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Secretariat

Unitaid’s secretariat is responsible for finding new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria more quickly, effectively and affordably.

Led by Executive Director Philippe Duneton, the secretariat staff manage the day-to-day operations of the organization and implement the policies approved by the Unitaid Executive Board. More information on the functions of the secretariat can be found in these by-laws.

Hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the operations of the secretariat are administered in accordance with Unitaid’s constitution and WHO rules.

Contact the Secretariat

Unitaid – Global Health Campus,
Chemin du Pommier 40, 5th floor,
1218 Grand-Saconnex
Geneva, Switzerland

Tel: +41 22 791 12 00
Fax: +41 22 791 48 90

E-mail: unitaid@who.int

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Denitza Andjelic

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Izumi Aoki

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Oluwaseun Aladesanmi

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Tenu Avafia

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Irina Avchyan

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Oana Baban

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Carole Ballon

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Kelsey Barrett

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Laure Bernou

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Matthew Black

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Katherine Blumer

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Mailys Bobin

Organization Chart

STAFF DISTRIBUTION
BY GRADE AND GENDER AT UNITAID

Email
oaladesanmi@unitaid.who.int

Oluwaseun Aladesanmi

Technical Manager (Strategic Sourcing and Supply)

Seun is a dual citizen of Antigua and Barbuda and Nigeria. He’s a Public Health Specialist with over two decades experience implementing programs across Africa, Asia and the Caribbeans.

Seun has a bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences, a post graduate diploma in logistics and supply chain management, a master’s in public health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and a PhD in public health from the University of Nicaragua. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health and member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

Prior to joining Unitaid, He spent 10 years at Clinton Health Access Initiative Inc. and most recently was Global Director, Maternal and Neonatal Health based in Zambia. Previously, He served as Assistant Professor, Public Health at Texila American University Zambia and also worked/consulted for a number of  organizations including WHO, UN Women, UNICEF, African Union, OSF, ICAP-Columbia University/CIHP and Axios Foundation/Akesis amongst others.

Email
daggasha@unitaid.who.int

Aisha Daggash

Programme Officer

Aisha is a global public health professional with over 10 years of experience working at national, regional and global levels on RMNCH and health systems programmes. Her expertise spans across grant and programme management, implementation, alliance coordination and Monitoring & Evaluation. She has experience working with governments, the private sector and civil society organizations to design and deliver high-quality innovative interventions.

She holds a BSc in Pharmacology and an MSc in Biotechnology, Bioprocessing and Business Management. Prior to joining she was with the Clinton Health Access Initiative and more recently as an independent consultant working for organizations like BMGF, Gavi and the Global Fund on multiple projects.

Email
pinedajo@unitaid.who.int

Jorge Pineda Rangel

Grant Finance Officer

Originally from Colombia, Jorge is a financial management professional with 15+ years of progressive experience in international development with a focus on global health. He has expertise in financial grant management and FPA (Financial Planning & Analysis), including vast HQ and field exposure through work with organizations and partners in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. He comes to Unitaid after an 8-year period in DNDi where he was leading the finance grant management function. Jorge holds an MBA with a bachelor’s degree in Finance, he is a strong user of Excel and Jet Reports (Microsoft Dynamics NAV), and he is fluent in English and Spanish with an advanced working level of French and Portuguese.

Email
evansr@unitaid.who.int

Rachel Evans

Programme Officer

Rachel joined Unitaid’s Programme Division in 2019 and has worked extensively across the portfolio of investments on cervical cancer, long-acting technologies, intellectual property and malaria. Prior to joining Unitaid, she supported the development of normative policies and tools for HIV and HCV at the World Health Organization with a focus on key populations. Rachel holds a degree in international relations from Mary Baldwin College and an MSc in epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Email
hunguj@unitaid.who.int

Jackson Hungu

Programme Manager

Email
gwazag@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 506 69 28

Gamuchirai Gwaza

Monitoring & Evaluation Manager

With 17 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), including 12 years in senior technical roles, Gamu is a seasoned expert in the field. Before joining Unitaid in 2023, she served as M&E Manager at FIND, where she played a key role in establishing M&E systems. Her expertise spans multiple sectors, including health, education, advocacy, and youth-led programs, with a focus on developing and strengthening M&E systems.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Gamu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and two Master’s degrees—one in Sociology and Social Anthropology, and another in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University. Passionate about global health and international development, she is committed to ensuring that interventions in low- and middle-income countries are tailored to local contexts to deliver the most effective solutions.

Email
guenthert@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 901 33 38

Tanya Guenther

Monitoring & Evaluation Manager, Results

Tanya is public health specialist with more than 20 years of experience in global health and development. Before joining Unitaid in 2019, she worked for Abt Associates, where she led M&E for a large, multi-sector investment to support the Government of Timor-Leste. Prior to that, she served as an M&E advisor at Save the Children where she designed and implemented M&E systems and led operational research to support maternal, newborn and child health programs. Originally from Canada, Tanya holds a BSc in Applied Health Sciences and a MSc in epidemiology.

Email
shakhsheerl@unitaid.who.int

Liane Shakhsheer

HR officer

Liane Shakhsheer has joined us as an HR Officer within the HR team.

Liane holds an MBA in Business Administration and has joined us from ILO HQ, where she worked in the HR Operations Team as a Human Resources Officer.

Before that, she worked as an Administration Assistant for the European Public Law Organization.

Liane is from Canada and Jordan and speaks English, Arabic, and conversational French.

Email
tuncb@unitaid.who.int

Baran Tunc

HR officer

Baran Tunc has joined us as an HR Officer within the HR team.

Baran has joined us from WHO HQ-Budapest, where he worked in the Global Sourcing and Recruitment team as Associate HR Officer. Before that, he worked as an Operations Associate/Recruiter for United Nations Volunteers.

Baran is from Turkey and speaks Kurdish, Turkish, English and Greek.

Email
smithje@unitaid.who.int

Jeffrey Smith

senior technical manager

Jeffrey Smith has joined the Strategy Team as Senior Technical Manager with responsibilities in women’s and children’s health.

Jeff is an obstetrician/gynecologist from the US with 29 years of clinical and public health experience in countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., US, and his public health degree from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US.

He recently spent five years as the Deputy Director of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously he was Vice President for Technical Leadership at Jhpiego, where he led clinical interventions and implementation approaches in RMNCAH and infectious diseases, and was a member of both the medical and public health faculties at Johns Hopkins. He spent 10 years in Asia where he provided program management support and technical guidance to public health programs in Nepal, Afghanistan, and Thailand.

Email
kolaczinskij@unitaid.who.int

Jan Kolaczinski

senior technical manager

Jan has joined the Strategy Team as Senior Technical Manager for malaria and women’s and children’s health. 

