Our Team

Adey has worked with different international NGOs in Ethiopia and has more than 20 years of a wide range of experience in various aspects of communication, information, and public relations. Prior to joining Lifebox, Adey worked with the Feed the Future Ethiopia – USAID as Senior Communication Specialist. With Lifebox, Adey leads the communications for East and Southern Africa and contributes to Lifebox’s global communications strategy.

Adey holds Master’ of Science in Rural Development & Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Language & Literature.

Milena coordinates the facilitation of finance and administration for projects being implemented in Ethiopia. Milena also manages the implementation of Lifebox’s  Nursing Leadership for Surgical Excellence Program in Ethiopia. With a background in events and project management. Milena has a Bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from Addis Ababa University.

Dr. Alamnie is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Yekatit 12 and Tikur Anbessa Hospitals, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Dr. Alamnie is a fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa. As a Lifebox fellow, Dr. Getaw is working on the Clean Cut for Cleft program as part of the Smile Train-Lifebox Safe Surgery and Anesthesia Initiative which is piloting Clean Cut for Cleft at Yekatit 12 Hospital and Alert Hospital.

Dr. Sedera Arimino is a general surgeon in Madagascar. As Lifebox’s Clean Cut Clinical Lead, Sedera is responsible for the clinical content and quality of the Lifebox Clean Cut program globally. Sedera works directly with Lifebox Fellows and other team members to implement Clean Cut to ensure that the program is implemented to the highest standards and with maximum impact.

Sedera studied medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Antananarivo, Madagascar with a surgery internship at the University Hospital Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona (CHU-JRA), the University Hospital Analankinina Toamasinan and the Hospital Center of Gonesse in Frace. Currently Dr. Arimino works as a general surgeon at the Regional Hospital of Reference of Vakinankaratra Antsirabe. Sedera is part of Lifebox’s Clinical team.

Dr. Mebratu Bejija is responsible for the development of new programs and projects, as well as the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of all Lifebox programs in Ethiopia. Mebratu also takes a key leadership role in managing the work of the global Clinical team. Mebratu has more than 20 year’s of experience working at both local organizations in Ethiopia and international NGOs. Prior to joining Lifebox, Mebratu worked with Marie Stopes International Ethiopia as Project Director and most recently as Director for Program Development and Grants Management. Mebratu holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH).

Andressa is a part qualified accountant with over five years’ experience working in the non-profit sector. Andressa holds a first-class honors degree in Business Administration from Pitagoras University, Brazil and is currently working towards ACCA accreditation. Andressa is responsible for the preparation of financial reports and supports the Finance team.

Senait is a passionate public health professional and oversees the design and delivery of programs and strategic plans for Lifebox in East and Southern Africa. Senait also manages key partnerships across the region and leads Lifebox staff in Ethiopia. A nurse by training, Senait has extensive experience working in the hospital and healthcare sectors. Prior to joining Lifebox, Senait worked as a Public Health Consultant, and has previously worked at Jhpiego as a Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) Advisor as well holding various roles with organizations including Médecins Sans Frontières, AIDS Resource Center, and Intrahealth International.

Senait earned her nursing degree from Gondar University, and her MPh from Addis Continental Institute of Public Health (ACIPH). Senait is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Dr. Nina Capo-Chichi is a Medical Doctor based in Benin and is part of the Lifebox Clinical team. Nina is taking a pause in her surgical training to serve as Smile Train’s Program Manager for Francophone West Africa. Nina has also worked with Mercy Ships on the implementation of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.

Alissa previously served as Patron Services Coordinator at the American Shakespeare Center. She holds a Master of Science in Performing Arts Leadership and Management and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Shenandoah University. At Lifebox she supports all fundraising and development operations including our events and campaigns.

Dr. Damiano Chaula supports the implementation of the Clean Cut for Long Bone Fracture program at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi and is part of the Lifebox Clinical team. Damiano previously worked as a Research assistant at Partners in Health, Malawi where he supported the adaptation and validation of the South African Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) to the Malawian health system. Damiano completed his Bachelor’s of Medicine and of Surgery at The University of Malawi College of Medicine.

As Chief Programs Officer Katie oversees the development and implementation of Lifebox’s safer surgery and anesthesia work globally – providing overall strategic and operational leadership for program and partnership design and implementation. Katie has worked in the development and humanitarian sectors for over 15 years. She has coordinated and supported the management and implementation of programs covering a broad range of themes, including health, livelihoods, gender, HIV and AIDS, governance and humanitarian response.

