Division of Policy Translation and Leadership Development

Past Fellows

2023

  • Lori Lightfoot, former Mayor of Chicago (2019-2023)
  • Andrew Dreyfus, former President and Chief Executive Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA)

2022

  • Bill de Blasio, Mayor of New York City, NY (2014-20212)
  • Kim Janey, 55th Mayor of Boston
  • Roman Macaya, Executive President of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (2018-2022) & Ambassador of Costa Rica to the United States (2014-2018)
  • Kelechi Ohiri, Chief Executive Officer of the HSDF
  • Stephen Benjamin, Mayor of Columbia, SC (2010-2022)

2021

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

  • Debrework Zewdie, former director of the World Bank Global AIDS Program, and deputy executive director and COO of the Global Fund
  • Leslie Ramsammy, former minister of agriculture, Guyana; former minister of health, Guyana

2014

  • Mark Smith, founding president and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation
  • Jim Doyle, former governor of Wisconsin
  • Gabriel Jaramillo, former general manager of The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria
  • Frank Nyonator, Country Project Director of Evaluate for Health (E4H) Ghana

2013

2012

  • Adrienne Germain, President Emerita of the International Women’s Health Coalition
  • David Mwakyusa, former minister for health and social welfare of Tanzania
  • Sujatha Rao, former secretary of Health in the Government of India
  • Ann Veneman, former executive director of UNICEF
Lori E. Lightfoot | Fall 1 2023 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Lori Lightfoot served as the 56th mayor of Chicago, making history as the city’s first African American female mayor. During her term as mayor, which ended May 15, 2023, Lightfoot led a coordinated, citywide response across government, business, and community organizations to safeguard public health and minimize economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other steps, she created a Racial Equity Rapid Response Team and the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force.

Chicago’s first Black woman and first openly gay mayor, Lightfoot also focused on generating inclusive economic growth across the city’s neighborhoods. Her accomplishments included landmark ethics and good governance reforms, worker protection legislation, and key investments in education, public safety, and financial stability. In August of 2021, Lightfoot secured a $15 minimum wage for most workers in Chicago, including domestic workers, years ahead of the state’s planned phase-in of a living wage.

Before taking office as mayor, Lightfoot held several other leadership roles in city government and served as a federal prosecutor.

Andrew Dreyfus | Spring 2 2023 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 19: Recent CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Andrew Dreyfus in Boston. December 19, 2018 (Photo By Faith Ninivaggi)

Andrew Dreyfus is the recent President and Chief Executive Officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA), one of the largest independent Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in the country with over $8 billion in revenue and nearly three million members. Under his leadership, BCBSMA has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Andrew joined BCBSMA in 2005 as Executive Vice President of Health Care Services, where he led the creation of the Alternative Quality Contract, one of the largest commercial payment reform initiatives in the nation. He previously served as founding President of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, where he oversaw the development of the “Roadmap to Coverage.” That multi-year initiative led to the passage of the state’s landmark 2006 Health Reform Law, which resulted in the lowest uninsured rate in the country and later became the model for the Affordable Care Act. Andrew currently serves on the boards of the National Institute for Health Care Management, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, and RIZE Massachusetts. He is a member of the advisory boards of Ariadne Labs and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics at the University of Southern California (USC). He is a founding member of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care and a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness. Prior to Blue Cross, Andrew was Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA), and held a number of senior health and regulatory positions in Massachusetts state government. Andrew holds a B.A. in English from Connecticut College.

Bill de Blasio | Fall 2 2022 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Bill de Blasio served as the mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2021. He led New York City through the Covid-19 pandemic, turning what was once a global epicenter into the safest city in the country. DeBlasio also led a groundbreaking initiative which ensured that early childhood education became a universal right in the five boroughs; that program has become a national model. During his tenure, New York City financed the preservation and construction of more than 200,000 affordable homes and launched a first-in-the nation, six-point action plan to end long-term homelessness. “The Journey Home” initiative was designed to increase access to housing and health care in combination with rapid-response outreach efforts for homeless individuals living in the streets. In fulfilling his campaign promise to end a “tale of two cities,” de Blasio implemented policies which successfully reduced income inequality among New Yorkers and fought alongside them to secure a $15 minimum wage for all workers. In response to the growing climate crisis, de Blasio and the Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act (also known as the NYC Green New Deal) to make the city net-carbon-neutral by 2050, as well as groundbreaking legislation to reduce building emissions and end fossil fuel use in new buildings. Before becoming mayor, de Blasio served as New York City’s public advocate from 2010 to 2013 and as a member of the City Council from 2002 to 2009.

Kim Janey | Fall 2 2022 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Kim Michelle Janey has been at the center of Boston’s history — the bad and the good. At eleven years old, Janey was on the front lines of the battle to desegregate the city’s schools, facing rocks and racial slurs during Boston’s tumultuous busing era in the 1970’s. Forty-five years later, Janey made history when she was sworn in as Boston’s first woman and first Black mayor, successfully leading the city through a multitude of unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Mayor Janey began her tenure with a citywide agenda of recovery, reopening, and renewal to address systemic inequities exposed and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Janey re-opened Boston’s economy and its public schools by centering equity and prioritizing health and wellness. She invested millions to support small businesses, expanded protections for renters and homeowners, and launched fare-free public transit. Under Mayor Janey’s leadership, Boston experienced its safest summer in 5 years and became one of the most vaccinated big cities in America.

Prior to becoming Mayor, Janey made history in 2017 when she was elected to the Boston City Council as the first woman to represent District 7. In 2020, she was elected by her peers to serve as President of the most diverse City Council in Boston’s history.

Devoting her life to public service, Janey has 25 years of experience in the non-profit sector. In her role at Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Janey championed systemic policy reforms to increase equity, excellence, access, and opportunity in Boston Public Schools. Prior to that, Janey worked as a Community Organizer, advocating for affordable, quality child care.

