FISTULA FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Program Manager
Bwalya Magawa Chomba joined Fistula Foundation as program manager in 2017, and is now the program director for Zambia. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Zambia, and a master's in public health from the University of Lusaka (UNILUS). Bwalya is responsible for supporting referrals for fistula patients to partner hospitals, and serves as a key liaison between the hospitals and the community. In her role as director, she also strengthens partnerships with government ministries and community and faith-based organizations.
Bwalya has been working as a social worker and community development officer for 18 years. Most recently, prior to joining Fistula Foundation, she worked with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare in Nakonde District. Bwalya has also worked with Caritas / Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Mpika Diocese. There, she served as a monitoring and evaluation officer, coordinating revisions of project strategies with key stakeholders, and ensuring a shared understanding of strategic and informational needs. During her tenure as district development facilitator with the NGO Africare Zambia, she learned about obstetric fistula and took up an active role in mobilizing fistula patients, successfully referring 200 women for life-transforming surgery.
Bwalya has always believed that local community participation is an important way to achieve sustainable development, particularly in the fight against obstetric fistula.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
- Obstetrician
- Lead Surgeon for Fistula Foundation 's Outreach at Bomu Hospital
Director | OB/GYN & Fistula Surgeon | Nairobi, Kenya
Charlotte is an obstetrician/gynecologist and internationally accredited fistula surgeon through the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). She is also a public health specialist, with an MPH from Johns Hopkins University focusing on women and reproductive health. She is currently faculty at the School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kenyatta University in Kenya, as well as the School of Public Health Department of Population and Reproductive Health.
Clement G. Ndahani joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network (FFTN) in Tanzania as program manager in 2023. He is responsible for providing strategic direction for the network, and for planning, organizing, leading, and supporting program activities.
Clement holds an advanced diploma in health services administration and a master's of business administration degree from Mzumbe University in Tanzania. He brings to the Fistula Foundation more than 20 years of experience in managing public health programs. Most recently, he managed the largest fistula program in Tanzania at Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT). Previously, he facilitated and coordinated fistula projects in six hospitals that were sub-grantees of an initiative funded by Vodafone Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development. In those roles, he worked to overcome barriers to treatment that women with fistula face, coordinated meetings for fistula experts across Tanzania, and collaborated with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health to put obstetric fistula on the national agenda.
At another point in his career, Clement managed a large HIV/AIDS and disability project that was implemented in seven regions and 15 districts throughout Tanzania. Earlier, he managed development programs for World Vision Tanzania. Today, Clement is proud to help implement Tanzania's National Fistula Eradication Strategy through FFTN in Tanzania.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman & Director Founder, Wajirat Foundation Oakland, California
- Founder and CEO of Wajirat Foundation - an
Cleo Kiros is the Founder and CEO of Wajirat Foundation-an organization that supports vocational and life-skills training for young adults in Ethiopia. Cleo also volunteers in different capacities with organizations that support women and children in the Bay Area and has previously served as a Fistula Foundation board member. She is very excited to rejoin.
Clément Lofumbwa Balilo joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as program officer in 2023. He provides technical and operational support to the network, and is based in Kinshasa.
Clément is a medical doctor who specializes in epidemiology and disease control. He brings to Fistula Foundation more than 15 years of experience in the field of public health. In recent years, he worked for two international-aid organizations, Adventist Development and Relief Agency and United Methodist Committee on Relief. Previously, he worked for the Congolese government at the Ministry of Public Health. There, he coordinated the ministry's sexual and reproductive health portfolio, including epidemic response and primary healthcare. Clément is passionate about improving the quality of patient care and advancing women's rights.
Darren Blankenship is glad to join Fistula Foundation as Database Administrator. Darren brings over twenty years of experience working with various Bay Area non-profits and educational institutions. His passion is for systems integration and data integrity, and he is excited to bring this to Fistula Foundation. He holds a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University. When he's not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading science fiction, and catching up on recent developments in science and technology.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
- Engineering Director at Apple
Director | Engineering Director, Apple | San Jose, California
Darren Lew is an engineering director at Apple with more than 20 years of experience working in software. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and an MBA, both from Duke University. While living in Asia, Darren spent a year volunteering with a nonprofit organization that helped young adults recover from heroin addiction. Darren joined the Fistula Foundation board in 2024.
