UC San Francisco
Patience A. Afulani
Dr. Afulani is the Principal Investigator of the Person-Centered Equity Lab. She obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Ghana Medical School and an MPH with a certificate in Global Health followed by a PhD in Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Afulani’s research focuses on the social and health system factors underlying disparities in reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and child health (RMNCH). Dr. Afulani studies how RMNCH outcomes are shaped by quality of care in health facilities as well as by social determinants. She works on improved measurement of quality of care, particularly person-centered care, and on developing interventions to improve outcomes and reduce disparities.
Jackie Odiase
Ms. Odiase serves as a Research Analyst with the Person-Centered Equity Lab. Jacqueline obtained her M.S. in Global Health Sciences at UCSF and her B.A. in Psychology at UCLA. She also works with other projects in the Institute of Global Health Sciences (IGHS) related to maternal and child health and human mobility and HIV.
Monica Getahun
Ms. Getahun serves as the Research Program Director with the Person-Centered Equity Lab. She directs research and operations for sub-Saharan African programs for several researchers across departments and has more than fifteen years of experience in applied research and evaluation. Monica has worked in evaluation and strategic planning initiatives with foundations, governments, consultancies and non-profits in health and education, both in the U.S. and abroad. She has a broad interest in evaluation, research capacity building, and equity and inclusion in the research process. She works on projects in maternal health, HIV, and health & climate.
Kenya
Linnet Ongeri
Dr. Ongeri is a mental health researcher working at the Centre for Clinical Research in the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and a member of the presidential mental health national task force as well as various technical working groups at the Ministry of Health. Having worked in Kenya for the last 10 years as a medical doctor and psychiatrist, she believes innovative programs that tap into already existing physical and human resources can go a long way to addressing the mental health treatment gap. It is for this same reason that she has been drawn to research approaches that strive to design culturally and regionally appropriate models of integrating mental health care in primary health care.
Joyceline Kinyua
Ms. Kinyua holds a master’s degree in public health with a major focus on epidemiology and population health from the Centre for Virus Research at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). She is involved in collaborative research with regional and international researchers in implementing and managing both quantitative and qualitative research projects. Her role as a principal investigator and co-investigator has led to several peer-reviewed publications.
Beryl Ogolla
Ms. Ogolla is based at the UC Global Programs for Research and Training in Kenya. She has a bachelor’s degree in social sciences development studies and over 5 years’ hands-on experience in qualitative and quantitative research. Ms. Ogolla currently serves as a study coordinator for the caring for providers to improve patient Experience (CPIPE) Study. She is also a trained HIV Training Services counselor.
Edwina Ndhine
Ms. Ndhine is a research assistant based at the UC Global Programs for Research and Training. She has a social science degree from Egerton University – Kenya, with a certificate in monitoring and evaluation from Kenya Institute of Management. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in social development and management from Maseno University. She has over 5 years’ experience working in projects related to public health and social protection.
Ghana
Raymond Aborigo
Dr. Aborigo is Deputy Chief Health Research Officer at the Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC), a unit of the Ghana Health Service. He holds a PhD in Global Health from MONASH University, Australia. For the past 20 years, Dr. Aborigo has led several projects in biomedical and social and behavioral research. He focuses on improving understanding of the factors that contribute to maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in rural communities. He has also consulted for many international organizations including WHO, UNICEF, USAID and CDC. Dr. Aborigo has been collaborating with Dr. Afulani since 2016.