Jan is a German national who trained on entomology and public health in the UK, followed by over a decade of working in advisory and management roles in Asia and Africa. He subsequently worked as the Senior Technial Advisor for malaria at the Global Fund. Throughout his career, he led or supported the evaluation of innovative public health interventions and delivery approaches, followed by scaling-up those that demonstrated impact.

In his most recent role, he served as the Head of Vector Control & Insecticide Resistance in the Global Malaria Programme of WHO. He focused on reducing WHO barriers to market access, including substantial involvement in the reform of the vector control evaluation process and in developing guidelines and operational guidance for malaria vector control.

Email
mangwanyaf@unitaid.who.int

Faith Mangwanya

Programme Officer, Regional Manufacturing

Faith is a Medical Devices Engineer with experience across various roles in the medical devices and diagnostics value chain, from research and development to commercialization and product introduction.

Before she joined Unitaid, she served as a Technical Team Lead at GIZ supporting the SADC Secretariat in enhancing local production of antiretrovirals by addressing market failures and providing comprehensive support to firms across the entire value chain. She holds a Master of Engineering in Medical Electronics and Instrumentation, a Master of Research in Graphene Technology, and a Master of Science in Medical Devices Process Validation and Regulatory Affairs.

Email
hristove@unitaid.who.int

Elin Hristov

finance officer

Elin is an accomplished Chartered Certified Accountant (FCCA) with a master’s degree in Accounting and Banking. His career spans across private sectors such as professional services and high-frequency trading, as well as international organizations including the European Free Trade Association and the World Health Organization before joining UNITAID in 2024. Elin’s expertise lies in accounting, financial management, and reporting.

Email
wilkinsonk@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 445 17 45

Kyle Wilkinson

communications officer

Kyle joined the Unitaid communications team in 2023. He spent the previous five years working as a communications officer for the UN World Food Program in Washington DC and Geneva with a field assignment in Moldova. Kyle has also worked in communications and project management in Lao PDR, Myanmar and South Africa. He is from Buffalo, New York and holds a Master in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Email
bowmana@unitaid.who.int

Anna Bowman

programme manager

Anna is from Australia and holds Masters’ degrees  in International Development.

Anna has more than 15 years of experience working in public health, most recently on the WHO hosted Access to COVID-19-Accelerator Hub, managing the ACT-A Facilitation Council. Prior to this, she was the Project Manager for the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group. The first 10 years of her career at WHO were with the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework Secretariat.

Email
brooksm@who.int
Office Number
+41 79 525 62 91

Melanie Brooks

Strategic Communications Officer

Melanie is a communications specialist with more than 25 years’ experience in the global health, humanitarian and journalism sectors. Melanie is from Canada and holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree and an MSc in Public Policy and Management. Melanie joined Unitaid in 2023.

Email
donatellim@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 506 69 50

Maria Donatelli

programme manager

Maria Donatelli is a human rights expert and programme manager with 17 years of experience in the development and humanitarian fields. Before joining Unitaid, she was a senior manager at Coalition PLUS, an international network of HIV and hepatitis community-based organizations.
As a member of the Deevloped Countries NGO delegation to the Global Fund Board, she worked for equitable access to resources aimed at the elimination of the 3 pandemics.
Maria, originally from Italy, holds a master’s degree in human rights and conflict management from the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, a diploma in migrants’ health from Université Sorbonne and a degree in political science from University of Florence.

Email
vadrevuk@unitaid.who.int

Krishnaveni Vadrevu

executive officer, executive office

Email
grossol@unitaid.who.int

Lara Grosso

results officer, results team

Lara is from Italy and holds Bachelors’ Degree in Economics from Bocconi University, a dual MSc in International Affairs and Law from London School of Economics and Peking University, and Master of Public Health from London School Of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Before joining Unitaid, she served as a Technical Officer at WHO HQ, first in the Process Efficiency Unit and then in the Primary Health Care Programme supporting the policy and partnership work. Prior to this, she worked with CHAI, initially in Rwanda to support HCV Elimination, and then as Regional Manager for Southern Africa to support AHD scale-up.

Email
debbicheh@unitaid.who.int

Hassene Debbiche

assistant to team, results & strategy team

Hassene is from Tunisia and holds Bachelors’ degree  in Information Technology Management.

Before joining Unitaid, he served as an IT Support Specialist and Deputy Team Leader within the BOS/WHO proximity support.

Email
kolbek@unitaid.who.int

Kerstin Kolbe

Resource Mobilization Manager, External Relations and Communications

Kerstin builds and strengthens partnerships by focusing on political mobilization towards rights-based development: Her expertise in stakeholder relations, advocacy and new public management is based on 20+ years of working for multilaterals, NGOS, business and government in HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, vaccines, gender equality, emergency response and climate.

Most recently at WHO Headquarter, she coordinated the assessment of the WHO investment round. Before that, she mobilized in 7 years USD 2.8 billion for Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, led a multinational team in a climate- and health-prevention project in Western Kenya and supported a South African start-up health NGO. German by nationality, she holds three Masters degrees (among them one in Public Policy, focusing on Political Economy, United Nations Reform and Global Health).

Email
yoshimuram@unitaid.who.int

Mami Yoshimura

Resource Mobilization Officer, External Relations and Communications

Mami is from Japan and holds Bachelors’ and Post Graduate degrees  in Geography.

Before joining Unitaid, she served as a Programme Specialist in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Syria and was responsible for resource mobilization, partnership development, donor relations, communications, and advocacy for UNDP Syria. Before that, she worked with UNDP’s HIV and Health Team in New York where she was actively involved in strengthening institutional relationships with the Government of Japan and the GHIT Fund.

Email
bnascimento@unitaid.who.int

Beatriz Nascimento Lins De Oliveira

Partnerships Officer, External Relations and Communications

Beatriz is from Brazil and holds Post Graduation in International Relations, a master’s degree in public health and pursuing PhD in Social Science.
Beatriz has been working in the global health field for more than 10 years. Before joining Unitaid, she served as an International Advisor at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), International Relations Officer at the South American Institute of Government in Health (ISAGS-UNASUR), and as an International Consultant at Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Email
lindleym@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 467 30 21

Matthew Lindley 

Resource Mobilization Manager

Matthew is a British national. He holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing and a Business Administration Degree. ​

He specializes in mobilizing resources from donor governments and major foundations to advance health, human rights, and justice. Matthew joins Unitaid after having held strategic positions at the International Development Law Organization, Italy and the International Planned Parenthood Federation, UK.​​

Email
huangk@unitaid.who.int

Katy Huang

Project Manager

Katy joined Unitaid in 2023. She is a public health and development specialist with over 17 years of experience serving at the local, country and global level and in high resource, low income and conflict settings. She has extensive experience managing partnerships specifically for the New York City Department of Health, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization. Her skills include programme management, research, policy development and strategic stakeholder engagement. Katy is Canadian and holds a Master’s of International Development and Management, a Master’s of Medical Science in International Health and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

Email
bernoul@unitaid.who.int

Laure Bernou

programme officer

Laure has been working with Unitaid since 2021 as Programme Consultant, providing support in the area of operational planning and grant management. During her 13 year career in private and public sector, most recently at WHO/IARC, she developed vast experience in project financing and partnership management. She is also personally involved in public health field.