Katie holds a B.A. with Honors in Law from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Development Studies from the School of Oriental & African Studies at the University of London. She is also a PRINCE2 accredited Project Manager. Katie is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Dr. Natnael Gebeyehu is a surgical resident at Addis Ababa University, Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. He graduated as a Medical Doctor from St. Paul Millennium Medical College, Ethiopia. Natnael has extensive experience as an Operational Theatre Manager and Surgical Ward Manager at St. Peter’s Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa. Natnael currently serves as the Lifebox Surgical Safety Innovation Fellow – overseeing the development of a surgical headlight, leading headlight research, and supporting other Lifebox innovation work. Natnael was an instrumental member of the team that piloted Clean Cut in Ethiopia and was part of the McCaskey Fellowship Program.

Dr. Goyah is an obstetrician and gynecologist based at C.B. Dunbar Maternity Hospital in Liberia where he also serves as Chief of Medical Staff. Dr. Goyah is a Lifebox Fellow, leading the implementation of the Lifebox Clean Cut Program at C.B. Dunbar Maternity Hospital. He also works training junior doctors, obstetric clinicians, and other medical workers in Liberia.

Dr. Igaga is an anesthesiologist at Makerere University and Uganda Heart Institute. She holds a Master of Medicine in Anesthesia and a Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Surgery from Makerere University, Uganda. Dr. Igaga is part of the Lifebox clinical team where she provides clinical guidance to Lifebox’s programs. 

Kitty leads the development and implementation of all aspects of Lifebox’s global communications and marketing strategy. Kitty is responsible for setting the vision of Lifebox’s communications and marketing, developing and managing the global communications team and implementing strategies to build awareness of Lifebox and partner activities worldwide. Kitty previously managed Lifebox’s programs in Latin America and oversaw the development of Lifebox’s programs in India.

She joined Lifebox from an award-winning environmental charity where she led the charity’s programs and communications. She is a prolific writer and has had pieces published in numerous publications. Kitty holds a First-Class Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Exeter. She is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Eugenie works with Lifebox suppliers and partners to distribute Lifebox’s medical devices worldwide and supports the development of Lifebox’s  MedTech projects. Eugenie has a background in international medical procurement with past roles including the IRC and Save the Children. Eugenie earned her Bachelors degree in Human Resource Management from Notre Dame University, Perth, Australia.

Dr. Kebede is an experienced public health professional, including working for the Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute. Hillena earned her medical degree from Jimma University and her Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) from Gondar University, Ethiopia and has also worked as a freelance medical interpreter. Hillena is responsible for managing the Clean Cut for Cleft research project and the implementation of Clean-Cut in Quality hub hospitals in Ethiopia.

Michael is an accomplished Chief Information Officer with 20+ years of repeated success and has served as a Head of ICT and ICT Consultant leading IT projects, operations, developing architecture, coordinating IT projects strategy and directing cross-functional teams. He has expertise launching technology programs that streamline operations, safeguarding data, driving innovation and advancing business strategy. Michael joins us with vast experience in spearheading business and technology partnership in process redesign to achieve business needs and establish delivery roadmaps. Michael previously worked with Bliss Healthcare where he held the position of Assistant Vice President – Digital Automation and Group Head of ICT/CIO. Prior to this, he worked at Uchumi Supermarket during the revival attempt period, and he held the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO).

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Egerton University and an International Diploma in Computer Studies from NCC(UK). Michael has several ICT training and certifications acquired over the years with the key ones being CISSP, CGEIT GCP, AWS, PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner, Project Management Professional (PMP), Business Intelligence Analyst Master, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Cisco Certified Network Associate, Computer Pride (Associate CCNA), Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and Microsoft Certified Trainer, Fintech Technical Proficiency, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), UNIX, SUN Solaris, Linux, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Microsoft & Veritas Clustering, SAMBA, Python, Cloud Services & Virtualization, and IP Telephony.

Olubunmi is a pediatric nurse with over 20 years of nursing experience. Bunmi founded the Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive, Child Health (MARCH) Care Initiative in Nigeria where she is also responsible for implementing the nursing component of Nigeria’s National Surgical, Obstetric, Anesthesia, and Nursing Plan (NSOANP). Olubunmi also serves as a Board member of the Global Initiative for Children’s Surgery (GICS). As Lifebox’s Nursing Advisor Olubunmi supports the development of Lifebox’s programs.

Bella oversees the delivery of Lifebox’s work in South Asia and Latin America. Bella previously worked at First Aid Africa and holds an MSc in Africa and International Development from the University of Edinburgh, and an MA in Translating and Interpreting from Heriot-Watt University.