Kim Janey has been recognized for her years of service with a number of awards, including the Boston NAACP Difference Maker Award in 2015, the Sapphire Award in 2017, a Community Leadership Award in 2018, and the Hubie Jones Award in 2020. In 2021 Janey was named one of Boston’s Most Impactful Black Women and listed in Boston Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Bostonians.

Roman Macaya | Fall 1 2022 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Roman Macaya is a Costa Rican scientist, entrepreneur, diplomat, and public servant. Recently, he served as the executive president and chairman of the board of Costa Rican Social Security (CCSS), the institution that finances and provides universal public healthcare and manages the country’s largest pension fund. In this role, he led the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to leading the CCSS, Macaya served as Costa Rica’s ambassador to the United States from 2014 through 2018. As ambassador, Macaya promoted science diplomacy in fields such as biomedical research, space, water, and biodiversity. He also strengthened cooperation in security, migratory matters, environmental conservation, and the arts, in addition to supporting foreign investment. Macaya worked with the White House, State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Congress to strengthen Costa Rica´s capabilities in drug interdiction, resulting in the largest multi-year appropriations for Costa Rica in over 30 years.

Kelechi Ohiri | Spring 2 2022 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Dr. Kelechi Ohiri is the Chief Executive Officer of the HSDF, a Healthcare Advisory Firm and a Visiting Scientist at Harvard University. He is also the Founder of the Healthcare Leadership Academy and Partner at Flint Atlantic — an Africa-focused Social Impact Investment Firm. He previously served as the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance as well as two Ministers of Health in Nigeria. Prior to this, he was an Engagement Manager with the London Office of McKinsey and Company, where he served clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He also worked with the World Bank Group in Washington DC, having joined through the Young Professionals Programme. His focus was on Social Protection and strengthening Health Systems in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Dr. Ohiri has written policy papers, peer-reviewed publications, and co-authored books on Health systems. He has served on expert advisory committees for the Institute of Medicine, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Bank, the Global Fund, and the World Health Organization. He served on the Board of the World Health Organization’s Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and was an Adviser to AMREF’s Innovate for Life Initiative supporting healthcare innovators across Africa. He is currently a member of the Program and Policy Committee of the GAVI Board. Dr. Ohiri earned a medical degree from the University of Lagos. He also holds a Master of Public Health degree and a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management, both from Harvard University. He is a Desmond Tutu Fellow of the African Leadership Institute and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Stephen K. Benjamin | Spring 1 2022 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Mayor Benjamin served as the 2018-2019 President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and as Chairman for Municipal Bonds for America, Member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, Member of the Accelerator for America Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the Mayors for 100% Clean Energy campaign. Further, President Barack Obama’s administration commended Mayor Benjamin on his work on behalf of My Brother’s Keeper (MBK). The city’s MBK efforts, in addition to Mayor Benjamin’s leadership, have led to Columbia being seen as a nationwide leader in implementing and upholding the missions of the program. Equally, Mayor Benjamin was asked to speak at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, where he talked about the importance of instilling in his daughters that they can do anything they set their minds to, even becoming President of the United States. Recognizing the enormous financial impact on local businesses resulting from drastic operational changes and closures due to the COVID-19 containment and social isolation measures, in March 2020 Mayor Benjamin and Columbia City Council unanimously passed A Resilient Columbia: Economic Sustainability Plan. The plan provided forgivable loans offering short-term financial relief to small businesses, located within the corporate limits of Columbia, impacted by a loss of revenue because of COVID-19 containment and safety efforts. As of More than 325 local businesses were awarded revenue assistance funds totaling $999,750. Because of the success of the program, Mayor Benjamin and Columbia City Council unanimously added an additional $400,000 in funding for loans to local businesses. Mayor Benjamin’s Corona Virus Pandemic national level response measures have included: •Formed Midlands Coronavirus Task Force on March 1, which held first meeting on March 6 •Accepted role as informal advisor to Bloomberg Philanthropies Coronavirus Local Response Initiative •Signed on to USCM letter requesting $250 billion in aid sent directly to cities; letters also sent to Senators Graham & Scott, and Congressman Clyburn •Co-chaired the Pandemic Resilience Working Group for America’s Mayors with former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg. •Served as National Chair of the Mayors for Masks initiative •Provided testimony before US House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis in May, 2020 Mayor Benjamin is married to the Honorable DeAndrea Gist Benjamin, Chief Administrative Judge (General Sessions) for South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. The two are the proud parents of daughters Bethany and Jordan Grace.

Subramaniam Sathasivam | Fall 2 2021 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Dr. S. Subramaniam was the former Member of Parliament in the Malaysian House of Representatives from 2004 to 2018. From 2004 to 2008, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Subsequently, he was appointed as the Minister of Human Resources of Malaysia from 2008 to 2013 and eventually as the Malaysian Minister of Health from 2013 to 2018.

Under the Human Resources Ministry, Dr. Subramaniam was instrumental in the introduction of minimum wage in Malaysia and brought forward many reforms to protect workers in Malaysia.

Subsequently as the Health Minister, he led a major move to bring out transformations to the health system particularly aimed at addressing the issues of non-communicable diseases and sustainability of health financing. He was also the Vice President of the World Health Organization and the Chairman of the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organization. He has spoken in many international forums in particular the World Economic Forum, World Health Assembly, Regional Health Assembly, Harvard Ministerial Discussion Seminars and at the EATS foundation forums.

Dr. Subramaniam is a medical doctor by training who graduated from the National University Singapore and is a consultant dermatologist who was trained in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, Fellow of The Academy of Medicine Malaysia and honorary Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

He is married to Dr. Umarani, a clinical biochemist in Malaysia and has three children.

Peter Shumlin | Fall 1 2019 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Portrait photo of Peter Shumlin. Governor Shumlin taught an 8-session weekly course at Harvard Chan, entitled “Health Policy and Leadership: Reforming America’s Broken Health Care System from Within.” Governor Shumlin was the featured speaker on the School’s original web series, Voices in Leadership. The session can be viewed on demand at hsph.me/gov-shumlin.