Originally from France, she holds a master’s degree in management from EDHEC Business School and a specialization in Development, engineering, and international cooperation from Sciences-Po.

Email
negussieshepardm@unitaid.who.int

Mirchaye Negussie-Shepard

grant finance officer, finance & administration team

Mirchaye joined Unitaid in 2022 with over 15 years of experience in accounting, finance and business management in the USA and sub-Saharan Africa.  She worked both in the private and public sectors with roles in audit, investment management, grant management, including a lead role in the financial management of multiple HIV, TB, Malaria and COVID-19 grants from the Global Fund.

She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Master’s degree in Accountancy and Taxation from the University of Houston.

Mirchaye is fluent in English, French, Amharic and has basic knowledge of Spanish.

Email
touremar@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 239 64 81

Mariam Toure

programme officer, molecular diagnostics and tuberculosis

Mariam joined Unitaid in 2021.  She started her career doing gene sequencing in an HIV lab then pivoted to managing public health projects. After a few years managing a diverse portfolio of projects for an NGO in Mali, she worked on programme quality improvement for TB projects at the Global Fund and grant management at Gavi.  Her current portfolio at Unitaid includes TB diagnostics and TB treatment grants.

Mariam holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a master’s degree in public health from The University of Arizona.  She is from Mali.

Email
husainmo@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 728 71 48

Afifi Husain

procurement officer

Afifi is from Kuala Lumpur and before joining Unitaid, he served 8 years in the WHO Global Service Centre, leading the Procurement Contract Processing unit. He graduated in Quantity Surveying (Construction Contract Management) and had worked in the construction industry in both private and public sectors and registered with the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia. He also holds certifications from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS UK).

Email
zanderm@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 593 17 74

Maggie Zander

communications officer

Email
solankik@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 217 34 40

Kamayani Solanki

human resources officer, finance & administration team

Kamayani is an Indian national. Before joining Unitaid, she served for more than 12 years at the WHO South East Asia Region, India. She has also worked as HR Focal Person with ADG BOS, WHO, HQ.

She is a Post Graduate in Business Management (Human Resources and Operations), holds a PG Diploma in Labour Law and Masters Degree in Sociology.

Email
aokii@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 467 32 65

Izumi Aoki

Assistant to Team, External Relations and Communications

Izumi joined Unitaid in 2022 as team assistant of External Relations and Communications Team. She supports the director and team colleagues with administrative and operational tasks. Izumi has professional experiences in clinical psychology and in journalism, among others. She is fluent in English, French and Japanese.
Before joining Unitaid, she served at the WHO Health Emergency Programme and worked on the coordination and monitoring of the WHO collaborating centres.

Email
sadaghianlooa@unitaid.who.int

Aroosha Sadaghianloo

legal officer

Aroosha is a lawyer with several years of experience working in the private sector and in international organizations providing legal advice on diverse matters. Most recently, she worked at the World Health Organization before joining Unitaid in 2022. Aroosha is from Canada and holds degrees in psychology, civil law, common law, and international crime and justice.

Email
dantasc@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 517 42 05

Cintia Dantas

Partnerships Officer, External Relations and Communications

Cintia is a public health professional with over 10 years of experience in governments, multilateral technical agencies, non-governmental organizations and multiple international forums. She has post graduate qualifications in international cooperation ad public health and has a particular interest in political mobilization, access to health and social justice. Previous to working at Unitaid, Cintia worked at the Global Fund, the Global TB Caucus (a political network of TB advocacy) and the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

Email
avafiat@unitaid.who.int

Tenu Avafia

deputy executive director

Tenu Avafia has extensive experience across human rights, public health, health systems and equitable access matters. He has overseen health programs in low and middle income countries and worked with several partners including programme and donor UN Member States, civil society, private sector and multilateral institutions. Before joining Unitaid, Tenu served as the Head of the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Zimbabwe and led a team at UNDP focusing on HIV, human rights, key populations and health technology innovation and access.

Email
dunetonp@unitaid.who.int

Philippe Duneton

executive director, Unitaid

Dr. Duneton is the Executive Director of Unitaid since 2020. He has a Master in Epidemiology, Public Health and he was instrumental in the 2006 creation of Unitaid. His long career has focused on HIV/AIDS, infectious & tropical diseases and public health. He was twice advisor to Bernard Kouchner of France’s Ministry of Health, practiced medicine in the Infectious Diseases Department of La Pitié Salpétrière hospital in Paris, headed the mission against HIV/AIDS and harm reduction for l’assistance publique, Hôpitaux de Paris. He also led the French regulatory agency for medicines and health products, and chaired the board of the European Medicines Agency.

Email
blackm@unitaid.who.int

Matthew Black

Programme Manager

Matthew joined Unitaid in 2021 to oversee a portfolio of malaria grants, with over 20 years’ of experience working in development settings including more than 15 years advising and managing public, private and Civil Society projects in the Sub-Saharan African health sector. Before Unitaid, Matthew managed a series of Global Fund grants on HIV, TB, malaria and COVID-19  at the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia, where he was seconded from GIZ.  He holds post-graduate qualifications in both International Development and Health Economics.

Email
otuorimuoe@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 701 94 77

Evaezi Otuorimuo

programme officer

Before joining Unitaid, Evaezi worked in an NGO in Nigeria where she supported gender-based  initiatives and supported capacity-building projects for women in rural communities surrounding Abuja. While in France, she worked with the Métropole de Lyon and with the association Dialogues en humanité, and as a consultant with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS). Evaezi has also previously worked in WHO, the Global Protection Cluster at the UNHCR and in IOM (CCCM Cluster).

Evaezi is a Nigerian national and holds a Bachelor’s in International Relations from Covenant University, Nigeria and two Master’s which she completed at the University of Lyon, France: one in Ethics, Ecology and Sustainable Development and the other one in Territory Management and Local Development with a specialization in Rural Development.

Email
drilleta@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 445 26 52

Amélie Drillet

Program Officer

Before joining UNITAID, Amélie has mainly worked on resource mobilization, and partnership management for international NGOs and for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, both at HQ and field level (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Tanzania).

