy Coordinator

Kate Kabore is the Communication and Advocacy Coordinator at CORE Group. She has experience working in Community Health and Community Engagement in the areas of Water and Sanitation as well as Gender Based Violence in the USA, and in Burkina Faso. Kate recently received her Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral and Community Health from the University of Maryland, School of Public Health. She is passionate about Social and Behavior Change, and Maternal and Child Health. She is fluent in French and English.

Haimanot Kagnew

CSO Strengthening Technical Advisor, Small Grants Program

Haimanot Kagnew is a development professional with over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, program management, and civil society strengthening. She has led multi-donor programs, including those funded by USAID and FCDO, with a focus on governance, policy reform, and capacity development. Haimanot holds an MBA and a Master’s in Public Management and has supported organizations in institutional strengthening, safeguarding, and financial management. She established the Civil Society Organization Leaders Community of Practice (CSO Leaders CoP) in Ethiopia to foster peer learning and collective advocacy among CSO heads, and initiated the Organizational Development Marketplace (ODMP) to promote the exchange of organizational best practices. Through the NPI EXPAND Project, she also supported the integration of ICT systems to improve CSO efficiency and management. Haimanot is passionate about building resilient institutions, advancing local leadership, and promoting sustainable development through collaboration and innovation.

Chantal McGill

Learning and Project Manager – Humanitarian Immunization Partnership

With 18 years of experience leading programs and projects, Chantal McGill is joining CORE Group as a Project and Learning manager, supporting Gavi’s Zero Dose Immunization Project. She has a Masters degree from Columbia University’s Teachers College in International Education and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). With experience in corporate, nonprofit, and higher education settings, she brings a wealth of diverse experiences, leadership, and communication skills to her work. She has experience in global health projects, learning & development, facilitation, training, and talent management. She is fluent in English and French.

Rose Njiraini

Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health-Project Manager, Small Grants Program

Rose Njiraini has been a public health professional for over 20 years working in the area of health systems strengthening and focusing on programs for women and children. She has worked directly with various governments providing technical advice in the development and implementation of policies and strategies. She has also worked at the sub-national level in the implementation of primary healthcare and community health services. Previously as a health specialist leading a portfolio of primary healthcare, community health, early childhood development and child health, Rose was responsible for providing technical assistance to governments, resource mobilization, partner building and donor relations. She has been instrumental in the recognition of community health services as a critical driver for universal health coverage and as an integral pillar of primary health services. Rose has advocated for a well motivated and equipped community health worker, recognized as a service provider at the community and household levels. She is also passionate about sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health programs especially targeting adolescents. Rose has a bachelor’s degree in science from Howard University and a Master’s degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Ameyo B. Sekpon

Communications and Advocacy Coordinator- Humanitarian Immunization Project

Ameyo B. Sekpon has over 21 years of experience in communication, advocacy, and knowledge management, including 14 years of specialization in health communication. She currently serves as the Global Knowledge Management and Communication Coordinator at CORE Group, where she supports Gavi’s Zero Dose Immunization Project. Ameyo is skilled in training and managing multi-partner projects and effectively responding to emergencies. She is a former journalist and has experience as a web and graphic designer. Her professional background includes work with high-profile organizations, such as United Nations agencies and major international NGOs. She holds a master’s degree in Information Science from the University of Montreal, Canada, and has diplomas in audiovisual journalism, web and graphic design, crisis communication, and advocacy. Ameyo is fluent in English and French and several local languages of West Africa. She is passionate about happy childhoods, effective communication, justice, and diplomacy.

Board

Board of Directors

The CORE Group Board of Directors is the governing body of the organization and is dedicated to advancing CORE Group’s mission, values, strategies, goals, priorities, and policies.

Kelly Saldana

Chair, Independent

Kelly Saldana currently serves as Vice President at Abt Global, bringing with her over 25 years of experience in global health and more than 15 years in executive leadership roles. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a keen ability to integrate real-world evidence, economic modeling, and outcomes research into strategic health programs and policy decisions.

Kelly has built a reputation for developing and executing comprehensive, data-driven strategies that advance value-based care, strengthen regulatory systems, and improve patient pathways and overall health system performance. She has successfully overseen multi-billion-dollar global health portfolios, with full profit and loss responsibility, and has led teams of over 150 professionals across diverse and often challenging contexts. Her leadership has been repeatedly sought after in times of crisis, having led cross-functional teams during critical global health emergencies such as the COVID-19 and Zika outbreaks, as well as in efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child mortality. Throughout her work, she has cultivated strong partnerships with governments, donors, and international organizations, navigating the complex and rapidly evolving global health and development landscape to deliver transformative healthcare solutions.

