Founder and President, Baobab Institute
President and CEO Emeritus, IntraHealth International

Mr. Pape Gaye is a native of Senegal and a lifelong advocate for health workers, strong health systems, and access to health care for all. Before his appointment as CEO at IntraHealth, Pape led the organization’s regional office for West, Central, and North Africa.

He began his career with the US Peace Corps, worked with the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Committee, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pape holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of California at Los Angeles.

As President and CEO of IntraHealth International, Pape leveraged three decades of leadership in international health and development as he oversaw the work of IntraHealth teams in around 40 countries to strengthen their health workforces and health systems.

During his watch, IntraHealth led two of the US government’s flagship human resources for health projects (the Capacity Project and the CapacityPlus Project) and established an official relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). Under his leadership, the organization made human resources for health a crucial part of the worldwide conversation on global health. Pape has long advocated for a greater focus on the health workforce.

In May 2016 at the World Health Assembly, the WHO and member states responded to such advocacy efforts with the first-ever global health workforce strategy, Workforce 2030. Pape is a frequent international speaker on issues related to capacity-building and the global health workforce. In the United States, his testimony on Capitol Hill during a 2014 Ebola-focused congressional hearing brought the role of frontline health workers to the fore.

As a panelist during the White House Global Summit in July 2016, he urged the incoming US president to focus on international aid and human resources for health as powerful investments in our shared future. His editorials appear regularly in the Huffington Post, Devex, and other media outlets.

Partnership, Pape believes, is essential. He forges strong collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders—from ministries of health to private-sector partners to local health workers—to meet the enormous health challenges we face in low- and middle-income countries. His board and advisory services include the Center for African Family Studies, Duke University’s Global Health Institute, Global Health Council, PAI, the Reproductive Health NGO CEO Working Group, Speak Up Africa, the Access Challenge, and the Triangle Global Health Consortium.

Entrepreneur and Investment Partner at Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation

With extensive multidisciplinary technology and business leadership background, Ngozi Bell is an entrepreneur and investment partner at Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation, a private equity and business development consultant corporation based in the U.S. and West Africa. Ngozi was a Regional Advocate appointee in President Barack Obama’s administration for the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, representing the mid-Atlantic states, advocating for small businesses and women-owned businesses.

Prior to the appointment, Ngozi was vice president of Birchmere Ventures in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, an early state venture capital firm focused on clean and medical technologies with more than $160M under management. There, she worked to ensure that the opportunities to invest in diverse and women-led organizations were explored.

Prior to that, she was director at LSI Corp. and held senior management and technical roles in Agere Systems, Lucent Technologies, AT&T Micrioelectronics and R.W. Bec – more than 23 years of experience ranging from core technology development and support, marketing, corporate and business development, and mergers and acquisitions.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics and a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

Ngozi is on the board of STEM to Market (S2M – a member of AWIS: Association of Women in Science), where she mentors and guides women scientists and inventors in their entrepreneurial journey. Ngozi is also an associate board member of First Commonwealth Credit Union, a board member at LifeChurchLV, Lincoln Leadership Academy Charter School and others.

Ngozi is also an adjunct professor of Physics, Business Law and Management, was featured on Voice America as an expert of Africa-US matters, numerous global conferences and TEDxLehigh River, and the founder of Diaspora Bell, a media and information platform, and Entrepreneurship University with a curriculum-based life toolkit.

Ngozi founded the Women’s History Month Conference to create a unique platform for women and girls to engage in every aspect of community.

Robert A. Blouin joined Med Aditus Foundation as President and CEO in November 2023. Prior to joining Med Aditus Foundation, Blouin served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).

Blouin is the Bryson Distinguished Professor in the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. He was previously the Dean of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (from July 2003 to September 2017), Founding Director of the Eshelman Institute for Innovation (from December 2014 to September 2017), and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (from September 2017 to February 2022).

Blouin received his BSc from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (1975) and his Pharm.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy (1978). His research interests are in the areas of pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, and the effect of disease and altered physiologic states on the disposition of drugs. He has published over 125 peer reviewed papers and has made over 225 invited national and international presentations.