Peter Shumlin served three terms as the 81st US Governor of Vermont, from 2011 to 2017. Prior, Shumlin represented the Windham County district in the Vermont Senate from 1993 to 2003 and 2007 to 2011, and as elected president of the senate for 10 of those years. Shumlin also served as a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, from 1990 to 1993.

As Governor, Shumlin established Vermont as a leader on progressive policies, making the state the first to guarantee universal pre-kindergarten education for all 3 and 4-year-old children, pass a mandatory GMO labeling law, and achieve near universal health care coverage with the lowest rate of uninsured in the country. Under his leadership, Vermont consistently ranked among the top states in solar energy jobs per capita and enacted a number of laws to boost renewable energy production and combat climate change. Because of Vermont’s leadership, Governor Shumlin was invited by President Obama to the Paris Climate Summit to push for a global climate agreement.

Governor Shumlin’s tenure was also marked by his leadership during times of crisis. He helped Vermont recover from the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene. He also turned the nation’s eyes to the problem of opiate and heroin addiction by dedicating his 2014 State of the State Address to the issue and pushing for policies to treat addiction.

Shumlin is co-director, along with his brother, of Putney Student Travel, which partners with National Geographic Student Expeditions and New York Times Journeys, sending high school age students on educational programs and service projects across the globe. He is also a partner in several real estate companies that provide housing and commercial space in Southeast Vermont.

Shumlin is the father of two daughters and lives with his wife, Katie Hunt, on their farm in Westminster West, Vermont, where they raise pigs, beef, and a vegetable garden.

Jeffrey Sánchez | Spring 1 2019 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Mr. Jeffrey Sánchez taught a workshop series at Harvard Chan, “Leading and Enacting Change: A workshop series on how to turn ideas into action.” Mr. Sánchez also participated as a featured speaker on the School’s original webcast series, Voices in Leadership, held office hours, presented talks to student groups, and participated in other various events around campus.

Born in Washington Heights in New York City, Jeffrey Sánchez was raised in the Mission Main Housing Development in Boston. He represented Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain and Brookline in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for 16 years where he was lauded as a leader in healthcare reform housing and infrastructure, gun laws and violence prevention, criminal justice reform, and the environment. He served as Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Previously, Mr. Sánchez served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing and Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Health, as well as Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development.

In 2018, Mr. Sánchez was successful in nearly unanimously passing a $41.8 billion budget that was applauded by individual citizens, stakeholders, and business and fiscal watchdogs. He also drafted the largest Housing Bond bill Authorization in the Commonwealths history, $1.8 billion. Under his leadership, Massachusetts continued to lead on gun control by implementing a ban on bump stocks and passed legislation allowing for courts to issue extreme risk protection orders.

Mr. Sánchez has been an active advocate for healthcare reform. In 2006, he worked to pass landmark legislation which affirmed healthcare as a right in Massachusetts. Since then, he has crafted laws that support and enable the Life Sciences industry to grow and thrive, establish a statewide health care cost benchmark, and worked to protect and ensure 98% of the state’s population has health insurance. Mr. Sánchez authored and successfully ushered into law comprehensive legislation to close the racial health disparities gap, criminal justice, compounding pharmacy practice, and improve school nutrition programs.

In all of his endeavors, Mr. Sánchez has sought to find equity and opportunities for those most vulnerable and those who often get overlooked. He proudly fought and successfully defeated efforts to repeal gay marriage, he championed comprehensive front-to-back criminal justice reform, and he is a successful advocate for English language learners. After 15 years of advocacy, Mr. Sanchez’s Language Opportunities for Our Kids (LOOK) bill was signed into law, overturning a failed one-size-fits-all policy to educate English language learner (ELL) students and create a pathway to ensure ELL students receive quality education.

Before running for State Representative in 2002, Mr. Sánchez worked for Boston Mayor Thomas Michael Menino. He played a key role organizing the Jackson Square Coordinating Group, which created the community vision to redevelop the neighborhood, and as State Representative fought for state dollars to make that vision a reality: over 600 units of affordable housing have since been developed in Jackson Square, and another 500 units are in the pipeline. Mr. Sánchez also ran Boston’s 2000 Census, ensuring that everyone, especially those who spoke another language, were counted in the Census. Prior to working in government he worked in banking and finance.

Mr. Sánchez attended Roxbury Community College and received his Bachelor of Arts in Legal Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston before earning his Masters of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Jay Nixon | Spring 2019 Visiting Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Mr. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, represented the people of Jefferson County from 1986 to 1992 in the Missouri Senate, where he was instrumental in passing legislation to improve prenatal care for expectant mothers.

In 1992, Nixon was elected Attorney General of Missouri and went on to serve an unprecedented four consecutive terms as the state’s chief legal officer. As Attorney General, Nixon argued before the United States Supreme Court in Nixon v. Shrink, a landmark victory that reinstated Missouri’s campaign contribution limits and cleared the way nationally for campaign finance reform. One of his most successful initiatives, Missouri’s popular No-Call List, became a model for states across the nation to protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls. Nixon’s lawsuit against Big Tobacco, relating to health hazards from smoking, resulted in settlements worth billions of dollars to Missouri taxpayers. Those settlements led to the creation of two of the largest health care foundations in state history, including the Missouri Foundation for Health.

In 2008, Nixon was elected the 55th Governor of Missouri. In 2012, he was reelected, making him one of only three governors in Missouri to serve two full consecutive terms in office. As Governor, Nixon earned a national reputation as a fiscal conservative fighting for Missouri’s working families and stronger, safer communities. Mr. Nixon took unprecedented action to end discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and ethnic origin; protect the civil rights of women, minorities and individuals with disabilities; and promote equal opportunity for all.

Mr. Nixon earned undergraduate and law degrees from University of Missouri, Columbia.