Originally from France, she holds a master’s degree in European Studies and International Relations from the Institut d’Études Politiques de Strasbourg (Sciences Po Strasbourg) and a master’s degree in Political Sciences from the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon).

Email
paquinm@unitaid.who.int

Maxime Paquin

communications officer

Maxime is a Canadian communication professional who specializes in digital marketing, multimedia, and strategic communication. He is adept at building and implementing strategies to improve brand awareness, online presence, and audience engagement. Prior to joining Unitaid, Maxime held communication roles with UNICEF, the UN Environment Programme, NGO BirdLife International, media conglomerate Next Digital, to name but a few.

Email
cameronan@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 628 11 96

Anne-Isabelle Cameron

Technical Officer, Strategy

Prior to joining Unitaid in 2021, Anne-Isabelle worked as a Program Associate at Grand Challenges Canada where she managed seed and transition-to-scale investments in health innovations for low- and middle-income countries, specializing in sexual and reproductive health and rights. Originally from Vancouver Island, Canada, Anne-Isabelle has field experience in East Africa and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Global Development and Economics.

Email
sonip@unitaid.who.int

Priyanka Soni

results officer, results team

Priyanka joined Unitaid in 2020, bringing a background in strategy and policy development, analytics and programme management. She joined us from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, where she worked on Immunization Financing Sustainability and Vaccine Innovation Prioritization Strategy. She has worked previously in the UN system, IT and strategy consultancies.

Priyanka has an engineering degree in Information Technology from Rajasthan University, India and a Masters in Development Practices from Sciences Po, Paris (France). She is from India.

Email
onasanyak@unitaid.who.int

Kenny Onasanya

Technical Manager (Strategic Sourcing and Supply)

Kenny Onasanya is a pharmacist, degree-qualified and professionally certified procurement and supply chain management expert with over 20 years’ experience (5 years in pharma industry; 15+years in development sector). Kenny holds a master’s degree in Procurement and supply chain management (with distinction) from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria and Certification in Health and Humanitarian Supply Chain from Georgia Tech Georgia, Atlanta, USA.
Prior to joining Unitaid in 2020, has worked in many countries including Netherlands, Rwanda and Nigeria. He is a certified member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK), Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP, Canada) and Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS UK).

Email
verhooselh@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+44 77 29 618 634

Hervé Verhoosel

team lead, communications

 

 

Email
barrettk@unitaid.who.int

Kelsey Barrett

technical officer, strategy team

Kelsey joined Unitaid in 2020 after spending six years working for PATH in the Technology, Analytics, and Market Innovations Division. Kelsey has expertise in diagnostic development and introduction and led public health and user research on new products for maternal and child health, malaria, and HIV. Before that, she worked in Senegal for Tostan, an NGO focused on community development and human rights education. Kelsey holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a master’s in public health from the University of Washington.

Email
occhinil@unitaid.who.int

Luca Occhini

team leader, programme management

Luca has 20-plus years of professional experience in both private and public international organizations with a strong emphasis on results delivery. Luca has spent most of his career working internationally, based both in the Global South and in Geneva, with a wide variety of partners. His professional skills and expertise include in-depth understanding of operations, project and programme management, dealing firsthand with complex negotiations between multiple stakeholder groups and providing leadership on programme implementation, project planning, donor contracting and capacity development. Before joining Unitaid, Luca served for 13 years at the Global Fund as a regional manager, where he conceived and designed the Differentiation for Impact strategy, a framework that guides Global Fund operations in tailoring investments and processes to specific characteristics of a country.

 

Email
kriebelj@unitaid.who.int

Jennah Kriebel

technical manager, strategy team

Dr. Jennah Kriebel joined the strategy team in 2019 as senior technical manager, strategy and innovation. An American citizen born in Hawaii, she has worked on strategy and innovation with digital players like the AI and robotics startup Scaphe (CEO), the AI language services company MotaWord (COO/CRO), and the big data company Nyriad (CSO); with emerging technology portfolios for the largest healthcare players with the Boston Consulting Group and her independent consultancy, theScaliest; and with biotech startups like Synthetic Genomics and Micronics. She has a PhD in biological materials that self-assemble into nanoscale quantum systems, and has taken medical diagnostics experiments to zero gravity with NASA.

Email
hallidayd@unitaid.who.int

Dale Halliday

technical officer, strategy team

Dale joined Unitaid in 2019, coming from the New South Wales Ministry of Health, where he worked in the blood-borne virus unit, predominantly on the rapid rollout of PrEP for HIV prevention. Dale’s background also includes primary health services development and research across Southeast Asia, and neglected and tropical disease policy analysis in the non-governmental sector. Dale holds a double bachelor’s degree in international studies and development studies, and a master’s in public health.

Email
ghadrshenasa@unitaid.who.int

Anisa Ghadrshenas

technical officer, strategy team

Anisa joined Unitaid in 2019 from the World Health Organization Department of HIV/AIDS and Global Hepatitis, where she worked on developing normative policies and implementation tools for HIV and HCV treatment and diagnostics. Before that, she was director of the Laboratory Services Team at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, based in Nairobi, Kenya. Anisa holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental health and toxicology from the University of Washington, and a master’s degree in major programme management from the University of Oxford. She is from the United States.

 

Email
gradelt@unitaid.who.int

Thomas Gradel

Programme Manager

Thomas combines experience in programme and project management with expertise in global development, global health, human rights, and anti-corruption. Before joining Unitaid in 2019, Thomas worked as a consultant to the World Health Organization, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNICEF, and the European Commission, and as managing director of Transparency International Austria. Originally from Germany, Thomas holds a master’s degree with honors from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, combining business administration with intercultural relations and foreign languages. He speaks English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian.

 

Email
hellstroma@unitaid.who.int

Anna Hellstrom

programme officer

Anna joined Unitaid in 2019, bringing more than a decade’s experience that includes posts in the Unitaid Nations system and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Her background is in programme management, interagency processes and cooperation, and monitoring and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in international studies from the University of Uppsala in Sweden and a bachelor’s degree in development and economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

Email
kristianssonc@unitaid.who.int

Charlotte Kristiansson

team leader, programme management

Charlotte is from Sweden. She holds a PhD in international health and a bachelor’s degree in technology and biology. Charlotte has almost 20 years’ experience in international health, including research, consulting, and programme management and oversight. She has worked for several international organisations, including the Global Fund. Charlotte joined Unitaid in 2018.

