Dr. John N. Nkengasong was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy (S/GAC) May 5, 2022 and officially sworn in on June 13, 2022. In this role, Dr. Nkengasong leads, manages, and oversees the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR); which is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, prevent millions of HIV infections, save lives, and make progress toward ending the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Born in Cameroon, Dr. Nkengasong is the first person of African origin to hold this position. 

In 2017, Dr. Nkengasong was appointed as the first Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Through his leadership, a framework for moving Africa CDC into a full autonomous health agency of the Africa Union was established. Dr. Nkengasong led efforts to create policy frameworks to guide countries to establish and strengthen their public health institutes and defined and implemented a system to collate national surveillance data. He also led the COVID-19 response in Africa, coordinating with heads of state and governments across the continent, among other achievements to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, he helped secure 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at the height of vaccine scarcity. During his tenure, he was appointed as one of the World Health Organization’s special envoys on COVID-19 preparedness and response. 

Dr. Nkengasong served as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis’ International Laboratory Branch Chief and as the Associate Director for Laboratory Science. Subsequently, he served as Acting Deputy Director at the CDC Center for Global Health and Co-Chair of the PEPFAR’s Laboratory Technical Working Group. 

As a leading virologist with over 30 years of experience in public health, Dr. Nkengasong was appointed as a board member for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative in New York, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, in Norway. 

He received his B.Sc. from the Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon; his M.Sc. from the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; and his Ph.D. from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Brussels, Belgium. He also received a Diploma in Leadership and Management from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. 

Jeffrey L. Sturchio is the Chairman of Corporate Council on Africa. He recently retired as the President and CEO at Rabin Martin, a global health strategy consulting firm, and former President and CEO of the Global Health Council. Before joining the Council in 2009, Dr. Sturchio was vice president of Corporate Responsibility at Merck & Co. Inc., president of The Merck Company Foundation and joined as chairman of the U. S. Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), whose 160 member companies represent some 85 percent of total US private sector investment in Africa. While at Merck & Co., Inc., for more than a decade he was a leader of the company’s global HIV/AIDS policy and was centrally involved in the UN/Industry Accelerating Access Initiative established in 2000 to help improve HIV/AIDS care and treatment in the developing world. He was a member of the board of the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships in Botswana (2005-2009) and a member of the private sector delegation to the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (2002-2008).

He is chairman of the Corporate Council on Africa, chairman of the BroadReach Institute for Training and Education and a member of the boards of ACHAP, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS and the Museum of AIDS in Africa.  Dr. Sturchio is also currently a visiting scholar at the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University; Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic and International Affairs; a principal of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Arthur W. Page Society; and an advisor to amfAR, the Clinton Global Initiative, Intrahealth International and the NCD Alliance. He received an AB in history from Princeton University and a PhD in the history and sociology of science from the University of Pennsylvania. His publications include Noncommunicable diseases in the developing world: addressing global gaps in policy and research (edited with L. Galambos, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2013).

