Scholars

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.

Denis Afunwi is a civil engineer and project management professional with over seven years of progressive experience in managing projects in the development and humanitarian sectors. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in civil engineering from the Catholic University of Cameroon (CATUC), Bamenda and a certificate in project management and evaluation from the Pan-African Institute for Development (PAID-WA). Upon completion of studies, he was integrated in a team of technicians of the Bambui Water Authority (BAWA); a user managed water supply scheme in Bambui Village where he served as a research engineer evaluating the water supply system and recommending both managerial and technical solutions to improve water supply to a growing community of over 20,000 inhabitants. Denis further served as an individual consultant with the national community driven development program where he conducted feasibility studies for the rehabilitation, construction and extension 4 gravity water supply schemes in the North West regions of Cameroon and later held multiple roles with INGOs in the North West and South West regions including WASH Officer with Plan International, Environmental Health Manager with the International Rescue Committee and WASH/Shelter Coordinator with the Norwegian Refugee Council. His most recent achievement is related to tackling the issue of sustainability in user managed water supply systems where he initiated and piloted the establishment of a water governance network in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon where through workshops, strategies are being developed to tackle the problem of unsustainable water systems.

Emma Ingaiza is a seasoned health systems specialist, bringing over a decade of experience in implementing primary healthcare programs. Her expertise spans across various critical areas including treatment, maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. Emma holds a degree in health systems management from Kenya Methodist University, underscoring her commitment to understanding and improving healthcare delivery systems. Driven by a passion for continuous learning and growth, Emma is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration at Strathmore University in Kenya, aiming to blend her healthcare expertise with strategic business acumen. Throughout her career, Emma has held numerous leadership positions, each contributing to her holistic understanding of healthcare management and implementation. Presently, she serves as the Head of Health at Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), the largest grassroots organization in Kenya. In this role, Emma leads initiatives that address healthcare challenges at the grassroots level, working tirelessly to improve access to quality healthcare services for marginalized communities. Emma’s dedication to advancing health equity and her unique blend of healthcare and business acumen make her a driving force in the field of public health and social enterprise in Kenya. During her moments of vitality, Emma finds joy in engaging in activities that nurture the essence of humanity. She cherishes dedicating time to practices of meditation and mindfulness and finding solace and renewal in these mindful pursuits.

Isabel Ruiz is a 36-year-old passionate professional living in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. In 2011, she obtained a degree in Environmental Systems Engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN, by its acronym in Spanish). Her commitment to making a positive impact on both environmental and social fronts led her to study a double-degree master’s in Environmental Sciences, Natural Resources Management and Development. For the last year and a half, she has collaborated with Heifer Mexico as manager for the social capital and women empowerment department; in her role, she has the mission to guarantee that projects include actions to impulse social cohesion, women and youths opportunities, and caring for the earth. Additionally, Isabel provides guidance and support to staff members, aiding them in implementing projects focusing on gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Jane Fisher is a creative professional with a diverse background in media, marketing, and international NGOs. For over six years of her career, she accumulated the best practices of journalism, commercial content writing, and editorial management. She is currently working in a medical startup that contributes to fighting cancer. While still completing her degree in Journalism, she already worked at her first Olympics. Shortly after that, she made her first appearance as a news reporter on TV. After almost two years on screen, she paused her career to earn a Master’s degree at Goldsmiths University, London. In 2018 she started working as a Project Coordinator at the Japanese Broadcasting Company, NHK. Within the next two years, she helped produce numerous programs addressing social and political issues. She eventually left to step into the role of Creative Editor at Movavi, an international IT company. Next, she took up a volunteer position as the Copywriting Team Lead at an international charity organization, Health & Help, which delivers medical help to some of the world’s poorest regions. Having gained some experience in medical content, Jane joined MedTech, so she could expand her impact on the world.

Mbivnjo Etheldreda Leinyuy has four years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Mbivnjo earned a Master of Science in Public Health and Health Promotion from Bangor University in the United Kingdom, as well as a Master of Science in Nursing Education and a Bachelor of Nursing Science from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Mbivnjo currently serves as the Development and Fundraising Officer for the Association for Community Awareness, where she raises funds through farm projects and manages online volunteers for website content and grant proposal writing. As a World Literacy Foundation Ambassador, she explored the global illiteracy problem and gained skills on how to advocate and fundraise for literacy-promoting initiatives. Through the Young African Leaders Initiative, she gained insight into Africa’s development challenges and led a project on improving the use of emails for education and business. Mbivnjo volunteers at the Health Research Foundation Buea as the project manager for a pilot birth defect registry in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. She is also designing parts of a sexual and reproductive health manual for a nonprofit called Teams4U. Previously, Mbivnjo supported disadvantaged people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds with employment as a Volunteer Mentor for the nonprofit Change Grow Live, supported by the European Fund through the Welsh Government. Mbivnjo has excellent volunteer management, teaching, and research skills and is interested in human resource management, volunteerism, project management, fundraising initiatives, disease prevention, and health promotion.

Mpho Marole is a passionate professional with over thirteen years of experience and an unwavering commitment to gender equity. Mpho has been an instrumental change agent at Partners In Health in Lesotho (PIHL) since 2016. Initially, Mpho served as an Executive Assistant, responsible for high-level coordination with internal staff and external stakeholders. Her strong verbal and written communication skills fostered institutional transparency and cross-departmental collaboration. Thanks to her flexibility and innovation, Mpho has led PIHL’s communications department as Communications Officer since 2020. She is responsible for organizing and developing content for internal and external audiences, writing and publishing digital content, annual reports, and other marketing materials. Her passion for storytelling is evident in her photographic documentation of PIHL programs and projects. In 2012, Mpho earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences, Sociology and Social Anthropology. Mpho then joined the public health sector at the Elizabeth Glasier Pediatric AIDS Foundation as a Qualitative Research and Data Clerk. She then supported technical transformation at Ingcongwane Investment Holdings through detailed budget management, client relations and supporting operations management. At Bafokeng Consulting and Projects, she combined her interpersonal and technical skills to improve the company’s public relations and client relationships. Mpho understands the social injustices affecting her community. She believes that the intersections between women’s health and unequal socioeconomic opportunities are systemic and therefore require a horizontal systems change approach in which storytelling plays a key role. Mpho aims to raise awareness of the determinants of health faced by women in Lesotho and the changes needed to address these challenges.