Email
mariats@unitaid.who.int

Stéphanie Mariat

results officer, results team

Stéphanie has more than 10 years’ experience working in public health in both the private and public sectors. Before joining Unitaid in 2019, Stéphanie worked at the World Health Organization with the Expanded Programme on Immunization, focusing on improving access to vaccines in middle-income countries. She has also worked for several NGOs in the field and headquarters, including MSF Access Campaign, and in the private sector for McKinsey & Company.  Stephanie holds a Master of Science in Management from Grenoble Business School and a postgraduate diploma in public health from the University of Manchester.

Email
bobinm@unitaid.who.int

Mailys Bobin

grant finance officer, finance & administration team

Mailys came to Unitaid in 2017 with a background in project finance, including a post at the UK Green Investment Bank in London, which seeks to accelerate the country’s transition to a greener economy. As a project finance senior associate, her role was to make investment decisions on renewable infrastructure projects involving offshore wind, energy from waste, waste recycling, biomass and energy efficiency. At Unitaid, her role is to ensure that grant money is used efficiently, and in line with agreements.

She is French, holds a master’s degree in finance, and speaks English, French and German.

Email
cungis@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 22 791 20 47

Serena Cungi

Assistant to the Executive Director, Executive Office

Serena’s background includes administrative assistant positions in the private sector, notably the world’s second-largest shipping line, Mediterranean Shipping Company, as well as work in the public sector, with WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Originally from Italy, Serena finished her university degree with a project on the languages of northern Mozambique, and then earned a master’s degree, with honors, in international tourism from the MIB School of Management, completing some of the studies in Panama. Her four years of living in Africa included time in Kenya, and in Mozambique, where she worked with local people to develop an eco-tourism lodge on the Mozambican island of Ibo. She speaks Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.

Email
debruna@unitaid.who.int

Alex Debrun

grant finance manager, finance & administration team

Alex Debrun has 20 years’ experience in international public sector and non-profit organizations and is currently acting Team Lead Grant Finance. He holds a master’s degree in business administration and development. He joined Unitaid in 2018, coming from the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) in Sweden, where he served as budget and grant compliance manager. Alex has worked in two French nongovernmental organizations and has field experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. He speaks English, Spanish and French.

Email
andjelicd@unitaid.who.int

Denitza Andjelic

Team Lead, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Denitza currently leads the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning team at Unitaid. Her professional experience includes over 15 years in global health and economic development at country, regional and headquarters levels in Latin America, the United States and Europe. During this time, Denitza has held diverse roles, spanning strategy, program management, research and monitoring and evaluation. She is a strong advocate for continuous learning and evidence-driven decision making to advance the health and rights of all people, and especially women and girls. Originally from Bulgaria, Denitza holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s in Public Affairs with a focus on international development and health policy.

Email
linsdocarmom@unitaid.who.int

Marina Lins do Carmo

executive officer

Marina joined Unitaid in 2017, with a background in law, international relations and coordination of country partnerships. In her role in the Executive Office, Marina is responsible for providing analytical and strategic support in developing and coordinating corporate partnerships, multilateral initiatives, as well as cross-unit collaboration. Her work also involves resource mobilization and donor relations in close collaboration with the External Relations and Communications team. Originally from Brazil, Marina started her career in corporate law before moving to Angola to volunteer at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and UNDP justice and human rights department. She worked at Unitaid as partnerships officer in 2014-15. Marina holds a MSc. in Human Rights from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from Mackenzie University in São Paulo, and is a member of the State of São Paulo Bar Association.

 

Email
eleveldj@unitaid.who.int

Jan Akko Eleveld

programme manager

Akko joined Unitaid in 2017, building on extensive management experience in humanitarian and development settings in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Niger, Uganda, South Sudan and Zimbabwe. During a decade with Médecins Sans Frontières, he managed programmes and teams that provided quality healthcare during and in the aftermath of armed conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics. He has also held posts at Population Services International in Angola, and as Geneva-based liaison to the Global Fund. Originally from the Netherlands, Akko holds a master’s degree in economics, and a master’s degree in public health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Email
cscott@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 239 41 33

Cherise P. Scott

technical manager, strategy team

Dr Cherise Scott is a global health specialist with close to 20 years of experience developing and advancing innovations and products for neglected diseases. Dr. Scott’s career spans preclinical to market introduction for medicines and vaccines. Her current work encompasses identifying and supporting interventions to overcome access barriers to innovative treatment, diagnosis, and prevention tools for major diseases in low- and middle-income countries with a particular focus on the areas of tuberculosis, HCV, long-acting technologies, innovative delivery forms for paediatric treatment, regulatory and intellectual property.

Email
dragicevict@unitaid.who.int

Tijana Clevenger

results officer, results team

Tijana came to Unitaid in 2017 from the United Nations Development Programme, where as an analyst she assessed the impact of Global Fund grants. Her background also includes two years in Tanzania, where she was advisor to a program on prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission. Partway through her time there, she was hospitalized with P. falciparum malaria, which left her with a first-hand appreciation of fast access to diagnostics and treatment. “I kept thinking, imagine having to deal with this without running water, without electricity, without access to healthcare. Not to mention that a lot of the people who get malaria are pregnant women or kids under five, people who are already vulnerable.” On Unitaid’s results team, Tijana evaluates the impact of grant projects. “When people think of impact assessment and evaluation, they think it’s just numbers, but it’s so much more,” Tijana said. “You really need a good understanding of what your program is trying to achieve so you can choose the right measures of success.” Tijana holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Master of Public Health from Charité University in Berlin. She was born in Serbia and immigrated to Toronto as a child.

Email
ryant@unitaid.who.int

Timothy Ryan

risk & information manager

Tim has an extensive background in public health management and quality improvement. Before joining  Unitaid in 2017, he was strategic communications specialist for the US CDC in Thailand and acting PEPFAR coordinator for the Asia region. Tim has also been managing director for Solve, CWS, and principle officer and ISO quality manager for the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility.  Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in English and education and a master’s in professional writing.

Email
merlets@unitaid.who.int

Sophie Merlet

administrative support,  finance & administration team

Sophie joined Unitaid in 2016, after holding administrative assistant posts at UNAIDS and the World Health Organization. Sophie is a native of France and holds a BTS compatibilité-gestion.

Email
osigbesana@unitaid.who.int

Ademola Osigbesan

programme manager (Procurement and Supply Chain Management)

Ademola  joined Unitaid in 2017, coming from Clinton Health Access Initiative, where he was access programmes manager in his native Nigeria. Ademola is a pharmacist, holds an MBA degree, and has a background in supply-chain management, with a focus on HIV and viral hepatitis. Before taking his job with Unitaid, Amedola was already aware of what a positive impact the organisation’s projects were having, particularly in helping children living with HIV. “I was a pharmacist at an ARV (antiretroviral) clinic where I experienced first hand the introduction of paediatric dispersible ARVs.”

