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Photo of Jamila Parker-Ismail

Program Coordinator, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Photo of Ernest Asamoah

, PhD

Program Officer (West Africa), Ghana

Africa Secretariat

Program Officer (East Africa), Kenya

Africa Secretariat

Photo of Paul Santerre

, PhD

Professor & Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN) Director of the Health Innovation Hub

University of Toronto

Photo of Penina Lam

, PhD

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

Africa Secretariat, Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Timothy Kinoti

, PhD Candidate

Head, Learning & Program Improvement

Africa Secretariat, Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Angel Motsamai

, MBA, PhD

Program Officer (Southern Africa), South Africa

Africa Secretariat

Photo of Edward Nkole

, CPA, CMA

Finance & Administration Associate Director

Africa Secretariat, Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Venture Spotlight: ATradezone

Using blockchain and AI to streamline African manufacturing to focus on entering the Canadian healthcare sector and expanding into Africa.

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

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 Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Lillian Bogonko

Program Officer (East Africa), Kenya

Africa Secretariat

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

Paul Santerre, PhD

Professor & Baxter Chair in Health Technology & Commercialization (UHN) Director of the Health Innovation Hub

University of Toronto

Professor J. Paul Santerre has published >220 peer reviewed publications and is a listed inventor on >70 patents in the area of medical polymers.

He is co-founder and current director of the Health Innovation Hub at the University of Toronto (a student focused entrepreneur training co-curricular program that has trained > 650 client health science companies which have generated > $430M CAD). He was the 2022 – 2023 Chair of the Health Entrepreneurship Pillar for the Africa Health Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation. He is a co-founder of Interface Biologics, along with having spun-out five other start-up companies from his lab, and has won multiple national awards for his achievements in enabling entrepreneurship, including Canada’s Governor General award for Innovation, and the Professional Engineers of Ontario Entrepreneurship Award in 2017.  He has received multiple awards for his community activity including the 2016 Community award from the Canadian Biomaterials, the 2018 President’s Impact Award from the University of Toronto. 

Email Address
paul.santerre@dentistry.utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Faculty
Country
Canada
Governance
HEMP Pillar Advisory Commitee
Profile
Dr Penina Lam, Lead of the Africa Health Collaborative

Penina Lam, PhD

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

Africa Secretariat

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 Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Program
Africa Secretariat
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile

Timothy Kinoti, PhD Candidate

Head, Learning & Program Improvement

Africa Secretariat

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 Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

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 Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Program
Africa Secretariat
Profile

Edward Nkole, CPA, CMA

Finance & Administration Associate Director

Africa Secretariat

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 Ecosystems
Health Employment
Health Entrepreneurship
Program
Africa Secretariat