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.

get involved

Mission & Vision

Nepalese mother feeding her toddler

Photo Credit: Hari Prasad Upadhyay, World Vision International Nepal

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

Vision
Communities where everyone can attain health and well-being

Our Impact

CORE Group has worked since 1997 to advance the field of community health by developing case studies and analyzing research data from the field, creating training curricula and conducting workshops, developing monitoring and evaluation trainings and tools, fostering in-country collaboration, diffusing Innovations, and advocating for Community Approaches to Health

Who We Are

Staff

Lisa M. Hilmi, Executive DirectorLisa M. Hilmi
Executive Director
lhilmi@coregroup.org

Lisa Hilmi has over 30 years of global health experience in over 20+ countries, employing both human rights 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.

Her research focuses on geographical health disparities for adolescents in urban settings. She has a strong history of partnership and coordination with UN, INGOs, CSOs, and other stakeholders. She sits 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 and completing her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, was a Jonas Nurse Scholar, is a Certified Pediatric Nurse, and holds a BA in Communications and Political Science from Villanova University.

Photo of Sanjay Sinho Senior Advisor, Community Health, MNCAH

Sanjay Sinho
Senior Advisor, Community Health, MNCAH
ssinho@coregroup.org

Dr Sanjay Sinho is a pediatrician and an astute professional who has been working with non-profits and foundations in senior managerial position for over 30 years with expansive global portfolio. He specializes in strategic planning, community mobilization, organizational management, technical oversight and partnership building skills. His work though often cross-sectoral but had focused more on Public Health, and Nutrition where he has primarily worked on Child Survival, Nutrition, Maternal Health, Reproductive Health and infectious diseases. Sanjay holds a MA in Sociology and MD in pediatrics from Bhopal University in India.

Comfort Siodlarz Director of Finance & AdministrationComfort Siodlarz
Director of Finance & Administration
csiodlarz@coregroup.org

Comfort has over 16 years of financial and technical experience with nonprofits. She has an in-depth understanding and experience in implementing programs by donors such as USAID, DOS, USDA, DFID, UNHCR among few. Over the years, she has developed strong skills in managing and handling financial reports, donor reports, billing, invoicing, contracts and procuring goods and services. She enjoys developing operational and proposal budgets and monitoring awards and grants from both the field and head quarter level. She has lived and worked overseas and has a diverse skills in working with people from many different backgrounds. Comfort holds an MBA in finance from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in accounting from Central University in Accra, Ghana. During her personal time she enjoys building things including home improvement projects.

Erin Murray Operations and Accounts ManagerErin Murray
Operations and Accounts Manager
 emurray@coregroup.org

As Operations and Accounts Manager, Erin is responsible for managing CORE Group’s office operations and accounts, membership, and event planning, including conferences and webinars. She has worked in operations and administration for varied non-profit organizations, including a charter school located in DC, an alternative energy association, and an international educational non-profit. She served as a volunteer English teacher for WorldTeach in Costa Rica, and has taught English to various adult communities. Erin enjoys yoga, traveling, reading, and attempting to cook.

Photo of Laura TashjianLaura Tashjian
Program Manager, Humanitarian-Development Task Force
Ltashjian@coregroup.org

Laura Tashjian is a passionate global health professional specialized in gender sensitive programming and participatory community-based approaches to maternal health, education and nutrition. As Program Manager, she leads the Humanitarian-Development Task Force and cultivates related networks to strengthen the nexus between emergency responses to protracted conflict and transitions into recovery. She has multi-level program and research experience in South Asia and Africa and strives to support, co-create and inspire communities of action, change and responsibility throughout her work. On her personal time, she serves as a professional birth doula and childbirth educator focusing on under-served populations. Laura holds an MA at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy with concentrations in humanitarian studies, conflict resolution and gender.

Adrienne Todela, Knowledge Management OfficerAdrienne Todela
Knowledge Management and Communications Manager
atodela@coregroup.org

As Knowledge Management and Communications Manager, Adrienne strengthens knowledge-sharing and communications between CORE Group, its membership, and the broader global health and international development community to advocate for key community health activities and messages, and to demonstrate CORE Group’s value and impact in the field. Furthering her role in facilitating learning among social networks, Adrienne manages CORE Group’s Young Professionals Network (YPN), coordinating professional skills development activities for the membership in collaboration with partner organizations. She also oversees CORE Group’s Mentorship Program implemented under YPN. Adrienne previously supported The TOPS Program as its Knowledge Management Officer through CORE Group. She received her B.A. in International Relations and B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and worked for various public sector organizations including Accion International, The African Foundation for Development, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Adrienne is currently a Master’s degree candidate at GWU’s Elliott School of International Affairs. In her free time, she enjoys trying different cuisines, collecting scarves from her travels, and spending quality time with loved ones.

Photo of Avani DuggarajuAvani Duggaraju
Communications and Knowledge Management Associate
aduggaraju@coregroup.org

As the Communications and Knowledge Management Associate, Avani contributes to strategies to strengthen communication and knowledge sharing between CORE Group, its membership and the broader International Community Health Network. She has experience working in health communications and social science research both domestically and internationally. She has previously worked with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a project examining women’s sanitation vulnerabilities in southern Tanzania and interned at a HIV/AIDS non-profit in India. Avani received her MSPH in Social and Behavioral Interventions from the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her BS from the University of Connecticut. She enjoys dance, travel, reading, and listening to K-Pop.

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.

LEARN more