Experience

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  Canadian international development agency

  Mar 2001 - Apr 2008

  Strategic Policy & Planning• Prepared analyses and briefing materials on the health sector issues to inform CIDA program and policy development, with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS and gender equality.• Provided technical advice and support to CIDA’s bilateral health programs in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa and Nigeria.• Contributed to the design and implementation of the Africa Health Systems Initiative, a $450M Canadian investment to strengthen health systems in Africa.Stakeholder Relations• Represented Canada at key international and national health conferences.• Traveled regularly to partner countries to assess and advise on project performance, andto inform the development of new programming. Show less Strategic Policy & Planning• Provided technical advice to CIDA bilateral programs and senior management for the integration of gender equality results in CIDA programming, policies, and monitoring & evaluation, with an emphasis on health programming• Served as the senior HQ technical advisor for the development of the Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Mozambique programs’ gender equality strategies, including scoping missions to Nigeria and Malawi.• Advised the Malawi National AIDS Commission (NAC) pooled fund donors on the planning of a gender-­‐responsive mid-­‐term review of the Malawi National AIDS Strategy.• Co-­‐authored a tip sheet on gender equality and program-­‐based approaches. Leadership• Co-­‐organized a 4-­‐day Pan-­‐African workshop on gender equality for CIDA staff in Nairobi, Kenya.• Led CIDA’s Africa Branch Delegation to the 2006 International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada.Stakeholder Relations• Traveled regularly to partner countries to assess and advise on project performance related to the achievement of gender equality results, and to inform the development of new programming.• Represented CIDA at the 2005 International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) in Abuja, Nigeria.Training & Organizational Development• Provided training in gender-­‐based analysis, gender mainstreaming and managing for gender-­‐responsive results to CIDA staff and partners in Canada and abroad. Show less Strategic Policy & Planning• Led the design, drafting and internal consultations for a HIV/AIDS mainstreaming strategy for the Southern Africa Division.• Provided technical advice to CIDA’s Southern Africa Program to mainstream HIV/AIDS considerations across all programming.• Participated in a scoping mission and subsequent drafting of a new HIV/AIDS program for the Mozambique Program.• Led a scoping mission and the subsequent design of a new bilateral HIV/AIDS program for the South Africa Program, including the design and approval of new bilateral HIV/AIDS projects.• Coordinated with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade to draft HIV/AIDS workplace guidelines for Canadian missions overseas.Program Management• Managed the $20M CIDA-­‐South Africa bilateral HIV/AIDS program. Training & Organizational Development• Designed and delivered HIV/AIDS mainstreaming training courses to CIDA staff. Show less

  • Senior Health Advisor (Africa)

    Aug 2007 - Apr 2008

  • Gender Equality Specialist (Africa)

    Sept 2005 - Aug 2007

  • HIV/AIDS Analyst (Southern Africa)

    Mar 2001 - Sept 2005
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  Public health agency of canada

  Apr 2008 - Apr 2010

  Manager, strategic policy, planning and intergovernmental affairs

  Strategic Policy & Planning• Provided policy advice and support to the Regional Director and other regional office teams.• Led the regional office's contribution to a new national framework on First Nations, Inuit and Métis public health.• Led the design and implementation of a regional strategic planning system that fed into national planning processes.• Led the revision of the regional briefing system to better respond to the needs of senior management.Program Management• Managed the successful implementation of a pan-­‐regional H1N1 action plan that included pandemic training, improved coordination between Emergency Operations Centres, and other emergency preparedness and response activities across six regional offices.Leadership• Established a new policy unit in the regional office, including hiring and mentoring staff, clarifying the unit's mandate, and building relations between the policy unit and other teams in the regional office.• Established and led a National Task Force to prepare the six PHAC Regional Offices across Canada to respond to the fall 2009 resurgence of H1N1 Influenza A.• Acted as Regional Director (leading an office of 70 staff) when incumbent was travelling or on leave.Stakeholder Relations• Represented the region’s views and interests in policy and planning dialogues across the Agency and with provincial/territorial governments.• Managed the regional consultation process to inform the development of a PHAC First Nations, Inuit and Métis Public Health Policy Framework. More than 60 key stakeholders across Ontario and Nunavut were engaged.• Represented PHAC on a multi-­‐stakeholder working group on urban Aboriginal health in Ontario. Show less

