Meet Our Collective

Established in 2020, Pandemic Periods is a global group of volunteers on a mission to drive sexual and reproductive health rights – specifically knowledge and expertise in menstrual health at the country level. We champion menstrual health is a gateway to discussing broader sexual and reproductive health rights. Our multicultural, interdisciplinary, and regionally diverse group from over 25 countries works together to push the global narrative to ensure menstrual health is included on the global health agenda and to feed into the indicators for the UN’s sustainable development goals (2030). We practice ethical leadership and discussion and aim to elevate each other. Together, we are more robust and more creative. 

Leadership

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Dr. Jennifer Martin

Global Director

Jenni has led the global menstrual health movement, Pandemic Periods, since its inception in 2020. She continues transforming global menstrual health by elevating activists from 27 countries by offering them a platform to share their unique insights into menstrual health in their context. Jenni is a dedicated activist; she has advocated for menstrual health since 2014 through grassroots initiatives and global programmes. She founded Women in Global Health Finland, is committed to supporting early career professionals to break into the global health market, and is a mentor to several young women worldwide.

 

Jenni is an award-winning researcher, technical specialist, and activist with over 14 years of experience in public health programmes focusing on gender equality, social innovation, and sexual and reproductive health.

 

She has an NIHR-funded PhD in Public Health from the University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and a master’s from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

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Sabrina Browne

Board Chair

Sabrina Browne is an award-winning PR Executive, menstrual equality advocate, and DEI champion. Starting her career off at legacy Burson-Marsteller in 2016, Sabrina quickly proved herself to be a rising star within the agency.
After serving as a political PR consultant in New Jersey, Sabrina hit the ground running as an Account Executive, earning herself a reputation as driven client team member and a collaborative internal culture partner. Sabrina counsels Fortune 500 clients on integrated communications, media relations, executive thought leadership, and DEI. She also became involved in shaping the culture of the agency and serves as the North American Lead for the African American Employee Resource (AAER) Group.
Outside of the office, Sabrina advocates for menstrual equality in the Garden State and works to eradicate period poverty. One in five American girls has missed school due to period poverty according to Always, the leader in feminine care. To date, Sabrina has secured more than 6,000 menstrual health products to support women and girls at risk.
Sabrina’s advocacy is fueled by her personal adversity and passion, as well as the relationships she’s cultivated through her various board roles. She serves on leadership boards for Girl Scouts of Greater New York, Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, and PRSA-NY.
To date, Sabrina has received many awards and recognitions including Crain’s Notable in Marketing and PR Award, PRSA-NY’s 15 Under 35 Award, and Top 100 Women Leaders of New Jersey.

Board of Senior Advisors

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Halima Lila
Tanzania

Senior Advisor

Based in Tanzania, Halima is the Regional Coordinator for Menstrual Health and Youth Participation for the UNFPA African Coalition for Menstrual Health Management, she is the Founder and Executive Director of Hope Centre for Children, Girls and Women in Tanzania, and she Leads SheDecides, Tanzania. She considers herself to be  a global public health specialist, with a special interest in international sexual and reproductive health and rights advocate.

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Victoria Heaney

Senior Advisor
Founder of #FreePeriodsScotland

Victoria Heaney is the creator of #FreePeriodScotland, a national research project which illuminated historical and real time barriers faced by women, girls and people who menstruate accessing period products. She is known for her role in politicising periods, which enabled rapid creation of policy and legislation making Scotland a world leading period positive country. She is currently working on a strategic community response regarding the effects of digital inequality as a result of COVID-19.
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Courtney Carson
USA

Senior Program Officer at Pandemic Action Network

Courtney Carson has over a decade of experience working in public policy, advocacy, and communications, and brings a track record of advancing advocacy campaigns and policy to promote health and wellbeing for all at the national and multilateral levels. She is currently a member of the Policy and Advocacy Team at Pandemic Action Network, where she advances sustainable, forward-looking policy for pandemic preparedness, and recently managed policy and advocacy at Women Deliver, securing health and rights for women and girls with the United Nations, WHO, and Universal Health Coverage. She also led U.S. policy for the Global Health Technologies Coalition, advancing R&D for neglected and emerging global health concerns. Before her career in advocacy, Courtney led global health policy in the U.S. Senate, where she upheld U.S. commitments in health and foreign aid.