JOANNE KENEN | Fall 2018 Visiting Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Joanne Kenen is the Executive Editor for Health Care at POLITICO. She is a veteran Washington reporter who has covered all aspects of health policy and politics. At POLITICO since 2011, she has expanded the health policy reporting team, led public policy forums and recently helped design a year-long multimedia magazine series on public health and the changing demographics of 21st century America. Earlier, she spent more than a decade on Capitol Hill for Reuters and wrote extensively about end-of-life care during a Kaiser Family Foundation media fellowship. Her work has appeared in many magazines and newspapers, among them the Atlantic, the Washington Post, Slate, the Center for Public Integrity, Kaiser Health News, the Poynter Institute, and Health Affairs. She has been a commentator on radio and television including NPR, BBC, MSNBC and the PBS NewsHour, and is a regular on the KHN “What the Health” podcast. Joanne Kenen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies from Harvard University.

PATRICIA GARCÍA | Fall 1 2018 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow

Dr. Patricia García taught an 8-session weekly course titled, “Leadership Development in Global Health: Strategies for Effective Public Health Policy Implementation, the view of a researcher in politics.” On September 6, 2018, Dr. García was the featured speaker on the School’s original web series, Voices in Leadership. The talk, moderated by Professor Rifat Atun, can be viewed on demand at hsph.me/garcia.

Dr. Patricia J. García is Research Professor at the School of Public Health at Cayetano Heredia University (UPCH) in Lima, Peru. She served previously as Minister of Health of Peru (July 2016-September 2017). During her appointment as Minister, she introduced new public health policies in sexual and reproductive health, HPV vaccination, food labelling, cervical cancer, electronic medical records, telemedicine etc. Prior, Dr. García served as Dean of the School of Public Health at UPCH (2011-2016), and as chief of the Peruvian National Institute of Health (2006-2008), where she introduced the first information system for the national network of public health laboratories in Peru (NETLAB).

Dr. García is recognized as a leader in global health. She has been a member of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Foundation Technical Advisory Group (FTAG), a board member of the Consortium of Universities in Global Health, and president of the Latin American Association Against STDs (ALACITS). Dr. García is Affiliate Professor of the Department of Global Health at University of Washington and at the School of Public Health at Tulane University. She is actively involved in research and training in global health, reproductive health, STI/HIV, HPV, and medical informatics. She has recently been appointed as a member of the United States National Academy of Medicine, becoming the first Peruvian professional with such a distinction.

Dr. García holds an MD from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru; an MPH from University of Washington, Seattle; and a PhD in epidemiology from Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru.

JACKIE JENKINS-SCOTT | Spring 2 2018 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Jackie Jenkins-Scott

Ms. Jenkins-Scott taught an 8-part seminar series at the School, “Improving Community Health: The Vital Role of Community Health Centers.”

Ms. Jenkins-Scott was the featured speaker Voices in Leadership. Her session, moderated by Professor John McDonough, can be viewed on demand at hsph.me/jenkins-scott.

Jackie Jenkins-Scott was the 13th President of Wheelock College, Boston, Massachusetts (2004-2016). Prior, Jenkins-Scott served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Dimock Community Health Center (1983-2004 ) in Roxbury, Massachusetts, one of Boston’s largest community based health and human service agency serving the City’s most vulnerable populations. Under her leadership, the health center is now a national model for integrated comprehensive health and human services. Prior to that position, she held several positions with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Departments of Public and Mental Health. As a community leader, public health advocate and innovative administrator, she has been a nationally known figure for nearly 30 years. A native of Flint, Michigan, Jenkins-Scott received her B.S. degree from Eastern Michigan University, a Masters of Social Work from Boston University School of Social Work and completed a Post Graduate Research Fellowship at Radcliffe College. She received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Education from Wheelock College in 2003, when she served as the Commencement speaker. In addition to Wheelock, she holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Suffolk University, Northeastern University, Bentley University, Mount Ida College and the University of Massachusetts Boston.

In 2016, Jackie Jenkins-Scott appeared on The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in a panel discussion on Health Care Inequalities in America: The Need for Continuing Reform.

TED STRICKLAND | Spring 1 2018 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Ted Strickland

Dr. Strickland taught a course in the School’s Health Policy and Management department, “Health Policy and Leadership: Behavioral Health Challenges at the State Level.”

Dr. Strickland was a featured speaker on Voices Leadership on February 6, 2018. The interview, moderated by Professor John McDonough, is available on demand at hsph.me/Strickland.

Dr. Strickland also participated as a panelist on The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a discussion on THE GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC: Protecting the Public’s Health.

Dr. Strickland has served as an ordained United Methodist Minister, a psychologist, and a university professor. He has worked as an administrator at a United Methodist Children’s Home, an assistant professor of psychology at Shawnee State University, and a consulting psychologist at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.

Elected toCongress in 1992, he narrowly lost reelection in 1994, only to be reelected in 1996 and to each subsequent congress until he ran successfully for governor in 2006. He became Ohio’s governor as the nation teetered on the brink of economic collapse and tackled the crisis with a plan to ensure that Ohio emerged from the recession stronger than ever by laying a foundation for economic progress and a thriving middle class. He made strategic investments in job creation, improved Ohio’s business climate, reformed education, proposed and signed into law an energy bill with strong renewable and efficiency standards and worked with the legislature to prepare Ohio for the post-recession economy.

After leaving office in 2011, he became a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, served as a United States Alternate Delegate to the 68th United Nations General Assembly, and was a member of the Governor’s Council at the Bipartisan Policy Center. He also worked for one year as President of The Center for American Progress Action Fund before leaving that position to run for the U.S. Senate in 2016.

Dr. Strickland holds a B.A. from Asbury University, an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from University of Kentucky, an M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky.

In 2017, Dr. Strickland appeared on The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in a Governor’s Roundtable on The Opioid Crisis.

SURAYA DALIL | Fall 2 2017 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Suraya Dalil

Dr. Suraya Dalil was a Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health from November 27-December 8, 2017. On November 29, Dr. Dalil was featured speaker on the School’s original web series, Voices in Leadership, in a session moderated by Professor Sue Goldie.

