About Us

The Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) is based at the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences and is dedicated to increasing access to safe surgery and perioperative care worldwide. In 2020, multiple initiatives and stakeholders, including the UCSF Anesthesia Division of Global Health Equity and the UCSF Center for Global Surgical Studies, came together to form CHESA.

Mission

To expand equitable access to perioperative care through partnerships that strengthen capacity and advance shared priorities.

Vision

We envision a future where the global capacity of surgical, anesthesia, and perioperative care serves all people, everywhere.

Guiding Principles

Champion health equity for vulnerable populations
Elevate interventions prioritized by local and international partners
Harmonize approaches between local and international populations
Prioritize implementation and impact evaluation

Meet the Team

The Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia brings together leading clinicians, educators, researchers, public health practitioners, and operational leaders to support our mission. Get to know our talented team and partners below.

Doruk Ozgediz, MD, MSc

Director, CHESA
Professor of Pediatric Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Ozgediz is Professor of Surgery at UCSF, Director of the UCSF CHESA and member of the leadership team of the Institute for Global Health Sciences. He trained in medicine at UCSF and completed a general surgery residency at UCSF before pursuing a pediatric surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto. Dr. Ozgediz also completed a Master's of Science in Public Health in Developing Countries at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Ozgediz became involved in surgical collaborations in Uganda in 2003 and since then has been part of multiple collaborations to strengthen surgery and anesthesia care there and in the region, mostly through support of capacity-building initiatives.

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Coleen Sabatini, MD, MPH

Associate Director, CHESA
Vice Chair for Health Equity and Academic Affairs, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UCSF
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Sabatini is dedicated to caring for children with musculoskeletal problems both domestically and abroad, and believes that all children should have access to high quality, safe, and affordable orthopaedic care. She is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon based at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland (BCHO) in Oakland, California. She serves as the Vice Chair of Health Equity and Academic Affairs for the UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and co-Director of the UCSF CHESA. Her global surgery work is primarily based in Uganda, where she has been working since 2013 and is based on collaborative work to strengthen musculoskeletal care through education and research.

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Michael Lipnick, MD

Associate Director, CHESA
Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Lipnick is an anesthesiologist and intensivist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, a UCSF School of Medicine graduate, and has completed residency and fellowship training at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and UCSF. His work focuses on critical care, perioperative care, medical education, and health equity, co-founding initiatives such as CHESA and OpenOximetry.org, while also serving as co-Director of the UCSF WHO Collaborating Center for Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care. As an investigator in the UCSF Hypoxia Lab and Dive Medical Officer at the California Academy of Sciences, he leads research on oxygen infrastructure in resource-limited settings, hypoxia tolerance, and pulse oximetry performance disparities.

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Marissa Boeck, MD, MPH

Associate Director, CHESA
Assistant Professor of Acute Care Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Boeck is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UCSF, serving as an acute care and trauma surgeon at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Parnassus. She is the Associate Director of CHESA and the surgery lead for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care. Her research and advocacy focus on global public health, injury prevention, trauma system strengthening, and injury survivorship, with projects spanning the U.S., Bolivia, Kenya, Cameroon, and Tanzania.

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David Bayne, MD, MPH

Associate Director and Director of Research, CHESA
Assistant Professor of Urology, UCSF
Chief of Urology, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Bio

Dr. Bayne is a urologist and Chief of Urology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, specializing in urinary stone disease, ureteral strictures, and minimally invasive surgery. After earning his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 2012, he completed his residency in urology and a fellowship in Endourology and Laparoscopy at UCSF before joining the faculty in 2020. His research focuses on the social and behavioral factors influencing kidney stone disease, aiming to address disparities in treatment and prevention through a deeper understanding of social determinants of health.

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Tyler Law, MD, MSc

Associate Director of Research, CHESA
Assistant Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Law completed a five-year residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Toronto, and holds an MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Finance from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is interested in the interface between the surgical system and the rest of the health system, and how these interactions can be optimized. His experience in global health is an outgrowth of this interest, and he has published on knowledge translation in developing countries, as well as completed an internship at WHO in Geneva.

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Erica Langnas, MD, MPH

Associate Director of Research, CHESA
Assistant Clinical Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Langnas is an assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care. A recent UCSF graduate, she completed her residency and a health equity fellowship at CHESA, now her clinical work is at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Langnas received her medical degree at the University of Nebraska and her MPH at Columbia University. Her research focus is on opioid prescribing patterns in surgical patients and health equity in the perioperative period.

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Lia Jacobson, MD, MS

Co-Director of the CHESA Fellowship
Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Jacobson is a pediatric otolaryngologist specializing in airway disorders, aerodigestive conditions, chronic ear disease, and other ENT issues requiring surgical treatment. She is dedicated to improving surgical education globally, working with ENT training programs in Tanzania and Cambodia, and focusing on capacity building in global surgery, pediatric airway safety, and physician wellness. After earning degrees from UC Berkeley and USC, she completed her medical training at the Keck School of Medicine, followed by a residency in otolaryngology at USC and a fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at UCSF.

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Cathy Kilyewala, MBChB, MMed

Co-Director of the CHESA Fellowship
Lecturer, Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Makerere University

Bio

Dr. Cathy Kilyewala is a Lecturer at Makerere University College of Health Sciences Department of Surgery, attached to the Breast and Endocrine Surgery Unit of Mulago National Referral Hospital. She previously worked as Surgeon and Head of Unit at Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital. She is a former Global Partners of Anesthesia and Surgery Senior Scholar. She is passionate about global health and health systems research, as well as training health professionals in surgery. She is a member of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda, the Uganda Medical Association, and The Lions Club. She received the Women in Surgery in Africa outstanding female surgeon award in 2020.

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Sriranjani Padmanabhan, MD

Co-Director of the CHESA Fellowship
Associate Medical Director for Ophthalmology, ZSFG Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Department of Ophthalmology, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Padmanabhan is an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Associate Medical Director for the Ophthalmology service at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Dr. Padmanabhan’s primary interests are in the clinical care of marginalized populations and the clinical and surgical teaching of ophthalmology trainees. Her scholarly endeavors lie at the intersection of health equity in ophthalmology and the improvement of eye care delivery in diverse and underserved populations, especially with respect to glaucoma and cataract surgery. She also co-directs the CHESA Fellowship program.

