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 Rida Khan

Marketing & Operations Coordinator,  IMIx Executive Programs

Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto Mississauga

Photo of Gideon Hosu Porbley

, PhD

Lecturer, Humanities & Social Sciences Department - Ashesi University; MELA Lead

Ashesi University

Photo of Keren Arthur

, PhD

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Business Administration Department; Chair, PIC

Ashesi University

Photo of Akmal Samsor

, MPH, MBBS

Senior Research Officer/MELA Lead Office of the Vice-President International

Office of the Vice-President International, University of Toronto

Photo of Sandra Owusu

, MSc

Project Assistant & Executive Assistant

Africa Secretariat

Social Media Associate

Africa Secretariat

Photo of Jackson Ilangali

, MD, MPH

Director, Insights & Impact

Africa Secretariat

Photo of John Nkengasong

Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives, and Special Initiatives, Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation

Director, Collaboratives and Special Programs, Mastercard Foundation  

Mastercard Foundation

Photo of Joshua Ebinabo

Program Manager, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Profile

Rida Khan

Marketing & Operations Coordinator,  IMIx Executive Programs

Institute for Management & Innovation

Rida Khan is the Marketing & Operations Coordinator at IMIx Executive Programs at the University of Toronto Mississauga.

She leads strategic marketing, program operations, and stakeholder engagement initiatives. Passionate about creating impactful learning experiences, Rida specializes in program management, communications, experiential learning, and community building, working closely with faculty, industry partners, and learners to deliver innovative programs that drive professional and organizational growth.

Email Address
rk.khan@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Pillar
Health Ecosystems
Program
IMIx
Profile

Gideon Hosu Porbley, PhD

Lecturer, Humanities & Social Sciences Department - Ashesi University; MELA Lead

Ashesi University

Dr. Gideon Hosu Porbley is a lecturer at the Humanities & Social Sciences Department, Ashesi University and the MELA Lead

Profile Types
Faculty
Staff
Country
Ghana
Profile

Keren Arthur, PhD

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Business Administration Department; Chair, PIC

Ashesi University

Dr Keren Arthur is an Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, Business Administration Department, Ashesi University and the Chair, PIC.

Profile Types
Faculty
Staff
Country
Ghana
Governance
HENT Pillar Advisory Committee
Project Implementation Committee
Profile

Akmal Samsor, MPH, MBBS

Senior Research Officer/MELA Lead Office of the Vice-President International

Office of the Vice-President International

Akmal Samsor is a public health professional, researcher, and MELA specialist with more than 20 years of experience using evidence to strengthen programs, inform policy, and support healthier communities in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

He is a Senior Research Officer at the Office of the Vice-President, International (OVPI), University of Toronto, and serves as the MELA Lead for the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC), where he supports monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptation efforts to strengthen primary healthcare systems across Africa. His work spans infectious diseases, maternal and child health, gender-based violence, WASH, and capacity building, developed through collaboration with governments, NGOs, and UN agencies. Akmal is passionate about turning data into practical insight, helping partners learn, adapt, and build more equitable and responsive health systems.

Email Address
akmal.samsor@utoronto.ca
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Profile

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
Profile

Emmanuella Attuquaye

Social Media Associate

Africa Secretariat

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

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
Profile
Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is the Executive Director for Higher Education at the Mastercard Foundation

John Nkengasong

Executive Director for Higher Education, Collaboratives, and Special Initiatives, Mastercard Foundation

Mastercard Foundation

Ambassador John N. Nkengasong is a distinguished virologist and global health leader with more than 30 years of experience in public health. He currently serves as the Executive Director for Higher Education at the Mastercard Foundation, where he oversees the Foundation’s higher education and health workforce development portfolios.

Previously, he was the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and the Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), leading U.S. efforts to strengthen global health security and manage infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. He was the founding Director of the Africa CDC, where he established it as a key autonomous health agency and coordinated Africa’s COVID-19 response, securing vaccines for the continent. He held critical roles at the U.S. CDC and contributed extensively to global health diplomacy.

He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Yaoundé, an M.Sc. from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, and a Ph.D. from the University of Brussels, and leadership training certification from Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Recognized among Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2021, Ambassador Nkengasong has received numerous awards, including the Virchow Prize for Global Health. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the Vatican Pontifical Academy of Life.

Email Address
jnkengasong@mastercardfdn.org
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile

Ashley Collier

Director, Collaboratives and Special Programs, Mastercard Foundation  

Mastercard Foundation

Email Address
acollier@mastercardfdn.org
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Governance
Executive Steering Committee
Profile
Joshua Ebinabo

Joshua Ebinabo

Program Manager, African Impact Initiative

African Impact Challenge

Joshua Ebinabo is the Program Manager for the African Impact Initiative’s flagship program, the African Impact Challenge. He works closely with cross-functional teams to plan and execute the program, ensuring a seamless experience for founders from application through acceleration.

In his role, Joshua has led the transformation of the program’s bootcamp, redesigning and upgrading its structure to provide stronger resources, clearer pathways, and greater value for participating founders. He oversees program timelines, stakeholder coordination, mentor engagement, and performance tracking, ensuring milestones are met and outcomes are impact-driven.

Through strategic planning and continuous improvement, Joshua strengthens the African Impact Challenge as a high-impact accelerator for emerging entrepreneurs across Africa.

Email Address
joshua.ebinabo@africanimpactinitiative.com
Profile Type
Staff
Country
Canada
Program
African Impact Challenge