Nardos Bekele-Thomas is the Chief Executive Officer for the Africa Union Development Agency- New Partnerships for Africa’s Development (AUDA- NEPAD). She commenced this role in May 2022 having been unanimously endorsed by the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government during the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU. Her immediate former role is as the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations (UN) and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in South Africa. In 2016 she served as the Senior Director of the Office of the former UN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, in charge of the overall management of the Office of the Secretary-General, the Office of the Chef de Cabinet and that of the Deputy Secretary-General. Madam Bekele-Thomas has also worked as the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of Benin. In these roles she had the overall responsibility for high-level social, political, and economic policy advisory services to the highest Government authorities at national and local levels and to key private sector and civil society actors. Additionally, she has been responsible for the overall coordination of collective UN operational activities for development results as well as the delivery of effective UNDP programme of assistance aimed at promoting and supporting pro-poor and inclusive economic growth and development. The primary programmatic focus of her work includes policy dialogue at the highest level of national governance, strategic public-private sector consultations, resource mobilization, pro-poor policy and programme development and implementation at the local and national levels. Prior to her appointment by the UN Secretary-General as Resident Coordinator and as Resident Representative by the UNDP Administrator, in Kenya and Benin, she served for over four years in Kenya as Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP with responsibility for the formulation and implementation of UNDP programme of assistance to the Republic of Kenya. This included support to national planning and development, private sector development, mitigation of the socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS, Governance, Capacity Building, Health Sector Reform as well as Strategies and programme for Poverty Reduction Ms. Bekele-Thomas’ professional experience and background in the field of development span a broad spectrum, including private sector development strategies and policies, public policy; decentralized governance and participatory development; public/civil service reform and management; public-private sector strategic partnerships; women and youth leadership; empowerment and employment; and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) for development. She is the author of numerous articles and monographs and member of various Professional Organizations including the Allied Social Sciences Associations (ASSA), and the American Economic Association. As Private Sector Policy Adviser (1998-2001), Ms. Bekele-Thomas conducted extensive research on private sector development, supported the strengthening of African business associations, provided advisory services and played advocacy role in the development and management of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises. Based on her strong belief in promoting women and 2 youth empowerment, she has carried out policy studies and developed programmes on the promotion of entrepreneurship and business skills training for employment and job creation. Ms. Bekele-Thomas has worked in collaboration with regional and international organizations, including the African Business Roundtable (ABR) and the Corporate Council on Africa to promote trade and investment in African Countries through private/public sector partnerships in the United States such as in the States of Connecticut, New Jersey and Arizona. She has served in technical and advisory capacities such as Technical Advisor to the Government of Uganda (1994-1998), on advocacy, formulation and successful implementation of Decentralized Governance and Private Sector Development and as a member of the Presidential Advisory Group, Republic of Benin (1990–1993), in which she helped initiate and conceptualize a pro-poor programme on the Social Dimensions of Development. Over the last four decades, Ms. Bekele-Thomas has also lived and served in various capacities in Ethiopia (1974-1982), USA, (New York) (1983-1987 and 1998-2004), India (1987-88), Bhutan (1988-1989), Comoros Islands (1989-1990), Republic of Benin (l990-1993), and Uganda, (1994- 1998), promoting human development anchored on the principles of economic, social, and political rights for all. Ms. Bekele-Thomas is a member of the Group of African Imminent Women, she is a recipient of the prestigious AU/DAF Award of “2015 Woman of Excellence” along with the Presidents of Liberia and former President of Malawi. She was also honored in 2007 as recipient of the Living Legend Achiever’s Award in recognition of her service and leadership role in the promotion of sustainable human development globally, particularly in Africa. Ms. Bekele-Thomas holds a Master’s Degree in Economic Development, Monetary Economics and Econometrics from New York University (NYU).

Uzoma Ezeoke is the Executive Director at Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a leading family-owned transgenerational Wellness Company. In her twenty-five plus years as a registered Pharmacist, a significant portion was spent in Community Practice cultivating an enduring focus on the healthcare consumer. Her responsibilities are diverse and extend beyond Emzor’s legacy in pharmaceutical manufacturing, affording her the opportunity to work in the emerging areas of the group’s business. These include vaccines, medical equipment & consumables and more recently API manufacturing. She plays an active role in product development, customer relations and consumer communications. Uzoma is energised by artistic expression and is particularly drawn to the spoken and written word.

Dr. Perrer Tosso is a chemist and public health thought leader specializing in sustainable pharmaceutical production, advanced manufacturing technologies, and the optimization of drug development and pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. He holds specific expertise in process development and integration for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Dr. Tosso currently serves as director for pharmaceutical manufacturing and supply programs at the U.S. Pharmacopeia where he works to expand manufacturing in low- and middle-income countries to increase equitable access to quality-assured medical products. Dr. Tosso earned his Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry from Georgetown University. 

 

Eric M. Takang is the Senior Advisor for Health Commodities and Supply Chain at the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (S/GAC) and Health Diplomacy, coordinating PEPFAR’s effort in assisting partner countries to institutionalize a next generation supply chain that supports sustained HIV impact and broader health commodity delivery, and catalyzing regional manufacturing to increase accessibility to low cost medications, prevent shortages by diversifying supplies and speed up the transition to newer innovations and formulations. 

He is an international development expert with over 30 years of progressive experience in global health and program management, working in various roles to strengthen the capacity of individuals and organizations in strategic planning, program operations, advocacy, technical assistance, and health system strengthening across different health elements including reproductive health and family planning, maternal and child health, pandemic outbreaks, malaria & HIV/AIDS program management.  

He has worked in more than a dozen developing countries working primarily with Ministries of Health, faith based and private sector organizations, and other international health agencies and donors, to support key strategy and policy development focusing on designing new systems and strengthening existing supply systems and building the necessary management capacity needed to ensure continuous availability of much needed health services and commodities to those who need them.   

He has led the implementation of global public health interventions in resource-limited contexts and provided global leadership on key health interventions including public health supply chain issues. 

Before joining S/GAC, he worked at USAID's Bureau for Global Health, in the Office of Population and Reproductive Health, working with the Commodity Security and Logistics Division as a Senior Public Health Supply Chain Advisor and most recently worked with the USAID/Integrated Health Office in Mozambique as a Senior Health Advisor where he guided the development and implementation of a coordinated strategy across USAID, CDC, the Department of State, and other USG agencies to support the government of Mozambique develop an efficient pharmaceutical and logistics systems across health elements. 

He is a pharmacist, and a certified project management professional and holds an executive MBA.