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Rebecca Silvers, BSN, MSN, DNP

Director of Education, CHESA
Director, Center for Global Nursing, UCSF
Assistant Clinical Professor of Nursing, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Silvers is a pediatric nurse practitioner and holds clinical positions in pediatric critical care and pediatric neurosurgery at our Benioff Children's Hospitals' Mission Bay and Oakland campuses. She is also an assistant clinical professor at the UCSF School of Nursing and teaches for the pediatric nurse practitioner program. Rebecca has also had a long-standing practice in global health focused on critical care, pediatrics, capacity building, implementation science, and education in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). She is currently the research lead for the Global Neurosurgery Consortium's nursing team and is working on various projects gathering insight into the nursing and APP peri-op and critical care workforce and looking at outcomes of critical care virtual simulation training. She has also recently launched the Center for Global Nursing at UCSF Institute of Global Health Sciences and is excited to continue working with CHESA as the Director of Education.

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Maytinee Lilaonitkul, MBBS

Associate Director of Education, CHESA
Assistant Clinical Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Lilaonitkul is an anesthesiologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and a faculty member in the Division of Global Health Equity at UCSF. She completed her medical training at Imperial College London, followed by specialist anesthesia training in the UK and a fellowship at Stanford University. Her interests include global health, medical education, and patient safety, and she leads initiatives such as the Simulation Medical Education fellowship for international fellows from LMICs and the Anaesthesia Tutorial of the Week.

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Adrian Gelb, MD

Director of Advocacy and Policy, CHESA
Professor Emeritus of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF
Former President, World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists

Bio

Dr. Gelb is Distinguished Professor, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco. He served as Professor & Chair of Anesthesia at Western University, Canada, before coming to UCSF as Vice Chair (2004 -2011). Dr. Gelb has served as President of 4 organizations and other leadership roles in multiple national and international Anaesthesia Societies. As of 2022, he was President of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA). Working with WHO and other global groups, he is a strong advocate for expansion of access to safe anesthesia. He is an active academic with > 300 publications (h-Index 62, citations 14,400) and has served on many international editorial boards. He is an accomplished communicator and has given over 350 invited lectures around the world. He has won awards for research, teaching and mentorship.

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John Rose, MD, MPH

Associate Director of Advocacy, CHESA
Assistant Professor of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Rose focuses on the performance of health care systems for patients having surgery. Taking a broad view of health services, he studies the effects of hospital protocols, the dissemination of new technologies, and the effects of health care policy on patient care. His research has received funding from the National Institutes of Health and includes data from patients in numerous countries. He has authored more than 50 scientific manuscripts, and his findings have been featured in landmark initiatives from the Lancet, World Bank and World Health Organization.

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Fred Bulamba, MBChB, MMed

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Senior Lecturer and Head of Anesthesia, Busitema University

Bio

Dr. Bulamba currently works at the faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University. He does research in Anesthesia and anesthetic techniques, anesthesia human resource and education and surgical outcomes research. His current projects include the Global Anesthesia Workforce Study. In 2017, with support from WFSA, Fred joined the UCSF team in San Francisco to complete training in medical education and simulation. Fred has led the creation of a simulation and skills lab at Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda.

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Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. DiGiorgio is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery at UCSF, specializing in traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and minimally invasive spine surgery. He completed his DO degree at Touro University and neurosurgery residency at LSU Health Sciences Center, followed by fellowships in minimally invasive spine surgery and neurocritical care at UCSF. With a background in healthcare policy, he earned a Master’s in Health Administration and has served as a healthcare policy fellow in the US Senate, as well as a delegate to the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies and the California Medical Association.

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Odi Ehie, MD

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Vice Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF Assistant Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Ehie is a pediatric anesthesiologist with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Global Health, and Education, having led a diversity curriculum for anesthesia and surgery residents at UCSF and served as Head of Clinical Skills Curriculum for the UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Medical Program. After training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, NYU Langone, and Stanford, Dr. Ehie now leads global health initiatives in Vietnam, chairs the California Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and serves as Vice Chair of DEI in UCSF’s Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care.

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Phyllis Kisa, MBChB, MMed

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Lecturer, Department of Pediatric Surgery, Makerere University

Bio

Dr. Kisa, a pediatric surgeon and the first fellowship-trained pediatric urologist in Uganda, completed her medical education at Makerere University and pursued specialized training in general surgery and pediatric surgery, including fellowships at BC Children's Hospital in Canada. She currently works as a pediatric surgeon in Uganda, serving as a lecturer at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, with a strong focus on research in perioperative nutrition and improving pediatric surgical care. Dr. Kisa has also organized a stakeholder meeting to enhance children's surgery and anesthesia in Uganda, collaborating with local and international partners to improve surgical capacity and research.

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Tonny (Stone) Luggya, MBChB, MMEC

Leadership Committee, CHESA Chair of Anesthesia and Emergency Medicine Department, Makerere University

Bio

Dr. Luggya is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesia and Emergency Medicine at Makerere University and a leadership committee member of CHESA. He played a key role in developing and accrediting Uganda’s first Emergency Medicine training program and has led anesthesia and critical care initiatives across East Africa. A widely published researcher with international affiliations, he has authored numerous studies in anesthesia, critical care, and trauma.

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Cornelius Sendagire, MBChB, MMed

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Lecturer, Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Makerere University

Bio

Dr. Sendagire is a Lecturer in the Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health Sciences. He is a Cardiac Anesthesiologist and Intensivist at the Uganda Heart Institute. He has a keen interest in anesthesia and critical care training, academia, and research. He has published work in critical care medicine, safety in perioperative medicine, and simulation medical education. During the COVID-19 outbreak in Uganda, he has provided leadership in training and coordination of critical care staff in response to the surge in Uganda. He sits on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Uganda’s Case Management Pillar and majorly contributed to the development of the national COVID-19 critical care guidelines.