Suraya Dalil is currently the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the UN and International Organizations based in Geneva, and Ambassador to Switzerland. Dalil studied general medicine at Kabul Medical University, from 1986 to 1991; and obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Harvard University, through a Harvard Presidential Scholarship, in 2005. Dr. Dalil served as Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health (2012-2014) and Acting Minister of Public Health (2010-2012); leading a diverse team to reform health system with improved quality of care and evident impact in child and maternal mortality indicators. Dr. Dalil’s tenure as Minister is marked with defining government stewardship, results-based financing, and public-private partnership. Dr. Dalil worked with UNICEF Somalia as Chief of Health and Nutrition (2007-2009) where she led a large-scale nutrition, immunization and communicable disease control program. Prior, she worked with UNICEF Afghanistan in Mazar-e-Sharif, Islamabad, and Kabul (1994-2007); with progressive responsibilities that enabled her to contribute to her country’s health care at a time that Afghanistan faced a very difficult political and socio-economic environment under Taliban regime (1996-2001). Dalil participated in the Afghanistan maternal mortality survey carried out 2002 to 2003 by the Ministry of Public Health, Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF – one of the most important public health studies in Afghanistan’s recent history that was greatly influenced policy decisions and reform agenda for many years. Prior to UNICEF, Dalil worked with International Organization for Migration (IOM) (1993-1994); and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) (1992-1993), managing health care for returning refugees and emergency response for Tajik refugees in north of Afghanistan, respectively.

DONNA SHALALA | Fall 2 2017 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Donna Shalala

Dr. Donna E. Shalala was a Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health from November 8-17, 2017. On November 9, Dr. Shalala was a featured speaker on the School’s original web series, Voices in Leadership, in a session moderated by Professor Arnold Epstein.

Dr. Shalala is Trustee Professor of Political Science and Health Policy at the University of Miami. She served as President of the Clinton Foundation (June 2015-March 2017); President of the University of Miami (2001-2015); President of Hunter College of the City University of New York (1980-1987); and Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1987-1993). A political scientist, she has held professorships at Columbia University, the City University of New York (CUNY), and the University of Wisconsin. President Clinton nominated her as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 1993, and she served in that post for eight years. In 2008, President Bush presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she served as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer in Iran from 1962-64. In 2005, she was named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News & World Report; in 2010, she received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights; in 2011 she was elected to the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Dr. Shalala received her A.B. in history from Western College for Women and her Ph.D. from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

SOMSAK CHUNHARAS | Fall 1 2017 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Somsak Chunharas

Dr. Somsak Chunharas taught an 8-session weekly course in the Department of Global Health and Population: Leadership Development in Global Health: Health Policy, System Development & UHC and Beyond. Dr. Somsak was the featured speaker on Voices in Leadership (a Harvard Chan School original web series), where he discussed UHC: Thailand’s Road to Sustainability with Professor Ashish Jha. Click here for an article recapping the conversation.

Dr. Somsak served formerly as Deputy Minister of Health for Thailand and is currently President of National Health Foundation in Thailand, which is an NGO promoting and coordinating evidence-based health policy and system development. Throughout his career in the ministry of health, Dr. Somsak directed several offices of the Ministry of Public Health, focusing on international health, health policy and system development, international collaboration and health manpower development, health statistics division, the Health System Research Institute, and Bureau of Health Policy and Strategies. Dr. Somsak also pioneered a team working on health economics and health financing capacity building which led to various health reform initiatives over the last 30 years, such as a health promotion fund and the development of the Thai universal health care system.

GINA McCARTHY | Spring 2 2017 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Gina McCarthy

Ms. McCarthy taught an 8-session weekly course in the Department of Environmental Health, “Environmental Leadership: Integrating Science, Public Policy, and Political Rhetoric“. Ms. McCarthy was also a returning speaker on the Voices in Leadership series in a session titled, Public Health, Science and Leadership . Ms. McCarthy’s original Voices in Leadership interview, “A Leadership Career in Government: EPA Chief Speaks“, aired in February 2016.

Ms. McCarthy served as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 2013-2017. She moved into this role following four years as the EPA’s Assistant Administrator of the Office of Air and Radiation. Prior, Ms. McCarthy was Commissioner for the State of Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection. Ms. McCarthy earned a B.A. degree in Social Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Boston and an M.Sc. at Tufts University through a joint program in environmental and health planning and policy.

STEVEN BESHEAR | Spring 2 2017 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Steven Beshear

Mr. Beshear taught an 8-session weekly course in in the Department of Health Policy and Management, “Health Policy and Leadership: A Governor’s Perspective on Leadership“. Mr. Beshear was a featured speaker on the Voices in Leadership webcast series, in an interview titled, “Leadership: Daring to Fail.”

Mr. Beshear served as the 61st United States Governor of Kentucky from 2007-2015.  He also served as Attorney General from 1979 to 1983, Lieutenant Governor from 1983 to 1987, and was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1973 to 1979. As Governor, Mr. Beshear expanded the expansion of the Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act and launched the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, benefiting over 500,000 Kentuckians. These actions together reduced the state’s uninsured rate from over 20% to 8% and ensured that for the first time in history every Kentuckian would have access to affordable health insurance. Mr. Beshear is a senior member of the Southeastern-based law firm, Stites & Harbison PLLC.

BARONESS TESSA JOWELL | Fall 2 2016 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Baroness Tessa Jowell

Baroness Tessa Jowell (1947-2018) served as a Member of British Parliament from 1992-2015. Throughout these years, she held several positions in government, such as Minister of State for Public Health (1997-1999), Minister of State for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities (1999-2001), and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and member of the Cabinet (2001-2007). Baroness Jowell also initiated and managed the winning bid for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and led the development of the project for eight years. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Baroness Jowell’s career included experience in public service as a mental health practitioner, senior manager, public service reform expert, and social policy analyst. Baroness Jowell was a founding member of the Advisory Board for the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program, a joint initiative of the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Following her death in 2018, the Ministerial Leadership Program established the Tessa Jowell Student Research Fellowships, in honor of her contributions to Harvard.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Baroness Jowell taught a course in the Fall 2 2016 term titled, “Health Policy and Leadership: Why do we know so much and do so little?” Baroness Jowell was also a featured guest on Voices in Leadership.

