Our monthly check-in with staff from around the world. Learn more about the people who work at CHAI.
Please tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to CHAI.
I’m a computer science engineer with a business school degree. After completing my higher education, I pursued a consulting role in the corporate world to optimize supply chains for Fortune 500 companies across North America, Europe, and India. But the grind left me wanting something more meaningful than just helping companies increase profits. I joined CHAI in 2014 and found my calling—helping to tackle global health challenges alongside other passionate and driven folks. My first assignment was facilitating the digitization of the HIV drug supply chain in India — since then, I have remained both humbled and inspired by the impactful work CHAI does.
1. What is your favorite thing about your career?
As long as I can remember, I’ve been a tech-enthusiast and driven to make a positive impact in both my community and society at large. For nearly 15 years, I have been volunteering at various community organizations, and at CHAI, I’ve been able to channel that drive into my professional life as a digital health advisor. In my role, I’m constantly brainstorming with colleagues on innovative ways to apply technology towards solving public health challenges at scale, all while maintaining a focus on sustainability. I enjoy the challenge of finding tech-enabled solutions and adapting them to work in the context of our program countries.
2. In your experience, what skills are the most crucial to succeeding at CHAI?
At CHAI, I firmly believe that one must fully embrace CHAI values to thrive. While our rigorous hiring process helps us attract talented professionals and experts, it’s crucial that they adopt and embody our values in their day-to-day work. I believe a successful candidate at CHAI leverages their problem-solving skills to tackle the many complex challenges in public health with a sense of urgency, all while remaining ethical, respectful, mission-driven, and humble.
3. Who is someone you admire, and why?
Through my work at CHAI, I have had the privilege of engaging with numerous frontline health workers. I am constantly inspired by their unwavering commitment and resourcefulness in serving their communities even in the face of limited resources and high disease burden. I admire their empathetic yet practical approach to solving complex health-related issues. I truly believe doctors, nurses, and other frontline health workers are the foundation of public health.
4. What is the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
As the year-long lockdown in Canada dragged on, my wife and I began to feel like our home office walls were closing in on us (#zoomfatigue)! So, we decided to escape and hit the open road for a long weekend. Well, that turned into a wild three-week adventure across the Canadian Maritimes! From setting up our workstation in cafes all day, hiking early in the morning, driving over 9,000 kilometers, and sleeping in our car at truck rest stops, it remains one of my most thrilling experiences to date.
5. If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
I have a weakness for my wife’s dark chocolate brownies paired with salted caramel ice cream from our local dairy. I believe this combination is the definition of dessert perfection! It has spoiled me to the point where I can no longer enjoy a simple cone of ice cream without daydreaming about how much better it would be with the addition of those brownies! I would happily have this for every meal of my existence (no matter how fleeting it may be due to the sugar and butter intake). The sacrifices we make for culinary ecstasy, eh? 😊
