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 Jamila Parker-Ismail

Program Coordinator, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Photo of Tom Parker

, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Photo of Peter Materu

Chief Program Officer

Mastercard Foundation

Photo of Rhoda Akuol Philip (On leave)

, MPP, BCom

Regional Lead (Health Entrepreneurship), International Research Officer

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Photo of Steve Reid

, MD

(Chair, Family and Community and Emergency Medicine)

University of Cape Town

Photo of Marjorie Reyes

Administrative Assistant

University of Toronto, Office of the Vice-President International

Photo of Jamie Rodas

, MPH

Administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Photo of Solange Rosa

, PhD

Director, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

University of Cape Town

Photo of Elena Rosca

Senior Lecturer and Head, Engineering Department; HEMP Pillar Lead

Ashesi University

Photo of Marci Rose

, MScOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

TAAAC Toronto Director University of Toronto

University of Toronto, Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration

Profile

Jamila Parker-Ismail

Program Coordinator, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

In her role as Program Coordinator, Jamila assumes a pivotal role, diligently overseeing, co-managing, and orchestrating the implementation of business development initiatives at The African Impact Initiative.

She brings years of experience to the realm of Program Incubation, where her primary focus lies in nurturing Entrepreneurial Development. Jamila’s profession is underscored by her exceptional organizational acumen, a knack for fostering team synergy and networks. Her portfolio extends across multiple African countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Lesotho, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Email Address
jamila@africanimpactinitiative.com
Profile Type
Staff
Country
South Africa
Program
African Impact Challenge
Profile

Tom Parker, BA, B.Ed.

Grants and Office Manager

University of Toronto

Tom Parker is the Grants and Office Manager with the Office of the Vice President, International, at the University of Toronto where he leads the administration of grant funding programs and administrative processes for the office.

Tom has led projects and managed staff teams for seven years. Prior to OVPI, Tom supported Indigenous communities in northern Canada with locally delivered housing and economic development initiatives. Tom completed his MPA from Western University, specializing in Canadian municipal politics, and holds a B.Ed. and B.A. Outside of work, Tom enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his son.

Email Address
international@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Peter Materu

Chief Program Officer

Mastercard Foundation

Peter Materu is currently the Chief Program Officer of the Mastercard
Foundation. In this role, he is responsible for all the Foundation’s
programs globally. Among others, Peter championed the rollout of the
Foundation’s new operating model since 2019, which saw the Foundation set
up its footprint in Africa for the first time.


Peter joined the Mastercard Foundation over seven years ago from the World Bank where he served for seventeen years, including as Practice Manager for Education and Skills Development
in Africa. During his time at the World Bank, Peter made a significant contribution to the Bank’s higher education agenda, notably the Africa Centers of Excellence and the Partnership for Applied
Science, Engineering and Technology initiatives which seek to strengthen higher education institutions as hubs for socio-economic transformation in Africa. Prior to joining the World Bank, Peter served as Professor and Dean of Engineering, and as Director of Graduate Studies at the
University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. Peter holds a doctorate in electrical engineering and master’s degrees in engineering and education.

Pillars
Health Entrepreneurship
Health Ecosystems
Health Employment
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile

Rhoda Akuol Philip (On leave), MPP, BCom

Regional Lead (Health Entrepreneurship), International Research Officer

University of Toronto

Rhoda Akuol currently serves as a Africa Regional Lead Research Officer, supporting partnership engagement, and research collaboration, as well as monitoring, evaluation, learning and adaptation. She is a central liaison for the Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Pillar of the Africa Health Collaborative. HENT seeks to co-create and sustain entrepreneurial ecosystems, and launch scalable, impactful, and contextually relevant health start-ups that offer sustainable healthcare solutions. 

Rhoda Akuol has previously held various research, entrepreneurship, and business analyst roles within different work environments and cultures, including at start-up companies, non-profit organizations, and academic departments. She is passionate about community advocacy and sits on various advisory boards, including the Pan-Canadian Voice for Women’s Housing (PCVWH).

Rhoda Akuol received the African Scholars’ Social Innovation Award 2021, and the EYOB G. NAIZGHI Female Refugee Leadership Award 2019.