Ahmed Arale

Vice-Chair, CGPP-GHS

Ahmed Arale has more than 20 years of humanitarian and development experience working with communities in the Horn of Africa (HOA) on emergency relief programming, public health, and community empowerment. As a nurse and public health practitioner, he’s worked at various levels of clinical, public health sector management, emergency relief and response, and health system strengthening—at the local and regional levels. Currently, Ahmed is the Secretariat Director for CORE Group Polio & Global Health Security Project for HOA (Kenya/Somalia), based in Nairobi. There he provides technical leadership to all aspects of project planning and implementation as well as multi-sectoral coordination with respective government, donors, and NGO implementing partners, WHO and UNICEF, CDC, and Rotary International, among others. Before joining CGPP-GHS, Ahmed worked as the Program Director for emergency & relief programs with Catholic Relief Services, Somalia. Prior to CRS, he worked as the Program Manager for BroadReach Healthcare LLC, leading a Private Sector Engagement in a PEPFAR project in Kenya. Additionally, he worked as a Service Delivery Specialist for Management Sciences for Health (USAID Extending Service Delivery Project). On public sector experience, he worked with the Ministry of Health, Kenya, for 13 years in various capacities. Ahmed holds a BSc Nursing degree from Dundee University, Scotland, and an MPH from the University of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Kote Lomidze

Treasurer, World Resources Institute

Kote Lomidze serves as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief People Officer at the World Resources Institute, a position he recently assumed after 14 years at World Learning. He originally joined World Learning in 2009 and spent three years at the organization, serving as Finance Director for international development and exchange programs and then Deputy CFO. After spending nearly two years as CFO of Project Concern International based in San Diego, he returned to World Learning in 2014. Prior to joining World Learning, Lomidze spent 11 years working in finance at World Vision in his native Georgia as well as in Russia, Zimbabwe, and the United States. Lomidze previously served as a Board Member and Treasurer of San Diego Diplomacy Council, a local NGO engaged in creating international connections to address common global challenges. Lomidze is a certified public accountant. He holds a BA in mathematical economics and a law degree from Tbilisi State University and an MBA from Georgetown University.

Dr. Enow Awah Georges Stevens

Secretary, Independent

Enow Awah Georges Stevens, MD is a Youth Frontline Health Worker, Sexual and Reproductive Health consultant, and skilled youth engagement Advisor. He has over ten years of experience in research and advocacy on global health; HIV/AIDS; and sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (SRMNCAH). He has extensive experience in Strategy Development and Execution, Program Management, Fundraising, Gender, and Women Rights Programming, Civil Society Strengthening, Qualitative Research, CSE, post-abortion care, and clinical care for survivors of sexual violence. He held several positions of responsibility first as a clinician in the gynecology and obstetrics department, then as the manager and senior manager of reproductive health projects in emergency and post-conflict settings in Cameroon and Sub-Saharan Africa. He is the Youth Advisor for CSE and YSRHR Programming with IPPF African Region. He has extensive board experience with international health organizations and has provided technical support to Cameroon’s Ministry of Secondary Education, especially in the national program for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) by setting standards and guidelines and currently is part of the core team working in West and Central Africa on the CSE commitments led by UNESCO.

Tosin Ajayi

At-Large, Clinton Health Access Initiative

Tosin Ajayi, MD, MPH, MBA, is a public health leader with over 12 years of global experience in healthcare transformation, research, and clinical practice. Specializing in health systems strengthening, digital health, and health policy, Tosin has made significant contributions to the design and implementation of innovative healthcare solutions across Africa and beyond. He has worked extensively with public, social, and private sector clients, leading large-scale projects that focus on improving immunization coverage, health service delivery, and supply chain management. Currently serving as a Senior Technical Manager for Global Vaccine Delivery at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Tosin also has a strong background in strategic leadership, program design, and stakeholder engagement, and has collaborated with key global health organizations such as WHO, BMGF, and Gavi. With advanced degrees in medicine, public health, and business administration from Johns Hopkins University, Tosin is committed to advancing health systems and achieving universal health coverage globally.

