
Kate Grant
Kate Grant joined the Foundation as its first chief executive in 2005. She led the expansion of the Foundation from supporting one hospital in one country, Ethiopia, to its current position as the global leader in fistula treatment. Today, under her leadership, the Foundation supports treatment partners in more than 20...
Read More
Pam Lowney
As Chief Operating Officer, Pam broadly oversees process and IT improvements across the Foundation’s Program, Fundraising, and Administrative functions. Pam joined the Fistula Foundation in 2018 as Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, she led the redesign of the Foundation’s web presence to expand the Foundation's global community of...
Read More
Lindsey Pollaczek
Lindsey Pollaczek joined Fistula Foundation in 2014, initially based out of Nairobi, Kenya. She now serves as chief program officer, overseeing the Foundation’s programs in over 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Amongst her accomplishments is leading the successful Action on Fistula program in Kenya, and launching a countrywide program...
Read More
Shelly Helgeson
Shelly Helgeson originated the role of vice president of partnerships at Fistula Foundation. She brings to the role more than 15 years of experience in social entrepreneurship and strategic communications. She also brings a commitment to ensuring that birthing people everywhere have access to quality healthcare. Before joining Fistula Foundation,...
Read More
Michael Slind
Michael, who joined Fistula Foundation in 2021, has extensive experience as a strategic communication professional. He previously served as Director of Communication at King Philanthropies, a grantmaking organization that focuses on alleviating global poverty. From 2013 to 2016, he was the Senior Editor of Stanford Social Innovation Review, a quarterly...
Read More
Kelly Anderson
Kelly Anderson is pleased to join the dedicated team at Fistula Foundation as Senior Director of Philanthropy. Kelly’s commitment to women’s health and social justice began as a sexual assault crisis line volunteer at the University of Michigan. After two decades in leadership roles in rape crisis centers – first...
Read More
Darren Blankenship
Darren Blankenship is glad to join Fistula Foundation as Database Administrator. Darren brings over twenty years of experience working with various Bay Area non-profits and educational institutions. His passion is for systems integration and data integrity, and he is excited to bring this to Fistula Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s...
Read More
Jesse Chu
Jesse joined Fistula Foundation in 2019 and serves as the Program Manager, helping to support dozens of partnerships in over 20 countries. Jesse learned about fistula while serving as community health organizer with the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, where she developed and implemented programs to empower youth with reproductive health...
Read More
Hannah Garone
Hannah Garone joined Fistula Foundation as Donor Relations Manager in June 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, with a specialization in health and environment, from the College of New Jersey. An alumna of AmeriCorps, Hannah served with City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley in 2016–2017. She then worked...
Read More
Jamie Heisch
Jamie Heisch joined Fistula Foundation as philanthropy associate in April 2023. In that role, she works with colleagues to connect generous donors with opportunities to fund life-changing treatment for women in need. Jamie has several years of experience in providing administrative support, with a focus on helping to manage philanthropic...
Read More
Nicole Huelar
Nicole Huelar joined Fistula Foundation in the role of administrative assistant in November 2022. She has a bachelor of science degree in industrial design from San Jose State University, and has served in administrative and management roles on a voluntary basis with various organizations. Nicole brings to her role at...
Read More
Keerthana Rajagopal
Keerthana (Kee) Rajagopal joined Fistula Foundation as associate program manager in August 2022. Kee holds a master’s in public health from the University of California Berkeley and a master’s in health administration from Pennsylvania State University. In her role on the programs team, Kee supports grantmaking and helps strengthen partnerships...
Read More
Jackelen Renteria-Bustos
Jackelen Renteria-Bustos joined Fistula Foundation as a marketing and communication associate in August of 2022. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration, with a specialization in marketing, from San Jose State University, and she has worked as an intern at for-profit organizations. Her passion for creating a...
Read More
Jing Shi
Jing Shi joined Fistula Foundation as finance manager in November 2022. She brings to the organization more than 15 years of accounting and finance experience in the nonprofit sector Previously, Jing served as senior accountant, accounting supervisor, and finance manager at several nonprofits. In those roles, she oversaw day-to-day financial...