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Dr Karan Babbar
India

Research Advisor
Research Consultant, India

Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Business School

Karan Babbar is an assistant professor at the jindal global business school, sonipat. His research focus lies in the intersection of education and sexual and reproductive health with a focus on gender. He critically engages with issues of social concern like gender, menstruation through media articles, movies and documentaries, and creating awareness about them on the social media platform.

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Jackie Nyaberij
Kenya

Public Health & Health systems strengthening advisor, consultant, researcher and mentor, Migration & Health, Menstrual Hygiene Advocate, Public Health, Global Bioethicist,

Dr. Mosinya Nyaberi is a Fellow of the inaugural Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme, Kofi Annan Foundation, Africa CDC. She is a Public Health & Health Systems lecturer and researcher in the School of Public Health at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She is also an associate consultant and technical expert for the WHO-Public Health Emergencies, Migration and Health in addition to consulting with other organizations in Public Health, Health systems strengthening and Monitoring and Evaluation.

Mosinya is a mentor and passionately ignites one to think differently to be authentic at personal and professional level. She is an experienced corporate trainer, consultant,facilitator and conference organizer.

Mosinya is the founder and CEO of Ayanna Health Foundation where they champion community work for and with girls, adolescents and women in Africa in the area of health, education, menstrual health and hygiene and Endometriosis awareness. Mosinya holds a PhD in Public Health (Health Services Management); a Master in Public Health (Health Systems Management); and a Master of Science in Global Bioethics. She is an expert, specialist and advisor in these areas.

She is also a guest columnist in Nation Daily News Paper, Kenya and now an author. Mosinya is a passionate networker and a servanthood leader.

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Dr Philip Chigiya
Zimbabwe

MB.Ch.B Hons.
Secretary ALMA Youth Advisory Council
Global Shaper at Global Shapers Harare Hub
Medical Freelancer

Phillip Chigiya is a practicing medical doctor who is passionate about health and period justice. He has acquired vast experience on health equity working in low- and middle-income countries with several organisations which include the International Federation of Medical Students (IFMSA), Higherlife Foundation, Zimbabwe Medical Students Association and the World Economic Forum Global Shapers. In 2017, Phillip was the director of the IMUNZI project which worked on reducing HIV prevalence among Zimbabwean youth and training young girls in rural Zimbabwe on the production of re-usable sanitary wear.
Currently, Dr Phillip serves as the secretary for the youth advisory council for the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and is an active member of the Global Shapers Harare Hub.

The Team

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Becca Residorf

Research Lead

Rebecca Reisdorf is a public health professional working for a Chilean NGO that aims to improve women’s perinatal health. She is currently completing her Masters in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is co-leading Women in Global Health Chile and is an active member of the feminist cooperative “Entramadas”.
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Alhelí Calderón

Mexico Correspondent

Alhelí Calderón is a lMexican physician graduated from Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (UA de C), and Master of Public Health and trained in Global Health from the National Public Health Institute (INSP). PhD Public Health student at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and San Diego State University (SDSU). Global Health instructor in Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC) in Mexico. Interested in social determinants of health, health equity, intersectionality, social and environmental justice, mental health, social and reproductive health and rights, and water, sanitation, and hygiene access, including menstrual hygiene.
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Sidra Irfan

Zambia Correspondent

Sidra Irfan is a dental graduate and public health practitioner in Pakistan. She champions equal healthcare access, emphasizing sexual and reproductive health, combatting period poverty, and promoting family planning. Through research and initiatives, she improves health outcomes in Pakistan and globally. As a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, Sidra leads positive change.

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Laura Nyiha

Kenya Correspondent

Laura Nyiha is an undergraduate medical student in Kenya. She is also the General Secretary Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations (FAMSA) 2019/2020, passionate about improvement of health from grassroot level to global health. She is a technology enthusiast, writer and blogger, and she is a believer of active community involvement for attainment of better health care systems.
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Mara Ferrari

Research Assistant, Italy

Mara Ferrari is a graduate Master of Global Health student at Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). She obtained her Nursing Degree in 2012, followed by a Tropical Nursing Diploma at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM). She has eight years of clinical experience as a Registered Nurse in various hospital departments. She has also served as Capacity Building and a Nurse Coordinator in humanitarian missions in African refugee camps and a paediatric hospital in South-East Asia. She is an active member of SaluteGlobale.