Email Address
rhoda.philip@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat
Governance
HENT Pillar Advisory Committee
Profile

Steve Reid, MD

(Chair, Family and Community and Emergency Medicine)

University of Cape Town

Professor Steve Reid is a Professor of Primary Health Care at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

He is a Family Physician with extensive experience in clinical practice, education and research in the field of rural health in South Africa. He is the Chair of the Primary Health Care and the Head of Department of Family, Community and Emergency Care in the Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT.

Email Address
steve.reid@uct.ac.za
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
South Africa
Profile

Marjorie Reyes

Administrative Assistant

University of Toronto

Marjorie is an administrative professional with close to 20 years of experience.

She is currently an Administrative Assistant at the Office of the Vice-President, International at the University of Toronto. Marjorie is a team player, an eager learner, and a highly organized individual. She is passionate about contributing and making a difference in the things that she does.

Before moving to Canada in 2020, Marjorie was an Executive Assistant to the CEO of a retail and travel company that represented various airlines and brands in the Philippines. Her previous position has allowed her to travel to different continents and exposed her to cultures and worldviews.

Marjorie is a mother of two, who enjoys painting, cooking, and being outdoors.

Email Address
international@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Jamie Rodas, MPH

Administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine

University of Toronto

Jamie Rodas, MPH, is an administrator at the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM), University of Toronto, where she has worked for 9 years. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health.

Jamie has over a decade of experience in project coordination, project management and advocacy in the fields of global health, health equity, and healthcare system strengthening. She has supported and fostered active collaborations with multiple stakeholders internationally and locally in Canada.

Jamie is the DFCM point person for the Africa Higher Education Collaboration and Project Coordinator for the DFCM. She supports the integration of all DFCM activities with the AHEC and long-term collaboration with the AHEC.

Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Solange Rosa, PhD

Director, Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship

University of Cape Town

Solange is the Director of Bertha Centre, where she has been involved since 2016.

She also serves as Associate Faculty and Adviser with the Allan Gray Centre for Values-based Leadership, and teaches on Executive Education and MBA programs at the UCT Graduate School of Business and the UCT School of Economics.

Holding a Doctorate in Constitutional Law from the University of Stellenbosch and a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Cape Town, Solange’s areas of expertise and research interest include Public Policy, Policy Research and Analysis, Strategy Development, Public Law, Public Sector Innovation and Leadership, Socio-economic Development, Youth Development, Poverty Reduction, Social Justice, Human Rights, Social Innovation and Social Impact.

Prior to her current role, Solange was working as an Independent Public Policy and Strategy Consultant for four years, with clients ranging from international organizations and national and provincial government departments to academic institutions, non-government organizations and philanthropic foundations. This included the likes of the Rockefeller Foundation, the National Department of Economic Development and International Labor Organization, and the CiTi and Western Cape Department of Economic Development.

Prior to that, Solange also worked for the Western Cape government for 10 years as the head of the Policy and Strategy Unit in the Department of the Premier. This well-published individual has appeared in a number of academic books, journals and working papers, as well as government publications. She has served as chairperson and director for a number of non-profit organizations and is on the Westerford High School Governing Body.

Email Address
solange.rosa@uct.ac.za
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
South Africa
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Elena Rosca

Senior Lecturer and Head, Engineering Department; HEMP Pillar Lead

Ashesi University

Dr. Elena Rosca is the Senior Lecturer and Head, Engineering Department and HEMP Pillar Lead

Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Ghana
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Marci Rose, MScOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

TAAAC Toronto Director University of Toronto

University of Toronto

Marci Rose completed a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy at The Ohio State University and her master’s at the University of Toronto. She began her OT career at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in 1990 where she worked for 15 years.

In 2002, she became the OT in Chief, and then assumed a variety of different management positions at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.  In 2005, Marci became the Administrative Director for the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital, a role she held until 2012.  In 2012, she started the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where she worked as the Administrative Director until formally joining TAAAC.

Her professional passion is for global health work in Ethiopia.  She has been an active participant in TAAAC since 2010, first as the TAAAC-OT co-lead, then as the Program Manager and now as the Toronto Director for TAAAC. She has been to Ethiopia on many occasions including as a consultant in the Biaber Project, a 3-year Grand Challenge Canada grant. Marci is a Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto and is the Ethiopian Lead for the International Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation at UofT.

Email Address
marci.rose@uhn.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
Toronto Addis Ababa Academic Collaboration