Under his leadership as Dean, Blouin brought the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to prominence and recognized by US News and World Reports as the #1 program in the United States. In addition, Blouin raised the largest gift from a single donor in the history of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($100M) to create the Eshelman Institute for Innovation. Blouin has served on a number of boards and has been actively involved in leadership roles with numerous national organizations throughout his career.

Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain, CEPI | CEO, Institut Pasteur de Dakar

Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall is a distinguished virologist and public health expert, currently serving as the CEO of the Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) in Senegal. He is also the Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers.

Amadou has made significant contributions to epidemic response and control, particularly concerning arboviruses and viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Zika. In June 2025, he will assume the role of Executive Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), reflecting his commitment to enhancing global health infrastructure.

Amadou holds a doctorate degree in Public Health from the University of Dakar and a Certificate in Executive Development Leadership from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

As the Chairman of the Pasteur Network, he leads an international consortium of research institutes dedicated to public health and infectious disease research.

He received the Grand Prix du Président de la République pour les Sciences (Senegal, 2011) – and was recognized for his significant scientific contributions. Amadou received an Honorary Doctor of Science from North Carolina State University in 2023.

Amadou is regarded as a key figure in epidemic and pandemic preparedness. His leadership in strengthening Africa’s vaccine manufacturing ecosystem has positioned him at the forefront of global health security efforts. As he transitions into his role at CEPI, he will continue driving innovation in vaccine production and supply chain optimization, ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines worldwide. His expertise in virology, global health policy, and research commercialization makes him a valuable strategic leader in public health.

President, New Republic Partners
Former Vice Chancellor for Development, UNC-Chapel Hill

David S. Routh is a respected philanthropic and investment leader with a distinguished career in nonprofit development and wealth management. He currently serves as President of New Republic Partners, where he guides the firm’s executive strategy and offers philanthropic planning advice to clients seeking to align their investments with meaningful impact. David also serves on the board and executive committee of New Republic’s holding company.

Prior to this role, David served as Vice Chancellor for Development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2013 to 2022. During his tenure, he led the $5 billion “Campaign for Carolina”, one of the largest university fundraising campaigns in U.S. history. His leadership transformed UNC’s donor engagement strategy, strengthened advancement infrastructure, and positioned the university as a national leader in public higher education fundraising.

David also brings significant private sector experience from his time at U.S. Trust, Bank of America’s Private Wealth Management division, where he advised ultra-high-net-worth clients. His background spans both individual and institutional giving, including extensive work with family offices, corporate foundations, and higher education institutions.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Religious Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and serves on the boards of the Eshelman Institute for Innovation, Morehead-Cain Foundation, Bishop’s Episcopal School, and others.

Med Aditus Foundation is supported by his strategic insight in philanthropic engagement, campaign planning, and institutional partnership development, furthering the organization’s goals of sustainable health and education access across Africa.

Founder, Kenya Women in Finance Trust, Makini Schools

Mary Okelo is a trailblazer in African banking, education, and women’s empowerment. As the first woman bank manager in Kenya and the founder of Makini Schools, she has led a career defined by visionary leadership, institution-building, and a commitment to public service. Mary brings to the MAI Foundation Board decades of experience in finance, education, and international development, along with a lifelong dedication to equity, mentorship, and sustainable progress in Africa.

Mary founded the Kenya Women Finance Trust in 1982, the first women’s financial institution in the region, which has helped thousands of women entrepreneurs access credit and training. She also served as Senior Advisor to the President of the African Development Bank and was a board member of the Women’s World Banking Network. In education, she built Makini Schools into one of Kenya’s premier private school networks — demonstrating the power of values-driven, African-led institutions.

A highly respected thought leader, Mary continues to mentor women leaders and advocate for inclusive development across Africa through the Mary Okelo Foundation. She is a recipient of numerous honors, including the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (Kenya’s highest civilian award), and was named one of Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government.

Med Aditus Foundation draws on Mary’s deep insights and strategic counsel to guide the organization’s work at the intersection of workforce development and education, leadership, and gender equity. Her presence on the board strengthens MAI Foundation’s ability to deliver impact through culturally grounded, community-informed partnerships.

Consultant, Supply Chain/Operations, Blue Water Autonomy, Inc.