Job Titles:
- Director of Fundraising
- Director of Fundraising Operations
In September 2023, Donalda joined Fistula Foundation as director of fundraising operations. She has worked for more than 25 years at nonprofits in fields such as higher education, healthcare, parks and recreation, libraries and literacy, environment and science education, and community and public television. Her experience as a nonprofit professional includes database management, volunteer coordination, grant writing, major-donor engagement, fund development, planned giving, corporate and community partnerships, direct mail, strategic planning, and organizational development. During her years in public broadcasting, Donalda regularly hosted live television, and wrote scripts for nationally distributed PBS pledge breaks.
Donalda received a bachelor of science degree in music from the University of Colorado at Denver, and she holds a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential. She has served on the board of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals since 2019. Donalda deeply values the relationships that she builds through fundraising and through working with people in her community. Her favorite pastimes include moviegoing, reading, listening to classical music and British dance music, visiting museums, and attending airshows.
Dr. Andrew Browning AM FRCOG is an Australian trained obstetrician and gynecologist who has been involved with fistula surgery since 1996.
Dr. Browning's life mission has been to help women suffering with obstetric fistula in Africa.
As a young doctor, he was inspired to become a fistula surgeon after visiting his aunt, Valerie Browning, in rural Ethiopia as she assisted women with terrible childbirth injuries. Deeply moved, he decided to work under the legendary Dr. Catherine Hamlin at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital where he stayed for ten years. Since then, Dr. Browning has started his own charity, which provides life-changing surgery to women across Africa and South East Asia and builds and runs charity maternity hospitals to prevent fistula. The Barbara May Foundation now provides free obstetric care to around 15,000 women a year and also trains midwives and doctors.
Dr. Browning has led a team that has gone on to transform several rundown health centers into safe and functional maternal health centers for poor women and those living in remote regions.
In an effort to help the more than one million women estimated to be suffering with existing obstetric fistula injuries throughout Africa, Dr. Browning continues to provide fistula camps in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Nepal.
Dr. Browning also consults on global maternal healthcare issues for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). He is the chair of the Fistula Expert Advisory Group at FIGO. Recently, he was named as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in recognition of his "outstanding contributions" to improving maternal healthcare for women in poverty.
Job Titles:
- Chief Growth Officer
- Chief Growth Officer for Africa
Dr. Esther Njoroge-Muriithi joined Fistula Foundation as chief growth officer for Africa in November 2023. She brings to the Foundation more than 15 years of experience in global health programming, with a focus on strategy development and execution, program expansion, advocacy, and nonprofit governance. In her role at the Foundation, Esther leads the expansion of fistula programming across the continent of Africa. She is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Before joining Fistula Foundation, Esther served as senior vice president of global medical programs at Smile Train. In that role, she spearheaded the strategic direction and implementation of quality, safety, education, training, and capacity building of cleft lip and palate treatment programs across 70 countries. She has deep experience in strengthening health systems and in forging partnerships with national, regional, and global stakeholders from governments, civil society organizations, private sector partners, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and donors.
In 2016, Esther was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Women in Kenya by Business Daily. She also received the Foundation Director of the Year Award at the Rotary Sam Awori Awards for 2020-2021. Esther serves as the chair of the board at Garden of Hope Foundation, and previously served on the boards of Rotary Club of Nairobi-Lang'ata, Zaza Divas International and the Health NGOs Network (HENNET). She has also served on the G4 Alliance Permanent Council and the civil society engagement mechanism for UHC2030 (CSEM) Advisory Group.
Esther holds a degree in medicine from the University of Nairobi, as well as a master of public health degree from Moi University. She is passionate about children's and women's health and empowerment, and in her free time she enjoys mentoring young men and women, performing community service, and spending time with her husband and three children.
