FPWATCH - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Communications Advisor
Dr Andria Rusk joined the ACTwatch team in 2015 and supports the ACTwatch program communications function. She has 12 years of marketing, brand management, and corporate communications experience, 6 of which in service to the health sector. She has 6 years of experience informing and evaluating global health programs, specifically in malaria treatment and control. She previously worked on antimalarial subsidy program evaluations in sub-Saharan Africa as a Principal Investigator for Duke University and as a Research Associate for the University of Texas School of Public Health. Andria holds a PhD in Global Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health, and a Master degree in Global Health from Duke University. She is based at PSI headquarters in Washington, DC.
Job Titles:
- Research Fellow, Dpt of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dr O'Connell rejoins the ACTwatch team from the World Bank Water and Sanitation Program where she was employed as a Senior Research Specialist. Prior to this, Kate worked for PSI from 2005-2012 and held a variety of positions, including Deputy Director of Research and Metrics, Southeast Asia Regional Researcher, and was the founding Principal Investigator of ACTwatch. She has also worked at the World Health Organization Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence. Kate holds a PhD and MSc in Health Psychology from the University of Bath and an MA in Psychology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. She is based in Yangon, Myanmar.
Dr. Katie Bates joined the ACTwatch team in April 2015. In her role as a consultant Research Manager, Katie provides technical and analytical support to multiple countries in the ACTwatch study. Katie has a background in anthropology, demography and statistics with a focus on maternal and child health. She has previously worked as an LSE Fellow in Population Studies at the London School of Economics. Katie holds a PhD in Demography/Population Studies as well as an MSc in Social Research Methods from the London School of Economics.
Dr. Vasireddy joins PSI as the Principal Investigator for ACTwatch project with over 12 years experience working in the fields of service delivery and health system strengthening in Africa, Asia, and the US. Prior to joining PSI, Dr. Vasireddy had the distinction of designing and implementing the first assessment of the local public health system in Israel, and the first comprehensive capacity building and health systems strengthening framework for the Liberian Ministry of Health. Besides being the PI for ACTwatch, Dr. Vasireddy serves in leadership roles for the World Federation of Public Health Associations and the American Public Health Association. Dr. Vasireddy holds a medical degree (MD) and a doctorate in public health (DrPH) focusing on health systems.
Dr. Bryan Shaw joined PSI as the Principal Investigator for FPwatch in 2015. He has more than a decade of experience in international health, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, and nutrition in high-risk populations in Africa and Asia. Bryan has an extensive background in design, implementation, analysis and reporting of formative research, monitoring and evaluation, and operational and impact evaluation research agendas. Bryan has worked with numerous family planning stakeholders, including USAID, CIDA, various Ministries of Health and other international health NGOs. He holds a PhD in International Health from Johns Hopkins University, as well as Master's degrees in Applied Medical Anthropology and Public Health from the University of North Texas. He is based at PSI headquarters in Washington, DC.
Job Titles:
- Senior Lecturer
- Senior Lecturer in Health Economics & Policy, Dpt of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dr. Catherine Goodman is a Senior Lecturer in Health Economics and Policy at LSHTM. She has been with the Health Economics and Systems Analysis group since 1997. Dr. Goodman's research focuses on the economics of malaria control and strategies to strengthen health systems in developing countries. In addition to her work on ACTwatch, Dr. Goodman's other malaria-related research includes evaluations of the provision of subsidized antimalarial combination therapy through the retail sector in Tanzania and Kenya.
Job Titles:
- Research Manager
- Research Manager for ACTwatch
Dr. John Rogers is the Research Manager for ACTwatch. Dr. Rogers previously served as the manager of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded project focused on healing and resumption of sexual activity following male circumcision in Kisumu, Kenya. He has presented his work at international conferences, and has published the results of his work in several peer-reviewed journals. He received his MPH in Epidemiology from Saint Louis University School of Public Health in 2005 and his PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2013.
Job Titles:
- Professor in Health System Economics at LSHTM
- Professor in Health System Economics, Dpt of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dr. Kara Hanson is a Professor in Health System Economics at LSHTM and has worked on health systems organization and financing since 1988. Dr. Hanson earned a Doctor of Science degree at the Harvard School of Public Health. Her research has focused primarily on the economics of health systems in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. As Director of the Consortium for Research on Equitable Health Systems, Dr. Hanson conducts research on the implementation of equity-oriented health system reforms, risk protection, workforce performance and scaling up health system policies and interventions. She is particularly interested in the economics of delivering malaria commodities such as drugs and bednets.
