Program Coordinator, OXFAM- Malawi

Rejoice Misozi Kankhande is a registered Public Health Practitioner by the Medical Council of Malawi, with over 10 years’ experience in health program management, monitoring, and evaluation, learning and research. She has served in local and international organizations, managing diverse projects in Health Governance, Social and Behavior Change, Maternal Child Health and Nutrition, Health Education, Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights, Gender Advocacy and has contributed to projects, funded by The Global Fund, World Bank, Global Affairs Canada, USAID, UNICEF, FAO, Irish Aid and GIZ.

Emergency and Critical Care Technical Advisor, Partners In Health-Malawi

Eneli Trinity Mhango works with Partners In Health-Malawi as an Emergency and Critical Care Technical Advisor and is seconded to the Ministry of Health headquarters under the Curative and Medical Rehabilitation Services. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and Midwifery and a Master of Science degree in Reproductive Health. In her current role, she works with various health facilities, health organizations, agencies, and communities to provide quality and timely care to patients in need of urgent medical attention.

NCD Technical Advisor, Partners in Health-Malawi

Evelyn Chibwe is a registered nurse with specialization in Adult Health Nursing. She is a national Technical Advisor in non-communicable diseases and mental health with four years of successful experience in implementation of NCD programs. She is a member of the PEN-Plus Southern Africa Committee Hub and board member for Community-led patient organizations. Working in the field of NCDS has provided her with extensive exposure and experience in emerging issues related to NCDs. Working with people in the community, partners, and people living with NCDs has helped to broaden her mindset.

Head of Knowledge and Social Medicine Division, Partners In Health-Rwanda

Vincent K. Cubaka is a medical doctor, health systems researcher, and educator with a wealth of experience in various healthcare capacities. Beginning his career as a rural clinician, he transitioned seamlessly into academia, where he served as both a lecturer and researcher. Eventually, Vincent assumed the leadership role of Head of the Department of Primary Health Care at the University of Rwanda (UR). In 2019, Vincent embarked on a new phase of his career by joining Partners in Health (PIH/IMB) as Director of Research and Training. Recently, he has taken on the important role of Head of the Knowledge and Social Medicine Division within the organization. Vincent's academic qualifications include a Master of Medicine in Family and Community Medicine from UR, as well as a Doctorate in Medicine from Aarhus University in Denmark.

Clinical Officer, Ministry of Health-Malawi

Luckson Chiphiko, is a health worker under Karonga District Health Office (DHO), Ministry of Health in Malawi. He has 10 years of experience as a Clinical Officer with the Ministry of Health. He serves as the NCD Coordinator for Karonga DHO and is a PEN-Plus District Coordinator/Clinician for the WHO PEN-Plus project being implemented in Karonga District. Over the course of his years as a health worker, he has worked on infectious disease outbreaks, including Cholera case management as a clinician focusing on patient care, and during the Covid-19 outbreak as the secretary for the district coordination team for Karonga DHO.

Executive Director, Gang Free Inc. and Mayor, City of Henderson, North Carolina

Melissa Elliott has served on the Henderson City Council for eight years; she recently became the city’s first Black mayor and the first woman to hold the position. Melissa has had a long career serving in the criminal justice field. She was awarded the Delta Sigma Theta Community Service Award for her work informing community members about gang culture and an Outstanding Community Service Award for her contributions as a Gang Specialist to Warren County’s Gang Assessment. Melissa’s background in the field led her to found her own organization, Gang Free Inc.

Project Manager for Community Engagement, Partners In Health-US

Meki Shewangizaw serves as the Community Engagement Project Manager for Partners In Health-United States, where she is committed to supporting local organizations in their efforts to enhance community health. With a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of public health issues, she seeks to leverage global insights and adapt them to local contexts. Meki’s passion lies at the intersection of health, communication, advocacy, and community engagement. She believes that everyone has a story to tell and is dedicated to providing platforms for individuals to share their experiences and perspectives.

Executive Director, Integrated Health Organization (IHO) Rwanda

Dr Jean Baptiste Musafiri is a medical doctor and clinical psychologist with an extensive 23-year background in public health. His experience spans both national and international spheres, collaborating with non-governmental organizations. As the HIV/AIDS Provincial Coordinator for eight years and a dedicated advocate for maternal and newborn child health for six years, Dr Musafiri has made significant strides in these critical areas. In his transformative role as the Executive Director of the Integrated Health Organization in Rwanda, Dr Musafiri has been instrumental in leading the organization to pioneer community-designed health innovations in rural Rwanda. His leadership has been pivotal in steering the organization towards impactful community engagement and the development of sustainable health solutions.

