Thynn Thynn Hlaing

Thynn Thynn Hlaing is a development professional who has been working in humanitarian and long-term development programs for more than 15 years. Her primary focus is on women’s rights and women’s empowerment issues. Currently Thynn Thynn serves as Country Manager for Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for their program in Papua New Guinea. She is leading the team and all the elements of CHAI's operations in Papua New Guinea for successful footprint to support PNG's government on their improvement of health financing and its outcomes for the most vulnerable. She previously worked as the Country Director of Oxfam International in Sierra Leone over 4 years from 2013 to 2018. She…

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Abdul Tejan-Cole

Abdul Tejan-Cole is Executive Director of the African Studies Association (ASA), an association of scholars and professionals in the United States and Canada with an interest in the continent of Africa. Prior to joining ASA, he was Senior Campaign Director of Waxman Strategies, focused on ending deforestation in Africa across all industrial agriculture and on fighting for the rights of workers and communities. A noted human rights lawyer and activist, he has over 25 years of experience fomenting progressive development of human rights, anti-corruption, environmental and social justice, post-conflict reconstruction, transitional justice, and the rule of law. As head of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone, he worked on and…

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Naasu Genevieve Fofanah

Naasu Genevieve Fofanah is an entrepreneur and author with extensive gender and global public policy experience. An award-winning women's and girls' rights activist, she has championed controversial issues globally. She launched Susue Women's Finance during the COVID-19 pandemic to influence government policy on women's business and access to finance. Susue Women's Finance and Sierra Leone Commercial Bank formed the Women's Bank Initiative to offer low-interest loans to female entrepreneurs. The Bank of Sierra Leone Financial Literacy Working Group elected Naasu Co-Chair in 2022. Naasu previously served as Sierra Leone's first Special Gender Adviser to ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma. She made gender equality and women's (GEWE) a priority in the National…

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Chrishan Thuraisingham

Chrishan Thuraisingham is a public health financing specialist with a background in international capital markets. He currently serves as Interim Deputy Director of the Infectious Diseases Advocacy Team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously he was CEO of Thuraisingham Associates, a strategic advisory firm providing services and advice to international and domestic health organizations in Africa and Asia. Before that he served as Senior Program Director for Results for Development Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding solutions (through the sectors of Global Education, Global Health, Governance and Market Dynamics) to development challenges that prevent people in low and middle-income countries from realizing their full potential. Previously, Chrishan…

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