Hanna Machatha is a strategic and results-driven supply chain executive with more than 20 years of experience in leading global operations, systems integration, and cross-functional transformation. Machatha has a proven track record of driving operational excellence, reducing costs, and scaling innovative supply chain solutions across start-up organizations, high-growth and Fortune 500 environments. She has been recognized for building high-performing teams, optimizing global networks, and delivering complex programs on time and under budget. Machatha is an expert in vendor negotiations, lean initiatives, and data-driven decision making with a focus on long-term value creation.

Machatha is a consultant for Blue Water Autonomy, Inc. where she has created structures to support a growing team. She is responsible for sourcing and procurement of materials, manufacturing support, supplier contracts, supplier management, and demand planning. She is in constant partnership with various engineering teams to bring product designs to life.

Prior to joining Blue Water Autonomy, she served as Supply Chain Head for Guardian Agriculture, where she drove cross-functional alignment across R&D, Finance, and Manufacturing and optimized supply chain strategies. She worked to minimize supply chain disruptions by implementing proactive risk management frameworks addressing geopolitical and environmental challenges. She additionally enhanced operational efficiency and profitability through lean initiatives and collaborative supplier partnerships, reducing cost-to- serve and improving margins. She directed comprehensive supply chain functions including procurement, demand planning, logistics, inventory control, while ensuring seamless end-to-end operations.

Machatha served as Directors of Operations for Vicarious AI, where she led global deployment operations across engineering and supply chain teams, while ensuring seamless coordination and execution. She standardized deployment documentation and processes, enabling scalability and improving consistency across international operations.

Machatha holds an MBA from Baker University, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Missouri, and a Strategic Management Certificate from Harvard University Extension School. She is a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP).

Vice Chancellor, Great Lakes University of Kisumu

Prof. Hazel Miseda Mumbo is a distinguished academic leader and public health systems expert with more than 25 years’ experience in education, health policy, and institutional development. She currently serves as the Vice Chancellor of Great Lakes University of Kisum (GLUK). She is renowned for her commitment to human resources for health, strategic governance, and gender equity across Africa. Her career spans consulting, public sector advising, and academic leadership, with notable contributions to Kenya’s health workforce policy and capacity-building initiatives.

Mumbo oversees GLUK’s academic programming, institutional reform, and research development. Her leadership has steered the university through a period of renewal and expansion. She serves as the Honorary Treasurer of the Forum of African Women Educationalists where she champions girls’ education and gender inclusion in academic leadership across Africa.

Mumbo has served as a Human Resources for Health Expert for JICA and as a public sector advisor for IntraHealth International’s USAID funded FunzoKenya Project. She worked as a consultant with Mizel Consultancy, advising governments on HR strategies and health financing.

She holds a doctorate in Community Health and Development from GLUK, and MBA in Human Resources Management from Kenyatta University and an Executive Diploma in Human Resource Management from Galilee College, Israel.

In Memoriam

Dr. Jason Cross (Ph.D., J.D.) was a specialist in global health innovation law, policy, and business strategy. He was Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the healthtech company Rymedi. Rymedi provided a blockchain-based digital workflow and data automation platform for health care and health research. Labs, diagnostic and device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare providers used Rymedi to test, treat, and monitor patients with the highest quality data infrastructure to improve multiparty care and outcomes measurement.

At Rymedi, Jason led efforts to align product design, use case R&D, and commercialization. He directed strategy aimed at integrating Quality Management System (QMS) automation in health processes with Real-World Evidence (RWE) generation that opened opportunities for varieties of data reuse to support health R&D and business model innovations expanding access to care. Jason also oversaw regulatory and legal affairs, as well as partnerships.

Jason served as Chair of the Intellectual Property Subgroup of the IEEE Blockchain in Healthcare and Life Sciences Standards Association Working Group. He was also Senior Advisor to the Web3 DeSci (Decentralized Science) company Crowd Funded Cures and Co-Founder of its for-profit subsidiary Public Goods Pharma, which leveraged DeSci tools and partnerships to run clinical trials on off-patent generic medicines for new indications and expand affordable treatment access. Jason also served as Senior Advisor to Med Aditus International, a non-profit leveraging continuous manufacturing and blockchain technology innovations to improve the production of high-quality medicines in Africa.