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Dina Saintilmon
Haiti Correspondent

Dina is a medical student from Haiti. She is also a social activist who has participated in many projects of the Haitian association of medical students (AHEM-IFMSA) – first as coordinator of the commission on human rights, then as coordinator of health campaigns, and finally as vice president of external affairs.

She is a dynamic girl with a critical mind. She has an interest in social medicine, public health, research, women, and children’s rights.

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Ateeb Ahmad Parray

Senior Editor 

Ateeb Ahmad Parray is a global health researcher and intersectional feminist based in Bangladesh at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University. He works in the areas of gender, sexual and reproductive health, humanitarian emergencies, intersectionality, health systems and health policy with a special focus on vulnerable and marginalized populations including urban informal settlement dwellers and displaced populations. Ateeb Co-Chairs the SHAPES Thematic working group of Health Systems Global and serves as the Country Director (Bangladesh) of the STAR Scholars network which envisions to advance global social mobility by using research and advocacy. Ateeb is also co-lead of the ‘intersectionality’ and ‘humanitarian emergencies’ sub-groups under Gender and COVID-19 initiative. Ateeb holds a Masters degree in Social Sciences from the University of Dhaka and a Masters degree in Public Health from BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University.

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Ruth Oladele

Nigeria Correspondent

Ruth Oladele is a gender-equality advocate, a multiple award-winning researcher and a seasoned physical therapist. Her research interest is in sexual and reproductive health and rights, with focus on vulnerable populations and underserved groups in slum and rural communities. She is a Senior Research Associate at Slum and Rural Health Initiative Research Academy, where she leads a team of over 100 researchers in sexual health research projects on vulnerable communities. She also facilitates the Sexuality Information Mental Behavioural Initiative (SIMBIHealth) advocacy project, which utilizes an artificial intelligence-driven application to teach comprehensive sexuality education to adolescents and youths.

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Eunice Kilonzo

Crisis Communications Specialist 

Eunice Kilonzo is an award-winning Health Communications and (Social) Media Specialist currently a Manager, Content Generation at Safaricom PLC. Her immediate former role was with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) HQ in Nairobi, Kenya as a Social Media and Content Consultant. Eunice has extensive hands-on experience in organizational communications and media management across a range of sectors: health, science, environment, technology, financial services and development. Her expertise includes multimedia editorial development, storytelling training, stakeholder management, internal communications, social media and digital publishing.

She is fascinated with newer forms of storytelling and content creation, generation and sharing. She also creates monthly video series, #KalundeLearns, an online storytelling platform for creators and creatives. The monthly video series affords you a front-row seat to learn how people have turned their passion into a lifestyle and a living. 

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Regan Moss

Research  Lead 

Regan Moss (she/her) graduated with a BS in Neuroscience and is presently pursuing her MPH in population and family health with a certificate in applied biostatistics and public health data science at Columbia University. Regan is interested in reproductive health among incarcerated populations, sex work, menstrual and reproductive health, pregnancy and mothering, and generational trauma. In addition to her own research, Regan works at Yale Child Study Center and Columbia University in labs focused on reproductive wellbeing, infant neurodevelopment, and perinatal mental health. Regan became involved in the menstrual health space while navigating PMDD + Endometriosis and hopes that menstruation can become a dignifying and empowering experience for all. She founded PERIOD. @ Auburn, AL + AL4ME (Alabama for Menstrual Equity) and presently serves on the advisory board for PERIOD. The Menstrual Movement. 
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Ruth Kamu

Monitoring & Evaluation Lead

Ruth Kamau is a Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRH) advocate with experience in social and behaviour change communication based in Kenya. She advocates for for access to affordable SRH services and story-telling to influence positive change in matters Gender Equality. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Population Health and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Public Health with 3+ years’ experience in the NGO sector. She is passionate about working and running programs with women and girls from Low and Middle Income Countries by empowering them and passing on knowledge about their freedom and rights when it comes to their reproductive health. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys reading self-help books, moving to a good Latin dance or hiking and chasing waterfalls.