Job Titles:
- Senior Program Officer
- Program Officer at Fistula Foundation 's Zambia
Emmanuel Chiluba is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation's Zambia office. He works with representatives of the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers, and holds sensitization meetings for community leaders in Zambia's Central Province.
Emmanuel holds a diploma in social work, and has over 18 years of experience working with both grassroots organizations and international NGOs. Before joining Fistula Foundation, Emmanuel worked with the Association of Lay Missionaries of Italy, the Churches Association of Zambia, and the Caritas Mpika Catholic Diocese.
Florence Changwe Mulenga joined Fistula Foundation as administrative officer in 2022. She handles administrative work, such as tracking expenses and preparing patient logistics, for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network (FFTN) in Zambia. She also manages calls to FFTN's fistula hotline, screens potential patients, and refers women to treatment centers.
She holds a bachelor's degree in public administration, with an emphasis in development studies, from the University of Zambia. Before joining the Foundation, she worked as finance and accounts assistant at Probase Solutions, where she was responsible for daily financial operations and reconciliations for all company bank accounts.
Changwe Mulenga is honored to join the Fistula Foundation team in its fight against obstetric fistula. She believes that we can achieve anything if we work together toward a common goal.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
Director | Head of the FIGO Fistula Surgery Training Initiative | London, UK
Gillian Slinger is a Midwife and holds a BSc in Health Management, an MSc in Public Health, and a Teaching Certificate. After completing her Nurse and Midwifery training in the UK, Gillian worked as a Midwife for 10 years in French speaking Switzerland, before joining Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors Without Borders) and Save the Children as a field Midwife and Trainer in numerous countries, including Mali, Chad, DRC, Kenya and Sierra Leone. As part of her MSF duties, Gillian managed maternal health programs in more than 20 countries across Africa and Asia, and had an active role developing projects for women with obstetric fistula.
In the last 15 years, she has become an international activist for fistula and her involvement in fistula work has increased considerably, taking her to New York for 4 years to head the global Campaign to End Fistula with UNFPA, where she was instrumental in establishing the UN approved International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, and bringing her to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in London in 2014 to undertake her present role, leading the FIGO Fistula Surgery Training Initiative.
Gillian also teaches in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and has recently served on the Board of Directors of MSF Switzerland.
Habiba C. Mohamed is regional director of programs, based out of Fistula Foundation's Kenya office. Habiba joined the Foundation in 2014 as the outreach manager. In this role, she designed and spearheaded the community strategy for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Kenya. Later, she was promoted to country director to oversee the entire network of hospital and community partners. In her role as regional director of programs, Habiba is responsible for the expansion of the treatment network model throughout the African region.
Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Habiba had worked in fistula programming for nearly a decade. She began her career as a veterinarian, assisting livestock farmers in western Kenya. Through her close contact with these rural communities, she became familiar with the socioeconomic challenges they experience and developed a passion for working with marginalized women. In 2006, she founded Women and Development Against Distress in Africa (WADADIA), a Kenyan nonprofit that advocates for women's rights and reproductive health. While serving as lead director of WADADIA, Habiba also supported a community program funded by the United Nations Population Fund for six years, and served as a consultant program specialist for One By One, a US-based nonprofit focused on fistula treatment.
Habiba is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Kenyatta University. She holds undergraduate and master's degrees in the same subject from Mt. Kenya University, and has a higher diploma in Social Work and Community Development. Her research on the psychological effects of obstetric fistula has been published in the International Journal of Sciences, and the verbal screening tool she developed has improved identification of fistula cases.
Job Titles:
- Donor Relations Manager
- Director of Strategic Partnerships
Hannah Garone, who joined Fistula Foundation as donor relations manager in June 2022, took on the role of director of strategic partnerships in January 2024. She holds a bachelor of arts in sociology, with a specialization in health and environment, from the College of New Jersey. An alumna of AmeriCorps, Hannah served with City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley in 2016-2017. She then worked as a recruiter for City Year, where she cultivated relationships with potential candidates and monitored candidate data. Hannah has also worked as a teacher both locally and internationally, and she brings a passion for relationship-building to her work at Fistula Foundation. That work supports core donor relations functions and project management for fundraising efforts.