Alessandra Aseru

At-Large, Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion

Alessandra Aresu is an expert in global health and gender studies, with a strong focus on inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). She holds a PhD in Gender and Sexuality Education in Contemporary China from the University of Westminster, along with a Master’s in Chinese Studies from SOAS, University of London. Alessandra currently serves as the Director of Global Inclusive Health at Humanity & Inclusion, where she leads advocacy, policy support, and strategic initiatives aimed at promoting health equity for marginalized populations, particularly women, girls, and persons with disabilities. With over a decade of experience in international development, she has held leadership roles across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, driving initiatives that integrate gender, age, and disability perspectives into global health programs. Alessandra is fluent in multiple languages, including Italian, English, French, and Chinese, and is recognized for her contributions to policy development, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization in the global health sector.

Lindsay Horikoshi

At-Large, Camber Collective

Lindsay Horikoshi is an engagement manager at Camber Collective, a global strategy consulting firm, where she leads multidisciplinary teams to solve challenging problems in global health and development. She has over seven years of experience supporting private sector, multilateral, and US government clients. She has designed, implemented, and evaluated strategy and transformation programs in global health, as well as military and veterans’ health. Previously, she worked as a global health subject matter expert with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Inspector General and has also held roles at Booz Allen Hamilton and Chemonics International. Lindsay Horikoshi earned an MSc. in Global Health and BS in International Health from Georgetown University and is a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

Sarah Ford

At-Large, Catholic Relief Services

Sarah Ford is Director of Catholic Relief Services’ (CRS) Integrated Program Quality Unit. She provides strategic leadership and direction for three of CRS’ cross-cutting program areas: Equity, Justice, and Integrated Programming. Ms. Ford supports the design, delivery, and evaluation of peace-building, governance, gender, protection, and youth programming globally. She also supports monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning for CRS programs worldwide. Finally, she works in partnership and capacity-strengthening, supporting the design, delivery, and evaluation of high-quality capacity-strengthening interventions. Ms. Ford has more than 35 years of professional experience in organizational sustainability, leadership, management, and non-formal education. Prior to CRS, Ms. Ford worked with Management Sciences for Health’s AIDSTAR-Two project, providing capacity-building technical assistance to USAID-funded AIDS programs globally. At Lutheran World Relief, she provided leadership to the development and implementation of international public policy platforms and constituent education programs; and at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, supported programs promoting the human rights of women, children, and oppressed racial and indigenous groups. Previously, while Director of Capacity Building at CEDPA, Ms. Ford led a team in developing programs to increase international partners’ organizational capacity and sustainability.

Nomagugu Masuku

At-Large, Hemocue AB

Nomagugu Adelide Masuku is a project management and business development professional with extensive experience in leading complex, multi-faceted projects across the healthcare sector. With a Master of Philosophy in Monitoring and Evaluation Methods from Stellenbosch University, she has a strong background in strategic planning, partnership management, and stakeholder engagement. Currently serving as the Senior Manager for Global Public Health at Hemocue AB, Nomagugu oversees the implementation of international partnership projects, focusing on public health initiatives across high-growth markets. Her expertise spans from managing large-scale public health projects to driving revenue growth through strategic partnerships. Throughout her career, Nomagugu has demonstrated a commitment to improving healthcare delivery in diverse, multi-cultural environments, with experience working across Africa, Asia, and other regions. She is also a member of professional associations such as the Public Health Association of South Africa and the South Africa Monitoring and Evaluation Association.

Nikolos Oakley

At-Large, IntraHealth International

Nikolos Oakley is a finance and operations executive and a certified management trainer who currently works as the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at IntraHealth International. He is a member of the Executive Team responsible for providing leadership and management of the Center for Operational Excellence, consisting of administration, finance, accounting, IT, risk management, grants and contracts, and HR departments. He has extensive expertise in finance and organizational management; extensive knowledge of 2CFR 200 and previous reiterations; and knowledge of CRM, various accounting, budgeting, supply chain, business intelligence, and overall ERP solutions and various project information and management system databases. His languages include Georgian (native), English, and Russian (fluent).

