People Directory

Our team is the heartbeat of our collaborative efforts, comprising diverse experts from various fields. Each member brings unique skills and perspectives, uniting to drive innovation and impact in the health sector. Together, we are more than just a team; we are a community committed to transforming healthcare across Africa.

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People Directory

Photo of Jemila Abdulai

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Photo of Titilola Abolade

, MPH

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Photo of Elizabeth Acheampong

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Photo of Princess Ruhama Acheampong

, PhD

Liaison Officer, Health Collaborative

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Photo of Achieng’ Aling’

, Dr (Med)

Healthcare Programs Director

African Leadership University

Photo of Nicholas Kofi Adegbe

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Photo of David Gameli Agbeko

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Toronto

Photo of Paul Agbekpornu

Master Scholar

African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, University of Toronto

Photo of Ashley Aimone

, PhD

Associate Director, Doctor of Public Health Program

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Kofi Akohene Mensah

, MSc, PhD

Proessor, Health policy, Management and Economics

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Profile

Jemila Abdulai

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

My most valued experience as a Mastercard Scholar at UofT has been the profound sense of family and community.

It’s a journey filled with thrilling and exciting moments, but it’s the heartfelt love and unwavering support from fellow scholars and the Mastercard administrators that I treasure the most. Knowing that we have each other’s backs, no matter the challenges we face, is truly amazing. This tight-knit community has made my scholar journey unforgettable, and I will forever be grateful for the genuine connections and camaraderie that define our experience here.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Programs
Biomedical Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Titilola Abolade, MPH

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

With a career spanning over 15 years, Titilola has professional work experience in public health program development, management, and leadership at both national and international organizations in Nigeria.

This involved working with government agencies and parastatals, UN Agencies, NGOs, Community-based organizations (CBOs), Faith-based Organizations (FBOs), private sector and donor organizations across Nigeria through partnership, collaboration, capacity strengthening, resource mobilization, technical assistance, research and other health systems strengthening initiatives.

Titilola is in the 2nd year of the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Program. Prior to this, she worked as Program Director overseeing Nutrition International’s programs and operations in Nigeria and ensuring they are aligned with the Government of Nigeria’s strategic priorities. In 2018, Titilola received Nutrition International’s “President’s Award of Excellence” for leadership. She has also previously worked with the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH) in Ibadan and Abuja, Nigeria and Sightsavers Nigeria Country office, Kaduna.

Titilola is grateful for the Mastercard Foundation scholarship and believes the DrPH program will further strengthen her knowledge, capacity and network in advanced public health research, policy and leadership. This is with a view to contributing to developing, scaling and leading effective and innovative solutions to public health challenges in Nigeria and Africa. She believes health and nutrition play a critical role in development. Her research interests include maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health and nutrition.

Email Address
titilola.abolade@mail.utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Programs
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
Profile

Elizabeth Acheampong

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

My experience as an international student on the Mastercard Scholarship at the University of Toronto has been nothing short of transformative.

It has not only provided me with a world-class education but has also opened doors to new horizons and perspectives. I have felt welcomed and embraced by a multicultural community. Interacting with peers from various backgrounds has enriched my cultural awareness and global perspective. It has taught me the importance of empathy and understanding, essential skills for our interconnected world. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity, and I look forward to the adventures that lie ahead.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Programs
Biomedical Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Princess Ruhama Acheampong, PhD

Liaison Officer, Health Collaborative

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Princess Ruhama Acheampong (PhD) is an international scholar and Lecturer at the School of Public Health of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Princess has a wealth of experience in community mobilization, project coordination and project implementation. 

As a researcher, Princess has worked extensively in the areas of mHealth, malaria, epidemiology, maternal and child health, public health, nutrition, health promotion and gender. Princess has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research.

Princess has coordinated several exchange programs and is highly interested in collaborative research. She serves as the Liaison Officer for the Health Collaborative, KNUST.

Email Address
princessracheampong@gmail.com
Country
Ghana
Governance
HENT Pillar Advisory Committee
Profile

Achieng’ Aling’ , Dr (Med)

Healthcare Programs Director

African Leadership University

Dr. Achieng’ Aling’ is a medical doctor and global health professional with a background in health workforce and health systems strengthening. She currently serves as Healthcare Programs Director at African Leadership University (ALU), where she leads the African Health Collaborative, focused on building the next generation of health leaders through entrepreneurship, workforce development, and primary healthcare innovation. She has supported health program implementation across Africa, working closely with governments and partners to design and deliver locally led solutions, particularly in maternal health and health workforce strategy. A trained obstetrician-gynecologist with an MSc in Global Health Delivery, she is also a proud WomenLift Health Fellow committed to advancing women’s leadership in African health systems.