Prior to Rymedi, Jason was a professor of global health innovation and entrepreneurship law, policy, and business at Duke University. At Duke, he was Founder and Director of the Innovation & Technology Policy Lab (ITPLab), a collaborative innovation think tank and venture incubator. He led research, consulting, and venture incubation on novel finance, intellectual property, collaboration strategies, and trade policy for enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of innovations across global health, energy, education, and smart infrastructure. Under Jason’s leadership, the ITPLab incubated and spun out several lasting initiatives. One project became the Open Source Pedagogy, Research and Innovation program at Duke, teaching and supporting open source principles and methodologies in the design and scaling of innovations. Another was the Global Healthcare Innovation Alliance Accelerator, which became a leading contributor of collaborative innovation and access to medicine licensing in the pharmaceutical sector.

As faculty, Jason co-created and taught the Duke Access to Medicines Law & Policy graduate course that convened global faculty and graduate students from law, medicine, business, public policy, engineering, and the sciences and humanities to cover the fundamentals of global access to medicines issues and discuss recent developments. He also taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Global Health Law & Ethics, Genomics Law & Ethics, Science & Technology Policy, and Innovation & Intellectual Property Law, Policy & Business Strategy.

Jason was Chief Innovation Officer for the Foundation for Commercializing Innovation, where he led programs to support technology commercialization with innovative business models and intellectual property licensing to expand global access to products and participation in follow-on innovation. He also co-founded and was Executive Chairman for Agraria Technologies, an early company in the blockchain space focused on blockchain technology for social and environmental impact.

When an academic, Jason always worked with one foot in the academy and the other in global health innovation. He worked for a public housing community clinic to improve organizational performance and expand the reach of services. Jason co-founded and served as Vice President of the Minga Foundation, an NGO founded in Ecuador that pioneered community partnership models to support locally driven health system strengthening across Latin America and Africa. With the Minga Foundation, he helped establish one of the first mobile technology health solutions in the 2000s in a partnership with Nokia called Saludcom – pioneering a cellular phone application to support community health worker coordination with regional clinics across a rural Ecuadorean health system. He helped launch the Project Access referral system for coordinating pro-bono specialist care for the uninsured in Durham, North Carolina. And he advised in the founding of an early telemedicine service.

As a policy consultant, Jason had extensive experience working with governments, industry, and nonprofits to create and strengthen inclusive innovation systems: from biopharmaceutical legal reform and trade policy in Central America, open education business models and telecom policy in Southern Africa, and mHealth technology in emerging markets, to intellectual property and global development negotiations at the WTO, WIPO, and WHO. Notably, as legal advisor to the Minister of Health of El Salvador, Jason helped write a medicine law that improved medicine quality and improved medicine access, bringing the average price of medicines down 62% across the country. He also advised the Salvadoran government on trade agreement negotiations and development of Central American and Caribbean pooled procurement system for medicines. Jason served on the Board of Directors of the Onom Foundation, Mongolia’s leading health NGO, and served as an advisor to the African Academy of Sciences’ design of an Open Science Data Platform for African health science.

Jason earned his Ph.D. in the Anthropology of Economics and Governance from Duke University, as well as a J.D. focused on intellectual property and innovation law. He completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Science & Technology Policy at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, as well as the postdoctoral Institute for Global Law & Policy Workshop Program for Junior Faculty at Harvard Law School. Jason earned an M.A. (and passed Ph.D. exams) in the History & Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and his B.A. in biological anthropology, history, and philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University.

Jason was instrumental in the founding and early strategic direction of the Med Aditus Foundation. His visionary leadership, generosity, and intellect shaped our mission from the very beginning. We honor his memory and lasting impact.

Special Envoy of the African Union Champion for Institutional Reforms

Ambassador Lazarus O. Amayo is a distinguished diplomat with over three decades of leadership in international diplomacy, multilateral negotiations, and governance. He has served in Kenya’s most senior foreign service roles, including Permanent Representative to the United Nations and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, India, and several other nations. In 2024, he was appointed Special Envoy of the African Union Champion for Institutional Reforms, where he now leads regional work on systems strengthening, governance reform, and policy implementation.