Beth Outterson

At-Large, Independent

In her previous role as Knowledge Management (KM) Senior Advisor at Medical Teams International, Beth Outterson guided the organization’s learning initiative and the development of a KM strategy. She builds staff competency in Community Based Primary Health Care through development of online resources and training a cadre of field-based Capacity Building champions. Previously, Beth worked as Adolescent Reproductive Health Advisor at Save the Children, and as Health and HIV/ AIDS Specialist at US Peace Corps. Beth has an MA and MPH from Tulane University. After many years on the East Coast, she is enjoying life in the Pacific Northwest!

Susan Otchere

At-Large, World Vision

Susan A. Otchere is a highly experienced nurse-midwife and public health specialist with over 35 years of expertise in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), family planning, and reproductive health. She has a strong background in leading multi-professional, multicultural teams and managing complex health programs across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Susan has held senior roles in organizations like World Vision US, Cardno Emerging Markets USA Ltd., and Save the Children Federation Inc., where she has driven strategic planning, business development, and project implementation. She has published extensively on health interventions and policy and currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Health at World Vision US. Susan holds a Master’s degree in Mother and Child Health from the University of London and is a registered nurse in Virginia, USA.

Caroline Quijada

At-Large, Independent

Caroline Quijada is a globally recognized leader in private sector approaches for health with 20 years of experience in RMNCH programming. She currently serves as Principal Associate, International Development at Abt Associates. Previously she has served as deputy project director for two predecessor global private sector projects. Caroline has a strong track record in supporting successful business development bids for Abt Associates and has supported numerous private sector partnerships with various corporates. Prior to Abt Associates, Caroline worked at University Research Corporation and the National Coalition for Hispanic Health, where she managed six regional youth policy centers on Hispanic adolescent health. She served as Deputy Project Director for a $3 million national program on reducing sociocultural barriers to health care in Hispanic communities. Caroline has overseen 27 private sector health assessments that span the scope of private sector health activities across the world. The scope of her knowledge includes public-private partnerships (PPPs), health systems strengthening, social enterprise development, total market approach (TMA) initiatives, provider networks and franchises, quality improvement, and digital solutions. Caroline has an M.H.S., Population and Family Health Sciences from Johns Hopkins University and has published and presented extensively on private sector engagement.

Stephen Rahaim

At-Large, Independent

Stephen Rahaim has 20 years of experience designing, managing and measuring complex initiatives to improve development outcomes and create enduring social and economic value working with private sector, civil society, government, and donors. Stephen has collaborated with a wide range of clients and stakeholders to develop local, national, and multi-country strategies, leading project implementation, partner relationships, and performance management among diverse technical and operations teams. He has designed, advised, and measured social innovation funds and competitions, public-private partnerships, and human-centered and market based research and interventions. As a Senior Principal Specialist with the global health team at DAI, Stephen works across health practice areas to deepen the organization’s impact, including a focus on private sector engagement and strengthening local organizations. Previously, Stephen was Chief of Party of the USAID Catalyst project through which he helped design and execute multiple open innovation programs and innovation incentive awards in more than 20 countries focused on a variety of development challenges. Prior to this, he built and led the Health Markets and Behavior Change practice at Palladium, and led the Asia and Middle East Portfolio for the USAID Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector Project at Abt Associates, among other positions. Stephen received a Master of Public Health Degree from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Fernando Ramiro Unzueta

At-Large, Former Deputy, Mercy Corps (Retired)

My name is Fernando Unzueta and I am a Bolivian professional who currently lives in Bogota Colombia since June 2013 when I came to this country to work as a Finance Director of Mercy Corps as an expat. My last position in Mercy Corps in Colombia was Deputy Country Director of Operations. Before this I worked for Save the Children US for 12 years, 5 in Bolivia as Deputy Operations Director and 7 years in Washington DC as Operations Director and the last 3 years of the 7 as Finance Director for the Newborn Health Program at Save the Children with the Gates Foundation. I have more than 40 years of experience working in the Finance sector and basically working for NGOs. I worked around 30 years with USAID funds and with International Organizations. Also, I have experience working with other donors, private foundations as well as with European and Canadian funds. The topics I worked on during my career where education, health (child survival, sex and reproductive health, infection diseases, nutrition, etc) and also humanitarian aid, rural development and infrastructure. At the present I am retired after all these years of working and working occasionally as a consultant here in Colombia. As a summary I consider myself a person with seasoned operations, finance/grants professional and Office Management. Known for critical thinking skills, strong focus on operational excellence and collaborative work style. Ability to work both: independently and as a team member. Proven ability to work cross functionally and cross culturally. Excellent financial management and planning skills. Effective leadership skills and drive for results in high volume and stress environments.

