Sekai Chikowero to Join EngenderHealth as Vice President of Programs
June 15, 2022 (WASHINGTON)—EngenderHealth is delighted to announce that Sekai Chikowero is joining our organization as vice president of programs. In this role, Chikowero will oversee our country and regional programs, working closely with our country and regional leaders to advance our work on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender equality. She will also oversee our global technical team, supporting our engagement in global technical leadership fora, developing new initiatives, and supporting the dissemination of data and programmatic results.
Chikowero joins EngenderHealth as we implement existing projects in contraception, comprehensive abortion care, gender-based violence, and maternal and obstetric health. “Sekai brings breadth and depth of experience with our content, plus fantastic skills in building teams, supporting program implementation, and engaging with partners and donors,” said Traci L. Baird, president and CEO of EngenderHealth. “I recognize Sekai as a strong leader who lifts up the leadership and voices of others—staff and partners alike—and that is a priority within our organization.”
A graduate of The George Washington University, Milken School of Public Health, Chikowero has 25 years of experience working across the global health sector in SRHR, maternal and child health, gender-based violence, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS, among other health and development topics. Chikowero is a culturally competent and persuasive leader with a track record of leading and motivating high- performing teams in low-resource settings. She excels in leading work that significantly improves health outcomes and strengthens national health systems. She has served in country and regional leadership positions and has extensive experience designing and managing programs, developing strategies, and building partnerships.
Prior to joining EngenderHealth, Chikowero served as senior program director/portfolio lead for East and Southern Africa for Pathfinder International based in Washington, DC, where she managed a diverse, multi-million-dollar portfolio. In previous roles with Amethyst Technologies and Africare, Chikowero led programs and multi-disciplinary teams from offices in Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and her native Zimbabwe.
“I am delighted to bring multi-sectoral experience in creating opportunities to enhance the quality of life for women, children, adolescents, and youth in low-and-middle-income countries,” Chikowero said. “We are at a pivotal moment in global health when the landscape is beckoning for new ideas on how to amplify the voices of the communities that we serve and build lasting partnerships to tackle development challenges in an ever-changing world.”
Learn more about EngenderHealth’s global leadership team and programs.
About EngenderHealth
EngenderHealth envisions a gender-equal world where all people achieve their sexual and reproductive health and rights. To achieve this vision, EngenderHealth implements high-quality, gender-equitable programs that advance sexual and reproductive health and rights. All of our work is guided by five core values—reflection: we question, challenge, learn, and adapt; inclusion: we are committed to equality, justice, and leaving no one behind; integrity: we are principled and honest, and we walk our talk; respect: we value the wisdom and agency of our collaborators, and appreciate our differences; and transformation: we seek bold ideas and opportunities to innovate for progress.