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Ally Hamisi Mwanga, MD, MMED, MSc

Leadership Committee, CHESA
Head of Department of Surgery, MUHAS

Bio

Dr. Mwanga is the Head of the Department of Surgery at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and a hepatobiliary surgeon specializing in malignant gastrointestinal conditions. He earned his medical degree and a Master’s in Medicine from Muhimbili University. His research focuses on cancer outcomes, surgical education, and capacity building.

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Amy Fiedler, MD, MS

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Cardiac Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Fiedler is a cardiac surgeon specializing in heart failure and heart transplantation, with a focus on improving patients' quality of life through holistic care and strong patient-provider communication. Her research aims to increase access to heart transplantation by improving organ preservation and procurement techniques. Dr. Fiedler earned her medical degree from George Washington University and completed residencies at Massachusetts General Hospital, and she currently serves as surgical director for Team Heart, providing cardiac surgery in Rwanda.

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Stephanie Lin, MD, MPhil

Leadership Committee, CHESA Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Lin is a vascular surgeon specializing in aneurysms, arterial occlusive disease, hemodialysis access, embolotherapy, and functional limb restoration, including for amputee patients. She tailors treatments for optimal, long-lasting results and emphasizes patient education, with a philosophy focused on collaboration, sincerity, preparation, and precision. Dr. Lin earned her degrees at Stanford University, completed her residency at UCSF, and fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, with a strong commitment to global health, medical missions, and healthcare equity.

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Shareef Syed, MBChB, MRCS

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Transplant Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Syed is a general surgeon specializing in abdominal organ transplantation, with expertise in kidney and liver transplantation, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, and minimally invasive procedures for kidney, liver, and bile duct conditions. His research focuses on liver and kidney transplant outcomes, particularly for patients with liver cancer, and the development of noninvasive tests for kidney rejection. Dr. Syed trained in the UK and at UCSF, where he completed his general surgery residency and abdominal transplantation fellowship, and is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

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Willieford Moses, MD

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Moses is a pediatric surgeon specializing in the care of children undergoing surgery as part of cancer treatment and managing complex congenital anomalies. His research focuses on pediatric health equity, specifically developing innovative medical devices and therapeutic tools that can improve health outcomes for children, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Dr. Moses earned his medical degree and completed residencies and fellowships at UCSF and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, with a focus on surgical innovations.

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Mary Xu, MD

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Xu is a surgeon specializing in head and neck cancers, with expertise in ablative surgery, microvascular reconstruction, transoral robotic surgery, and endocrine surgery. Her research focuses on improving care for head and neck cancers in resource-constrained health systems, collaborating with health systems in Tanzania and Rwanda through the UCSF Global Cancer Program. Dr. Xu earned her medical degree through the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology and completed her residency at UCSF, followed by a fellowship in head and neck oncology at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Felicia Lester, MD, MPH

Leadership Committee, CHESA Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Lester is an obstetrician and gynecologist specializing in a wide range of gynecologic conditions, including contraception and menopausal care, and performing in-office procedures like colposcopy. Her research focuses on global women's health, reproductive health, and preventing maternal mortality, particularly obstetrical hemorrhage. Dr. Lester earned her medical degree and completed her residency at UCSF, following a Master of Public Health from UC Berkeley and a fellowship in family planning and global women's health at Harvard University’s Brigham and Women's Hospital.

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Martha Tesfalul, MD

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Tesfalul specializes in global and domestic disparities in maternal and child health outcomes, health implementation sciences, and quality improvement in obstetrics. She completed a BA in Sociology and Health Policy at Harvard University, an MD at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCSF, and a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at UCSF in 2021.

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Stefanie Ueda, MD

Leadership Committee, CHESA Associate Professor of Gynecologic Oncology, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Ueda is a gynecologic oncologist specializing in ovarian cancer and robotic surgery. Her research focuses on low-grade serous and clear cell ovarian cancers, uterine serous cancer, biologically targeted therapies, and treatment outcomes. Dr. Ueda earned her medical degree with honors from NYU School of Medicine, completed a residency at the University of Hawai'i, and a fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service.

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Teresa Kortz, MD, MS, PhD

Leadership Committee, CHESA Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UCSF

Bio

Dr. Kortz is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics in Critical Care Medicine at UCSF and serves as the Program Director of the Faculty Affiliate Program of the Institute for Global Health Sciences and co-director of the Pediatric Global Health Scholars Pathway. She is an NIH-funded researcher focusing on pediatric sepsis etiology, biomarkers, and clinical outcomes in East Africa, and has previously worked as a sepsis consultant for the WHO and contributed to the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Management Pillar. Dr. Kortz is also a member of the UCSF-WHO Collaborating Center and leads international projects through the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) Network, focusing on acute pediatric critical illness in resource-limited settings.

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Patti Orozco, MPA

Deputy Director

Bio

Patti is Deputy Director at CHESA. She brings more than 12 years of experience in international development supporting the strategic growth of programs and partnerships in over 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Prior to joining UCSF, Patti was Senior Business Development Specialist for Catholic Relief Services based in Lusaka, where she led resource mobilization and new program development for the Zambia and Mozambique portfolios spanning health, food security and humanitarian sectors. Previously, she served as a Peace Corps health volunteer in Mozambique. Patti holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Columbia University and MPA from the University of Washington.

Aleena Jacob, MPH

Program Coordinator

Bio

Aleena brings a wealth of experience from her most recent role as a Program Specialist at Mental Health America of Greater Houston. There, she led a pioneering program in collaboration with behavioral health providers to develop and implement strategies to increase access to care and reduce disparities in mental health services. As Program Coordinator, Aleena provides dedicated programmatic and administrative support to the CHESA fellowship and other CHESA initiatives. She holds a BS in Health from the University of Houston and MPH from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Fekir (Fiffi) Negussie, MPH

Program Manager

Bio

As a public health professional, Fiffi worked in Southern Africa for several years leading research and implementation projects. She worked as a Strategic Information Fellow with CDC Mozambique analyzing programmatic data and supporting Implementing Partners develop data collection tools. Most recently, Fiffi worked as the in-country lead for IGHS' portfolio of projects in Namibia conducting HIV research and launching national-level informatics projects. Fiffi joined the CHESA team in 2022 is a Program Manager. In this role, she supports the Open Oximetry project (https://openoximetry.org), USAID-STAR COVID-19 Global Goods project (https://opencriticalcare.org) and the WHO Collaborating Center in Emergency, Critical and Operative Care.

