- Dr. Iain Barton steps down in leadership transition
Boston, July 9, 2021 – The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) today announced that Joy Phumaphi, Botswana’s former Minister of Health, and Ann Veneman, the former Executive Director of UNICEF, have been named Interim co-CEOs. CHAI also announced that Dr. Iain Barton would step down from his position as CEO by mutual agreement with CHAI’s Board of Directors. The Board is launching a search process to identify a permanent CEO.
Dr. Tachi Yamada, Chair of the Board, said, “We are grateful that Joy and Ann have agreed to serve as interim Co-CEOs. Both Joy and Ann are proven, dynamic world leaders with extensive experience in global health and in managing large and complex international organizations. Through their previous work on the CHAI Board, they have already made extraordinary contributions to our work addressing health challenges that have only become more acute during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board is confident that Joy and Ann will provide strong leadership and continuity as we move forward with this transition.”
Ms. Phumaphi said, “I want to thank the CHAI Board of Directors for trusting me and Ann with this important responsibility. CHAI’s work helping governments and the private sector build up health systems will be instrumental in helping the world come out of the COVID-19 pandemic equitably, while also building resiliency to confront future pandemics. In taking this work to the next level, we can also expand access to treatment and care for the most underserved communities. I’m excited to get to work on these critical priorities.”
Ms. Veneman said, “I am honored to join Joy in stepping into this important role. Over my years on the CHAI board, I have seen firsthand the passion and dedication we have to save lives and reduce the burden of disease, especially among the most vulnerable. Our mission is critical and we will work together with our staff and partners to take on the urgent public health challenges that lie ahead.”
Joy Phumaphi
Ms. Phumaphi started her career in public service as a principal local government auditor where she was responsible for all local authorities in the country. She went on to serve as a Member of Parliament. She held cabinet responsibility for Lands and Housing and established a groundbreaking housing policy that provided housing for all Batswana regardless of income status.
She later became Minister of Health, a role that catapulted her to international acclaim after establishing the first comprehensive HIV/AIDS treatment program in Africa, amidst an HIV/AIDS crisis in the country and the world. She was awarded the Stanley H. Knowles Humanitarian Award in 2003 for this work. She later joined the WHO as Assistant Director-General, where she was responsible for the 2005 World Health Report “Make every mother and child count.” As Vice President of Human Development at the World Bank, she introduced the Bank’s largest project evaluation program.
Phumaphi is the Co-Chair of the Lancet Pathfinder Commission on Climate Change and Health. She also co-chairs the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and is the former co-chair of the UN Secretary General’s Independent Accountability Panel for Women, Children, and Adolescent Health.
Phumaphi is currently the Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, an alliance of 49 African Heads of State and Government. She is co-chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) Partner Engagement in Countries Committee. She was a member of the UN High-Level Panel on Global Response to Health Crises; and has served as a member of the UN Reference Group on Economics and as a UN Commissioner on HIV/AIDS and Governance.
Ann Veneman
Ann M. Veneman has a distinguished career in public service, serving as the Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) from 2005 to 2010 and as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005. Veneman’s leadership and vision has been recognized both nationally and internationally. In 2009 she was named to the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Women Making History Award from the National Women’s History Museum.
The only woman to ever serve as Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Veneman directed one of the most diverse federal agencies with a budget of $113 billion and 110,000 employees. She also served as Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 1995 to 1999, overseeing the state agency responsible for the nation’s largest agricultural producing region. From 1986 to 1993, she served in various positions in the USDA, including Deputy Secretary, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, and Associate Administrator of the Foreign Agricultural Service.
Veneman currently serves on the boards of directors for a number of leading corporate and nonprofit groups, including CHAI. She is a member of the Hilton Humanitarian Prize Jury and the Council on Foreign Relations. She is a frequent speaker on a range of topics including poverty alleviation, empowering women and girls, food security and nutrition, and global health.
Throughout her career, Veneman has served on a number of advisory councils and committees. Currently, she serves on the advisory boards of Sundridge Partners, CitiRock Partners, BRAC, KDC Ag, Just Capital, the National 4-H Council, Resolution Project, Terra Vesco, the Close Up Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, Living Goods, Perfect Day, Ukko, Memphis Meats, and the Stanislaus County Community Foundation. She has also worked with the Bipartisan Policy Center on nutrition and political reform issues and with the Chicago Council on agricultural development. She also served as a fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and U.C. Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy.
A lawyer by training, Veneman has practiced law in both California and Washington DC. Veneman holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Davis; a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley; and a juris doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. She has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from several universities and colleges.
About CHAI
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work with our partners to help strengthen the capabilities of governments and local private sectors to create and sustain high-quality health systems. For more information, please visit clintonhealthaccess.org.
Contact
Corina Milic, Senior Digital Communications Manager, cmilic@clintonhealthaccess.org
