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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

2026-2027 Graduate Scholarships Open at the University of Toronto

We are pleased to announce the start of the 2026-2027 Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship recruitment at the University of Toronto. This scholarship opportunity is open to recent alumni and graduating students at our Africa Health Collaborative partner universities. These graduate scholarships will be awarded to those individuals who have demonstrated academic excellence in the associated health-related […]

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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
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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