Lea EL Rassi, BS

Program/Administrative Assistant

Bio

Lea is a current Global Health Sciences master’s student. Her interest in global health started in Lebanon, where she grew up witnessing firsthand the impact of health disparities. She continued to pursue her interest during her undergrad at UCLA, where she contributed to PASE's research projects on surgical equity in Cameroon.

Abay Gosaye Wondimu

Pediatric Surgery

Bio

Dr. Wondimu is a consultant general pediatrics surgeon working with an academic rank of assistant professor at Addis Ababa University, Tikur Anbessa Specialized hospital since March 2022. His main duty being guiding pediatrics surgery residents and fellows and medical students.

Alexa Engel

General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Engel is a second year surgery resident at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She has always had a love for tutoring, mentoring and community involvement. She was first introduced to international mission trips in Honduras in 2020 right before the COVID pandemic. During the pandemic, she started a non profit organization geared to increasing access to food and resources to the community of Jackson. Her heart grew for health equity and she knew she wanted this to be incorporated into her career. She has since gone to Rwanda with a surgical mission and continues to work to obtain experience and knowledge to be able to help prepare her for future goals.

Anteneh Tadesse Kifle

Urology

Bio

Dr. Kifle is a consultant general surgeon and urologist. He is trained his undergraduate and general surgery residency at Hawassa University, Ethiopia. He has done his urology fellowship at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, Tanzania. Currently, he is working at PCEA Chogoria Hospital as the vice director of general surgery training and head of the department of surgery. He is a member of both national and international societies, including the urology society of Ethiopia, the Kenyan association of urologic surgeons, and the society of international urology and endourology society.

Chisom Udeigwe-Okeke

Pediatric Surgery

Bio

Dr. Udeigwe-Okeke, MBBS, FWACS, is presently a fellow in Pediatric Surgery at the National Hospital, Abuja, Nigeria. She received her medical degree at the University College Hospital and University of Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria in 2011. She subsequently served as a medical officer in the Nigerian Defense Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria before embarking on a residency training program in the department of Surgery, National Hospital Abuja which she completed in October 2023. She was awarded the Fellowship of the West African College of Surgeons in Pediatric Surgery, and the Alinta/Nwako Prize as the best candidate in the 2023 Fellowship examination in Pediatric Surgery at the West African College of Surgeons. Dr. Udeigwe-Okeke is passionate about bridging the gap between surgical diseases and access to optimal healthcare delivery in children in Low- and Middle-income countries. To this end, she is actively involved in implementation of the National Surgical, Obstetrics, Anesthesia and Nursing Plan for Nigeria. She is also working closely with the KidsOR to study the impact of creating dedicated children's surgery infrastructure in Nigeria and how to improve the quality of life of Pediatric Surgical patients. She’s also actively involved in developing simulation models for skills acquisition for trainees as well as non-specialist children’s surgical providers in the setting.

Emmanuel Stephen Aporu

Anesthesia

Bio

Dr. Aporu is a Ugandan medical doctor pursuing a Master of Medicine in Anesthesia and Critical Care at Makerere University. He practices at Mulago National Referral Hospital, the largest public hospital in Uganda. His special interests are perioperative pain management, medical education, and mentorship. He was integral to the national project to improve emergency care in Eastern Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is an associate member of the Association of Anesthesiologists of Uganda and a member of the Emergency Care Society of Uganda.

Greta Davis

Surgery

Bio

Dr. Davis earned her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and is currently an integrated plastic surgery resident at UCSF. Hailing from Wisconsin, her education and training have led her to work in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. During her time abroad, she focused on environmental health factors, surgical care delivery, and collaborated with local ministries to assess current surgical systems, contributing to national surgical planning efforts

Herman Lule

General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Lule is a General Surgeon at Double Cure Hospital in Uganda and a Doctoral Researcher in Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Turku and Turku University Hospital in Finland. He also attained a postgraduate certificate in global health and infectious diseases from the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Herman is an affiliate of the Injury Prevention Research Group and Turku Brain Injury Center of the University of Turku, and an International Member of Australian Injury Prevention Network, Australian College of Road Safety, Association of Academic Surgery USA, Public Health Association of Australia, and Association of Surgeons of Uganda. His research interests lies with in the global health domain of addressing health and surgical care inequities amongst the most vulnerable populations. He is passionate about strengthening rural trauma care systems and improving the quality of injury data in Africa which is the focus of his doctoral thesis that builds capacity for rural trauma teams in Uganda.

Innocent Okello

Pediatric Surgery

Bio

Dr. Okello is a specialist Pediatric surgeon having trained in Mulago National Referral Hospital under COSECSA pediatric surgery fellowship program. He has also received training from University of Alberta in Canada. He is currently based at Mulago Hospital as a Pediatric Surgeon. He completed his medical training at Gulu University in Northern Uganda and his Master of Medicine training in General Surgery at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Dr. Okello is currently a member of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU) and also a fellow of COSECSA.

Kara Faktor

General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Faktor is a General Surgery resident at UCSF. She graduated from Brandeis University with a B.S. in neuroscience, biology and Hispanic studies and received her medical degree from UCLA. During medical school, she spent a year in Rwanda conducting surgical site infection research through a Doris Duke International Clinical Research Fellowship, as well as a year pursuing an MSc in Public Health for Development from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research focus is on local and global surgical equity, as well as surgical education.