Working Group Chairs

Co-Chairs

Systems for Health Working Group

Cora Nally, PHD(c), MPH

Americares

As the Director of International Emergency Response at Americares, Cora Nally leads swift and comprehensive interventions during global crises such as earthquakes, floods, and cyclones. With over 15 years of expertise in international public health, Nally orchestrates the delivery of vital medicines and relief supplies, oversees emergency teams, and revitalizes healthcare services for affected communities. Joining Americares in 2019, Nally initially led the Hurricane Dorian emergency response team, overseeing relief efforts in the Bahamas. In this role, she managed expert teams and medical professionals, delivering primary care and mental health support to survivors while coordinating aid shipments and restoring healthcare access to hard-hit areas. Her leadership extended to Project HOPE, where she directed Hurricane Dorian response efforts and steered comprehensive relief and recovery initiatives. Prior to this, her impactful work reached Russia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone during the Ebola crisis, where she trained and empowered community-based teams. Nally’s global health insights are fortified by her experience living and working across eight countries and four continents.

Kristen Mallory

Children International

Kristen Mallory has a Master’s degree in Public Health with 15 years of international development experience, currently serving as Director of Global Programs at Children International. In her previous role as Sr. Technical Officer, she spearheaded the transition to health equity programming through health systems strengthening across 9 countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Kristen has been a member of the S4H working group since 2017 and has contributed to initiatives aimed to advance social accountability, she looks forward to continuing to support the group in this new capacity.

Dr. Adugna Kebede

Action Against Hunger

Dr. Adugna Kebede is a Medical Doctor and a Public Health professional with over twenty-five years of experience in health, nutrition, and HIV & AIDS, serving both in emergency relief and development programs at the National, Regional, and Global levels. Through the years, Adugna has demonstrated skills in designing and implementing multi-sectoral programs, monitoring & evaluation of health, Nutrition, and HIV/AIDS projects with expertise in capacity building to field level and senior health and nutrition program managers. He has a track record of providing technical support to country programs during resource mobilization, design and implementation of quality Health and Nutrition projects, and in facilitating learning through documentation of best practices and lessons learned. Area of interest – holistic community-centered development that empowers communities and promotes ownership. Since November 2023, Adugna serves as a Senior Technical Advisor for Health and Nutrition at Action Against Hunger based in Washington DC.

Nutrition Working Group

Diana Allotey

Vitamin Angel Alliance Inc.

Diana Allotey, PhD is a public health nutritionist with over 8 years of experience with BMGF- and USAID-funded global health research and programs. In her role as Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, she provides technical support to advance the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of Vitamin Angel’s Program Division’s monitoring and evaluation strategy. Dr. Allotey just completed her doctoral studies in Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research focused on examining the factors which influence the success of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) social and behavior change communication (SBCC) programs in Nigeria. She also has an MPH in Nutrition from the same institution.

Charlotte Block

NCBA/CLUSA

Charlotte Block is a technical specialist at NCBA/CLUSA. Her technical expertise includes nutrition, food systems and nutrition-led agriculture.

Albertha Nyaku

Results for Development (R4D)

Albertha Nyaku is a recognized global nutrition leader with extensive public health and nutrition experience supporting governments to strengthen systems in more than 20 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She has worked extensively in Ghana, Cambodia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa and Nigeria. In addition to various roles with the Ghanaian Ministry of Health, Ms. Nyaku has also held key positions in various organizations including being technical advisor for the Alive and Thrive initiative at FHI360, Africa regional advisor for the USAID Infant and Young Child and Maternal Nutrition Project at PATH, senior nutrition advisor on the Maximizing the Quality of Scaling up Nutrition Project (MQSUN) at PATH and the nutrition team lead of the USAID Maternal and Child Survival Project.

Ms. Nyaku is the nutrition practice senior program director at Results for Development (R4D), where she oversees a diverse nutrition portfolio at the country, regional and global levels. She leads strategic development initiatives which delivers technical assistance emphasizing partnerships with local or regional institutions to facilitate and support country led change processes, promote regional learnings and technical support networks, and ensure that country and regional actors and evidence are prioritized or play a bigger role in global processes.

Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health Working Group

Rondi Anderson

Project HOPE

Rondi Anderson, PhD is a certified nurse-midwife who has dedicated her life to providing quality, evidence-based maternal and newborn health services to the poorest women. She has worked in both clinical service delivery and reproductive health program management, serving marginalized communities in the U.S., Sierra Leone, Somalia, India, and Bangladesh. She was an international midwifery specialist with UNFPA Bangladesh from 2015–2022 and served as an emergency coordinator for sexual and reproductive health programs with UNFPA in Aleppo, Syria throughout 2023. She holds a PhD from Lancaster University and has published more than 20 articles in peer reviewed journals on the midwifery practice and evidence-based midwifery care. She is a leading voice on the development of international standard midwives and the provision of quality maternity care in low resource health systems.

Feven Tassew Mekuria

CARE

Feven Tassew Mekuria is a medical doctor with more than ten years of experience in the management of a public health program in Ethiopia. Based in Atlanta, Feven serves as the Senior Technical Advisor for strengthening health systems, with CARE’s Health Equity and Rights (HER) team focusing on community health systems and frontline healthcare workers (FLHWs). In this role, she provides technical leadership on the health systems strengthening strategy of the global team, and leads on the adaptation and application of successful models and best practices for empowering frontline healthcare workers and meaningful community engagement across the humanitarian to development continuum. She collaborates with colleagues from across CARE and networks with strategic partners to identify key approaches, consolidate learning, and support refinement, expansion, and scale-up of program innovations and approaches, including those specifically aimed at removing barriers for remote and marginalized groups to access maternal and child (MCH) as well as sexual reproductive health (SHR) information and services. She is currently focused on supporting the role of CARE’s FLHW strategy through its integrated program and advocacy initiative – ‘She Heals the World’ – to improve the agency and well-being of FLHWs; transform community norms and strengthen primary healthcare systems.

Emma Virginia Clark

Abt Global

Emma Virginia Clark is a certified nurse-midwife and public health professional with experience in conflict, post-conflict, and refugee settings in remote and challenging environments, including Somalia, Iraq, Haiti, and South Sudan. She has extensive experience in reproductive health programming, including program design, management, and monitoring and evaluation. Her core competencies include providing technical support in primary and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), program management in emergency situations, and capacity building. Currently, she serves as the Lead Client Solutions Architect, Health at Abt Global, where she leads the development of strategies and growth plans for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH). She manages a team of health experts to design effective, responsive solutions that address clients’ unmet needs and operational realities. Ms. Clark also serves as the opportunity and technical lead for capture and proposal efforts with key clients, including USAID, FCDO, DFAT, CDC, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the Gates Foundation. She collaborates with multidisciplinary experts to develop winning strategies and plays a critical role in capture teams and proposal review processes to ensure successful implementation. Her core competencies include providing technical support in primary and sexual and reproductive health (SRH), program management in emergency settings, and capacity building.

Jimmy Nzau

Pathfinder

Jimmy Nzau is a physician and global health practitioner with 21 years of experience at global, regional, and national levels in both humanitarian and international development sectors. His expertise includes health system strengthening, quality of care, RMNCH, family planning, adolescent health and development, gender-based violence, comprehensive abortion care, cervical cancer prevention, STI/HIV, climate and health, and gender-transformative approaches. He has extensive experience in proposal development and capacity building for civil society organizations at national, regional, and global levels. He has worked to strengthen the capacity of religious leaders and women and youth-led organizations to advance policies and legislation for a supportive environment. In 2020, Jimmy joined Pathfinder as the first-ever Global Medical Director, leading the clinical governance agenda across 16 country offices. Before Pathfinder, he spent nearly ten years at CARE International as a senior leader, overseeing the implementation of RMNCH/Family Planning and policy advocacy initiatives in over 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, and Asia. He also developed CARE's SRHR regional strategies for East, Central, and Sub Saharan Africa, West Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia. Since August 2024, Jimmy is the Engender Health Senior Director for Clinical RH and FP. He graduated from the University of Kinshasa, School of Medicine, holds an MPH from Emory University, and a post- graduate diploma in health promotion from Nancy University in France. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Environmental Health at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Jimmy is fluent in French, English, and several African languages. Jimmy lives in Georgia, where he spends his free time gardening in his backyard and supporting his son’s basketball team

Social & Behavior Change Working Group

Lisa Sherburne

JSI

Lisa Sherburne, JSI, has over 20 years of experience in social and behavior change action research and programming. Experienced in applying social and behavioral sciences to design, implement, and monitor evidence-based SBC strategies and SBC communication solutions to improve health and nutrition with adolescents, communities, and stakeholders.

