Announcing Keynote Speakers for the Global Maternal Health Symposium

By: Staff, Maternal Health Task Force

We are excited to announce the keynote speakers for the Global Maternal Health Symposium! Please join us to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Maternal Health Task Force, showcase achievements in global maternal health and chart a course forward for critical steps to end preventable maternal mortality and optimize maternal health around the world. The event will take place on Monday, 17 September 2018 from 2:00-5:30PM at the Joseph B. Martin Center in Boston, MA.

Keynote Speakers

Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi (2012-2014), is an entrepreneur, activist, politician and philanthropist. She was Malawi’s first female president and Africa’s second. Voted as Africa’s most powerful woman by Forbes Magazine for two years running and voted as one of the most powerful women in the world, Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda is a champion for the rights of women, children, the disabled and other marginalized groups. She founded the Joyce Banda Foundation International, which guides projects that range from empowering women to providing for orphans’ education.

Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet, Lead and Executive Director, Merck for Mothers, has two decades of experience improving health care outcomes for vulnerable populations and transforming health care delivery at the frontlines. As the Lead and Executive Director, Mary-Ann is responsible for successfully implementing a robust set of innovative maternal health programs and high-impact partnerships that integrate the private sector’s invention and expertise to design, deploy and scale solutions that empower women, equip health providers and strengthen health systems. She draws on extensive United States and global experience in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to create a world where no woman dies giving life.

Speakers

The symposium will feature an array of distinguished speakers, including:

  • Ana Langer, Director of the Maternal Health Task Force, Harvard Chan School of Public Health
  • Aparajita Gogoi, National Coordinator, White Ribbon Alliance India
  • Christy Turlington-Burns, Founder and CEO, Every Mother Counts
  • Jigyasa Sharma, Doctor of Science Candidate, Harvard Chan School of Public Health
  • Margaret Kruk, Associate Professor of Global Health, Harvard Chan School of Public Health
  • Mary Mwanyika-Sando, CEO, Africa Academy of Public Health
  • Neel Shah, Director of the Delivery Decisions Initiative, Ariadne Labs
  • Nina Martin, Reporter, ProPublica
  • Richard Adanu, Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Ghana

We look forward to seeing you in September. If you have any questions, please contact mhtf@hsph.harvard.edu.