“No part of the University was untouched by Tessa’s lectures, by her visits and her involvement in University life.” -Michelle Williams, Dean of the Harvard Chan School

MUHAMMAD PATE | Fall 1 2016 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
muhammad-pate_fellowship-portrait
Muhammad Pate

Dr. Muhammad Pate served as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health from 2011-2013. Prior, he was the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in Abuja, Nigeria. Dr. Pate is currently a professor at the Duke University Global Health Institute. Dr. Pate also serves on the agenda committee of the World Economic Forum and is a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Vaccination and Humanitarian Emergencies at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva. Dr. Pate is an American Board-Certified MD in both Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, and holds an MBA (Health Sector Concentration) from Duke University, and a Masters in Health System Management from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Pate taught a course in the Fall 1 2016 term titled, “Leadership Development in Global Health: Building Community Trust Networks.” Dr. Pate was also featured on the Voices in Leadership webcast series in a session titled, “Leadership Lessons Learned: Eradicating Polio in Nigeria.”

NILS DAULAIRE | Spring 1 2016 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Daulaire portait photo
Nils Daulaire

Dr. Nils Daulaire served in the Obama Administration as Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as the U.S. Representative on the Executive Board of the World Health Organization, as well as Alternate U.S. Board Member to the Global Fund. Earlier, he served in the Clinton Administration as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Policy at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dr. Daulaire was president and CEO of the Global Health Council for over a decade and he previously worked for the John Snow Public Health Group. Dr. Daulaire came to Harvard following a year as Senior Visiting Scholar on Global Health Security at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and previously was a clinical professor of global health at the University of Washington and visiting professor of community and family medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine as well as the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a B.A. degree from Harvard College, an M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Daulaire taught a course in Spring 1 2016 titled, “Making Policy Leadership Matter for Global Health: Navigating Choppy Political Seas in the Real World.” He also participated as a speaker on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Negotiating Act Three for Global Health on the World’s Stage.”

DEBREWORK ZEWDIE | Spring 2 2015 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Fellowship portrait 1
Debrework Zewdie

Dr. Debrework Zewdie, an Ethiopian national, has 30 years of experience in strategy, policy implementation, and management of development programs of increasing complexity at country, regional, and global levels for international bodies such as the World Bank and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. She has a proven track record of achieving results through innovative approaches and managing organizational performance and agility to meet stakeholder needs. Dr. Zewdie conceptualized and managed the groundbreaking US$1 billion Multi-country HIV/AIDS Program that changed the AIDS funding landscape and pioneered the large-scale multi-sectorial response with direct financing to civil society and the private sector. She led the articulation of the World Bank’s first global strategy on HIV/AIDS and the Global HIV/AIDS Program of Action. Dr. Zewdie, as a founder UNAIDS Global Coordinator, has been instrumental in making the unique cooperative structure of the UNAIDS family a working reality fostering strong inter-agency partnerships. She is an advocate for women’s health and was a founding Vice President and member of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA). Dr. Zewdie established institutional rigor at the Global Fund and led its wide-ranging internal reform which culminated in the ongoing corporate transformation program. Dr. Zewdie has a Ph.D. in clinical immunology from the University of London and was a Senior MacArthur Fellow at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Zewdie taught a course in Spring 2, GHP 552-02, Developing Global Health Leadership: Combating HIV/AIDS to UHC. She also participated as a speaker on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Leadership in Getting AIDS on the World Bank Agenda.”

LESLIE RAMSAMMY | Spring 1 2015 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Leslie Ramsammy

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy has led many public health initiatives in the Caribbean and internationally. He was an early architect and advocate of HIV elimination leading to the UNAIDS Zero Goals (Zero New Infections, Zero Discrimination, and Zero AIDS-related Deaths). Dr. Ramsammy was the minister of agriculture of Guyana (2011-2015) and, prior to that, the minister of health of Guyana (2001-2011). He served as President of the Pan American Health Organization’s 47th Directing Council (2006-2008), and the World Health Organization 61st World Assembly (2008-2009). Dr. Ramsammy was Chairman of the Executive Board of Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS and Chairman of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development and Chairman of the Caribbean Public Health Agency.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Ramsammy taught a course in Spring 1 2015 title, “Politics, Public Health and the Right to Health”. He also participated as a speaker on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Leadership in Fighting HIV/AIDS in Guyana.”

JIM DOYLE | Fall 1 2014 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
James E. Doyle
James E. Doyle

Mr. Jim Doyle is currently an attorney of counsel with the law firm Foley and Lardner LLP and is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Kaiser Family Foundation. Mr. Doyle was the 44th governor of the state of Wisconsin (2003–2011). As governor, he played a leading role in health policy change in Wisconsin and led the state-wide Medicaid expansion. He served as Attorney General for the state of Wisconsin for twelve years. In that role, he was elected President of the Association of State Attorney Generals. Mr. Doyle is a graduate, cum laude, of Harvard University, where he earned a J.D., and holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Mr. Doyle taught a course titled, “Health Policy, Leadership, and Politics at the State Level.” During his fellowship Mr. Doyle also participated as a panelist on The Forum at Harvard Chan School, to discuss the topic of Legalizing Marijuana: The Public Health Pros and Cons.

