New York, October 15, 2012 –Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell, a long-time leader in the field of palliative care, has joined the Open Society Foundations this month as a Senior Program Officer for Global Advocacy.
Based in the foundations’ International Palliative Care Initiative in New York, Dr. Mwangi-Powell will spearhead the foundations’ worldwide advocacy agenda for palliative care.
The International Palliative Care Initiative is one of the core public health programsof the Open Society Foundations. It aims to improve the care of patients and families facing life-limiting illnesses by supporting global and national policies to integrate palliative care into public health systems.
Prior to joining the Open Society Foundations, Dr.Mwangi-Powell was the founding Executive Director of the African Palliative Care Association (APCA), a pan-African organization supporting the scale-up of palliative care programs. In this role, she helped develop palliative care in more than 20 African countries over the past eight years. Previously, she served as a Palliative Care Advocacy Officer for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund based in London.
With her extensive experience in the areas of advocacy, policy development, strategic planning, and organizational development, Dr. Mwangi-Powell will design and implement a wide range of advocacy initiatives for the Open Society Foundations, including those targeted at increasing policy and donor support for palliative care.
“We are honored to have Faith join us at the Open Society Foundations,” said Mary Callaway, Director of the International Palliative Care Initiative. “With her valuable insight and leadership, we expect her to forge many successful partnerships with palliative care organizations worldwide.”
Dr.Mwangi-Powell is a familiar face in global health advocacy. As the author of more than 20 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals, she has made several international presentations. In 2009, she appeared before the U.S. Congress to advocate for the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Dr. Mwangi-Powell attended the Kenya Medical Training College, University of Wales (Cardiff), and the University of Exeter in the west of England. She holds a Master’s degree in population studies and a PhD in women’s health and development.
Dr.Mwangi-Powell added, “I am delighted to bring my advocacy experience and passion for palliative care to the Open Society Foundations, which have a long track record of fighting for justice, human rights,and democracy throughout the world. I look forward to working with our network of foundations to advance the global palliative care agenda.”
Read Dr Mwangi-Powell's blog, "We all should have the right to die well"