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Ursula Maschette

Brazil Correspondent 

urdula is a psychologist and menstrual health researcher, with a master’s degree in education, health promotion and international development from university college London. Her studies at UCL focused on menstrual health promotion and education in Brazilian schools. she has 10 years of experience working in community-based research with. focus on SRH, menstrual health, education, health promotion, and public health.

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Erza Selmani

Research Associate 

Erza Selmani, orginally from Kosovo, is completing her master’s dissertation at the University of Strathclyde in Digital Health Systems. Her experience is mainly in research and projects closely related to health and social science. Her ambition is to become a change-maker in the field of health in particular for socially disadvantaged groups.

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Janet Hawa Koroma

Communications associate, Liberia 

Janet Hawa Koroma is the founder & CEO Sista’s Keeper Initiative and the principal of Resurrection International School in Liberia.
She has over 5 years experience in community  development with expertise in coordinating and managing grassroots women and girls development programs on gender-based violence prevention and response, women & girls empowerment and menstrual health & hygiene equity advocate. Her skills set include, Advocacy, facilitation, coaching and mentoring.
Joan Masinde
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Joan Masinde

Communications Associate, Kenya

Joan is a storyteller dedicated to social change from Kenya. She is a communications specialist with over 5 years with a proven mastery in managing communication activities and improving brand baselines.
She believe that women must have a equal seat at the table, to change policies and advocate for a better life for women especially around menstruation health.
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Claire hunt

Ireland Correspondent

Claire Hunt is the founder and general manager of Homeless Period Ireland, a volunteer initiative that was founded to provide free period products to women & girls in need.

Claire is passionate about changing the negative perceptions of menstruation and normalizing the subject of women’s health through education.

In 2019 Claire was the driving force behind an all-female cross-party motion in
Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) that proposed the provision of free period products in all schools and universities which was passed by the house.

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Elisa Soto

Latin America Correspondent

A Mexican national based in Ireland, Elisa is the Co-Founder of Organización para Chicas, A.C. (OPC), a commended award winner by the Social Responsibility area of the University of Manchester NPO focused on facilitating the path towards gender equality through comprehensive health (menstrual, sexual and reproductive health). She gave voice to Mexican women as a former advisor at the World Bank Group (WBG) Board of Executive Directors and has been the only Mexican woman to hold this position. As a member of the Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working group of the Board of Executive Directors at the WBG, she encouraged the menstrual agenda at the operational level. She is currently an external advisor to a study focused on the possible effects of the COVID-19 vaccine on the menstrual cycle, a digital menstrual activist and holds a master’s degree in International Development focused on gender equality and menstruation from the University of Manchester.

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Ivett Avendaño

Colombia Correspondent

 A non-binary activist, passionate writer, educator, and human rights advocate. Ivett is a Social Anthropologist with a Master’s degree in International Relations. Over the years, she has worked with ONG initiatives and research projects in decolonization, feminist, queer, and youth studies. Prioritizing and politicizing mental health, diversity, sexual and reproductive rights, menstrual dignity, anti-racism, radical tenderness, and no-violence in every space -even the internet-is her advocacy agenda aimed toward acknowledging the Global South voices and resistance. Ivett participated in international platforms like the Generation Equality Forum and, most recently, at the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean. For her, community and creativity both are the threads that weave the path to building equality and justice

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Maria Anna Kupczyk

Research Assistant

Maria is a current trainee clinical embryologist in the NHS Scientist Training Programme (UK) and a master’s student of Embryology at the Manchester Metropolitan University. She completed her bachelor’s in biomedical science in 2020 from the University of Sussex, followed by a master’s degree in Prenatal Genetics and Fetal Medicine at University College London. During her studies, her research focused on sexual health, analysing toxins and antitoxins of pathogenic gonorrhoea species and women’s health investigating non-invasive means for diagnosing endometriosis. She has also worked as a laboratory scientist in a preimplantation genetic testing laboratory.

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Zuhrat Inam

Deputy Bangladesh Correspondent

Zuhrat Inam is a global health professional based in Bangladesh and currently working in the Rohingya refugee response in Cox’s Bazar at the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She completed her Bachelors in Economics and Political Science from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities and her Masters in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She previously worked as a researcher at the BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, also in the Rohingya refugee crisis. She is enthusiastic about health in humanitarian emergencies, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and refugee health. 