Read More
Tarah Walker
Tarah Walker joined Fistula Foundation in July 2021 as Senior Writer for Marketing Communications. She brings with her six years of experience in nonprofit communications, including media and public relations, content marketing, and internal communications. In addition to her public relations role at ACT, the global education nonprofit, Tarah led...
Read More
Morgan Walter
Morgan Walter joined in 2018. She holds a bachelors of arts in cinema from San Francisco State University, with an emphasis in documentaries. In 2012, her first film, “I Agree With Jennifer,” won third place at the Social Impact Doc Fest. This sparked her commitment to documentary filmmaking as a...
Read More
Habiba Corodhia Mohamed
Habiba C. Mohamed is regional director of programs, based out of Fistula Foundation’s Kenya office. Habiba joined the Foundation in 2014 as the outreach manager. In this role, she designed and spearheaded the community strategy for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Kenya. Later, she was promoted to country director...
Read More
Nelson Musa
Nelson Musa is Monitoring & Evaluation Officer of Fistula Foundation’s nationwide treatment network in Kenya. He brings fourteen years of experience in organizing and community health. Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Nelson worked as an organizer for Jhpiego, and currently partners with WADADIA (Women and Development Against Distress in Africa),...
Read More
Florence Changwe Mulenga
Florence Changwe Mulenga joined Fistula Foundation as administrative officer in 2022. She handles administrative work, such as tracking expenses and preparing patient logistics, for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network (FFTN) in Zambia. She also manages calls to FFTN’s fistula hotline, screens potential patients, and refers women to treatment centers. She...
Read More
Bwalya Chomba
Bwalya Magawa Chomba joined Fistula Foundation as program manager in 2017, and is now the program director for Zambia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Zambia, and a master's in public health from the University of Lusaka (UNILUS). Bwalya is responsible for supporting...
Read More
Victor D. Chibale
Victor D. Chibale is a motor vehicle driver in Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He provides reliable and safe transportation to Fistula Foundation staff and relevant officials, and delivers mail, documents, and any other Fistula Foundation cargo. He also ensures that all licenses and documents for Fistula Foundation vehicles are valid....
Read More
Emmanuel Chiluba
Emmanuel Chiluba is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He works with representatives of the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers, and holds sensitization meetings for community leaders in Zambia’s Central Province. Emmanuel holds a diploma in social work, and has over 18...
Read More
Martin Chiyana
Martin Chiyana works as a Program Officer in Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He is stationed in Nchelenge District to cover programs in Luapula Province and some parts of Northern Zambia. Martin works with the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers and Safe Motherhood Action Group...
Read More
Jordan Chileshe Chomba
Jordan Chileshe Chomba works for the Fistula Foundation Zambia Office as a motor vehicle driver based in the Eastern Province. He provides transportation and travel logistics to the Zambia team and other relevant officials and helps deliver equipment and materials for the program. Jordan holds a valid SADC driver’s license...
Read More
Kalumba Kaputo
Kalumba Kaputa is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He collaborates with the Ministry of Health and local grassroots organizations, screening potential fistula patients and referring them to treatment centers for care in Zambia’s Luapula Province. Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Kalumba worked for 8 years as a...
Read More
Jameson Kaunda
Jameson Kaunda is a Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He is responsible for planning and implementing Zambia’s monitoring & evaluation (M&E) activities pertaining to community outreach; the identification, screening and referral of fistula patients; and tracking and reporting surgical, clinical treatment, post-repair follow-up and reintegration activity...
Read More
Patricia Nyawa Tembo
Patricia Nyawa Tembo joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Zambia as program officer in 2022. She is stationed in Mpika District, where she covers programs in Muchinga Province and some parts of eastern Zambia. Patricia works with the Zambian Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising community health...
Read More
Thomas Huntington
Thomas Huntington is currently studying to become a physician at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He previously worked as the developer of several mobile applications for Apple iOS, including Nightstand Central, an alarm clock app. He has contributed to colorectal and ovarian cancer research and has volunteered at a nursing home and homeless...
Read More
Cleo Kiros
Cleo Kiros is the Founder and CEO of Wajirat Foundation—an organization that supports vocational and life-skills training for young adults in Ethiopia. Cleo also volunteers in different capacities with organizations that support women and children in the Bay Area and has previously served as a Fistula Foundation board member. She...
Read More
Ling Yang Lew
Ling Yang Lew serves as senior legal counsel at Apple. She previously worked at the County of Santa Clara, where she served as an advice attorney to the County’s health and hospital system, which provides safety-net health services. Prior to law school, Ling worked in health economics research. Ling is...
Read More
Charlotte Polle
Charlotte is an obstetrician/gynecologist and internationally accredited fistula surgeon through the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). She is also a public health specialist, with an MPH from Johns Hopkins University focusing on women and reproductive health. She is currently faculty at the School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics...
Read More
Gillian Slinger
Gillian Slinger is a Midwife and holds a BSc in Health Management, an MSc in Public Health, and a Teaching Certificate. After completing her Nurse and Midwifery training in the UK, Gillian worked as a Midwife for 10 years in French speaking Switzerland, before joining Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors Without...
Read More
Vanessa Taylor
Vanessa Taylor is a screenwriter who has worked in both television, (most recently on “Game of Thrones”), and film. Her feature work includes “Hope Springs,” “Divergent,” “Hillbilly Elegy,” and “The Shape of Water,” for which she received an Oscar nomination. Vanessa has also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate...
Read More
Dr. Steve Arrowsmith
Dr. Steve Arrowsmith has been working with Fistula Foundation for many years, but has recently become an official member of the staff. Currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steve has treated fistula throughout Africa and Asia for nearly 30 years and is an esteemed mentor and trainer for new fistula...
Read More
Dr. Andrew Browning AM FRCOG
Dr. Andrew Browning AM FRCOG is an Australian trained obstetrician and gynecologist who has been involved with fistula surgery since 1996. Dr. Browning’s life mission has been to help women suffering with obstetric fistula in Africa. As a young doctor, he was inspired to become a fistula surgeon after visiting...
Read More
Kate Grant
Kate Grant joined the Foundation as its first chief executive in 2005. She led the expansion of the Foundation from supporting one hospital in one country, Ethiopia, to its current position as the global leader in fistula treatment. Today, under her leadership, the Foundation supports treatment partners in more than 20...
Read More
Pam Lowney
As Chief Operating Officer, Pam broadly oversees process and IT improvements across the Foundation’s Program, Fundraising, and Administrative functions. Pam joined the Fistula Foundation in 2018 as Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, she led the redesign of the Foundation’s web presence to expand the Foundation's global community of...
Read More
Lindsey Pollaczek
Lindsey Pollaczek joined Fistula Foundation in 2014, initially based out of Nairobi, Kenya. She now serves as chief program officer, overseeing the Foundation’s programs in over 20 countries in Africa and Asia. Amongst her accomplishments is leading the successful Action on Fistula program in Kenya, and launching a countrywide program...
Read More
Shelly Helgeson
Shelly Helgeson originated the role of vice president of partnerships at Fistula Foundation. She brings to the role more than 15 years of experience in social entrepreneurship and strategic communications. She also brings a commitment to ensuring that birthing people everywhere have access to quality healthcare. Before joining Fistula Foundation,...
Read More
Michael Slind
Michael, who joined Fistula Foundation in 2021, has extensive experience as a strategic communication professional. He previously served as Director of Communication at King Philanthropies, a grantmaking organization that focuses on alleviating global poverty. From 2013 to 2016, he was the Senior Editor of Stanford Social Innovation Review, a quarterly...
Read More
Kelly Anderson
Kelly Anderson is pleased to join the dedicated team at Fistula Foundation as Senior Director of Philanthropy. Kelly’s commitment to women’s health and social justice began as a sexual assault crisis line volunteer at the University of Michigan. After two decades in leadership roles in rape crisis centers – first...
Read More
Darren Blankenship
Darren Blankenship is glad to join Fistula Foundation as Database Administrator. Darren brings over twenty years of experience working with various Bay Area non-profits and educational institutions. His passion is for systems integration and data integrity, and he is excited to bring this to Fistula Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s...
