I am a Public Health Expert with over 20 years successive experience in development and humanitarian contexts. I have led large-scale Public Health program design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, research, training, learning and advocacy initiatives with the aim improving health and development outcomes across a wide range of populations. This has included leading Public Health programs implemented with funding support from the US Government (PEPFAR through USAID and CDC; and the National Institutes of Health), the Global Fund, the European Union, the Canadian Government, the UK government, various foundations and Private Sector actors among other development partners.
I have also provided high level Public Health advisory, research and coordination support to various agencies. For instance, working as a Public Health Advisor, and Member of Kenya Council of Governors (COG)/USAID Kenya & East Africa Team of Experts, providing high level
Public Health advisory, research, policy, legislative and coordination support to COG and its health committee, the apex body that brings together 47 Governors who are heads of devolved units in Kenya. This also included supporting the Council in preparations for the transition and induction of new county government leadership, development of COG health positions, policy and legislative reviews and advisory, supporting adaptive learning of the COG health committee and counties, and capacity building. In addition to this, I have led the development of various strategies, polices and guidelines, including developing communication materials such as policy briefs, position papers and opinion pieces. For instance, I have previously supported the development of the Kenya Family Planning Self-care guidelines, as a WHO consultant.
In recent years, I have made vast contributions to the reproductive, maternal and child health program evaluation space, leading over 100 program evaluation activities with strong qualitative and quantitative components, and authoring evaluation reports and other public health communication products. Through these activities, I have led teams to talk to thousands of women, men, boys and girls, including the most vulnerable within communities on how to improve Public Health program design and delivery. But I have also talked to technocrats, practitioners, managers, academicians, politicians, activists, development partners’ representatives and leaders with the same objective. This has allowed me to foster measurement and learning for Public Health programs, thus improve efficiency, effectiveness, service access, sustainability and other important program tenets on one hand, but also show the mirror back to Public Health program designers and implementers so as to better re-imagine citizen centered programs. I have published works in peer-reviewed journals, supported development of book chapters and presented at various scientific conferences. I have also directly contributed to the development and critique of a wide range of policies, strategies, guidelines, learning agendas, evaluation methodologies and legal instruments that have Public Health implications; but also policy communication materials such as policy briefs, position papers and opinion pieces.
As the inaugural Chair of the Public Health Department at Daystar University, I have supported the development of a Master of Public Health program that is tailor made to equip students with the essential Public Health knowledge and skills for policy, planning, analysis, management and research while motivating graduates to be innovative, creative and acutely aware of their social responsibilities as Public Health Practitioners. An effective human resource for health remains a critical pillar for countries to realize their Public Health dreams.