Dr. Rodrigo López is a cardiac anaesthesiologist from Santiago de Chile. Rodrigo has worked extensively in Africa and now works for the International Committee of the Red Cross based in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rodrigo has also completed a PhD in biomedical ethics at the University of Zurich, focusing on health inequalities, and a Master in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Rodrigo is part of the Lifebox Clinical team.

Cleopatra is an HR strategist with 10 years’ experience in the private sector across various industries. She joined Lifebox to lead its HR function from Bushveld Minerals – an LSE listed vanadium producer. Prior to this, she worked as a consultant and has provided services to companies such as CRRC E-Loco, Multichoice, National Empowerment Fund and SA Mint. Cleopatra holds an MCom in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. She is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, South African Board of People Practices and South African rewards Association.

Dr. Mvukiyehe works as a consultant anesthesiologist at the University Teaching Hospital of Butare (CHUB) and is a joint fellow in Global Surgery at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) and Lifebox. He is also a Lecturer of Anesthesiology in the department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda. Dr. Mvukiyehe is part of the Lifebox clinical team. 

Dr. Samuel Negash is a general pediatric surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at Menelik II Hospital based in Ethiopia. He has special interest in improving access to pediatric surgical service in low-income countries. Samuel previously worked with Lifebox as a McCaskey Fellow, our mentoring fellowship program on quality improvement and research skills. Samuel is currently part of the Lifebox Clinical team. As a Lifebox fellow, he supports the implementation of various safe surgery programs in Ethiopia and globally. 

Dr. Negussie is responsible for the clinical content, relevance, and quality of all Lifebox programs delivered globally and oversees a diverse team of perioperative clinicians and fellows working in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Tihitena is a consultant general and pediatric surgeon and worked at the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for more than 14 years. She has served in different leadership positions including as Chair of the National Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Ethiopia, Coordinator of the CPD centers at Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences, and the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA). Tihitena is part of the clinical team that developed Lifebox’s Clean Cut Program in Ethiopia and sits on the Lifebox leadership team.

Dr. Maia Nofal is a general surgery resident at Boston Medical Center, United States with a MPH from Boston University School of Public Health. Maia primarily works on the evaluation of Lifebox’s safer cesarean-section research trial (CLEAN-CS) and in identifying future areas of investigation for implementation and expansion of the Lifebox surgical infection reduction program – Clean Cut.

Charlies previously served as Programme Coordinator for The Bell Foundation, Cambridge and as Assistant to the Directors at CISL, Cambridge. At Lifebox, she provides effective administrative, logistical, and financial reporting support to the Lifebox global team and senior leadership, including to Trustees and the Lifebox Global Governance Council. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Italian Language & Literature from Leeds University.

Stephen joined the Lifebox team in 2018 and has over 25 years experience of working in finance in the  non-profit sector. He has worked with Anti Slavery International, Age UK, AMREF/Flying Doctors (Air Ambulance Service in Africa), and the Kenyan Red Cross. Stephen manages Lifebox’s financial accounts globally and is part of the Lifebox leadership team. He is a Chartered Public Accountant and holds an MSc in public services management.

Dr. Polain is a consultant emeritus in anesthesiology with a wealth of experience as a general practitioner, a curriculum developer, and a trainer. He is presently a CD3S coordinator at Clinique Universitaires Saint-Luc in Belgium. Bernard has co-developed and helped train more than 250 anesthesiologists in West Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, and Madagascar. 

Bernard is on the Board of Entraide Médicale Internationale, a Belgian NGO that finances medical training and medical equipment in the DRC as well as an NGO that finances young medical specialists in South Kivu.

Dr. Sheriff is a general Surgeon working in rural Liberia. He studied medicine at AM Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia and did his surgical residency at JFK Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia. He is a member of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Currently, Dr. Sheriff is the general surgeon at LGH-Bomi where he also serves as clinical supervisor, head of the operating room, and member of the COVID-19 case management team. He is involved with training paramedics, junior doctors, and other clinical staff. Dr. Sheriff is a member of the Lifebox clinical team that supervises the implementation of the Lifebox Clean Cut program at ELWA hospital in Monrovia, Liberia.

Dr. Asrat is a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist and maternal fetal medicine subspecialist at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He holds a medical degree from Jimma University and speciality and subspeciality certificates from SPHMMC. Dr. Asrat is responsible for maintaining the quality and standard of the CLEAN-CS clinical trial – a Lifebox study to improve the safety of cesarean sections. The Trial is a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Grand Challenges Initiative, funded by UBS Optimus Foundation. Dr. Asrat is part of the Lifebox clinical team. 

