Webinar - Putting Communities First: The Legacy of USAID's APC Project
December 19, 2019
Watch the recording from USAID's Advancing Partners & Communities Project's farewell webinar highlighting the project's critical work and legacy in community health in more than 40 countries over the past seven years (2012–2019).
The USAID-funded APC provided global leadership for community-based programming, managed a large sub-award program, and worked/supported/engaged with local organizations to help conduct more effective health programs. APC programs focused on four main areas—community-based family planning, HIV and AIDS, post-Ebola recovery, and vulnerable populations, which include children in adversity, people with disabilities, and victims of war.
APC leveraged the capacity of organizations and individuals at all levels—in communities, within national health systems, and globally—to create programs that generated mutual learning and inspired local initiative. In each country and setting, APC designed its programs in the context of local communities and cultivated partnerships to build the capacity of local NGOs and individuals as champions for change.
APC was implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. in partnership with FHI 360.
Meet the Speakers
Moderator Elizabeth (Liz) Creel is the project director of APC at JSI. Over the past 25 years, she has worked in family planning and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and environmental health. Prior to joining APC, Liz led a multidisciplinary communications team in support of USAID’s Global Health Bureau, and managed and coordinated public policy, advocacy, and communications efforts for several nongovermental organizations working in maternal, newborn, and child health and in the humanitarian sector. She was a senior technical officer on family planning and population for the Population Reference Bureau, and a project manager for the U.S. EPA on global efforts to stop ozone layer depletion and avert climate change. Liz has an MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and an MPH from the George Washington University School of Public Health.
Introduction Marguerite (Maggie) Farrell is the agreement officer’s representative (AOR) for APC and a health officer at USAID’s Global Health Bureau, Office of Population and Reproductive Health. Maggie’s recent work in her more than 30 years in global health includes Zika team leader in the Infectious Disease Office. She has lived and worked in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Spain, and has worked in community and union organizing with low-income, senior, and immigrant populations in the U.S. Maggie has a BA in international relations from Brown University and an MS in international health policy and Management from Harvard University School of Public Health.
Community-Based Family Planning Presentation Nancy Pendarvis Harris is a senior advisor to APC and a vice president at JSI. Her work experience includes long-term assignments in Nicaragua, Kenya, Madagascar, the Republic of Georgia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. She has managed large centrally funded and bilateral USAID projects, and has helped bring reproductive health care to crisis settings. Although Nancy works extensively on policy and health systems issues, the foundation of her professional values is community-level work, which she established while in the Peace Corp. Nancy was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from APHA in November.
HIV and AIDS Presentation Walter Proper is the director of field support for APC at JSI. Walter has worked extensively in family planning and reproductive health, HIV, TB, malaria, and essential medicine systems improvement. Prior to APC, Walter was the country director of JSI Zambia, and before that regional director of JSI Logistics. His experience includes more than 25 years as senior manager and supervisor of multicultural teams. Walter has a BA in history from the University of North Florida and an MA in international administration from the School for International Training.
Post-Ebola Recovery Presentation Jeffrey Sanderson is the team leader for APC’s post-Ebola programs in West Africa at JSI, which include provision of survivor support services in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Jeff has worked at JSI since 2002, holding a number of management, technical, and leadership positions, with a focus on supply chain. Jeff has a MHA from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and a BA from Colby College.
Vulnerable Populations Presentation Olga Cojocari is the grants and operations manager for APC at JSI. She has more than 13 years’ experience supporting and managing USAID-funded international development programs from headquarters and field offices. Prior to joining the APC team, Olga was grants manager for the Moldova Civil Society Strengthening and Strengthening Civil Society Monitoring Capacity in Moldova Programs implemented by FHI 360. Olga has a BA in economy from The State University of Moldova.
Watch the recording from USAID's Advancing Partners & Communities Project's farewell webinar highlighting the project's critical work and legacy in community health in more than 40 countries over the past seven years (2012–2019).
The USAID-funded APC provided global leadership for community-based programming, managed a large sub-award program, and worked/supported/engaged with local organizations to help conduct more effective health programs. APC programs focused on four main areas—community-based family planning, HIV and AIDS, post-Ebola recovery, and vulnerable populations, which include children in adversity, people with disabilities, and victims of war.
APC leveraged the capacity of organizations and individuals at all levels—in communities, within national health systems, and globally—to create programs that generated mutual learning and inspired local initiative. In each country and setting, APC designed its programs in the context of local communities and cultivated partnerships to build the capacity of local NGOs and individuals as champions for change.
APC was implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. in partnership with FHI 360.
Meet the Speakers
Moderator
Elizabeth (Liz) Creel is the project director of APC at JSI. Over the past 25 years, she has worked in family planning and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and environmental health. Prior to joining APC, Liz led a multidisciplinary communications team in support of USAID’s Global Health Bureau, and managed and coordinated public policy, advocacy, and communications efforts for several nongovermental organizations working in maternal, newborn, and child health and in the humanitarian sector. She was a senior technical officer on family planning and population for the Population Reference Bureau, and a project manager for the U.S. EPA on global efforts to stop ozone layer depletion and avert climate change. Liz has an MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and an MPH from the George Washington University School of Public Health.
Introduction
Marguerite (Maggie) Farrell is the agreement officer’s representative (AOR) for APC and a health officer at USAID’s Global Health Bureau, Office of Population and Reproductive Health. Maggie’s recent work in her more than 30 years in global health includes Zika team leader in the Infectious Disease Office. She has lived and worked in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Spain, and has worked in community and union organizing with low-income, senior, and immigrant populations in the U.S. Maggie has a BA in international relations from Brown University and an MS in international health policy and Management from Harvard University School of Public Health.
Community-Based Family Planning Presentation
Nancy Pendarvis Harris is a senior advisor to APC and a vice president at JSI. Her work experience includes long-term assignments in Nicaragua, Kenya, Madagascar, the Republic of Georgia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. She has managed large centrally funded and bilateral USAID projects, and has helped bring reproductive health care to crisis settings. Although Nancy works extensively on policy and health systems issues, the foundation of her professional values is community-level work, which she established while in the Peace Corp. Nancy was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from APHA in November.
HIV and AIDS Presentation
Walter Proper is the director of field support for APC at JSI. Walter has worked extensively in family planning and reproductive health, HIV, TB, malaria, and essential medicine systems improvement. Prior to APC, Walter was the country director of JSI Zambia, and before that regional director of JSI Logistics. His experience includes more than 25 years as senior manager and supervisor of multicultural teams. Walter has a BA in history from the University of North Florida and an MA in international administration from the School for International Training.
Post-Ebola Recovery Presentation
Jeffrey Sanderson is the team leader for APC’s post-Ebola programs in West Africa at JSI, which include provision of survivor support services in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Jeff has worked at JSI since 2002, holding a number of management, technical, and leadership positions, with a focus on supply chain. Jeff has a MHA from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and a BA from Colby College.
Vulnerable Populations Presentation
Olga Cojocari is the grants and operations manager for APC at JSI. She has more than 13 years’ experience supporting and managing USAID-funded international development programs from headquarters and field offices. Prior to joining the APC team, Olga was grants manager for the Moldova Civil Society Strengthening and Strengthening Civil Society Monitoring Capacity in Moldova Programs implemented by FHI 360. Olga has a BA in economy from The State University of Moldova.