Lydia Ipulu Kopsy

General Surgery

Mekdim Siyoum

Transplant Surgery

Bio

Dr. Siyoum is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Director of the Health Sciences Education Development Center (HSEDC) at Saint Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC). As one of the first specialized kidney transplant surgeons in Ethiopia, he is pioneering legislation on transplantation and deceased donation, and working to sustain his country’s young transplant program through national and international advocacy and research collaborations. Specifically pertinent to this application, Dr. Siyoum is passionate about advancing medical education, not just at the college and country level, but across the whole region. In his role as an educator, he directly mentors trainees at all levels (from medical students to general surgery residents), to train competent health professionals who can improve the delivery of quality health services to the community. As director of HSEDC, he develops and revises curricula at the college and national level, develops and employs innovative teaching and assessment methods (e.g. introduction of Entrustable Professional Activities to the family planning and reproductive health fellowship). Currently, Dr. Siyoum is working with the national working group to achieve medical school accreditation by the World Federation of Medical Education.

Munahimbala Hamweemba

Trauma Surgery

Bio

Dr. Hamweemba is a Specialist Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. His extensive education includes a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Zambia, and a Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management from the University of Lusaka. Dr. Hamweemba further specialized in Trauma and Orthopaedics through a Master of Surgery from the University of Edinburgh, and completed a Trauma Fellowship at the Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute in Tanzania. He is a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), Fellow of the Zambia College of Medicine and Surgery (ZACOMS) and an associate Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). He has also pursued advanced training globally, including the AOSpine Global Spine Diploma and a fellowship in Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago's MacLean Center. Dr. Hamweemba has been involved in numerous professional training courses, enhancing his expertise in areas such as Advanced Trauma and fracture management, as well as spine surgery. His commitment to medical education, patient care, and ethical practice is demonstrated through his active involvement in teaching, clinical audits, and participation in various professional associations. His research contributions and presentations at international conferences highlight his dedication to advancing the field of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery.

Nasir Oyelwo

Urology

Bio

Dr. Oyelwo is a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Urologist at Ahmadu Bello University Zaira, Nigeria who is passionate about improving the surgical outcomes in developing countries in Africa through research, collaboration, and training within Africa and in the the developed world.

Nathalie Paul

Anesthesia

Oti Nimi Aria

Plastic Surgery

Bio

Following completion of my residency training 4 years ago, Dr. Aria is currently work as a Plastic Surgeon at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), the 2 tertiary institutions offering burns, plastic and reconstructive surgery services in Rivers State, Nigeria. One of the very few female plastic surgeons in Nigeria, Dr. Aria is the only plastic surgeon at the RSUTH where she is tasked with setting up and delivering specialty care and training using innovative contextualized methods to address and reduce the burden of unmet needs in a this low resourced setting. She is involved in the training of medical students and surgical residents. Her practice setting has created in her a passion for improving access to much needed surgical care and a drive to strengthen surgical systems. Dr. Aria is currently serving as a member of Nigeria’s National Surgical Obstetric Anaesthesia and Nursing Plan (NSOANP) technical team.

Phiona Nansubuga

Anesthesia

Bio

Dr. Nansubuga is a consultant anesthesiologist currently working at the Uganda cancer institute with a passion for safe perioperative anesthesia and critical care. She is one of the pioneer anesthesiologists at the institute offering perioperative care to oncology patients and involved in the planning, training and developing of anesthesia and critical care services at this institute. Dr. Nansubuga is passionate about perioperative research and training of anesthesia providers in low resource settings. She is also the education secretary elect for the Association of Anesthesiologists of Uganda ( AAU).

Prajjwol Luitel

Bio

Dr. Luitel completed medical schooling at Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Nepal securing the first position among approximately 10,000 applicants in the MBBS entrance examination, earning a government scholarship for his education. Currently serving as an intern doctor at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Kathmandu, he is deeply committed to addressing health disparities, especially in surgery and perioperative care. He will soon transition to a rural community primary health care center under government bonding, assuming the role of in-charge. Recognizing Nepal's health workforce shortage, he aims to implement training programs for community health workers, specifically targeting congenital external genitourinary anomalies identification and referral in rural areas. His approach emphasizes community participation and capacity development, aiming for sustainable solutions tailored to local needs. Leveraging existing connections and partnerships, including with tertiary hospitals in Kathmandu, he aspires to ensure comprehensive and integrated healthcare delivery within the community.

Priscilla Aceng Rukundo

Anesthesia

Bio

Dr. Rukundo is an Anesthesia and Critical Care resident at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. She is passionate about perioperative medicine especially in promoting safe and equal chances for everyone who undergoes surgery and anesthesia, and believes this can be achieved in a number of ways especially through education and research. Dr. Rukundo is currently the principal investigator in a research project that is seeking to find out the patient satisfaction level with perioperative services and associated factors in Mulago National Hospital, Uganda.

Rebecca Claire Lusobya

Ophtalmology

Bio

Dr. Lusobya is a Ugandan Ophthalmologist working with Makerere College of Health Sciences as a lecturer with five years of experience in the medical and surgical management of various eye conditions in the Ophthalmology department and hard-to-reach areas. In addition to teaching theory and clinical skills to undergraduate and postgraduate students, she participates in patient care and supervise residents' research work and dissertation writing. Furthermore, Dr. Lusobya is the head the directorate of Research of this unit, whereby she organizes and participates in all Research-related activities like symposiums and Journal clubs. She is completing her pediatric ophthalmology and strabismus fellowship at Aravind Eye Hospital India.

Ronald Kiweewa

Trauma Surgery

Bio

Dr. Kiweewa has a broad background in medicine and surgery practice, with specific training and expertise in General Surgery with interest in trauma, minimal access surgery, health professionals’ education and research. Dr. Kiweewa has been a research enthusiast since the early days of his research carrier, with research experience pertaining to metabolic derangements in trauma and timing of surgery during Covid-19.