She is deeply passionate about menstrual health equity and champions the integration of menstrual and hormonal health into leadership and policy spaces, ensuring these often-overlooked issues are part of the conversation in shaping resilient health systems.

Profile Type
Staff
Country
Rwanda
Pillars
Health Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Governance
Project Implementation Committee
Profile

Nicholas Kofi Adegbe

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

I am Nicholas Kofi Adegbe from Ghana. Once doubtful of advancing beyond high school, but my life took a pivotal turn with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars program at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2018.

Fast forward after undergraduate degree, I got the life changing opportunity from the scholar’s program again to pursue a masters in Financial Insurance at the University of Toronto. The intricate blend of data science and finance in my program doesn’t just add to my academic knowledge; it serves as a catalyst, setting me on a path to reshape financial frameworks.

Beyond academia, the Scholars program’s leadership training has been transformative. Molding me with virtues of integrity and resilience. Equipped with all the necessary resources, I am empowered to inspire young people to leverage technology to solve problems in Africa. With a world-class education and these foundational lessons, I am poised to drive financial innovation with technology, ensuring a prosperous future for many.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Programs
Master of Financial Insurance (MFI)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

David Gameli Agbeko

Master Scholar

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Joining the Mastercard Foundation scholar’s program at UofT was a pivotal moment in my academic journey.

After completing my bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science, I was uncertain about my next steps. The transition was demanding, pushing me to find direction and purpose amidst a sea of aspirations. Today, I am extremely grateful for the life-changing opportunity offered by the Mastercard Foundation scholar’s program. It has allowed me to pursue my master’s in Financial Insurance, a field that perfectly aligns with my career ambitions. Through this enriching experience, I am building formidable skills and establishing meaningful connections vital for impact and transformation in Africa.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Programs
Master of Financial Insurance (MFI)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Paul Agbekpornu

Master Scholar

African Institute for Mathematical Sciences

I’m Paul Agbekpornu from Ghana. At the moment, I am pursuing a master’s in financial insurance at the University of Toronto.

After completing risk theory research addressing the pricing of insurance and reinsurance products, I was apprehensive about pursuing a degree that would complement my research. Fortunately, my desire became a reality thanks to the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program, and I am gaining a strong academic curiosity and sense of purpose at UofT. The extensive training, I am receiving in data science is broadening my knowledge and skills in financial insurance. My scholastic career has begun to shift and reshape thanks to the Mastercard Foundation grant.

Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Ghana
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Programs
Master of Financial Insurance (MFI)
Mastercard Foundation Masters Scholar program
Profile

Ashley Aimone, PhD

Associate Director, Doctor of Public Health Program

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Ashley’s background and training include pediatric nutrition, epidemiology, and global health research.  As the Associate Director of the Doctor of Public Health program, Ashley supports the training and mentorship of the Mastercard Foundation-funded scholars from African Health Collaborative partner institutions, as well as teaches applied research methods, and supports program operations and development. In her faculty role, she is the co-lead instructor for a Planetary Health course, in partnership with the School of Public Health, Moi University, Kenya. Her research interests and engagements include planetary health education, and community-based research, particularly at the intersection of climate/environmental change and food systems (including nutrition, food security, and food sovereignty).

Email Address
ashley.aimone@utoronto.ca
Profile Types
Faculty
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
Profile

Kofi Akohene Mensah, MSc, PhD

Proessor, Health policy, Management and Economics

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Dr. Kofi Akohene Mensah is an expert in Health Policy and Health Services Management.

His years of experience as a Senior lecturer at the Department of Health Policy, Management and Economics at the School of Public Health has contributed immensely to the successful training of hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Kofi has served as a Head for this Department and is currently the Head for the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety. Prior to joining the University as a lecturer, he was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aniniwah Medical Centre, a 100-bed private hospital in Kumasi, Ghana

Dr. Akohene Mensah has exceptional coordination skills and has led the implementation of several impactful community-based interventions to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. He has collaborated with local and international organizations such Ghana AIDS Commission, USAIDS, DANIDA, UNICEF, CRS, Word Vision Ghana, etc. in HIV/AIDS, child survival, Nutrition, Health care Financing, Non-communicable diseases, etc. These research collaborations have culminated in national policies in maternal, neonatal, child health and health systems strengthening.

Kofi’s ambitious personality and wealth of experience in research and academia has largely been influenced by his education in different parts of the world in varying fields such as Nutrition, Public Health, Health Policy, Strategic Leadership, Health Technology, Health Systems Research and Strengthening.

Kofi is passionate about mentoring the next generation through capacity building. He is currently the Pillar Advisory Chair and the coordinator of the health employment pillar of the multi-million Mastercard Higher Education Health Collaborative, KNUST.

Email Address
akohenemensah@yahoo.com
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Ghana
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee