Lindsey Pollaczek, who joined Fistula Foundation in 2014 as program director, now serves as chief partnerships officer. In her work, Lindsey leverages her extensive program experience to cultivate relationships with institutions and individuals capable of making a transformative impact on fistula care. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, for four years, Lindsey launched and led the groundbreaking Action on Fistula pilot program, which pioneered a comprehensive approach to connecting women across Kenya with life-changing fistula treatment, while building the capacity of healthcare providers and community organizations. Leveraging this success, Lindsey managed the launch of countrywide treatment networks in Zambia (2017), the Democratic Republic of Congo (2022), and Tanzania (2023). As the Foundation’s senior program leader for more than a decade, Lindsey was instrumental in expanding the organization’s reach from 27 program partners to more than 90 partners across 30 countries in Africa and Asia, scaling annual impact from 4,500 surgeries to 16,500 surgeries globally.
Prior to joining Fistula Foundation, Lindsey worked with the humanitarian organization Direct Relief, overseeing the organization’s Maternal and Child Health portfolio, where she designed and implemented programs to improve access to essential health services for women and children, particularly the right to a safe pregnancy and delivery, and treatment for obstetric fistula.
Lindsey holds a master’s in public health degree in community health sciences from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Fellowship for Health Equity, a program that supports global leaders working to combat health disparity and promote equity.