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News & Events

Photo of Achieng’ Aling’

, Dr (Med)

Healthcare Programs Director

African Leadership University

A Tribe Forged in Health: Leadership and Lifelong Bonds at WGHLF 2025

Leadership Coaching and Candid Conversations  Kenyan leadership coach and governance expert, Dr. Susan Kinyeki, led a leadership coaching session that encouraged deep reflection on personal leadership journeys, identifying the ‘why ‘ and embracing the power of your voice.   The highlight was a series of candid conversations with some of the most accomplished African female leaders in […]

Photo of Erica Di Ruggiero

Associate Professor of Global Health, Social and Behavioural Health Sciences Division, and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Photo of Solomon Makuza

, BSc (Hons); MPH

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, University of Toronto

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
Governance
Project Implementation Committee
Profile

Erica Di Ruggiero

Associate Professor of Global Health, Social and Behavioural Health Sciences Division, and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

University of Toronto

Erica Di Ruggiero (she/her), PhD is an Associate Professor of Global Health, Social and Behavioural Health Sciences Division, and the Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.

She is also the Director of the Centre for Global Health and Collaborative Specialization in Global Health and is the inaugural research director for the Sustainable Development Goals at U of T institutional strategic initiative. She leads and is engaged in MCF-funded programs such as the Women in Global Health Leadership Program in close collaboration with partners in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Moi University and UCT. Her program of research draws upon different theories and mixed methods to evaluate the population health, gender and equity impacts of policy and program interventions addressing health and social issues (e.g. precarious work) in diverse global settings. She studies the role of governance in global, national, and sub-national public health and health system policy agendas in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. She teaches courses in global health, global health policy and population health intervention research, and supervises and mentors several graduate and postdoctoral fellows in health and social science disciplines. She is editor in chief for Global Health Promotion. Di Ruggiero holds a PhD in public health sciences from the University of Toronto.

Email Address
e.diruggiero@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile

Solomon Makuza, BSc (Hons); MPH

Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholar

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Solomon Makuza is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) student at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. He has devoted his career to improving social determinants of health and well-being in under-resourced communities. His career began at AVSI International, where he led a child protection and development project across three refugee camps in Rwanda. There, he established multisectoral mechanisms to protect, respond to, and prevent child abuse.

Following this, he served as Programs Manager at Partners in Health, addressing socioeconomic disparities and improving healthcare and social support for vulnerable communities. Most recently, Solomon served as the Executive Director of Gardens for Health International, an NGO focused on maternal and child nutrition. Under his leadership, thousands of families and children were positively impacted. He built enduring partnerships with both local and global stakeholders and played a pivotal role in shaping national policies, including school feeding programs, community health workers’ nutrition guidelines, and the food and nutrition policy.

With a strong background in community outreach, international development, and health equity, Solomon’s interests include maternal and child health, food and nutrition security, global health, and policy development.

In his free time, Solomon enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching soccer and basketball, and jogging. Originally from Rwanda, he holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Health Sciences and a Master’s in Public Health. Upon completing his DrPH program, Solomon aims to use his expertise and platform to advance public health in underserved communities, driven by a strong sense of optimism about his potential impact.

Email Address
s.makuza@mail.utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Scholar
Country
Canada
Program
Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)