PATH leader hired to head Seattle-based global health innovator
VillageReach, the Seattle-based global health non-profit that increases access to quality healthcare for underserved communities, has announced that Evan Simpson will join VillageReach as President effective July 5, 2016. Simpson was most recently interim Country Program Director for PATH India.
“We are very excited to welcome Evan to VillageReach. Throughout his career, he has proven himself as a compelling, effective and engaged global health leader, and is the right executive catalyst to continue the momentum of the organization and to manage VillageReach’s growth and evolution,” said Rick Fant, Board Chair.
Simpson has worked in global health for more than 15 years. Most of his career has been spent at PATH where he managed a diverse portfolio of projects and teams across program areas, with an emphasis in diarrheal disease and vaccine initiatives. He has extensive experience in the field across Africa and Asia driving a wide range of health initiatives including vaccine introduction, community-led campaigns and management, clinical trials, product development and market research. In 2015, Evan became the Co-Chair of PATH’s Research Ethics Committee, before taking on the role of interim Country Program Director for PATH India.
“Within the global health community, VillageReach stands out from the rest given its focus on the last mile of healthcare delivery and the significant successes it has achieved for remote, hard-to-reach communities. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with such an exceptionally talented and committed team, and to join an organization with a track record for developing and scaling innovations with incredible impact,” says Simpson.
The VillageReach Board led a six-month search for the position after Allen Wilcox, president since 2008, announced his desire to step down and more narrowly focus his leadership role as a strategic advisor and member of the VillageReach Board of Directors.
VillageReach has grown significantly in recent years. When Wilcox, former Microsoft Associate General Counsel, initially came to VillageReach as a volunteer in 2004, the organization had approximately 20 employees and a single geographic and programmatic focus: vaccine supply chain in Mozambique. Today, the organization has over 100 employees and is engaged in a diverse portfolio of health system strengthening initiatives across nine countries.
“I am proud of the many ways our team is achieving our mission with large-scale, measurable impact across a diverse portfolio of innovations and geographies. The Board and I believe Evan has the experience, knowledge and passion to build upon this progress and enable VillageReach to significantly increase access to quality healthcare for the most underserved communities,” says Wilcox.
Under Wilcox’ leadership, the VillageReach portfolio expanded beyond immunization supply chain systems work to a broader portfolio of innovations focused on addressing the most critical barriers to quality healthcare delivery in remote and underserved communities: lack of access, infrastructure, information, and human resources. Examples of VillageReach innovations include software and other technologies to increase data visibility from the lowest levels of the health system, field-based training programs to increase capacity of frontline health workers, streamlining medical commodity supply chains and mobile health programs that connect rural communities with health information, advice and services over cell phones.
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About VillageReach
VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive. We develop solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care. This includes making sure products are available when and where they are needed and primary health care services are delivered to the most under-reached. Radical collaboration with governments, the private sector and other partners strengthen our ability to scale and sustain these solutions. Our work increases access to quality health care for 46 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.
For press inquiries: media@villagereach.org