AHC Secretariat - Africa Health Collaborative

Penina Lam, PhD

Senior Director, International Relations, Africa & Head, AHC Secretariat

Africa Secretariat

University of Toronto

Canada

Dr. Penina Lam is the U of T’s Senior Director of International Relations, where she leads strategic engagement and development of partnerships with Africa.

 She also leads the implementation of the Africa Health Collaborative, designed to facilitate talent development and entrepreneurship among African youth. She oversees the Secretariat team and works in close partnership with colleagues across U of T, with African institutions, and the Mastercard Foundation. 

As a scholar-practitioner, she’s passionate about research and programs that foster access to and equity in education, health, and employment opportunities.  Prior to joining U of T, she worked as an Organizational Development (OD) consultant at the World Bank, in healthcare and education sectors. She’s experienced at engaging with diverse stakeholders to design, develop, and deliver impactful learning and talent development program.

Her academic career has spanned research, faculty, staff, and senior leadership roles working with African, Canadian, and US institutions. Dr. Lam holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & OD, with a focus on Human Resource Development.

Email Address: penina.lam@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Faculty
Country: Canada
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat
Governance: Executive Steering Committee

Tak Koguchi

Lead, Strategic Initiatives

Africa Secretariat

University of Toronto

Canada

Tak Koguchi serves as the Lead for Strategic Initiatives and Governance within the AHC Secretariat at the University of Toronto (U of T)

His role involves establishing standardized institutional processes and templates for the network, particularly regarding Intellectual Property (IP), research frameworks, and cross-partner collaboration. Previously, Tak served as the Senior Regional Lead (Africa) and the acting program manager for the Secretariat, where he was instrumental in shaping the collaborative’s early narrative.
Tak is a graduate of U of T (BA) and York University (MPPAL).

Email Address: tak.koguchi@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Program: Africa Secretariat

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

Finance & Administration Associate Director

Africa Secretariat

University of Toronto

Canada

Edward Nkole is a seasoned professional who, since March 2022, has been dedicated to his role as the Senior Planning and Budget Officer at the Office of the Vice President International (OVPI).

His responsibilities encompass providing invaluable financial management counsel, ensuring meticulous preparation of financial reports for the Foundation, and fostering collaborative partnerships both within and outside the organization.

Edward’s role is marked by dual reporting, where he effectively liaises with the Senior Director, International Relations, Africa for the Mastercard Foundation Grant. Furthermore, he holds a pivotal position as the finance lead within OVPI, reporting directly to the AVP International Engagement and Impact.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Edward’s true passion lies in the realm of education. With a remarkable twelve-plus years of experience in the university sector, he brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to the table. Edward Nkole is a dynamic individual who continues to make a significant impact in the field of international relations and education.

Email Address: edward.nkole@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Canada
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Sandra Owusu, MSc

Project Assistant & Executive Assistant

Africa Secretariat

Sandra Owusu serves as a Project Assistant with the Africa Health Collaborative, where she supports finance and administrative operations and provides strategic support as Executive Assistant to Dr. Penina Lam, Head of the AHC Secretariat.

Based in Accra, Sandra plays a pivotal role in streamlining processes and ensuring operational efficiency across the organization.

Prior to joining the Collaborative, she worked as a Programs Associate on Ghana Trade and Investment Activity, a USAID-funded initiative, where she supported C-suite executives and gained hands-on experience in grant management and compliance. Her expertise lies in optimizing workflows, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and driving impactful development programs.

Sandra holds an MSc in Development Finance. She is deeply passionate about project and program management, with a strong commitment to designing and implementing effective systems that foster real and sustainable development.

Email Address: sandra.owusu@utotonto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Program: Africa Secretariat

Ernest Asamoah, PhD

Program Officer (West Africa), Ghana

Africa Secretariat

Ernest is the Program Officer for West Africa, Office of the Vice President International, University of Toronto.

Ernest coordinates University of Toronto’s projects and programs in the West Africa subregion. Ernest previously worked with KPMG as Manager where he managed the Firm’s business development Unit in Ghana and contributed significantly to increasing the service lines and revenue of the Firm. Prior to that, Ernest was Program Officer with World Vision International, Ghana where he was responsible for the planning and implementation of youth trainee sponsorship, child protection and donor relations. He led and improved donor retention and deepened donor relations. Ernest joined the U of T from Regent University College of Science and Technology, a private University College affiliated to KNUST as the Dean, School of Business, Leadership and Legal Studies. He developed industry relevant and demand – driven postgraduate programmes and short courses to beef up the academic programmes of the College, strengthened industry -academic relations. Ernest chairs the Ghana Research – Industry Collaborative Steering Committee.

Email Address: ernest.asamoah@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Ghana
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Angel Motsamai, MBA, PhD

Program Officer (Southern Africa), South Africa

Africa Secretariat

Dr. Angel Motsamai is a Program Officer: Southern Africa, at the University of Toronto.

Her key roles involve establishing partnerships with Africa-based industries with the purpose of creating work integrated learning opportunities for African scholars studying at the University of Toronto. She is also responsible for establishing and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders in the Southern Africa region.

Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Dr. Motsamai contributed her skills and knowledge to the University of KwaZulu Natal, where she held the position of Principal Project Coordinator. In this role, she was responsible for managing various academic projects, including the Entrepreneurial Champions Program, an initiative by the South African government through the Department of Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs.

Her other previous employment includes the Mangosuthu University of Technology, where she worked as a Project Officer. Her duties included placement of students with industry, establishing partnerships with organizations and government. Prior to this, she worked at the Durban University of Technology, as a Senior International Relations Officer. Her tenure there involved fostering international collaborations and partnerships, which enhanced the university’s global presence and academic exchange opportunities.