Job Titles:
- Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator
Jameson Kaunda is a Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator at Fistula Foundation's Zambia office. He is responsible for planning and implementing Zambia's monitoring & evaluation (M&E) activities pertaining to community outreach; the identification, screening and referral of fistula patients; and tracking and reporting surgical, clinical treatment, post-repair follow-up and reintegration activity outcomes. Over the past five years, Jameson has worked on a number of projects as a Research Assistant and M&E Specialist focusing on HIV; malaria; water, sanitation and hygiene; and maternal & child health. He also previously worked at Africare as an M&E Officer where he helped develop the organization's Performance Monitoring Plan and M&E systems. Jameson holds a BA in Development Studies from the University of Zambia and is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health at the University of South Wales in the UK. Jameson is honored to be part of the Fistula Foundation team - changing and transforming vulnerable women's lives, wiping away their shame and restoring their self-esteem and dignity in society.
Jing Shi joined Fistula Foundation as finance manager in November 2022. She brings to the organization more than 15 years of accounting and finance experience in the nonprofit sector Previously, Jing served as senior accountant, accounting supervisor, and finance manager at several nonprofits. In those roles, she oversaw day-to-day financial operations, developed a deep knowledge of finance and budgeting, and worked with multiple budget managers and grant managers. She also honed her ability to analyze and compile complex financial data to support management planning and decision making. Jing earned a Certificate of Advanced Accounting Proficiency from the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University and holds a master of public administration degree from California State University, East Bay.
Jordan Chileshe Chomba works for the Fistula Foundation Zambia Office as a motor vehicle driver based in the Eastern Province. He provides transportation and travel logistics to the Zambia team and other relevant officials and helps deliver equipment and materials for the program.
Jordan holds a valid SADC driver's license Class C and has over 10 years of driving experience, mainly working with security firms and educational institutions. Jordan is touched and motivated by the tremendous work Fistula Foundation does reaching out to suffering women who lack the resources to access treatment.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer at Fistula Foundation 's Zambia
Kalumba Kaputa is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation's Zambia office. He collaborates with the Ministry of Health and local grassroots organizations, screening potential fistula patients and referring them to treatment centers for care in Zambia's Luapula Province.
Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Kalumba worked for 8 years as a Clinical Officer for the Zambian Ministry of Health, serving as a frontline health provider at Chilonga Mission General Hospital. He has also served in roles at the Mpepo Rural Health Centre and the Mpika District Health Office. Kalumba holds a diploma in Basic Clinical Medical Sciences in Mental Health and Psychiatry from the University of Zambia School of Medicine in Association with Chainama College of Health Sciences.
Kalumba strongly feels that unity and team work are essential for any organization to achieve its key objectives, especially in the fight against obstetric fistula.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Foundation As Its First Chief Executive
Kate Grant joined the Foundation as its first chief executive in 2005. She led the expansion of the Foundation from supporting one hospital in one country, Ethiopia, to its current position as the global leader in fistula treatment. Today, under her leadership, the Foundation supports treatment partners in more than 20 countries across Africa and Asia. Grant has formed partnerships with key organizations such as Astellas Pharma EMEA, Johnson & Johnson, Direct Relief, Engender Health, and The Life You Can Save (founded by Peter Singer). During her tenure as CEO, the Foundation has earned 16 consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator, placing it in the top 1% of nonprofit organizations evaluated. It has also consistently earned an "A" rating from Charity Watch, has been named one of the top 50 charities in the United States by Consumer Reports, and has earned more than 700 five-star ratings on GreatNonprofits. Since Grant took charge of the Foundation, it has helped build new women's hospitals in Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Tanzania, and has increased the number of surgeries that it supports annually by a factor of 20. In recognition of these achievements, Grant in 2014 was named Nonprofit Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association and American Marketing Association Foundation.