Throughout his diplomatic career, Ambassador Amayo has represented Kenya at the highest levels across international forums, with assignments to the United States, the United Kingdom, Zambia, Malawi, India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. He also served as Director of Administration and Head of International Conferences at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and as CEO and Managing Director of Catering Levy Trustees. His contributions reflect deep expertise in trade, economics, and international policy frameworks.

Med Aditus Foundation is honored to rely on Ambassador Amayo’s expertise on regional governance, diplomatic strategy, and cross-sector partnerships. His insight is vital to Med Aditus Foundation’s goal of achieving inclusive, African-led healthcare innovation and strengthening systems for long-term impact. A native of Kenya, he brings a globally informed yet deeply local perspective to advancing Med Aditus Foundation’s mission across Africa.

Founder, Icagen, Inc.

P. Kay Wagoner, Ph.D. has over thirty years of experience as a leader in drug discovery, drug development and health care.

Kay founded and led a not-for-profit cardiovascular disease prevention and rehabilitation company for which she raised funding, led multi faceted teams of healthcare workers, and provided direct patient care. While working for Glaxo, Inc., Kay led the discovery of new drug candidates targeting membrane bound receptors and ion channels for central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and in doing so, led the establishment of novel screening systems and the identification of leads for further development.

Based on experiences in founding companies and working in big pharma, Kay founded Icagen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in RTP, North Carolina, where she served as Head of Research and as Chief Executive Officer from 1996 through 2011. At Icagen, Kay led teams  involved in the discovery, preclinical and clinical development of drugs for sickle cell anemia, atrial fibrillation, urinary incontinence, memory disorders, epilepsy and pain. Kay led collaborations to develop new drugs with six major pharmaceutical companies and took Icagen public in 2005 before its acquisition by Pfizer.

Kay has undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing, as well as a PhD in physiology and postdoctoral work in pharmacology.  She was a Robert Wood Johnston scholar and was awarded a Grass Fellowship for study at the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

In 2001, Kay was awarded the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Distinguished Alumna Award for Science and Business. In 2004, she received the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award by the North Carolina Council for Entrepreneurial Development and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Regional Award for Life Sciences and Healthcare.

In 2007, Kay was honored for outstanding achievement by the Women in Bio organization. She serves or has served on a variety of boards of directors, including the public company Board of Directors of Icagen, Inc., the N.C Biotechnology Center Board of Directors, the University of North Carolina’s Graduate Advisory Board, the Governing Body of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s (BIO) Emerging Companies Section, the University of North Carolina Board of Visitors, and the boards of numerous private life-science startup companies.

Throughout her career, Kay has focused on advancing the underlying science that is foundational to building strong life-science companies. Based on her experiences building her own businesses, she has challenged others to look at the end goal when setting early strategic business priorities.

For the past ten years, Kay has been an advisor to 40 startup companies working in multiple therapeutic areas. She has advised on research, preclinical, clinical, and regulatory strategies, as well as on general business issues, e.g., business plans, obtaining grants, loans and investments, commercial and competitive analyses, financial modeling and exit strategies. Examples include startups focused on 1) targeting the GI microbiome, 2) kinase receptors for new drug cancer treatments, 3) novel delivery technologies for obesity, Rett’s Syndrome and Parkinson’s Disease, 4) new antibiotics for drug-resistant bacteria, and 5) women’s health.

Adams Distinguished Professor of Dentistry and Professor of Social Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Executive Vice Provost at UNC-Chapel Hill
Director and Chief Global Officer, Asod-Global

In addition to his responsibility as the Executive Vice Provost at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Ron Strauss was Chief International Officer for the University for nearly a decade. For 12 years, he was Chair of the Department of Dental Ecology in the UNC Adams School of Dentistry.

Ron received his D.M.D. degree and Ph.D. in Sociology from University of Pennsylvania, and B.A. in Biology from Queens College, New York. Under his leadership as the Chief International Officer, UNC-Chapel Hill became one of the leading global public research universities in the world.

During his tenure as the Chief International Officer, Ron forged strategic partnerships with academic institutions and governments in all continents, enhanced international research collaborations by UNC faculty in many fields, and promoted global experiences for students. Strauss is a sociologist and ethnographer who has used qualitative and survey research methods in numerous social research projects.