Program Director, Atrius Health Equity Foundation- Massachusetts

Marlene Cerritos-Rivas (she/ella) is a health equity advocate and a community organizer at heart. Her passion for ensuring every person has access to quality health care led her to a career in public health with a special focus on racial equity. Marlene has strong skills in program management, health equity, community engagement, and building partnerships. She has experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders to address local health challenges. From leading projects targeting disparities to creating inclusive environments at the grassroots level, Marlene enjoys prioritizing community well-being and innovative community driven solutions.

Commissioner, Minneapolis Health Department

Damōn Chaplin currently serves as the Commissioner of the Minneapolis Health Department. Commissioner Chaplin manages a multi-discipline staff, operating multiple public health division’s responsible for enforcing federal, state, and local ordinances and codes for approximately 425,000 residents living in private and public housing units and patronizing local businesses and restaurants. Commissioner Chaplin has over 25 years of experience in public health. In his previous position as Health Director for the City of New Bedford, he played several key roles in advancing the city’s public health initiative, including participating in the Massachusetts Health Equity Compact (HEC), which brought together over 30 Black and Latinx leaders to advocate for health equity and health care reform.

Chicago Director, Partners in Health-US

Lucia Flores is the Chicago Director for Partners In Health-US. She is a bicultural, bilingual Latina born in Mexico City and raised in Chicago. Over the past 20 years, Lucia has worked to develop and increase access to resources on the South and West side of Chicago. She enjoys reading, listening to podcasts and trying to grow things in her backyard. The Chicago Collaboration to Advance Reach, Equity and Systems to Prevent Diabetes is a multi-sector effort to expand access to evidence-based diabetes prevention programs and telehealth diabetic retinopathy screening in Chicago community areas that have a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes and lack sufficient preventive services.

Community Health Based and Education Program Director, Partners In Health-Rwanda

Niyigena Pierre Celestin has 15 years of experience in Public Health-related programs, including program implementation, supervision, clinical training, research, and quality improvement. He holds an Advanced Diploma in Nursing, a bachelor's degree in public health, a Post Graduate Credit Certificate in Antiretroviral Therapy from the Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, and certificate in Project Management in Global Health from the University of Washington. He is extensively trained in the management of persons living with HIV/AIDS and has completed study tours at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in the United States on management of common illnesses and chronic diseases and hospital organization. He works as a Community Health Base and Education Program Director at Partners In Health-Rwanda, a program which aims to strengthen the services delivered by Community Health Workers (CHWs), both in the community and at health centers.

Project Manager, Lesotho Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (LENEPWHA)- Lesotho

Mokete Motlatsi Mary currently serves as a Project Manager for the Providing Universal HIV/AIDS Services (PUSH) project in Lesotho, providing overall project management and technical support to ensure the successful implementation of the project as well as community advocacy for PLHIV to access health care services. Mokete is a Registered Nurse Midwife. She graduated with her Bachelor of Nursing Science from the Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology at Wits University in South Africa.

Site Director, Bobete Health Centre, Partners In Health-Lesotho

Mateboho Palesa Khomonngoe Moea is a registered nurse midwife with over 10 years of experience in primary health care. She currently serves as a site director for Partners In Health Lesotho at Bobete Health Centre. She is responsible for coordinating and implementing PIH Lesotho’s indicators at the Bobete health facility, including the management of human resources, infrastructure, finance at the facility level, community services, primary health care and maternal and child health. Her responsibilities include ensuring that all activities contribute to the ongoing Ministry of Health guidelines, overseeing the implementation of monitoring and evaluation activities aimed at assessing service quality

Health Decentralisation Advisor, Pitsong Institute of Implementation Research

Mpopo Tsoele is a practitioner of Community Driven Development who specialises in decentralisation and decentralised services, including health services decentralisation. Tsoele works for Pitsong Institute of Implementation Research (PIIR) - a local NGO in Lesotho that works in community systems strengthening and sector implementation research. Through PIIR, Tsoele advises the current Minister of Health in Lesotho on community health systems strengthening and accountability. Furthermore, Tsoele is a member of the current Lesotho Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU), responsible for wide public systems and structures reform design. Tsoele has over 15 years of experience working in health systems strengthening including the design of health sector decentralisation reforms. He is a strong advocate for community driven development and vertical and horizontal accountability and is passionate about research, evidence creation, and communication.

MDR-TB Medical Officer, Partners in Health

Sebakeng Phate is a medical doctor who is passionate about tuberculosis and its management. He has prior experience working as a pharmacist. He has worked at all levels of healthcare, from small clinics to big hospitals in Lesotho, always striving to provide the best care possible. He is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and is actively involved in community health initiatives. Sebakeng enjoys spending time with his partner and four-year-old son.