Job Titles:
- Principal Investigator
- Principal Investigator for ACTwatch
Dr. Megan Littrell is the Principal Investigator for ACTwatch. She has 9 years of experience in providing evidence to inform, monitor, and evaluate global health programs. She previously worked with PSI platforms in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia as the Senior Research Advisor for Malaria and Child Survival, and most recently at PATH as a Research Specialist for the Malaria Control and Evaluation Partnership in Africa (MACEPA). Megan holds a PhD in International Health and Development as well as masters degrees in Public Health and Social Work from Tulane University. She is based at PSI headquarters in Washington DC.
Job Titles:
- Research Fellow, Dpt of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Mr. Benjamin Palafox joined the Department of Global Health and Development in 2008 as a Research Fellow in Pharmaceutical Policy and Economics. In 2007, he completed the MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries at LSHTM. His previous public health experience has all been in the public sector. For several years, he worked on health financing and access to essential medicines issues at the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, an agency of the Philippine Department of Health. Just before returning to LSHTM, Mr. Palafoxwas a senior analyst with the Public Health Agency of Canada working to improve access to data for surveillance activities. http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/people/palafox.benjamin
Erick holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems and is currently undertaking a Masters in Applied Computing at Nairobi University. Erick has worked for Nyanza Reproductive Health society as Data Specialist, at KEMRI/CDC under the Refugee Health Program as Data Specialist, where he developed and managed all program databases;prior to this, he worked with the JICA CHS Project as Data Manager/M&E, providing data management skills to staff, developing and managing projects databases, conducting training and supervising to data entry staff, as well as monitoring project progress and documenting progress.
Job Titles:
- Health Area Research Advisor
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Research Associate
Mr. Andrew Andrada joined the ACTwatch team as a Research Associate Consultant in June of 2014. His primary responsibilities will be to assist in the data collection training, fieldwork, data analysis, and report production for the 2014 Zambia Outlet Survey. Mr. Andrada has previous experience working in maternal and child health in Bolivia and rural Nepal. He received his MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Manager
Mr. Julius Njogu joined the ACTwatch team as a Research Associate in January of 2010 and has provided technical support for surveys in Uganda, Tanzania, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia and Kenya. Currently, in his role as Research Manager, Mr. Njogu supervises a team of Research Associates and Data Manager, assists with the development study designs and sampling strategies, revises key project documents including standard operating procedures and data analysis tools, ensures the quality and timely production of study reference documents, and provides oversight and technical support for field operations. Mr. Julius Njogu is an Epidemiologist and also holds BSc in Nursing from Moi University, Kenya.
Job Titles:
- ACTwatch / FPwatch As a Research Fellow
- Research Fellow ( ACTwatch and FPwatch )
Mr. Keith Esch joined ACTwatch/FPwatch as a Research Fellow May 2015. His primary responsibilities include study design, training, field data collection supervision, data analysis and dissemination across the Greater Mekong Subregion and India. Prior to joining ACTwatch, Mr. Esch provided M&E technical assistance to the USAID | DELIVER PROJECT in Zambia. He has studied dengue patient care seeking behavior in Peru and has worked on malaria RDT adherence improvement and scale up research projects throughout Africa. Mr. Esch earned his MPH in Epidemiology from the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana and holds a BA in International Development Studies from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- Research Manager, GMS
Mr. Kevin Duff joined the ACTwatch team as a Research Associate in May of 2013 and has provided technical support for surveys in Uganda, Cambodia, Madagascar, Benin and Tanzania. Currently, in his role as Research Manager, Mr. Duff supervises Research Fellows, assists with the development study designs and sampling strategies, revises key project documents including standard operating procedures and data analysis tools, ensures the quality and timely production of study reference documents, and provides oversight and technical support for field operations. Mr. Duff holds an MSc in Physical Therapy from the University of Alberta and an MPH in Global Health Systems and Development from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Job Titles:
- Program Manager
- Senior Associate
Job Titles:
- Director of Family Planning and Reproductive Health
Job Titles:
- Research Fellow, Dpt of Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Job Titles:
- Project Director, ACTwatch, PSI
Job Titles:
- Deputy Director, Malaria & Child Survival Department
Job Titles:
- Communications Consultant
Ms. Whitney Isenhower joined ACTwatch in June 2016 as a Communications Consultant. She designs, edits, and writes reports, briefs, presentations, and other materials for the project. Ms. Isenhower has nearly 10 years of communications and health experience, which includes writing for U.S. Agency for International Development-funded projects and working as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon. She has an MPH in Health Behavior and a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Research Associate
Ms. Gloria Kigo joined the ACTwatch team as a Research Associate Consultant in August 2014. She is responsible for conducting data collection training, fieldwork supervision, data analysis, and report production for ACTwatch outlet surveys. Ms. Kigo has previous experience analyzing the supply chain of medicines to prevent childhood diseases in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Malawi. She holds an MPH with a concentration in Program Design, Monitoring and Evaluation from The George Washington University School of Public Health.