Read More
Jesse Chu
Jesse joined Fistula Foundation in 2019 and serves as the Program Manager, helping to support dozens of partnerships in over 20 countries. Jesse learned about fistula while serving as community health organizer with the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, where she developed and implemented programs to empower youth with reproductive health...
Read More
Hannah Garone
Hannah Garone joined Fistula Foundation as Donor Relations Manager in June 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, with a specialization in health and environment, from the College of New Jersey. An alumna of AmeriCorps, Hannah served with City Year San Jose/Silicon Valley in 2016–2017. She then worked...
Read More
Jamie Heisch
Jamie Heisch joined Fistula Foundation as philanthropy associate in April 2023. In that role, she works with colleagues to connect generous donors with opportunities to fund life-changing treatment for women in need. Jamie has several years of experience in providing administrative support, with a focus on helping to manage philanthropic...
Read More
Nicole Huelar
Nicole Huelar joined Fistula Foundation in the role of administrative assistant in November 2022. She has a bachelor of science degree in industrial design from San Jose State University, and has served in administrative and management roles on a voluntary basis with various organizations. Nicole brings to her role at...
Read More
Keerthana Rajagopal
Keerthana (Kee) Rajagopal joined Fistula Foundation as associate program manager in August 2022. Kee holds a master’s in public health from the University of California Berkeley and a master’s in health administration from Pennsylvania State University. In her role on the programs team, Kee supports grantmaking and helps strengthen partnerships...
Read More
Jackelen Renteria-Bustos
Jackelen Renteria-Bustos joined Fistula Foundation as a marketing and communication associate in August of 2022. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration, with a specialization in marketing, from San Jose State University, and she has worked as an intern at for-profit organizations. Her passion for creating a...
Read More
Jing Shi
Jing Shi joined Fistula Foundation as finance manager in November 2022. She brings to the organization more than 15 years of accounting and finance experience in the nonprofit sector Previously, Jing served as senior accountant, accounting supervisor, and finance manager at several nonprofits. In those roles, she oversaw day-to-day financial...
Read More
Tarah Walker
Tarah Walker joined Fistula Foundation in July 2021 as Senior Writer for Marketing Communications. She brings with her six years of experience in nonprofit communications, including media and public relations, content marketing, and internal communications. In addition to her public relations role at ACT, the global education nonprofit, Tarah led...
Read More
Morgan Walter
Morgan Walter joined in 2018. She holds a bachelors of arts in cinema from San Francisco State University, with an emphasis in documentaries. In 2012, her first film, “I Agree With Jennifer,” won third place at the Social Impact Doc Fest. This sparked her commitment to documentary filmmaking as a...
Read More
Habiba Corodhia Mohamed
Habiba C. Mohamed is regional director of programs, based out of Fistula Foundation’s Kenya office. Habiba joined the Foundation in 2014 as the outreach manager. In this role, she designed and spearheaded the community strategy for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Kenya. Later, she was promoted to country director...
Read More
Nelson Musa
Nelson Musa is Monitoring & Evaluation Officer of Fistula Foundation’s nationwide treatment network in Kenya. He brings fourteen years of experience in organizing and community health. Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Nelson worked as an organizer for Jhpiego, and currently partners with WADADIA (Women and Development Against Distress in Africa),...
Read More
Florence Changwe Mulenga
Florence Changwe Mulenga joined Fistula Foundation as administrative officer in 2022. She handles administrative work, such as tracking expenses and preparing patient logistics, for the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network (FFTN) in Zambia. She also manages calls to FFTN’s fistula hotline, screens potential patients, and refers women to treatment centers. She...
Read More
Bwalya Chomba
Bwalya Magawa Chomba joined Fistula Foundation as program manager in 2017, and is now the program director for Zambia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Mulungushi University in Kabwe, Zambia, and a master's in public health from the University of Lusaka (UNILUS). Bwalya is responsible for supporting...
Read More
Victor D. Chibale
Victor D. Chibale is a motor vehicle driver in Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He provides reliable and safe transportation to Fistula Foundation staff and relevant officials, and delivers mail, documents, and any other Fistula Foundation cargo. He also ensures that all licenses and documents for Fistula Foundation vehicles are valid....