MARK SMITH | Fall 2 2014 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Mark D. Smith
Mark D. Smith

Dr. Mark Smith was the founding President and CEO of the California HealthCare Foundation. The California HealthCare Foundation is an independent philanthropy in Oakland California, dedicated to improving the health of the people of California, particularly the underserved. Previous to this position, Dr. Smith was Executive Vice President at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, where he oversaw programs in HIV, Reproductive Health, and the Health Care Marketplace. Prior, he was a faculty member at the Johns Hopkins Schools of Medicine and of Public Health. Dr. Smith was elected a member of the Institute of Medicine in 2001. He chaired the IOM’s Committee on the Learning Healthcare System, which produced the widely-publicized 2012 report Best Care at Lower Cost. Dr. Smith holds a B.A. from Harvard College, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and an M.D. from the University of North Carolina. A Board-certified internist, he is a member of the clinical faculty at the University of California at San Francisco and maintains an active practice in HIV care at San Francisco General Hospital. In September of 2015, Dr. Smith was appointed to ConcertoHealth’s board of directors.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Smith taught a course entitled, “Leadership in Health Foundations and Policy Change.” Dr. Smith also shared his experiences in leadership as a speaker on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “The Leadership Role of Foundations: Advancing Health Equity.“

GABRIEL JARAMILLO | Spring 2 2014 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Gabriel Jaramillo
Gabriel Jaramillo

Mr. Gabriel Jaramillo was General Manager of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. He is widely credited with a successful financial turnaround of the Global Fund. Prior to his appointment as General Manager of The Global Fund, Mr. Jaramillo was the Chairman and CEO of Banco Santander Banesta Brazil. After more than 35 years in the private sector as a high-level executive officer, Mr. Jaramillo was recognized as a highly skilled leader with extensive experience managing change in complex financial institutions, and served as a Special Advisor to the Office of the Special Envoy for Malaria of the Secretary General of the United Nations. Mr. Jaramillo is a native of Colombia and a Brazilian citizen. Mr. Jaramillo has an M.B.A. and a B.A., both from California State University.

As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Mr. Jaramillo taught a course entitled, “Transforming the Global Fund.” Mr. Jaramillo also shared his leadership experiences on the Harvard Chan webcast series, Voices in Leadership, in a session titled, “If it Works — Fix It: Leading Transformation at the Global Fund.” Mr. Jaramillo returned to the Harvard Chan School in Fall 2015 to teach his leadership course for a second time.

FRANK NYONATOR | Spring 1 2014 Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow
Frank Kwadjo Nyonator

Dr. Frank Nyonator is currently the Country Project Director of Evaluate for Health (E4H) Ghana. Prior, he served as Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ghana. Dr. Nyonator previously served as the Director of the Human Resources of Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health in Ghana, and in this capacity also served as Ministerial Advisor on Health Systems Strengthening in Ghana. Dr. Nyonator was the first Director of the Policy Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division of the Ghana Health Service and served as acting Director General of the Ghana Health Service and Health Systems Advisor to the WHO Country Office in Nigeria. Dr. Nyonator has an M.B. Ch.B. from the University of Ghana Medical School and an M.P.H. from Leeds University in the UK. He also holds a certificate in Financing Health Care in Developing Countries from Boston University and a certificate in Health Sector Reform for Primary Health Care from the University of Sussex. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Nyonator taught a course entitled, “Health System Strengthening towards Universal Health Coverage.” Dr. Nyonator also shared his leadership experiences on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Championing Leadership: In Pursuit of Universal Health Coverage.“

PETER ANYANG’ NYONG’O | Fall 2 Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow
Peter Anyang' Nyong'o
Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o’

Dr. Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o is currently the Senator for Kisumu County in Kenya. He previously served as Minister for Planning and National Development (2003-2005) and Minister for Medical Services (2008-2013). Dr. Nyong’o has taught at the University of Nairobi, El Colegio de México, and Addis Ababa University, and joined the African Academy of Sciences as Head of Programs from 1987 to 1992. Dr. Nyong’o has published several books and articles on democracy, democratisation, the state and the political economy of development in Africa. Dr. Nyong’o has a Ph.D. in Political Science and a M.A. in Political Economy, both from the University of Chicago. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Nyong’o taught a course entitled “Leadership Development in Global Health/Policy Making in Kenya: The Case Of Four Parastatals.” He also shared his leadership experience on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Linking Poverty Reduction to Improved Access to Health Care: Experiences from Kenya.“

RAFAEL BENGOA | Fall 1 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Rafael Bengoa
Rafael Bengoa

Prof. Rafael Bengoa is currently Director of the Health Policy and Leadership Department at Deusto Business School, University of Deusto. Prior, he served as Minister for Health for the Basque Country, Spain (2009-2012). Dr. Bengoa worked previously, for over fifteen years, at the World Health Organization, where he was the director of health systems. Dr. Bengoa also practiced as a primary care physician in Spain. He has an M.Sc. in Community Medicine and an M.Sc. in Management, both from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at the University of London. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Bengoa taught a course entitled, “Leadership Development in Global Health – Health Care Delivery: Are We Moving In The Same Direction?” He also shared his leadership experience on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Challenges for Health Leaders Today: A Conversation with Ministers from Spain and Switzerland.”

RECEP AKDAĞ | Fall 1 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Recep Akdag
Recep Akdağ

Prof. Recep Akdağ served as Minister of Health of Turkey (2002-2013). In this role, he led the Health Transformation Program (HTP), a people-oriented approach to healthcare service delivery, and strengthened the health system with successful implementation of universal health coverage. Dr. Akdağ is a Member of Parliament for the province of Erzurum from the Justice and Development Party. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Ministerial Leadership in Health (MLIH) Program at the Harvard Chan School. Prof. Akdağ graduated from the Medical Faculty of Atatürk University, and later returned to the School to become a Specialist in Child Health and Diseases. He has been a professor at the the Medical Faculty of Atatürk University since 1999. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Prof. Akdağ taught a course entitled, “Leadership Development in Global Health/Health Policy: Making the Case for Universal Health Coverage in Turkey.” During his fellowship Prof. Akdağ also participated as a panelist on The Forum at Harvard Chan School, to discuss the topic of The Humanitarian Crisis in Syria.