Rovine Naluyimbazi

Pediatric Surgery

Bio

Dr. Naluyimbazi, a passionate pediatric surgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital, recently graduated from the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA). Committed to her field, she is a passionate member of professional organizations like the Uganda Medical Association (UMA), Association of Surgeons of Uganda (ASOU), and Global Initiative for Children's Surgery (GICS). Dr. Naluyimbazi holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree and a Master's of Medicine in Surgery from Makerere University's College of Health Sciences. Her 11 years of experience include specializing in pediatric surgery and serving as a Medical Officer at Makerere University Joint AIDS Project (MJAP), a tertiary HIV care center. During her fellowship, Dr. Naluyimbazi actively mentored medical students and residents at Makerere University. Now, she leverages her expertise as a pediatric surgeon at Mulago National Referral Hospital, making a profound impact on young lives. Beyond her medical career, Dr. Naluyimbazi cherishes her family life in Kampala, Uganda, alongside her husband and their four children. When not saving lives, she embraces opportunities for swimming, adventure, and indulging in her love for reading.

Ruth Kagere

ENT

Bio

Dr. Kagere is currently a Coordinator for Undergraduate studies and an Assistant Lecturer ENT Department Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Shukri Mohamed Dahir

General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Dahir is a general surgeon working in Somaliland, East Africa. She was trained as a nurse and midwife at Edna Adan University Hospital, and then got a scholarship to do medicine, graduating in 2012, including a 1-year internship. Since, there was no residency program in her country, she worked as a General Practitioner for 3 years, collaborating with visiting surgeons to learn and improve on her surgical skills. Since there is little opportunities for surgical specialization in Somaliland, she helped thousands of children and adults with different surgical needs. In 2016, she was given the opportunity to train as a fistula surgeon fellow with FIGO, which has given her the privilege to take care of women with this issue within her country. She then became MCS COSECSA trainee that she graduated from in 2017, and later joined a general surgery training program started Hargeisa University in collaboration with Istanbul Medeniyet University, which she graduated from in 2022.

Willybroad Massawe

ENT

Wongel Tena Shale

General Surgery

Bio

Dr. Shale is a General Surgeon and an Assistant professor at Jimma University Medical Center, a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of East, central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and an active member of Women in surgery Africa (WISA) and the surgical Society of Ethiopia (SSE). She is the first female surgeon to ever venture to work at Mohammed Akile Memorial Hospital (MAMH) in Afar region of Ethiopia which involved providing care to the most remote, impoverished, and rural population that is affected by recurring, periodic tribal conflict. She co-founded and coordinated the Disaster Preparedness And Response team at MAMH. For this, she was recognized by WISA with the 2023 WISA Shield Maiden award which is given to an outstanding female surgeon who has beaten the odds to achieve her career goals, and one who supports and empowers others being an agent of change in their community. Dr. Shale undertook various research trainings including the Supporting Women In Science capacity building program under the International Global Health Development Program of the Aga Khan University (IGHD-AKU), and Oxford University in collaboration. She is a member of the COSECSA Surgical Audit Network and currently working to implement Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol to improve patient outcomes. Her current research interests focus on improving the quality and outcome of patients by implementing evidence that have proven effective elsewhere in her local context, as well as advocating for equitable access to evidence based surgical care.

Justine Broecker

General Surgery

Bio

Justine Broecker is from Atlanta GA. She completed medical school at Emory, general surgery residency at Mayo Clinic Florida and trauma/critical care fellowship at UTSW/Parkland. She is currently a HEAL fellow working at Gallup Indian Medical Center and with the HEAL/CHESA team in Uganda working with COSECSA surgery residents at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

JohnBaptist Ssenyondwa

General Surgery

Bio

John Baptist Ssenyondwa is a general surgeon from Uganda; trained at Makerere University College of Health Sciences. He is a CHESA fellow pursuing a career in global surgery with the aim of improving surgical services in Africa. A strong advocate for equity in health, surgical research, innovations and collaborations. He is interested in practicing surgery to improve life without any discriminations, training more surgeons to meet the surgical needs of Uganda and in conducting research to answer some of science's complex questions. He is particularly interested in surgical oncology. Current projects include developing a digital surgical training platform in Uganda, fostering collaborations between Uganda and international training institutions and a recent publication in the role of fibrinogen in traumatic brain injury. He currently works with the Children's surgical hospital in Uganda and is a member of the Association of Surgeons of Uganda.

Baraka Mkome Musimu

Otorhinolaryngology

Bio

Dr. Baraka Mkome Musimu became a Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 2014. He is an Otorhinolaryngology graduate of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He is an employee of the Bugando Medical Centre (BMC) in the Mwanza region (Tanzania). He worked as a GP for 3 years at the emergency department and earned 3 honors (employee of the month twice and once as the annual employee at the department). He is a dedicated and passionate junior researcher with an interest in HNC and has actively participated in various research related to women infertility, Tracheostomy care, sinonasal cancer and currently working on the psycho-oncology (prevalence and predictive factors of depressive anxiety disorder among HNC patients) as a fellow in the Centre for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia (CHESA) and the Global Cancer Fellowships at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Notably, he is a recipient of the Non-Communicable (NCD) Research Grant Award at Muhas during residency (2020-2023). He was awarded the best oral presentation abstract for non-communicable diseases during the 11th MUHAS scientific conference in June 2023. Dr. Baraka is also currently doing Implementation research (IR), an online course run by the WHO Tropical Disease Research (TDR) website. In addition, Baraka is a member of the Tanzania ENT Society (TENTS).

Terseer Utam

General Surgery

Bio

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. 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.

Alap Patel

Plastic Surgery

Bio

Alap Patel is an Integrated Plastic & Reconstructive Study Resident at UC San Francisco. He has interests in all aspects of Plastic Surgery, but is particularly interested in hand, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgery. He is currently completing a year-long research fellowship during which he is focusing on improving the care provided to unhoused patients in San Francisco who present with complex hand infections.

Abdulmajeed Olayinka Suleiman

Otolaryngologist/Otologist

Bio

Dr. Suleiman Abdulmajeed Olayinka (whose name preference is Yinka) is currently a Chief consultant ENT surgeon with special interest in prevention and treatment of ear diseases and hearing disability at Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina Nigeria where he is presently working from January 2008 – till date and pursuing his Fellowship in Health Equity is Surgery and Anesthesia at the CHESA Fellowship program at UCSF 2023-2024.

Ronald Bisegerwa

Anesthesia and Critical Care

Bio

Dr. Ronald Bisegerwa is a Pediatric Anesthesia fellow under the WFSA PATA project at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Uganda. He is also the pioneer UCSF CHESA Lifebox joint fellow, working with the Open Oximetry team to enhance the safety and precision of pulse oximeters, particularly in people with darker skin tones. Dr. Bisegerwa is involved in redesigning the WFSA Anesthesia Capacity Assessment Tool with the support of a WFSA Grant. His passion for improving patient outcomes globally has driven him to enthusiastically engage in several collaborative research projects, adaptive leadership, and mentorship. Additionally, he is the Secretary-General elect for the Association of Anesthesiologists of Uganda.

Yamilee Cherubin

Pediatric Ophtalmologist

Abirami Muthumani

Physician

Bio

Dr. Abirami Muthumani is originally from Philadelphia, and now lives in New York City where she is a surgical research fellow in the Department of Abdominal Wall Surgery at Columbia University-New York Presbyterian Hospital. Her global surgery focus, under the mentorship of Dr. Russell Jennings and Dr. Doruk Ozgediz, concentrates on developing interventions aimed at reducing mortality rates and improving outcomes among pediatric surgical patients with congenital anomalies in low-resource settings globally. After graduating medical school, Abi obtained her MPH from The Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. She is a team member of the nonprofit KidsOR and is currently working with KidsOR and the Ethiopian Ministry of Health to improve access to pediatric surgical services in Somali region of Ethiopia. She also works with Dr. Bayne, at CHESA, on projects aimed at forming bilateral minimally invasive surgical training programs with the team at Mulago Hospital, Uganda. In addition, she is part of a newly established team at Columbia's Surgery Department, focused on enhancing surgical equity within the Washington Heights community in NYC. Her long-term goal is to become a pediatric surgeon and serve with Médecins Sans Frontières, with a mission to provide pediatric surgical care in humanitarian settings.

Adrian Fernandez

Urology

Isam Bsisu

Anesthesia and Intensive Care

Bio

Isam Khair Al-Deen Bsisu is a Jordanian anesthesiologist dedicated to the fields of medicine and medical ethics. With a wealth of experience, including his role as a resident physician at Jordan University Hospital, the academic teaching hospital of the University of Jordan, and his extensive educational background, Isam has made significant contributions to the medical field. He has recently finished his residency training in June, 2023. He is currently pursuing a Perioperative Health Equity Fellowship at the UCSF Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia. Isam's commitment to humanitarian work is evident through his volunteer service and publications, demonstrating his passion for improving healthcare worldwide.

Gratien Tuyishimire

Otolaryngology

Bio

Gratien Tuyishimire, MD, MMEd is an Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgeon from Rwanda. He graduated from University of Rwanda in 2010 with his medical degree, then he completed MMed at the same university in 2015 and worked as surgeon and clinical lecturer at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali until September 2021. With interest in education he participated in many AO trainings in his country after completion of AOCMF fellowship in Austria in 2018. Currently he is the director general of the MBC Hospital and co-director of ENT course at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. With a large group of international Collaborators, via the global Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Initiative’s research network, he is a pioneering educational leader, conducting national investigations into EHC disparities with an emphasis on community-based education solutions.

Amina Seguya

ENT Surgery

Alan Zambeli-Ljepović

General Surgery

Bio

Originally from Croatia, Alan earned his BS in biomedical engineering from Columbia University, as well as an MD and MHS (Master's of Health Sciences) from Duke University. At Columbia, he established the first biomedical engineering collaboration between Makerere (Kampala, Uganda) and Columbia Universities, resulting in a joint grant for students to develop sustainable medical devices for Ugandan hospitals. As an NIH T32-funded fellow of the National Clinician Scholars Program and the Center for Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia at UCSF, he is developing surgical training programs and quantifying the burden of untreated end-stage kidney disease in low- and middle-income countries. His long-term goal is to develop the infrastructure for safe and ethical kidney transplantation in LMICs. Outside of the hospital, Alan mentors local high school students applying to college through the Buck Fellows Program. A competitive swimmer of 15 years, he believes that physical and mental health go hand-in-hand. He speaks Serbo-Croatian and Spanish.

Peter Muwanguzi

Orthopedic Surgery

Judith Nassaazi

Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

Fiona Kabagenyi

Paediatric ENT

Bio

Dr Fiona Kabagenyi is a CHESA fellow 2023-2024 who graduated as an ENT from Makerere University Uganda in 2019. She completed subspecialty training as the 2nd Karl Storz Paediatric ENT fellow at University of Cape Town South Africa in 2020. She is the first Paediatric ENT in Uganda, and is a lecturer in Department of Ear Nose and Throat at Makerere University. She established the Paediatric ENT unit in the teaching hospital Mulago National Referral Hospital where she trains postgraduates. She also serves as the current General Secretary of the Otolaryngology Society of Uganda, is a member of PENTAFRICA and Global OHNs.

John Bukuru

Otorhinolaryngology

Bio

Dr John Bukuru, MD, MMED, OHNS, Lt Col, is the Head of Academic Department of Otorhinolaryngology/ENT/RMH at the Rwanda Military Hospital. There, he also serves as the Coordinator of Undergraduate Clinical Education. He holds a faculty member title and ENT specialist at the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. Dr. Bukuru is a prominent member of the OHNS community, joining and becoming a research mentor within the Global OHNS RMP. Amongst his achievements, he was a course co-director with IRCAD France-Africa, and an aviation medical examiner with the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority. Dr. Bukuru has joined the CHESA Fellowship cohort in 2023, where is research looks into the feasibility of newborn hearing screening in Rwanda and an assessment of genetic patterns related to hearing loss.

Fred Maiso

General Surgery

Obedi Emmanuel

MD, Research Associate

Fransia Arda Mushi

Urology

Maryn Kanter

Anesthesia

Liana Valeanu

Anesthesia

Bio

Dr. Liana Valeanu is a cardiac anaesthesiologist and intensive care specialist working in Bucharest, Romania. Her main clinical practice interests are related to perioperative care, echocardiography and circulatory assisting devices. Apart from this, she also has a special interest in education through simulation, promoting patient safety and is involved in residents’ training programmes.

Eden Belay Tilahun

Bio

Eden Belay Tilahun, MD, is a senior pediatrics surgery resident at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, and a CHESA fellow. She has nine years of experience as a clinician, academician and leader in a university hospital. Dr. Tilahun is passionate about Global surgery & research, access to pediatrics surgical service, girls education & women empowerment and human rights.

Emmanuel Bua, MBChB

CHESA and HEAL Fellow (2021-2023)

Bio

Emmanuel Bua is a registrar in surgery at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in eastern Uganda and an honorary lecturer in Surgery at Busitema Univeresity Faculty of Health Sciences. He undertook a Master’s degree in General Surgery from Mulago Hospital ( Makerere University). He is a board-certified member and fellow of the College of surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), and a global heath leadership fellow under the UCSF HEAL program. He is a passionate mentor and advocate for child health. He has worked with the underserved and impoverished communities of Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Kenya where he has experienced first-hand the importance of the social determinants of health and the need for robust healthcare systems. He also had the opportunity to interact with patients in the USA and Netherlands which gave him a clear perspective of the healthcare systems in developed economies and the need for collaborations between local and international partners in addressing health care challenges in Africa. He is a strong advocate for global health equity.

Felix Oyania, MBChB, MMed

CHESA Surgery Fellow (2021-2023)

Bio

Felix Oyania MBChB, MMed, is a pediatric surgery fellow at the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, GloCal-UCSF fellow, 2021-22 and Global Health Equity Fellow in the UCSF – CHESA under the mentorship of Doruk Ozgediz, MD, MSc, FAAP, FACS and Director of CHESA. His research involves improving and advocating for pediatric surgical treatment and outcome for children in Uganda focusing on pediatric colorectal surgery – anorectal malformations and Hirschsprung’s disease.

Saad Sahi, MD

CHESA and HEAL Fellow (2020-2023)

Bio

Saad was born in Lahore, Pakistan and just a few months later his family started their decades long journey across continents for his father’s work assignments. Growing up in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Italy, Holland, and Canada, Saad moved to the United States as a sophomore in high school. During his time in America, he has lived in Boston, New York City, Detroit, and now Austin, TX. All of these moves, and each seemingly more than the last, have continued to shape Saad’s perspective on the world in which we live. Although he studied philosophy in college and later even had a brief stint in the fashion industry, it was a documentary film about the work of Doctors Without Borders that first inspired Saad to pursue a career in medicine. Since that initial screening, each chapter of his life has brought with it more insight into the world of global health. Over the last five years, while training as a general surgery resident, he grew to appreciate the role that surgeons can play in ensuring global health equity. Today, he is excited to embark on his own journey by committing to a career focused on safely delivering essential surgical care globally through the lens of design thinking.

Ava Yap, MD, MHS

CHESA Surgery Fellow (2021-2023)

Bio

Ava Yap, MD, MHS, was born in Canada and spent her upbringing in Hong Kong before moving to the US for college. She previously had the privilege to work in a range of healthcare systems in Canada, Peru, Ecuador, Uganda and Malaysia, which fostered a dedicated interest in addressing the global health inequity witnessed during her travels. She completed her medical degree and her Master’s in Health Sciences at Yale School of Medicine. At the time, she partnered with local pediatric surgical teams in Kampala, Uganda and charity KidsOR to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) that demonstrated that implementation of a pediatric operating room in these limited-resource settings was very cost effective. She is now a general surgery resident at UCSF, conducting 2 years of dedicated research as a CHESA health equity fellow. She is currently mentored by the Director of the UCSF Center of Health Equity in Surgery and Anesthesia Dr. Doruk Ozgediz. She continues to collaborate with KidsOR and their partner sites to work towards narrowing the gap of unmet need in pediatric surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. She hopes to bring her interest in economic impact analysis to these international partnerships, and inform the investment of pediatric surgical infrastructure and capital in low- and middle-income countries.

Mignote Yilma, MD

CHESA Surgery Fellow (2021-2023)

Bio

Mignote Yilma is a general surgery resident in her dedicated research years at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She was selected to join the prestigious National Clinical Scholars Program (NCSP) at UCSF and is working towards a Master's in Clinical Research with a focus in implementation science. Mignote was also selected in the inaugural Health Equity Fellowship at Health Affairs. Mignote's current research focuses on assessing the early barriers to liver and kidney transplantation, assessing the impact of individual and community-level social determinants of health. She is using her findings to help develop a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Transplant Dashboard. She completed her BA in Human Biology at Stanford University, and her M.D. at Charles R. Drew/UCLA.

Godfrey Sama, MD, MPH

CHESA Surgery Fellow (2021-2023)

Bio

Godfrey Sama Philipo MD., MPH is a Research and Patient Outcomes Coordinator at the College of Surgeons of East Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) at the ECSA Health Community. He received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Tanzania and a Master in Public Health from the Southern Medical University (SMU) in China. He is currently taking a Master of Global Surgical Care (MGSC) degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the MUHAS-ORCI-UCSF Cancer Collaboration, leading a number of multidisciplinary international collaborative cancer research projects. With this team of cancer researchers and providers from UCSF (GCP and CHESA) and MUHAS, he is working to implement a Surgical Skills Lab at MUHAS. He was a Co-coordinator of the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA) Global Surgery Small Working Group, and co-founded the International Students Surgical Network (InciSioN), a nonprofit organization currently representing over 5,000 students, trainees, and early career physicians around the world who are passionate about Global Surgery. He participated in number of global surgery research projects including the World Development Indicator (WDI) surgical data of 2016 on access to quality surgical care globally. He currently researches on Children Surgery in Tanzania with a team at Muhimbili National Hospital in collaboration with the Ministry of health and international partners. His interest is in Global Surgery research, training and advocacy, incorporating Participatory Approach and Implementation Science skills.