Before joining the Foundation, Grant served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee staff and as special assistant and deputy chief of staff at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She also consulted to USAID's mission in Tanzania, the Rockefeller Foundation, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, and the Women's Funding Network. Grant holds a master in public affairs degree, with a focus on international development, from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, where she was elected chair of the graduate student body. Previously, she was an advertising executive at two leading agencies-Leo Burnett in Chicago and FCB in San Francisco-and managed campaigns for Fortune 500 companies such as Clorox, Levi Strauss, and McDonald's. She graduated with honors from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. She also completed the Executive Education Program in Nonprofit Management at Harvard Business School. Grant has served on several boards, including the Governing Board of Graduate Alumni of Princeton University. She regularly gives presentations about the Foundation's work, and has lectured at Princeton University and Oxford University.
Katie Nerod joined Fistula Foundation as communications associate in April 2024. In that role, she supports content development for donor stewardship and solicitation efforts across print and digital media. Before joining the Foundation, Katie worked as an elementary school teacher in Menlo Park, California, and served in a project management role at a pharmaceutical company.
Keerthana (Kee) Rajagopal joined Fistula Foundation as associate program manager in August 2022. Kee holds a master's in public health from the University of California Berkeley and a master's in health administration from Pennsylvania State University. In her role on the programs team, Kee supports grantmaking and helps strengthen partnerships with our global network of fistula care providers.
Job Titles:
- in 2020 As Senior Director
- Vice President of Philanthropy
Kelly Anderson, who joined Fistula Foundation in 2020 as senior director of philanthropy, is now vice president of philanthropy. In her work for the Foundation, Kelly focuses on strengthening relationships with our most generous supporters and on managing the communications that they receive from the Foundation. In her role as a vice president, Kelly will continue helping donors maximize the good that they can accomplish through their generosity. Before joining the Foundation, Kelly served as CEO of the Nepal Youth Foundation. Previously, she spent two decades serving in leadership roles at rape crisis centers on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Kelly holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and communications from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
Kelly Brennan is a seasoned financial professional. Most recently, she was a Partner at Citadel Securities. She ran the global ETF business and specialized in helping clients to execute large trades in US and global exchange traded funds and equities. Prior to joining Citadel, Kelly managed several teams within Goldman Sachs Securities Division in New York for nearly thirteen years.
She joined Goldman Sachs in 2005 as an associate and was named managing director in 2010. Kelly started her career at Susquehanna International Group as an equity and equity derivatives trader. Kelly is an active member of Women in ETFs, Women in Finance and served on Goldman Sachs' Women's Network. She was on the advisory council for Goldman Sachs Hispanic/Latino Network. She has served as member of Two Together, a mentoring program for disadvantaged youth in Manhattan and volunteer for Puppies Behind Bars. Kelly earned a BA in Political Economies with a concentration in Molecular Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2000.
Lara Veldman joined Fistula Foundation as program associate in August 2023. She holds a bachelor of education degree from the University of Virginia and a master's in public health degree, with an emphasis on global health, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Lara brings to the Foundation experience in health and gender equity from her work as program associate at Rural Forward, a program that builds capacity for solving health challenges in communities across North Carolina. Previously, she was an intern at EngenderHealth, a nonprofit that advances sexual and reproductive rights. In her role at Fistula Foundation, Lara works to help partners provide as many women as possible with life-changing fistula repair surgeries.
Lindsey Pollaczek joined Fistula Foundation in 2014, initially based out of Nairobi, Kenya. She now serves as chief program officer, overseeing the Foundation's programs in over 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Amongst her accomplishments is leading the successful Action on Fistula program in Kenya, and launching a countrywide program in Zambia that have collectively provided over 15,000 fistula surgeries and strengthened national capacity for treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation.
Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Lindsey worked with the humanitarian organization Direct Relief, overseeing the organization's Maternal and Child Health portfolio, where she designed and implemented programs to improve access to essential health services for women and children, particularly the right to a safe pregnancy and delivery, and treatment for obstetric fistula. Lindsey holds a MPH in Community Health Sciences from UCLA and is a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Fellowship for Health Equity, a program that supports global leaders working to combat health disparity and promote equity.
Martin Chiyana works as a Program Officer in Fistula Foundation's Zambia office. He is stationed in Nchelenge District to cover programs in Luapula Province and some parts of Northern Zambia. Martin works with the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers and Safe Motherhood Action Group Members (SMAGs), and holds sensitization meetings for local community leaders to spread awareness about fistula and treatment options.
Martin holds an Advanced Diploma in Computer Science and Information Processing from the Association of Business Managers and Administrators, a certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from the University of Michigan, and a certificate in teaching methodology from Technical Vocation Teachers College Zambia.
Before joining the Foundation, he worked as a Monitoring and Evaluation Research Assistant on a maternal and child health project at Africare for three years. He also worked as an Engineering IT Planner at Mopani Copper Mines for 2 years and as a Network Benchmarking Engineer at Airtel Zambia and Nutek India for a year.
Martin has a heart for suffering and isolated women and believes there is a better tomorrow for these marginalized communities.
Michael Juma Aduol joined Fistula Foundation as program assistant in August 2023. He brings to the Foundation more than 18 years of experience in working for community programs. Michael holds a diploma in medical laboratory technology from the Kisumu National Polytechnic, and a diploma in social work and community development from Premese Africa Development Institute. He is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in sociology at the University of Nairobi.
Michael has a wide range of experience in the field of health and human services. He served as research assistant at Kenya Medical Research Institute, program coordinator at Disciples of Mercy, and HIV counseling and testing coordinator at INUKA International. He has conducted training in HIV counseling and testing, family planning, and results-based monitoring and evaluation. Michael is a proud father of five children, and he enjoys bringing a spirit of collaboration and a spark of innovation to his work.
Michael, who joined Fistula Foundation in 2021, has extensive experience as a strategic communication professional. He previously served as director of communication at King Philanthropies, a grantmaking organization that focuses on alleviating global poverty. From 2013 to 2016, he was the senior editor of Stanford Social Innovation Review, a quarterly journal for makers of social change. Before then, he worked at Harvard Business School, where he wrote case studies on corporate strategy and entrepreneurial management. Michael is also co-author, with Boris Groysberg, of Talk, Inc.: How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organizations (Harvard Business Review Press, 2012). Earlier in his career, he served as the managing editor and as a senior editor of Fast Company magazine. In addition, Michael served as an editorial consultant for business author Tom Peters, among others. He holds a master's degree in history from Cornell University and a master of public affairs degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Nelson Musa is the Program Manager of Fistula Foundation's nationwide treatment network in Kenya. He brings fourteen years of experience in organizing and community health. Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Nelson worked as an organizer for Jhpiego, and currently partners with WADADIA (Women and Development Against Distress in Africa), a key Fistula Foundation partner in Western Kenya.
Nelson holds a Higher Diploma in Psychological Counseling from the Kenya Institute of Professional Counseling, as well as a Certificate in Management from the Kenya Institute of Management.
As Chief Operating Officer, Pam broadly oversees process and IT improvements across the Foundation's Program, Fundraising, and Administrative functions. Pam joined the Fistula Foundation in 2018 as Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, she led the redesign of the Foundation's web presence to expand the Foundation's global community of supporters.
Pam brings 10+ years of experience working at the intersection of health, communications, and technology at Stanford Medicine, a leading academic medical center. As Digital Content Lead for Stanford Health Care, she led the content strategy effort to transform the healthcare system's online user experience and better serve the needs of patients across the care journey. In 2017, she launched a digital content program, supporting care delivery across Stanford's 250+ complex care clinics and primary care network.
She also served as lead content strategist on two redesigns of the medical center's web environment. Both projects received a national Award of Excellence by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), an industry top honor.