Read More
Emmanuel Chiluba
Emmanuel Chiluba is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He works with representatives of the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers, and holds sensitization meetings for community leaders in Zambia’s Central Province. Emmanuel holds a diploma in social work, and has over 18...
Read More
Martin Chiyana
Martin Chiyana works as a Program Officer in Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He is stationed in Nchelenge District to cover programs in Luapula Province and some parts of Northern Zambia. Martin works with the Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising Community Health Volunteers and Safe Motherhood Action Group...
Read More
Jordan Chileshe Chomba
Jordan Chileshe Chomba works for the Fistula Foundation Zambia Office as a motor vehicle driver based in the Eastern Province. He provides transportation and travel logistics to the Zambia team and other relevant officials and helps deliver equipment and materials for the program. Jordan holds a valid SADC driver’s license...
Read More
Kalumba Kaputo
Kalumba Kaputa is a Program Officer at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He collaborates with the Ministry of Health and local grassroots organizations, screening potential fistula patients and referring them to treatment centers for care in Zambia’s Luapula Province. Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Kalumba worked for 8 years as a...
Read More
Jameson Kaunda
Jameson Kaunda is a Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator at Fistula Foundation’s Zambia office. He is responsible for planning and implementing Zambia’s monitoring & evaluation (M&E) activities pertaining to community outreach; the identification, screening and referral of fistula patients; and tracking and reporting surgical, clinical treatment, post-repair follow-up and reintegration activity...
Read More
Patricia Nyawa Tembo
Patricia Nyawa Tembo joined the Fistula Foundation Treatment Network in Zambia as program officer in 2022. She is stationed in Mpika District, where she covers programs in Muchinga Province and some parts of eastern Zambia. Patricia works with the Zambian Ministry of Health, assists in training and supervising community health...
Read More
Thomas Huntington
Thomas Huntington is currently studying to become a physician at the Indiana University School of Medicine. He previously worked as the developer of several mobile applications for Apple iOS, including Nightstand Central, an alarm clock app. He has contributed to colorectal and ovarian cancer research and has volunteered at a nursing home and homeless...
Read More
Cleo Kiros
Cleo Kiros is the Founder and CEO of Wajirat Foundation—an organization that supports vocational and life-skills training for young adults in Ethiopia. Cleo also volunteers in different capacities with organizations that support women and children in the Bay Area and has previously served as a Fistula Foundation board member. She...
Read More
Ling Yang Lew
Ling Yang Lew serves as senior legal counsel at Apple. She previously worked at the County of Santa Clara, where she served as an advice attorney to the County’s health and hospital system, which provides safety-net health services. Prior to law school, Ling worked in health economics research. Ling is...
Read More
Charlotte Polle
Charlotte is an obstetrician/gynecologist and internationally accredited fistula surgeon through the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). She is also a public health specialist, with an MPH from Johns Hopkins University focusing on women and reproductive health. She is currently faculty at the School of Medicine Department of Obstetrics...
Read More
Gillian Slinger
Gillian Slinger is a Midwife and holds a BSc in Health Management, an MSc in Public Health, and a Teaching Certificate. After completing her Nurse and Midwifery training in the UK, Gillian worked as a Midwife for 10 years in French speaking Switzerland, before joining Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF/Doctors Without...
Read More
Vanessa Taylor
Vanessa Taylor is a screenwriter who has worked in both television, (most recently on “Game of Thrones”), and film. Her feature work includes “Hope Springs,” “Divergent,” “Hillbilly Elegy,” and “The Shape of Water,” for which she received an Oscar nomination. Vanessa has also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate...
Read More
Dr. Steve Arrowsmith
Dr. Steve Arrowsmith has been working with Fistula Foundation for many years, but has recently become an official member of the staff. Currently based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Steve has treated fistula throughout Africa and Asia for nearly 30 years and is an esteemed mentor and trainer for new fistula...
Read More
Dr. Andrew Browning AM FRCOG
Dr. Andrew Browning AM FRCOG is an Australian trained obstetrician and gynecologist who has been involved with fistula surgery since 1996. Dr. Browning’s life mission has been to help women suffering with obstetric fistula in Africa. As a young doctor, he was inspired to become a fistula surgeon after visiting...
Read More