September 2024 – Salem’s career has taken her back to Ethiopia on several occasions—and all over the United States—before moving back to Washington, DC. The draw to be part of a diverse community making strides in global health—like the one at USAID’s Bureau for Global Health—was strong. “I have to be in an organization that embraces diversity, inclusion, belonging, everything around DEIA—I knew that was important for me,” Salem explains.

August 2024 – “It’s a privilege to have a job that’s more than just making ends meet but goes further and contributes to tackling the biggest challenges of our time. Not only that, I also get to work with colleagues who possess a deep wealth of knowledge and a drive to leverage the tools of government for positive impacts in the world. It’s a great environment to be in.”

June 2024 – “It’s such a great experience huddling with our bureau staff here in DC and those in Ghana. I am so impressed with all the work we do to help other countries, and how it’s important to stay on top of various diseases to gain control of, and prevent, epidemics.”

May 2024 – Having supported three Local Partner Meetings, both virtually and in-country, as a program analyst turned local partner advisor with USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS’ (OHA) Capacity Building and Partnerships Branch, Courtney Irwin has had the privilege of connecting with local partners from across the globe who are implementing PEPFAR and USAID programming.

April 2024 – One college course changed the trajectory of Anita Dam’s life. The GHTASC Technical Analyst—specializing in the introduction and access of HIV Prevention Technologies for the Bureau for Global Health’s Office of HIV/AIDS—enrolled in the History of Medicine major during her undergraduate degree and was hooked.

March 2024 – As a biologist and physiologist focused on reproductive health, Dr. Amanda Cordova-Gomez studied in Peru and France and participated in research in Mexico, Spain, Australia, Egypt, and Greece. A shift into technical consulting for scientists in Latin America allowed Amanda to witness the real-world applications of her research and work, building her skills for technical assistance in different areas of reproductive health before joining GHTASC to support USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health as a biomedical technical advisor.

February 2024 – Based in Zimbabwe, Sara Miner, a Senior Strategic Information Advisor with GHTASC, remembers the impact her Benin Peace Corps placement had on her. After earning a master’s degree in public health, Sara returned to West Africa in 2012 as an operations manager and went on to serve as deputy chief of party for a regional project that spanned Ghana, Niger, and Burkina Faso. She soon found herself directly supporting USAID Missions in Madagascar, Zambia, and through her current role in Zimbabwe.

January 2024 – In their respective positions as communications program analyst and communications advisor, Jenna Pellegrino and Becky Band Jain know the important role that health communications play in public health. From designing public education campaigns to developing and publishing stories that focus on results, health communications professionals take technical information and make it accessible and engaging for audiences around the world.

December 2023 – As a senior medical advisor with the Research Division’s Microbicide Branch at USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS, Mike Orquiza developed a deep commitment to community outreach early in his career.

November 2023 – With 27 years of experience, Folake Olayinka is a Senior Global Immunization Program and Policy Expert with GHTASC and currently serves as the Immunization Technical Lead for USAID’s Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition.

October 2023 – As a medical doctor in Burkina Faso, Inoussa Zabsonre witnessed firsthand the stigmatization that both individuals and healthcare workers face when living with or treating infectious diseases. “Some of my neighbors were infected. I knew I needed to be part of this community, taking care of people,” he explained, describing how this early experience drew him to his life’s work supporting healthcare in HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

September 2023 – Growing up in a rural village in Kenya, Joyce Muriithi remembers large trucks plastered with the USAID logo carrying food and supplies to famine-stricken northern Kenya and beyond. While working as a schoolteacher, a board member told her about a program to assist with the cost of completing her master’s degree, a moment in which she says, “my life changed forever.”