Pam's commitment to service-driven communications builds on her earlier experience as a journalist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and roles at the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic in San Francisco and Centro Adelante Campesino, a migrant farmworker center in AZ.
Pam holds a BA in English from U.C. Berkeley and an MPH in Health Management and Policy from U.C. Los Angeles.
Pascal M. Vahwere joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as program manager in 2023. Pascal holds a medical diploma and a master's degree in family medicine from Protestant University of Congo. He brings to the Fistula Foundation more than 15 years of experience in public health. For five years, he worked for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). At IRC, he held positions that included senior manager of infection prevention and control (during outbreaks of Ebola), head of health projects (with a focus on reproductive health, maternal health, and primary healthcare), and acting field coordinator.
Previously, Pascal worked as a medical doctor for 11 years at hospitals in the DRC. At those facilities-Heal Africa Hospital, Lume Hospital, and Oicha Hospital-he cared for patients in the maternity and pediatrics departments, as well as the emergency room. During that period, he saw many victims of sexual assault, and worked with fistula surgeons, nurses, and patients.
Pascal is passionate about transforming the lives of women affected by fistula, and is honored to help restore their dignity and their sense of hope. He uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage colleagues to work hard and to succeed.
Patricia Nyawa Tembo joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Zambia as program officer in 2022. She is stationed in Mpika District, where she covers programs in Muchinga Province and some parts of eastern Zambia. Patricia works with the Zambian Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising community health volunteers and Safe Motherhood Action Group (SMAG) members, and holds sensitization meetings with local community leaders to help them spread awareness about fistula and treatment options.
Patricia holds a degree in secondary teaching from Kwame Nkrumah University, as well as a diploma in social work and a certificate in psychosocial counseling from the University of Zambia. Before joining the Foundation, she worked for World Vision Zambia as a community development worker. Previously, she worked for Caritas Mpika as a field supervisor, and for Plan International as a community development facilitator. Patricia has a passion for helping women who are isolated and suffering, and she is committed to helping women in marginalized groups achieve a better future.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
- Senior Writer for Marketing Communications
Tarah Walker, who joined Fistula Foundation as senior writer for marketing communications in July 2021, took on the role of director of communications in January 2024. Tarah holds a masters of strategic communications from American University, and a bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communications from the University of Iowa. Prior to joining the Foundation, Tarah was the public relations manager at ACT, the global education nonprofit. She has more than seven years of experience in nonprofit communications, including media and public relations, content marketing, and internal communications. In addition to her public relations role at ACT, Tarah led communications for ACT's internal volunteer organization, facilitating donation drives for women's organizations in Iowa, like the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, and generating positive broadcast coverage for ACT. She has volunteered for women's organizations like the Iowa Women's Foundation, using her communications expertise to promote economic self-sufficiency for women and girls. In her role as director of communications, Tarah oversees content development and project management for the Foundation's campaign communications, including solicitations and stewardship. She is proud to use her gift for communications to empower donor action and transform the lives of women across the world.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Board
- Physician at the Indiana University School of Medicine
Thomas Huntington is currently studying to become a physician at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He previously worked as the developer of several mobile applications for Apple iOS, including Nightstand Central, an alarm clock app. He has contributed to colorectal and ovarian cancer research and has volunteered at a nursing home and homeless shelter. Thomas studied violin performance at the Colburn Conservatory of Music and earned a bachelor's degree in neural science at New York University.
Victor D. Chibale is a motor vehicle driver in Fistula Foundation's Zambia office. He provides reliable and safe transportation to Fistula Foundation staff and relevant officials, and delivers mail, documents, and any other Fistula Foundation cargo. He also ensures that all licenses and documents for Fistula Foundation vehicles are valid.
Victor has a class C driver's license, a certificate in Defensive Driving from the National Institute for Productivity in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and more than 20 years of driving experience. Before joining the Foundation, he worked for Tanzania Zambia Railways Authority (TAZARA) for 17 years. Victor also has an International Certificate in Transport and Logistics and is currently studying for a diploma in the same field.