Paschal manages the implementation of the Clean Cut for Long Bone Fracture program at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi to reduce surgical infection through the adaptation of the Lifebox Clean Cut program.

Paschal has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Systems Management from Exploits University, Lilongwe, and a Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery from Mulanje Mission College of Nursing. Previous work includes project management and coordination roles at Americares Foundation, Save the Children International, and Marie Stopes International.

Gauri heads Technology, Training and Innovation at Lifebox. Before joining Lifebox, she worked as a Commercial Manager at Equalize Health (formerly D-Rev) and Manager of Strategy & Market Development at Johnson & Johnson Medical. At Lifebox, she leads the development and dissemination of low-cost, accessible tools, technology and training for safer surgery and anesthesia; including the development of new innovations and devices.

She completed a Postgraduate Program in Management from Indian School of Business, Hyderabad and holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from U.P. Technical University.

Dr. Nichole Starr is Lifebox’ Senior Fellow and a Resident in General Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Based in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Nichole was instrumental in the development of the Clean Cut Program and is part of the Lifebox Clinical team. Nichole has an interest in global health and surgery, cost-effectiveness analyses, and trauma care. She completed an MPH with emphasis in International Studies from Boston University and served in Peace Corps/Ethiopia from 2007-2008 where her work focused on HIV/AIDS services; economic empowerment of women, and community home-based palliative care for patients with HIV/AIDS.

Sara trained as a physiotherapist at Gondar University, Ethiopia where she also completed her MSc in Public Health. Sara has worked for various international humanitarian organizations in both technical and managerial roles, including for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Sara is overseeing the global implementation of Lifebox’s surgical site infection program, Clean Cut, as well as managing the CLEAN-CS trial which is working to improve the safety of C-sections by through the reduction of surgical infection rates.

Marlene is an experienced public health professional and has served in both programmatic and technical roles at NGOs, The United Nations Population Fund, and the Ministry of Health – Liberia. Marlene earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Master’s degree in Public Health (MPH) with an emphasis in Epidemiology from Cuttington University, Liberia. Marlene also completed an international training program in Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) at Lund University, Sweden. Marlene supports the delivery of Lifebox program implementation in Liberia.

Kris has worked in the global health and humanitarian sector for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Lifebox, Kris worked with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for over 14 years, including serving as the organization’s Secretary General from 2008 to 2012 and as part of MSF’s Ebola response team in Liberia in 2014. Kris sits on the board of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) North America, and is a former board member of All Out and The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) USA where she was also Founding Executive Director.

Kris holds a B.A. with honors in East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University, an M.Phil in Chinese language and literature from Columbia University, and an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Kris is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

With a background in logistics, Rémy joined Lifebox in 2013 to oversee the distribution of Lifebox’s medical devices worldwide and develop programs in French and Portuguese speaking countries. Rémy now manages Lifebox’s Medtech development – from project conception to distribution. This portfolio includes the Lifebox-Smile Train pulse oximeter, surgical headlight, and a capnography device as part of the Smile Train-Lifebox Safe Surgery and Anesthesia Initiative.

Dr. Utam is a specialist surgeon with 23 years of experience in medical practice, mainly in Nigeria and Liberia. He is currently based at Redemption Hospital as Head of the Surgical Unit. As a Lifebox Fellow, Terseer is supporting our programs in Liberia. He completed his medical training at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and his residency training with the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons in general surgery. Terseer is also a member of the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons and a member and Head of the Surgical Outreach Committee of the West Africa College of Surgeons, Liberia Chapter.

Zainab is a qualified accountant with over a decade of finance experience, most recently as Finance Manager with Heifer International South Africa, where she also oversaw IT and operations. Zainab provides robust financial and management accounting, financial consolidation, and ensuring compliance with local financial regulations worldwide. Zainab also plays a critical role in supporting the coordination of all aspects of Lifebox operations and administration worldwide.

Dr. Thomas Weiser is a general and trauma surgeon, a surgical intensivist, and an Associate Professor of Surgery at Stanford University Medical Center.  His research is focused on evaluating the role surgical care plays in the delivery of health services in resource-poor settings. From 2006-2009 he was part of the World Health Organization’s Safe Surgery Saves Lives program which developed the Surgical Safety Checklist. Tom also serves as Director of Global Engagement in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University and has previously served on the Lifebox Global Governance Council.

Dr. Clarence Yaskey oversees the implementation of Lifebox’s programs in Liberia and manages the Lifebox staff in the country. Clarence is an experienced clinician and public health professional. He earned his MD from the A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine of the University of Liberia and an MPH from Des Moines University (DMU) in the United States.