Dr. Motsamai’s educational background is anchored by a robust foundation in business administration. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, which provided her with a comprehensive understanding of business management principles. Further advancing her expertise, she pursued and completed a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), which has equipped her with the skills to conduct high-level strategic planning and decision-making.

Email Address: angel.motsamai@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: South Africa
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Lillian Bogonko

Program Officer (East Africa), Kenya

Africa Secretariat

Email Address: lillian.bogonko@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Kenya
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Jackson Ilangali, MD, MPH

Director, Insights & Impact

Africa Secretariat

Dr. Jackson M. Ilangali is the Director of Insights & Impact at the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC), where he leads the Collaborative’s work on Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation (MELA), evidence use, Communications, and strategic learning across a network of leading African universities and partners.

A physician by training and public health practitioner by passion, Jackson is driven by a simple question: How can evidence help people make better decisions? His work sits at the intersection of health systems strengthening, quality improvement, implementation science, and organizational learning, with a particular interest in transforming data from a reporting requirement into a catalyst for learning, adaptation, and lasting impact.

Over the past decade, he has worked across multiple African countries, supporting governments, universities, donors, and international organizations to strengthen health systems, improve quality of care, and build learning cultures that enable sustainable impact. His experience spans multi-country programme leadership, quality improvement, MELA system design, and strategic partnerships.

Jackson holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and a Master’s in Public Health (Implementation Science) from the University of Manchester. He is an emerging thought leader in MELA, quality improvement, and evidence-informed decision-making, and enjoys contributing to conversations on how learning can drive stronger health systems across Africa.

Email Address: jackson.ilangali@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Ghana
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Network Learning & Development; Health Ecosystems

Timothy Kinoti, PhD Candidate

Head, Learning & Program Improvement

Africa Secretariat

University of Toronto

Canada

Timothy Kinoti holds the role of Learning Facilitator, Africa at the University of Toronto (U of T), where he oversees all aspects of Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Adaptation within the Mastercard Foundation Health Collaborative initiative in Africa.

Collaborating closely with colleagues at U of T and African Higher Learning Institutions, he draws upon 16 years of professional experience dedicated to research, impact measurement and program design; with a strong focus on development financing, youth employment initiatives, entrepreneurship, education, gender, and healthcare. He is an accredited Development Finance Fellow from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Before joining U of T, he contributed to the education portfolio and led the social protection program at World University Service of Canada within the refugee context and supported national education programs in Kenya at RTI International.

Email Address: timothy.kinoti@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Kenya
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Health Ecosystems
Program: Africa Secretariat

Leila Serwaah Khalid, LLB, MA, PMP

Head, Communications

Africa Secretariat

University of Toronto

Canada

Leila Serwaah Khalid is a seasoned communications and brand expert with over a decade of experience driving impactful narratives across diverse industries and continents. She has a proven track record of transforming brands into thought leaders, securing high-profile media placements in outlets such as BBC, CNN, Time Magazine, and Reuters.

Leila has excelled at leading dynamic marketing teams and executing successful multimedia campaigns that drive awareness, enhance reputation, and expand customer bases across African and European markets.

Her expertise spans strategic planning, digital marketing, content development, and public relations.

Currently, she serves as Communications Lead for Africa at the University of Toronto, where she spearheads communication strategies for the Africa Health Collaborative, collaborating with 10 institutional partners.

Leila holds a Master’s degree in Communication Studies from the University of Ghana, a certification in Marketing Management from the University of Stellenbosch, and a Bachelor of Laws from KNUST, Ghana. She is also a certified Project Management Professional by the Project Management Institute.

Email Address: leila.khalid@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Country: Ghana
Pillars: Health Employment; Health Entrepreneurship; Network Learning & Development; Health Ecosystems

Emmanuella Attuquaye

Social Media Associate

Africa Secretariat

Email Address: emmanuella.attuquaye@utoronto.ca
Profile Type: Staff
Program: Africa Secretariat

Samuel Dankwa

Communications Associate

Africa Secretariat

Samuel Dankwa is a Communications Associate at the Africa Health Collaborative Secretariat.

Email Address: samuel.dankwa@utoronto.ca
Program: Africa Secretariat

Africa Health Collaborative 2025: Driving Transformative Change in Primary Healthcare Future

The Africa Health Collaborative Secretariat

The role of the Health Collaborative’s Secretariat:

Meet the Secretariat Team

Governance

Finance & Administration

Programs & Events

Insights & Impact

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Featured

Africa Health Collaborative 2025: Driving Transformative Change in Primary Healthcare Future

The role of the Health Collaborative’s Secretariat:

Meet the Secretariat Team

Governance

Penina Lam, PhD

Tak Koguchi

Finance & Administration

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

Sandra Owusu, MSc

Programs & Events

Ernest Asamoah, PhD

Angel Motsamai, MBA, PhD

Lillian Bogonko

Insights & Impact

Jackson Ilangali, MD, MPH

Timothy Kinoti, PhD Candidate

Leila Serwaah Khalid, LLB, MA, PMP

Emmanuella Attuquaye

Samuel Dankwa

Penina Lam, PhD

University of Toronto

Tak Koguchi

University of Toronto

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

University of Toronto

Sandra Owusu, MSc

Ernest Asamoah, PhD

Angel Motsamai, MBA, PhD

Lillian Bogonko

Jackson Ilangali, MD, MPH

Timothy Kinoti, PhD Candidate

University of Toronto

Leila Serwaah Khalid, LLB, MA, PMP

University of Toronto

Emmanuella Attuquaye

Samuel Dankwa