Joel Mercado

World Vision US

Joel Mercado is a public health professional with various experiences in the development and humanitarian space. He has been supporting business development and program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation in Africa, Asia, and Latin America for the past 17 years. He is passionate about implementing behavioral science-informed solutions to complex community health problems. He has an MPH from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Barbara Muffoletto

Curamericas Global

Barbara Muffoletto is a seasoned global public health professional who is passionate about supporting sustainable, community-led development programs using social and behavior change methodologies. Barbara has over nine years of experience in program administration and management. As Senior Program Manager, she works alongside international partners to implement maternal-child health programs in Kenya, Guatemala, and Haiti. Barbara holds an MPH in Health Behavior from UNC Chapel Hill, with a certificate in Global Health and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University.

Disability-Inclusive Health Working Group

Hamza Alzahran

Special Olympics

Hamza Alzahran is a registered nurse with a masters in public health (MPH) degree. He worked in bedside care in an emergency department in Beirut. Later he worked in primary healthcare planning and strengthening with international organizations responding to the Syrian refugee crisis, COVID-19, and Beirut port blast. He currently fills the position of Manager, Inclusive Health on the health system strengthening team for Special Olympics International remotely from Berlin. Hamza will be co-chairing the DIH-TAG alongside his colleague Nyasha Derera from Special Olympics Africa regional office.

Nyasha Derera

Special Olympics

Nyasha Derera is a dedicated advocate for health equity and a leader within the Special Olympics movement. Nyasha works in his community in Zimbabwe and beyond to champion the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in decision-making processes. Nyasha works as a Coordinator, Athlete Leadership and Youth Engagement within the Special Olympics Africa regional office. His leadership and advocacy experiences are complemented by his athletic achievements. As an athlete with intellectual disability, Nyasha holds a record of 17 gold medals, 6 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal in Zimbabwe, as well as being a Berlin Marathon finisher. Nyasha’s commitment extends to volunteering at schools, providing competitive readiness training, and participating in various community service activities. Nyasha’s passion for inclusive health is evident in his contributions to the Special Olympics, where he has served as a Sargent Shriver International Global Messenger and provided input on inclusive health resources and strategies. His voice brings a unique and motivated perspective to the table, ensuring that health systems are designed to leave no one behind.

Noncommunicable Diseases Working Group

Barbara Smith

Project HOPE

Barbara Smith has been working in the not-for-profit industry since 1992. Her earlier background was spent in fundraising and development. Barbara joined Project HOPE in April 2006 as the Administrative Assistant to the Russia Eurasia Region, where she supported HOPE center and field staff working on tuberculosis and women’s and children’s health projects in seven countries in the Central Asian Republics. In 2008, Barbara was promoted to coordinate the global-wide administrative support and travel for HOPE Center and field staff. In 2014, she moved to the Global Health technical team working as a Program Officer focusing on technical support and management of Project HOPE’s programs related to the prevention, care and treatment of chronic, or noncommunicable diseases, around the world. Barbara is currently a Senior Program Officer, NCDs tasked with oversight of all Non-communicable Disease programs, including diabetes, hypertension, respiratory diseases, epilepsy, and cancer. In addition, she supports HOPE’s 25+ year project in Egypt supporting care and treatment of people with Gaucher’s disease, a rare lysosomal storage disorder. ‍

Barbara holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, emphasis in Management and Marketing, from Cedarville University (1990), a master’s in public health from the American Public University (2017) where her thesis on TB-Diabetes co-infection was published in the University library, and she completed a certification in Development Project Management (2020). Barbara has co-authored many international conference abstracts, posters and presentations over her tenure at Project HOPE.

Dory Storms Child Survival Recognition Award

Since 2001, CORE Group has presented the annual Dory Storms Child Survival Recognition Award to a person or persons who demonstrate courage, leadership, and commitment to helping non-governmental organizations have an impact on and effectively implement programs that end child deaths. The award is named after Dr. Storms, who was a founding member of the CORE Group and led the USAID-funded Child Survival Support Project, which was based in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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