Email
tarltond@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 716 75 48

Dessie Tarlton

Technical Manager, Access

Dessie Tarlton joined Unitaid in 2017 with extensive experience in development project and grant management across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Previously, she held key roles at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Habitat for Humanity International, and UNDP, and began her career in strategic consulting and private equity in London and Moscow. As Technical Manager, Access, Dessie provides analytical and technical support to inform Unitaid’s approach and execution of sustainable strategies to increase and accelerate equitable access to health products. Dessie holds an International Organizations MBA from the University of Geneva and a bachelor’s in health and development economics from the University of Bath.

Email
dopasj@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 449 60 52

Jemmy Dopas

grant finance manager, finance & administration team

Jemmy Dopas is a finance professional with over twenty years of experience in grants finance, accounting, corporate finance, administration, and procurement. Prior to join Unitaid in December 2016, his professional journey includes roles with UNDP Indonesia and more than a decade with World Vision International. His working experience span across the Countries in East Africa, South Asia and Pacific region. As Grant Finance Manager, Jemmy provide technical support to the project teams and Unitaid grants implementers on financial, budgetary, risk management and audit matters. Jemmy hold a Master of Science (MSc.) degree with major in Corporate Finance, and a Bachelor Degree with major in Accounting.

Email
mijumbir@unitaid.who.int

Richard Mijumbi

Procurement Specialist, Finance & Administration team

Richard Mijumbi, a seasoned procurement professional and MCIPS-certified expert, brings over two decades of global experience to Unitaid. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in International Business (Applied Finance and Management), Richard has honed his procurement expertise across both non-profit and private sectors in Europe and the U.S. His passion lies in driving ethical and efficient procurement strategies that create lasting impact. At Unitaid, Richard is committed to optimizing procurement processes to ensure the best value for resources, while upholding transparency and aligning with the mission of improving global health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries

Email
ndame@unitaid.who.int

Edith Ndam

assistant

Edith has 15 years experience working at Unitaid and WHO in various departments, coordinating administrative projects, supporting directors and teams, and managing databases. As an administrative specialist, Edith is resilient, proactive, and solution-oriented, embracing on-the-job learning, needed skills in the unpredictable and fast paced work environment.
Edith holds a graduate and several postgraduate qualifications: a Postgraduate degree in Linguistics (Discourse Analysis) and a diploma in continuing education from the University of Geneva; a diploma in international environmental law from UNITAR; and an MSc in Management (workplace conflict management) from the University of Liverpool. Edith is fluent in English and French.

 

Email
blumerk@unitaid.who.int

Katherine Blumer

Programme Manager

Katherine BLUMER is a Programme Manager at Unitaid where she currently oversees Unitaid’s portfolio of Intellectual Property grants.  Previously she managed Unitaid’s Antiretroviral Optimization portfolio. Having worked in global health for over 20 years has held positions with the United Nations Environment Programme, UNAIDS, the Center for Global Development, the World Health Organization and the Health Metrics Network. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, a master’s degree in organizational management and a master’s degree in public health.

 

 

Email
yohannesam@unitaid.who.int

Ambachew Yohannes

programme manager

Dr. Yohannes has an extensive background in medical parasitology, epidemiology and public health. He has worked at the Ministry of Health in his native Ethiopia, and at the World Health Organization.  In 2010 he joined Unitaid, where his focus is malaria control. Dr. Yohannes holds master’s degrees in medical parasitology and public health and a PhD in health studies.

Email
theoleyrer@unitaid.who.int

Romane Theoleyre

programme manager

Romane, from France, has a background in programme management. She joined Unitaid in 2013, after working as a project manager at DMI Associates, a consulting firm that specialises in public policies and economic development. Romane holds a master’s degree in management from EDHEC Business School, and a master’s in economics from the University of St Andrews.

Email
vanvlietm@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 449 56 36

Monique Van Vliet

financial controller, finance & administration team

Monique has an extensive background in accounting, auditing, financial analysis and reporting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Monique was director of management reporting at the University of British Columbia in her native Canada, and worked at the World Health Organization before joining Unitaid in 2012.

Email
polskyj@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 477 04 38

Judith Polsky

senior resource mobilization manager, external relations team

Judith has over 20 years experieince in programme maagement, partnerships and resource mobilization. Before joining Unitaid in 2016, Judith served as senior adviser, external relations at UNAIDS, programme adviser on women and girls at UNAIDS, and programme officer, health at UNICEF. Judith has a background in public health, During the pandemic, she worked with the Access to Covid Tools Accelerator (ACT Accelerator) based at WHO to help coordinate donor engagement across global health agencies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Univeristy of Pennsylvania and a master’s in business and public policy from Yale University.  She is from the United States.

Email
nathansone@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 596 56 72

Eva Nathanson

Team Lead, Partnerships

Eva brings 20 years of public health experience with WHO, Sida, and Unitaid. She currently leads Unitaid’s initiative on inclusive, demand-driven partnerships. Previously, she coordinated Unitaid’s health innovation portfolios on malaria and tuberculosis. Eva also supported WHO in building political momentum on antimicrobial resistance through a UN Interagency Coordination Group. As a Health Advisor at Sida in Zambia, she managed health development cooperation efforts and worked to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health. From 1998 to 2014, she contributed to WHO’s tuberculosis programme across the former Soviet Union, Myanmar, and WHO Headquarters. Originally from Sweden, Eva holds MSc degrees in Molecular Biology and in Health, Development, and Environment.

Email
khannag@unitaid.who.int

Gauri Khanna

monitoring & evaluation manager, results team

Gauri’s background is in economics, health statistics and programme evaluation. She came to Unitaid in 2015 from the Gavi Alliance, where she was a senior programme manager. Gauri, originally from India, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, master’s degrees in economics and international economics, and a PhD in international economics. In her spare time, Gauri enjoys reading historical fiction, crime fiction and histories of ancient objects.

 

Email
gineti@unitaid.who.int

Ivan Ginet

assistant, Facilities & Administration

Ivan is the mainstay of Unitaid´s IT department. He joined Unitaid in 2008 from the World Health Organization. Ivan is from France and holds  a Baccalauréat Technologique.

Email
delussignys@unitaid.who.int

Smiljka de Lussigny

programme manager

Smiljka oversees Unitaid’s portfolio of HIV molecular diagnostic and cervical cancer grants. She has extensive experience in programme management and HIV prevention, treatment and care. Originally from Serbia, Smiljka holds master’s degrees in pharmacy and public health.

