Tuesday, November 26, 2019 / 07:50 AM / By The Rockefeller Foundation / Header Image Credit: Konnect Africa
New York, November 21, 2019 - The
Rockefeller Foundation announced today the appointment of two new members to
its Board of Trustees: Dr. Agnes Binagwaho and Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli. They will
begin their tenure as Trustees on November 21st, 2019.
"It is a pleasure to welcome Agnes and
Ndidi to our Board of Trustees. As the Foundation works to lift up the most
vulnerable people in communities around the world, their deep global
development expertise and longstanding commitment to improving lives will be
invaluable to the organization," said Board Chair Richard D. Parsons. "Agnes
and Ndidi have demonstrated and been recognized for their dedication and
leadership in global health and agriculture, respectively, which are core areas
of the Foundation's work. I know I speak for the entire Board in saying we are
thrilled to welcome them to The Rockefeller Foundation."
"I feel extremely fortunate to have
Agnes and Ndidi join our Board of Trustees. Agnes has helped change the
national health landscape as a member of the government of Rwanda, and is an
important leader in the field of global health," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah,
President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "Ndidi has worked with the public and
private sectors to champion solutions that have improved the lives of
vulnerable people in Nigeria and around the world. Their deep personal
commitment and extensive experience will make them invaluable to our efforts to
advance The Rockefeller Foundation's mission to inspire and foster large-scale
human impact that promotes the well-being of humanity throughout the world."
Dr. Binagwaho has served as Vice
Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity, an initiative of Partners
In Health, since 2017. From 2002-2016, she served the Rwandan Health
Sector in high-level government positions, first as the Executive Secretary of
Rwanda's National AIDS Control Commission, then as Permanent Secretary of the
Ministry of Health, and later spent five years as the Minister of Health.
She is also a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Global Health and Social
Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a Professor of the Practice of Global
Health Delivery at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda, and an
Adjunct Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine at
Dartmouth. She completed her MD in General Medicine at the Universite Libre de
Bruxelles and her MA in Pediatrics at the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale.
"I have long admired the work of The
Rockefeller Foundation and I am delighted to join the Board of Trustees. The
Foundation's work advancing new frontiers, especially with respect to health
and science, continues to touch the lives of so many around the world, and I
look forward to helping support the advancement of that work," said Dr. Agnes
Binagwaho.
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is a Co-Founder
of Sahel Consulting: Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd. and serves as its
managing partner helping shape agriculture strategy and policy and implementing
large-scale, innovative programs in West Africa in partnership with the public,
private and nonprofit sectors. With more than 23 years of experience in
international development, Ms. Nwuneli was recognized as a Young Global Leader
by the World Economic Forum, received a National Honour (Member of the Federal
Republic) from the Nigerian Government and was listed as one of the 20 Youngest
Power African Women by Forbes. Ms. Nwuneli is also the co-founder of AACE
Foods, a social enterprise that processes nutritious food made from the best of
West Africa's cereals, herbs, pulses and spices. She is the founder of
LEAP Africa, which works across Africa inspiring, empowering and equipping the next
generation of dynamic, principled and innovative young leaders. Ms. Nwuneli
received her MBA from Harvard Business School, and her undergraduate degree
with honors in Multinational and Strategic Management from the Wharton School
of the University of Pennsylvania.
"The Rockefeller Foundation's efforts
to scale innovations that help meet the needs of the most vulnerable
communities around the world are just as important now as they were when the
Foundation was founded. I am honored to join the Board of Trustees to support
the Foundation as it continues to build on its legacy of leveraging data,
technology and innovation to improve the well-being of humanity," said Ndidi
Okonkwo Nwuneli.
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