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Veronica Corbellini

Research Assistant

Veronica Corbellini is an Italian Gender Specialist, Child Psychology practitioner and feminist. Her international experiences as a researcher and consultant pivoted her focus on women’s universal health and rights. She recently graduated with a MA in “Gender and Development” at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), analysing menstruation assessment and intervention in protracted humanitarian crises. She is an active advocate for menstrual health in Italy.

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Vincenza Sgura

Research Assistant 

Vincenza is a health equity and gender equality graduate. She is focused on delivering an impact that tackles structural inequalities.

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Victoria Heaney

Senior Advisor
Founder of #FreePeriodsScotland

Victoria Heaney is the creator of #FreePeriodScotland, a national research project which illuminated historical and real time barriers faced by women, girls and people who menstruate accessing period products. She is known for her role in politicising periods, which enabled rapid creation of policy and legislation making Scotland a world leading period positive country. She is currently working on a strategic community response regarding the effects of digital inequality as a result of COVID-19.
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Courtney Carson
USA

Senior Program Officer at Pandemic Action Network

Courtney Carson has over a decade of experience working in public policy, advocacy, and communications, and brings a track record of advancing advocacy campaigns and policy to promote health and wellbeing for all at the national and multilateral levels. She is currently a member of the Policy and Advocacy Team at Pandemic Action Network, where she advances sustainable, forward-looking policy for pandemic preparedness, and recently managed policy and advocacy at Women Deliver, securing health and rights for women and girls with the United Nations, WHO, and Universal Health Coverage. She also led U.S. policy for the Global Health Technologies Coalition, advancing R&D for neglected and emerging global health concerns. Before her career in advocacy, Courtney led global health policy in the U.S. Senate, where she upheld U.S. commitments in health and foreign aid.

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Dr Karan Babbar
India

Research Advisor
Research Consultant, India

Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Business School

Karan Babbar is an assistant professor at the jindal global business school, sonipat. His research focus lies in the intersection of education and sexual and reproductive health with a focus on gender. He critically engages with issues of social concern like gender, menstruation through media articles, movies and documentaries, and creating awareness about them on the social media platform.

Linkedin
Jackie Nyaberij
Kenya

Public Health & Health systems strengthening advisor, consultant, researcher and mentor, Migration & Health, Menstrual Hygiene Advocate, Public Health, Global Bioethicist,

Dr. Mosinya Nyaberi is a Fellow of the inaugural Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Programme, Kofi Annan Foundation, Africa CDC. She is a Public Health & Health Systems lecturer and researcher in the School of Public Health at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She is also an associate consultant and technical expert for the WHO-Public Health Emergencies, Migration and Health in addition to consulting with other organizations in Public Health, Health systems strengthening and Monitoring and Evaluation.

Mosinya is a mentor and passionately ignites one to think differently to be authentic at personal and professional level. She is an experienced corporate trainer, consultant,facilitator and conference organizer.

Mosinya is the founder and CEO of Ayanna Health Foundation where they champion community work for and with girls, adolescents and women in Africa in the area of health, education, menstrual health and hygiene and Endometriosis awareness. Mosinya holds a PhD in Public Health (Health Services Management); a Master in Public Health (Health Systems Management); and a Master of Science in Global Bioethics. She is an expert, specialist and advisor in these areas.

She is also a guest columnist in Nation Daily News Paper, Kenya and now an author. Mosinya is a passionate networker and a servanthood leader.

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Dr Philip Chigiya
Zimbabwe

MB.Ch.B Hons.
Secretary ALMA Youth Advisory Council
Global Shaper at Global Shapers Harare Hub
Medical Freelancer

Phillip Chigiya is a practicing medical doctor who is passionate about health and period justice. He has acquired vast experience on health equity working in low- and middle-income countries with several organisations which include the International Federation of Medical Students (IFMSA), Higherlife Foundation, Zimbabwe Medical Students Association and the World Economic Forum Global Shapers. In 2017, Phillip was the director of the IMUNZI project which worked on reducing HIV prevalence among Zimbabwean youth and training young girls in rural Zimbabwe on the production of re-usable sanitary wear.
Currently, Dr Phillip serves as the secretary for the youth advisory council for the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and is an active member of the Global Shapers Harare Hub.