• 

  Embassy of canada to afghanistan

  Apr 2010 - Jun 2012

  Health team leader

  Strategic Policy & Planning• Led the design and successful launch of a $150M maternal, newborn and childhealth program, including a $20M nutrition investment.• Provided strategic advice and guidance to the Afghan Ministry of Public Health forthe development of its 2011-­‐2015 Strategic Plan.• Advocated for the improved integration of gender equality results in stakeholder programs and policies, including the World Bank, UN, and Afghan Ministry of Public Health.• Provided strategic advice and guidance to the World Health Organization (Afghanistan) for the implementation of the H4+ Initiative Action Plan and the Afghanistan Gender Equality Action Plan.Program Management• Managed and monitored a portfolio exceeding $200M of investments in maternal newborn and child health, polio, nutrition, tuberculosis, and health systems strengthening.• Spearheaded the re-­‐orientation of Canada's $5M Responsive Fund for the Advancement of Women to focus on strategic investments and improved results for Afghan women.Leadership• Established and chaired the Health Donor Coordination Forum (HDCF). The HDCF is now the primary forum for donor coordination in the health sector.• Galvanized donors to support the UN and the Afghan Ministry of Public Health to improve the performance and results of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Afghanistan.• Managed a team of technical advisors, consultants, and project officers (local and Canadian).• Acted as Deputy Head of Aid when incumbent was travelling or on leave. Stakeholder Relations• Represented Canada in dialogue and negotiations with the Government of Afghanistan (Deputy Minister and Minister levels), the UN, bilateral and multilateral donors, civil society, and other health sector stakeholders.• Raised Canada’s profile and influence in the health sector through strategic engagement and collaboration with the Government of Afghanistan, bilateral donors, and the international community writ large. Show less

• 

  Gavi, the vaccine alliance

  Nov 2013 - Nov 2015

  Senior program manager

  Responsible for the management and oversight of a multi-million-dollar portfolio of investments in routine immunization.Managed a highly-political programme audit and the recuperation of misused funds from the Federal Government of Nigeria. Served as Gavi’s primary representative to Nigeria and managed relations with key stakeholders including the Federal Government of Nigeria, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, bilateral donors, and non-governmental/community-based organizations. Show less

• 

  Self-employed

  Jan 2016 - now

  Gender equality and global health consultant
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  Banyan global

  Jan 2017 - Oct 2017

  Undertook a detailed analysis of qualitative data arising out of a youth analysis conducted to inform the design of USAID’s Malaria Action Program for Districts in Uganda implemented by Malaria Consortium, including:- Analysis of fieldwork notes and consultation with fieldwork team members to understand key findings, constraints, and opportunities;- Undertook a literature and policy review of youth issues relevant to the MAPD context, including a review of existing quantitative data to be incorporated into the youth analysis report- Developed practical and highly-actionable recommendations on project-specific youth integration strategies and activities across the project as-a-whole; each project component; and behavior change communications- Produced an edited and highly-polished youth analysis report Show less Led the planning and conduct of a gender-based analysis of the Government of Uganda’s National Malaria Control Program to inform the design of USAID’s Malaria Action Program for Districts in Uganda, including:- Designed a detailed work plan for the gender analysis, including the research methodology, and data collection tools- Undertook a literature and policy review of documents and policies relevant to the MAPD program context, including a review of existing quantitative data to be incorporated into the gender analysis report- Led a 4-person team in the conduct of participatory fieldwork for the gender analysis across MAPD components with analysis covering the 5 USAID Gender Analysis domains; - Analyzed gender analysis data to highlight findings and results per MAPD component; - Developed practical and highly-actionable recommendations on project-specific gender integration strategies and activities across the project as-a-whole; each project component; and behavior change communications- Produced an edited and highly-polished gender analysis report- Served as Team Lead for the gender analysis, including managing field staff, research assistants, and translators Show less

  • Senior Youth Specialist

    Jun 2017 - Oct 2017

  • Senior Gender Specialist

    Jan 2017 - Oct 2017
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  Gavi, the vaccine alliance

  Feb 2018 - Nov 2022

  Health and gender equality consultant

  Developing and delivering an online training session on gender-related barriers to immunization and the conduct of a gender-based analysis to Gavi INFUSE Pacesetters. Providing one-on-one online GE technical assistance and coaching sessions to Gavi INFUSE Pacesetters.

• 

  School of epidemiology and public health, uottawa

  Jun 2024 - now

  Adjunct professor