Lifebox Leadership Team

Judy Ngugi is an operations and finance executive with more than twenty years of experience working in the development sector with roles at a variety of international non-profit organizations and foundations, including International Livestock Research Institute – Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, and Helen Keller International. Judy joins Lifebox from Gatsby Africa where she was Deputy Director for Operations and Finance.

As Chief Finance and Administration Officer for Lifebox, Judy is responsible for all aspects of Lifebox’s finances, governance, and administration worldwide and works closely with the global team and trustees to put in place robust financial and administrative management systems to support Lifebox deliver on its objectives. Judy is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Judy holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Senait Bitew is Global Chief Program Officer at Lifebox, where she leads the global implementation of the organization’s surgical and anesthesia safety programs. Since joining in 2018, she has led Lifebox’s shift from delivering standalone interventions to strengthening surgical systems, authored the S4 framework that now anchors its country programs, and directed development of the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan.
A nurse by training, Senait began her career in clinical nursing across several areas, including maternal and child health, before serving as National PMTCT Advisor at Jhpiego and working as a public health consultant with UN agencies, NGOs and governments. She has built long-standing partnerships with Ministries of Health, academic institutions and funders, and has co-authored publications on surgical safety in low-resource settings.
Senait holds a Master’s in Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and is a certified Project Management Professional.

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.

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.