Scholars

Amanda Creary completed her graduate studies at Mercer University, gaining her Master of Public Health degree. She has been working for Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET), a program at The Task Force for Global Health, a non-profit subsidiary of Emory University. She previously worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supporting grants, proposals, contracts, and the Office of Budget Services. At TEPHINET, Amanda provides project management, logistical and programmatic support for multiple projects and special initiatives. Most recently, she has worked with Polio Eradication efforts in Pakistan and supports the in-country Field Epidemiology Laboratory Training Program. She has a passion for healthcare, humanitarianism, and servitude and excitement to use knowledge, skills, and mentorship to continue a career in global health. During Amanda’s free time, she volunteers as a patient advocate, helping low-income families and individuals with medical debt forgiveness, which has also influenced her career in the public health sector.

Anjanoro Rabarijaona has four years of experience in the non-profit sector and earned a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar. While working in Madagascar as a Recruitment and Procedures Supervisor with Population Services International, she helped improve the public health of vulnerable populations through a malaria control program and a reproductive, maternal, and neonatal HIV health program. Previously, Anjanoro worked as Human Resources Assistant for five years in an establishment in the health sector, where she participated in ensuring company employees and their families had access to basic care. Through these experiences, she developed interpersonal communication and talent management skills. Anjanoro enjoys focusing on the topic of public health.

Anmol Motwani holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of SZABIST in Pakistan and has four years of experience working in the nonprofit sector. She raised a lot of money for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital while working there, as well as awareness of breast cancer. She has participated in a number of student initiatives to raise awareness across the country. She is presently employed as a social media manager and is preparing to launch her own small business. She thinks that social media has a lot of power and that it can spread her message to people who she couldn’t physically contact. As she plans to pursue her Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Business, her goal is to raise awareness of climate change among her peers. She is a driven individual striving for the betterment of humanity.

Anna Rountree brings over a decade of experience in international affairs, women’s and children’s rights, and mental health. Anna’s expertise lies in developing large-scale programs and campaigns that create opportunities for underrepresented populations. As Director of Communications at Clubhouse International, Anna plays a crucial role in amplifying the organization’s impact on individuals living with mental illness and driving engagement by developing and overseeing campaign strategy and tactics. In her prior Development roles at Clubhouse International, Anna used her interpersonal and writing skills to develop initiatives that grew constituency, helped meet financial goals, and influenced stakeholders. Anna’s focus on a rights-based approach has been instrumental in strengthening the impact of the Clubhouse network. On the Advisory Board of ECHO, Anna helps to build global capacity for emergency medicine, and on the Clubhouse Racial Justice Committee, Anna addresses inequities experienced by people of color living with mental illness. Anna edited the Governance and Rights Framework for the International Rescue Committee; prepared analytical reports for the General Assembly and Security Council, helping to secure passage of resolutions; and scrutinized policing of poorer communities as Associate Producer at CBS. Anna earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, double minoring in French and International Affairs from Binghamton University, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The New School. Anna’s practicum, Bridging the Gaps: Implementation of Comprehensive Abortion Care in Ethiopia, inspired much of her subsequent focus on the voiceless. Anna loves to travel, read, and meet people. She is committed to promoting the voice of underrepresented populations.

Anya has 5+ years of experience working with small companies and non-profits, and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Religion and Philosophy from Smith College. She currently serves as Corporate Communications Project Manager at MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, an organization focused on addressing unmet needs in the mental health field through the development psychedelic-assisted therapies, where she supports the leadership team with communications and company culture. Prior to her current role, Anya worked as a project manager, marketing research assistant, and ‘chief of staff’ in a variety of industries including: environmental advocacy and wildlife rehabilitation, cybersecurity, entertainment, wellness, and career coaching. Anya also spent a year serving the homeless population through a volunteer program, where she gained a greater understanding of the complexity of addressing poverty and public health, at scale for those who need it most. Throughout these experiences, she developed a greater understanding of the many systemic issues that get in the way of social innovation and development.

Aristide Ramarolahy holds a degree in Communications from the University of Antananarivo and a Master’s degree in Business Intelligence Management from the University of Fianarantsoa. While working as a Communication Assistant at the NGO Ny Tanintsika in Fianarantsoa, he helped improve the lives of the people and the grassroots organizations bordering the rainforest in southeast Madagascar. This improved the lives of vulnerable households by facilitating access to safe drinking water, education, health, and environmental protection. Aristide also worked as a volunteer with SKIP Southampton for the promotion of hygiene, adolescent reproductive health, and English language extension. Through these experiences, Aristide gained the necessary skills for effective communication for behavior change and sustainable development. These skills have helped him to desire to always help others, by working for the good of all.

Awaisha Inayat is a professional psychologist who has a diverse working experience in the fields of counseling, academia, and human resources. She is currently working as People Partner at Arbisoft in People Operations and Development. She has previously led a sports franchise – Bagh Stallions – as their Brand & Communications Manager in the first season of Kashmir Premier League becoming the first female Team Manager of Men’s cricket in Pakistan. After graduating as a psychology major in 2015 from the University of Karachi, she got affiliated with renowned schools as Student Counselor and has also been involved in academia where she served as visiting faculty in 3 universities in Karachi: University of Karachi, Institute of Business Management, and Iqra University. During this time, she successfully published two papers in HEC-recognized journals of Pakistan on the portrayal of mental disability and classroom engagement. Awaisha’s main interest in the social change sector is mental health and well-being. She is inspired by the idea of building healthier communities and has a passion for making a difference in people’s lives. For this end, she founded ‘Rahnuma’ which is a digital platform for counseling, therapy, mentoring, and coaching. It is Rahnuma’s vision to facilitate people in finding their paths and reimagining community mental well-being and support. Awaisha is always looking forward to learning new techniques to empower people and takes pleasure in perpetual growth. She is also working actively to de-stigmatize mental health support in Pakistan.

Basimenye Nhlema is the Chief Operating Officer at Partners In Health, Malawi. In this capacity, she leads the operations department and heads seven sections including Supply Chain, Procurement, Distribution, Transport, IT, Infrastructure, Human Resources, and Administration. Prior to moving to Operations, Basimenye served as the Community Health Director for Partners In Health Malawi for four years. In that role, she managed the Community Health Worker (CHW) program, the Community Programs team, and the Program on Social and Economic Rights (POSER), interdisciplinary teams focusing on community health in a rural and impoverished population. The CHW program had 1200+ CHWs who focused on education and health screening at the household level; the Community Programs team runs an innovative integrated screening program for sexual and reproductive health and chronic conditions among adolescents, women of childbearing age, and the general population in remote areas; and the POSER team provided support to patients’ basic social and economic needs. Basimenye was also part of a team that worked on transitioning CHWs in two pilot sites of Neno district from a paper-based system to a digital platform called Medic Mobile. Basimenye holds a Bachelor of Arts-Humanities degree in Drama and Public Administration from the University of Malawi and a Master’s of Arts degree in Dramatic Arts from Witwatersrand University, South Africa.