 

Email
cysnem@unitaid.who.int

Mauricio Cysne

Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, executive office

Mauricio has spent his career in advocacy, partnership building, resource mobilization and development. A Brazilian, he joined Unitaid in 2013 after working as a representative in various countries for UNAIDS. Mauricio is a lawyer and holds a master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy and in International Public Law from the Fletcher School in the US and the Graduate Institute in Geneva, Switzerland.

Email
ballonc@unitaid.who.int

Carole Ballon

administrative assistant, executive office

Carole has more than 20 years of experience in administration and building management. She worked at the World Health Organization before joining Unitaid in 2011. Carole is from France and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Email
avchyani@unitaid.who.int

Irina Avchyan

grant finance manager,  finance & administration team

Irina has worked extensively in international development organizations, specializing in finance, business services, risk and compliance.  She has held posts at a spectrum of United Nations agencies, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 2009, she joined Unitaid. “I’ve become very passionate about what Unitaid does. It’s a very interesting mandate, and important for humanity,” Irina says. “What matters to me is contributing to make life better for everyone.” Irina is from Armenia, holds an MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid, is a chartered certified accountant (ACCA), and holds a university degree in English language and history.

Email
vittotm@unitaid.who.int

Matthieu Vittot

grant finance officer, finance & administration team

Matthieu has a background in accounting, auditing, and financial analysis and reporting. Before joining Unitaid in 2016, Matthieu worked as an associate finance officer and programme officer at the Global Fund. He holds master’s degrees in management and administration.

 

Email
rouzinovar@unitaid.who.int

Radana Rouzinova

finance officer, finance & administration team

Radana  joined Unitaid in 2014, bringing a background in financial analysis and accounting. Radana has worked as a financial accountant in several private companies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international economics and a master’s degree in finance. She is originally from Russia.

Email
pouillej@unitaid.who.int

Julien Pouille

team lead for risk management and grant finance, finance & administration team

Julien has many years’ experience in audit, risk management, CSR and project finance, including more than five years with a global health private venture. Julien has also worked as corporate finance project manager and interim head of finance at a public-private joint venture for the Piriou Group. Julien is French and holds a master’s degree in finance.

Email
perezcasasc@unitaid.who.int

Carmen Pérez Casas

senior technical manager, strategy team

Carmen brings more than twenty years’ experience in pharmaceutical policies, partnerships, strategic planning, grant-development and evaluation. Before joining Unitaid in 2012, she worked with diverse international organizations including Médecins sans Frontières, and global health institutions such as the Global Fund, always focused on overcoming barriers to health access, and scale-up of the best drugs and diagnostics in resource-limited settings.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, and a master’s in virology.

Email
pavelsonsm@unitaid.who.int

Mārtiņš Pāvelsons

grant application manager, external relations and communications

Mārtiņš, originally from Latvia, has more than 20 years’ experience working with UN organizations, specializing in public health issues. Before joining Unitaid in 2016, Mārtiņš worked as adviser on strategy, policy and governance at the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. He studied international economic relations and international law at the Institute of International Affairs in Riga and the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.

Email
orlovicm@unitaid.who.int

Momcilo Orlovic

communications officer

Momcilo draws on his background as a cognitive psychologist to engage and expand Unitaid’s digital audience. “I’m always thinking about how people perceive and process visual information,” says Momcilo, who creates and curates communications materials for Unitaid’s website and social media. Before joining Unitaid in 2011, Momcilo worked in communications at international organisations including UNHCR, WHO and UNAIDS, in the private sector with Hewlett-Packard spinoff Agilent Technologies, and as a teacher at the University of Geneva, showing students how to create and publish digital content. Momcilo, a dual citizen of Serbia and Switzerland, holds a master’s degree in psychology.

 

Email
mundadey@unitaid.who.int

Yamuna Mundade

Programme Manager

Yamuna Mundade has over 20 years experience in public health and infectious disease control. Prior to moving to Unitaid in 2012, she worked at the World Health Organization where she was posted as Medical officer in countries such as East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Western pacific Regional office. Currently she works on grant management and programme delivery of grants in HIV and Malaria. Yamuna is a medical graduate and clinician from India and has degrees in Public Health and Epidemiology from the University of Queensland and in Experimental Therapeutics from the University of Oxford.

Email
mwerindeo@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 79 795 75 46

Ombeni Mwerinde

monitoring & evaluation manager, results team

Ombeni Mwerinde is an experienced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) professional with over 20 years of expertise in public health, epidemiology, and data management. He joined Unitaid in 2016, following his role as an Associate Public Health and M&E Specialist at the Global Fund. Prior to that, Ombeni served in the country office of UNFPA in Tanzania.
Ombeni holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a master’s degree in Epidemiology. His dedication to enhancing public health outcomes drives his commitment to his work, as he finds profound meaning and fulfillment in contributing to the health and well-being of communities.

Email
monicam@unitaid.who.int

Maria Monica

Human Resources Officer

Monica is a Human Resources Professional with experience in International Human Resource Management across the Asian, African and European regions.
Before joining Unitaid, she worked in Ethiopia as HR for a business and management consultancy, and as an HR Intern for a multi national company in India.
She holds a Master of Science in International Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, English Literature and Journalism.
Email
mazhidovan@unitaid.who.int

Nargiza Mazhidova

data manager, results team

Nargiza specialises in monitoring and evaluation, data management, analysis and research. Before joining Unitaid in 2016, she worked as a monitoring and evaluation specialist at the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development and as an evaluation consultant for UN agencies. Nargiza holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and public administration and a master’s in political science.

Email
leachr@unitaid.who.int

Ross Leach

Team Lead (Corporate Performance and Impact), Results

Ross has over 15 years’ experience in using evidence to inform strategic decision-making, having previously worked as an economist for the UK Government (DWP, Department of Health and DFID), and the International Labour Office (ILO). At Unitaid, Ross leads the Impact team, with responsibility for the overall performance management of Unitaid. His role extends into cultivating and maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders including Unitaid Executive Board delegations and other global health partners. He holds degrees in Economics from Heriot-Watt University (MA (Hons)) and The University of Edinburgh (MSc.), and an MBA from Warwick Business School.

 

Email
ingoldh@unitaid.who.int

Heather Ingold

programme manager

Heather is an expert in programme management and health policy development. Before joining Unitaid in 2016, she was a senior programme officer at the Global Fund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health service administration and a master’s in public health, focusing on health policy and management. Heather is from the US.

 

Email
huem@unitaid.who.int

Marina Hue

governance and board-relations manager, external relations team

Marina was advisor to the French ambassador for AIDS and communicable diseases at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs before joining Unitaid in 2016. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and master’s degrees in development & social change, and European public management. A native of France, Marina is experienced in advocacy, partnership-building, public relations and public health.