Ron’s research has focused on the social impacts of chronic health problems, especially oral/craniofacial differences and HIV/AIDS. His work combines his clinical, social science, ethical, and health policy interests as they relate to craniofacial care, research participation, HIV/AIDS, stigma, prenatal diagnosis, and access to healthcare. Throughout his tenure at Carolina, Ron has been extremely active in public service and engagement, both locally and globally. Since he came to Carolina, Ron has been engaged in encouraging health professional students to understand and address social factors that influence health and the provision of healthcare.

He is the lead faculty member of the Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars Program of the Carolina Center for Public Service. In recognition of the scope and impact of his work, dental alumni endowed the Dr. Ronald P. Strauss Community and International Health Award to support students’ understanding of the social and cultural influences on health care.

Each spring since 1987, Ron has directed and taught the campus-wide HIV/AIDS Course. Strauss is a co-editor of the two-volume series, The Social Medicine Reader, 3rd edition (2019, Duke University Press). He has been a keynote speaker and trainer, especially for the E.U.’s European Cleft and Craniofacial Initiative for Equality in Care (ECCE). Ron served as President of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association and received both its Distinguished Service Award and the Honors of the Association.

Associate Professor, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Global Health Economist & Vaccine Expert

Dr. Sachiko Ozawa is an internationally recognized global health economist and Associate Professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. Her research focuses on evaluating the economic impact of vaccines and medication access, with a mission to improve health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries through equitable, evidence-based strategies. At UNC, she leads the Global Health Economics for Pharmacy (GHEP) lab, where she works at the intersection of pharmacy, public health, and policy.

Prior to UNC, Sachiko held research positions at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she earned her Ph.D. and MHS in International Health. Her work has supported decision-making at leading global health organizations such as the World Health Organization, Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance), UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Sachiko has published extensively on topics including vaccine hesitancy, economic returns on immunization programs, and health system financing. She is a core member of Gavi’s Vaccine Economics Expert Group and the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Risk Communication and Community Engagement. Her work continues to influence how international organizations invest in and evaluate immunization and medicine delivery programs.

Med Aditus Foundation is uplifted through her strategic insights in medication access, public health investment, and health systems strengthening. Her commitment to health equity, evidence-based reform, and policy translation makes her an invaluable asset in MAI Foundation’s global work to expand access to quality healthcare.

President and Co-Founder, Arkane Innovation

Prior to launching Arkane Innovation, an international advisory services firm (based in Ireland, the UK and the US), Mark served as Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development at King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, Vice President for Business Development at the Scripps Research Institute in California and Florida, Founding Executive Director of UVA Innovation at the University of Virginia, Associate Vice Chancellor for Economic Development and Technology Transfer at UNC-Chapel Hill, and similar positions at North Carolina State and at Duke University.

Mark holds a master’s degree in Regional Planning and B.A. in International Studies from UNC- Chapel Hill. As a 32+ year veteran of academic technology transfer leadership positions, Mark helped to launch more than 135 start-up companies and numerous products and services,  while demonstrably growing innovation partnerships and ecosystems around these institutions. Currently, Mark is a Senior Innovation Consultant with the World Bank and serves as Executive Entrepreneur in Residence for the Eshelman Institute for Innovation at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, a novel initiative focused on accelerating the translation of early stage academic biomedical innovations into products and companies.

Mark is internationally known as a practitioner and consultant in areas related to university innovation and business development, proof-of concept and translational research initiatives, research commercialization and spinouts, policy-strategy-management of technology transfer, seed capital development, innovation-based economic development initiatives, research campus planning, accelerator programs, innovation district planning, university-industry (and foundation) partnerships, economic development strategy, and innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem development strategies.

Mark’s current and past consulting clients include the World Bank, San Diego Biomedical Research Institute, the Bahrain Ministry of Higher Education (via the AAAS Research Competitiveness Program), the Qatar Foundation, TEConomy Partners, the American University of Cairo, and a number of other universities and innovation districts.

In 2013, Mark received the 2013 Bayh-Dole Award from the Association of University Technology Managers in recognition of his “untiring efforts to foster and promote intellectual property activities on behalf of the university and nonprofit community”