JUDYANN BIGBY | Spring 2 2013 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
JudyAnn Bigby
JudyAnn Bigby

Dr. JudyAnn Bigby is currently a Senior Fellow at Mathematica Policy Research. Previously, she served as Secretary of Health and Human Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Dr. Bigby served as the Director of Community Health Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and as the Director of the Center of Excellence in Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bigby has pioneered work to eliminate health disparities among low-income and minority women through the design of clinical programs, education of health professionals, and community-based research in areas such as breast and cervical cancer mortality. Dr. Bigby practiced primary care internal medicine, specializing in women’s health, for over 25 years. In 2011, President Obama appointed her as one of the inaugural members of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. Dr. Bigby has an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and a B.A. from Wellesley College. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Dr. Bigby taught a course entitled, “Lessons in Leadership: Developing a Population-Based Approach to Health and Human Services Delivery.” She also shared her leadership experience on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Behind the Scenes with the Secretary of Health: Leading a State to Lead a Nation.”

ASHOK ALEXANDER | Spring 2 2013 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Ashok Alexander
Ashok Alexander

Mr. Ashok Alexander led the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s India office from its inception in 2003, until 2012, where he created Avahan, an initiative to reduce the spread of HIV in India. Avahan works with high-risk groups, primarily men and women involved in commercial sex work, and their clients. Mr. Alexander led the growth and expansion of the Gates Foundation’s first country office, with grants spanning health, sanitation, and agriculture. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was a Director at McKinsey & Company and head of the consulting firm’s New Delhi office. Mr. Alexander is a graduate of St Stephens College in Delhi and has a post-graduate degree from the Delhi School of Economics, and an M.B.A. from the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. He is a founding board member of the Public Health Foundation of India, serves on the board of CARE India, and is a founding trustee of the America-India Foundation. Currently, Mr. Alexander is engaged in building his own NGO, the Antara Foundation. Antara works on scaling up the delivery of public health, focusing on maternal and child health. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Mr. Alexander taught a course entitled,”Scaling Up Public Health Delivery for Impact: Lessons in Leadership.” He also shared his leadership experience on Voices in Leadership in a session titled, “Leadership Lessons from the Field Less Traveled.”

ADRIENNE GERMAIN | Fall 2012 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Adrienne Germain
Adrienne Germain

Ms. Adrienne Germain, is a widely recognized architect of the international movement for women’s health and human rights. Ms. Germain served as President Emerita of the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) (1998-2011). She led IWHC’s work on international health and population policy with the UN, governments and NGOs, especially in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and has provided sustained support for the building of women’s health and rights organizations in several low-income countries. In June of 2012, Ms. Germain received the United Nations Population Award in recognition of her lifetime work. Ms. Germain holds a B.A. from Wellesley College, an M.A. in sociology and demography from the University of California at Berkeley, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Bard College. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Ms. Germain shared her leadership experience on Voices in Leadership, which can be viewed on demand here. Since her fellowship, Ms. Germain has published several works, including an essay she co-authored on the story of women mobilizing for the UN’s International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, which can be found in the 2015 Routledge book, Women and Girls Rising.

DAVID MWAKYUSA | Fall 1 2012 Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow
David Mwakyusa
David Homeli Mwakyusa

Prof. David Homeli Mwakyusa has an established background in medicine, politics, and academia. He completed fellowships in gastroenterology in Scotland and the United States, and served as the Director of Administration and Hospital Services at the Muhimbili Medical Center, the national hospital of Tanzania. Prof. Mwakyusa serves as Professor and was chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the Dar es Salaam University Medical School. Prof. Mwakyusa was elected to Parliament in 2000 and is currently serving his third term, presently a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Water. As Minister for Health and Social Welfare for five years, he oversaw improvements in malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and child health and pioneered the Primary Health Services Programme which is credited for revolutionizing healthcare in Tanzania. Prof. Mwakyusa has an M.B. Ch.B. from the University of East Africa and an M.Med. from the University of Dar es Salaam. As a Senior Leadership Fellow, Prof. Mwakyusa taught a course entitled, “Health Care Delivery in a Country with Constrained Resources: Lessons from Tanzania.” He also shared his leadership experience on Voices in Leadership, a session which can be viewed on demand here.

ANN VENEMAN | Spring 2012 Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow
Ann Veneman
Ann M. Veneman

Ms. Ann Veneman served as the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 2005 to 2010. At UNICEF, Ms. Veneman worked to support child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all, access to clean water and sanitation and the protection of children and women from violence, exploitation and HIV/AIDS. From 2001 to 2005, Ms. Veneman was Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one of the most diverse federal agencies, with an annual budget of $113 billion and 110,000 employees. While at the USDA, she advanced an expanded trade agenda, food protection, progressive farm policy, responsible forest policy, and stronger nutrition programs. In 2009, she was named to the Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women list. A lawyer by training, Ms. Veneman has practiced law in both California and in Washington, D.C. Early in her career, she was a deputy public defender. Currently, Ms. Veneman is co-chair of Mother’s Day Every Day and on the Boards of the Close Up Foundation, Malaria No More, and the National 4-H Council. She holds a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Davis; an M.P.P. from the University of California, Berkeley; and a J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Ms. Veneman was the first Richard L. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow. During this fellowship, Ms. Veneman shared her experiences in leadership on Voices in Leadership, in a session which can be viewed on demand here.

SUJATHA RAO | Spring 2 2012 Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow
K. Sujatha Rao
K. Sujatha Rao

Ms. Sujatha Rao served in the Indian Administrative Service for over 35 years, where she most recently served as Union Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the Government of India, until 2010. Previous to that role, Ms. Rao served as Director General of the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) from 2006-2009, where she was instrumental in establishing systems and building up NACO as a full-fledged professional body. In 2004 Ms. Rao was nominated by the government of India as Member Secretary of the National Commission on Macroeconomics, and she has represented India on the Boards of the WHO, Global Fund and UNAIDS. Ms. Rao did her post-graduation from Delhi University and has an M.P.A. from Harvard University. She was also a Takemi Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health during 2001-2002. Ms. Rao was the first Gro Harlem Brundtland Senior Leadership Fellow. During this fellowship, Ms. Rao shared her experiences in leadership on Voices in Leadership, in a session which can be viewed on demand here.