Email
ginnardj@unitaid.who.int
Office Number
+41 22 791 30 82

Janet Ginnard

director, strategy team

With over 20 years of experience, Janet has a demonstrated track record in health leadership and strategy development. She is currently the Director of Strategy at Unitaid, leading investment planning and strategic design and implementation of health product investments. Before joining Unitaid in 2012, Janet held roles in global health, private-sector pharmaceutical industry, and pricing, access and strategy consulting. She has also been a guest lecturer on market shaping, new product introduction, and market access. Janet has a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a master’s in Bioscience Enterprise from the University of Cambridge.

Email
curryd@unitaid.who.int

David Curry

director, finance & administration team

David has an extensive background in financial management, accounting, organizational development and analysis. He served as a director at the United Nations in New York and at the Global Fund before joining Unitaid in 2015. David is from Ireland, and holds a master’s degree in engineering and an ACA certificate.

Email
brodierc@unitaid.who.int

Caroline Brodier

 assistant, results & strategy teams

Caroline joined Unitaid in 2016 after 6 years with the WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s human resources, where she was in charge of recruiting, onboarding and managing field assignments for international consultants. Before joining the WHO, she was a cardio-technician at the Clinique des Grangettes Cardiology Center in Geneva. A Swiss national, she is a graduate of the Swiss Health and Social Care Centre.

Email
bretinv@unitaid.who.int

Vincent Bretin

director, results team

Vincent has worked in strategy consulting and healthcare for more than 11 years. He was a principal at Boston Consulting Group before joining Unitaid. He coordinates Unitaid’s COVID-19 diagnostics engagement as part of the ACT-A partnership. He holds a master’s and PhD in quantum physics.

Email
babano@unitaid.who.int

Oana Baban

Programme Officer

Oana works in project support. Before joining Unitaid, she worked as a field trials manager in disease vector control. Oana, a native of Romania, holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and is enrolled in clinical trials post-graduate studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Email
timmermansc@unitaid.who.int

Catherina Timmermans

technical manager,  strategy team

Catherina is an expert in intellectual property and pharmaceutical supply & regulation. She came to Unitaid in 2011 after World Health Organization posts in Guinea, Indonesia, India and the Philippines. Before joining WHO she worked with a medicine-supply NGO in Uganda. Catherina says her career has been guided by an abiding interest in the subject matter. “I enjoy the combination of the technical and the practical,” she says. “And I believe in what I do. I believe that everybody should have access to medicine and treatment.”  Catherina is from the Netherlands and holds master’s degrees in pharmaceutical sciences and political science.

Email
ramachandrang@unitaid.who.int

Ganesh Ramachandran

grant finance manager,  finance & administration team

A British national of Indian origin, Ganesh has expertise in designing Trust Funds, strategic partnerships, grant management, compliance, risk management and change management in INGO’s & Multilateral system humanitarian and development programmes. Ganesh has held positions at UN-MPTF, CARE USA, IRC, Christian Aid, and Oxfam. He has worked in  South Asia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Africa, UK & USA. Ganesh holds a Executive Masters in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from HEC, Paris, and a postgraduate degree in business administration.

Email
narasimhankv@unitaid.who.int

Kothi Veer Narasimhan

human resources officer, finance & administration team

Kothi came to Unitaid in 2008 from the World Health Organization, with a background in administration and human resources management. Kothi is from India, holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, numerical analysis & statistics and a master’s in political studies.

Email
matirur@unitaid.who.int

Robert Matiru

director, programme management

With 20 years of experience in international development, Robert has an accomplished track record in leadership and senior management positions establishing and implementing strategies that have delivered significant impact and return on investment. Robert currently leads the Programme Division at Unitaid, responsible for planning, developing and implementing a complex portfolio of health product innovation investments valued at US$ 1.3 billion. Before joining Unitaid in 2012, he served as Head of Operations and Vaccine Deployment for the World Health Organization’s H1N1 Pandemic Response and as Chief Operating Officer of the Global TB Drug Facility. Robert is a dual Kenyan-Canadian citizen and holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in international development

Email
mascheronisa@unitaid.who.int

Sarah Mascheroni

communications officer

Sarah is a communications specialist with a varied, 20-year background that includes the French film industry, the TV network Eurosport, and more than a decade with public health organizations. Her work with Unitaid has taken her regularly to visit people whose lives have been improved, or even saved, by grantee projects. Hearing their stories and being able to spread them to a wider audience has been one of the most enriching aspects of her career. “When you see the countries, it becomes so real and tangible that Unitaid is making a difference,” she says. “You’re proud to be part of the response, along with all the other players.” Sarah was born in London and raised in France, and holds a master’s degree in communications strategy and cultural project management.

Email
kovalo@unitaid.who.int

Oksana Koval

governance officer, external relations team

Oksana, originally from Ukraine, joined Unitaid in 2013, after positions with UNAIDS and UNOPS.  Her experience is in programme management, advocacy, partnership-building and governance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management and a postgraduate diploma in project management.

Email
hiltons@unitaid.who.int

Sonia Hilton-Mathew

senior legal officer

A British national, Sonia qualified as a UK solicitor in 1994 and has spent more than 20 years providing legal, regulatory and policy advice in the private and public sectors.  Sonia joined Unitaid from the private sector in 2009.  She holds a master’s degree in jurisprudence and an LLM in European law.

Email
herrt@unitaid.who.int

Thomas Herr

technical officer (Quality Management)

Thomas joined Unitaid in 2015, after working in quality management for Bosch and Stop TB Partnership. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in audit and finance controlling. Thomas has dual French and Swiss nationality.

 

Email
hencherk@untiaid.who.int

Kate Hencher

programme manager

Kate has extensive experience in international development, particularly in strategic and operational management. She has worked for NGOs in Cambodia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the US.  Her work at Unitaid is underpinned by a belief that impact in global health requires market-minded interventions, designed specifically to serve those with the greatest need. Kate holds a bachelor’s degree in Southeast Asian studies and a master’s in anthropology of development. She is from the UK.

 

Email
ferrisd@unitaid.who.int

Danielle Ferris

programme manager

Danielle joined Unitaid in 2013, after working as a project coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Niger, South Africa and Haiti. Danielle is from Ireland and holds a master’s degree in global health.

Email
dormank@unitaid.who.int

Kristen Dorman

legal officer

Kristen has worked for law firms, NGOs and international organisations. Before joining Unitaid in 2014, she was a legal advisor for Médecins Sans Frontières. Kristen holds bachelor’s degrees in business and laws, is admitted to practice as a lawyer in New South Wales, Australia, and passed the Paris Bar Exam. Kristen is from Australia and joined Unitaid to follow her passion for promoting public health in low-income countries.

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