Victoria H. Jennings, Ph.D
Institute Director, Principal Investigator of the AWARENESS project, and Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Georgetown University Medical Center.
Dr. Jennings, an anthropologist whose academic interests focus on health behavior and culture change, has 20 years experience in the international family planning and reproductive health field. In addition to being responsible for overall direction of the Institute, she coordinates the activities of the AWARENESS project in policy development and implementation. Dr. Jennings serves on numerous boards and task forces on international health issues.
jenningv@georgetown.edu

Marcos Arevalo, MD, MPH
Director of Biomedical Research; Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Arevalo is an Obstetrician-Gynecologist by training, with a Public Health degree in the area of Population/Family Planning. Areas of experience include programmatic and service delivery aspects of family planning and reproductive health, quality of care, and breastfeeding. Dr. Arevalo manages the Institute's field trials of simple natural family planning methods.
arevalom@georgetown.edu

Irit Sinai, Ph.D
Senior Research Officer, Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Sinai adds her expertise in research design and data analysis to a number of the Institute's research projects. She is responsible for analyzing data for the Institute's field trials of simple natural family planning methods and for providing technical assistance to the Institute's operations and behavioral research.
sinaii@georgetown.edu

Justine A. Kavle, Ph.D, MPH
Senior Program Officer for Research and Scale-up and Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Kavle is an international public health nutritionist whose interests focus on generating, utilizing, and disseminating evidence-based health service delivery tools/ technologies within the context of reproductive and maternal/child health initiatives in developing countries. She has 8 years of experience in international health research, and programming on maternal/child health, nutrition, and infectious diseases. She has worked as a consultant for UNICEF, west and central Africa, HKI Africa Regional Office, USAID, JHPIEGO, and AED. Dr. Kavle is responsible for developing, initiating, and managing aspects of research activities and programs, primarily in Africa, and providing technical guidance to operational and scale-up research endeavors.

Rebecka Inga Lundgren, MPH
Deputy Director and Director of Operations and Behavioral Research
Ms. Lundgren specializes in operations research in reproductive health. She has seventeen years experience in program implementation, research and evaluation in reproductive health, twelve of which served in Latin America. Ms. Lundgren's research focuses on expanding choice and improving the quality of family planning services. Ms Lundgren is currently responsible for the overall development, management and representation of the Institute's activities in India, Guatemala and El Salvador. Specific interests include male participation in reproductive health and serving rural indigenous families.
lundgrer@georgetown.edu

Susan M. Igras, MPH
Director of Field Programs
Ms. Igras has a unique mix of research-to-practice health programming and results-oriented management expertise. With over 20 years experience in international health, Ms Igras has extensive overseas experience, having lived and worked for over 17 years in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Ms. Igras’ technical skills include program evaluation and research, strategic planning, and use of participatory approaches in developing and evaluating community-centered reproductive health interventions. Ms. Igras is currently responsible for overseeing and supporting field programs as they move from research to scaling up the integration of FAM into national family planning programs.
smi6@georgetown.edu

Jeannette A. Cachan, MA
Director of Training and IEC
Ms. Cachan has over thirteen years of experience working in family planning programs. As an instructional designer and trainer, she is responsible for developing and testing training curricula in natural methods of family planning, including the Standard Days Method. Ms. Cachan also oversees the development and production of communication and educational materials at the institute.
cachanj@georgetown.edu

Jerry Marcus, MA
Director of Operations
Mr. Marcus has several years experience doing development work in Latin America, including seven years working with family planning organizations in several countries in the region. He has assisted in the start up of reproductive health projects and helped to grow existing programs. As Operations Manager, he provides leadership and strategic management to all administrative and operations functions. This includes strengthening the Institute’s organizational capacity and systems with respect to program development, implementation and management. In addition, he manages and evaluates reproductive health interventions in collaboration with Institute field-staff, governments, collaborating agencies and NGOs in Africa, Latin America and Asia.
jm434@georgetown.edu

Claudia Velasquez, MPH
Senior Program Officer
Ms. Velasquez, who has a degree in Public Health in the areas of population and family planning evaluation, has over eight years of experience implementing, conducting research, and data analysis with family planning programs in North Africa, Latin America, and US Public Health Programs. At the Institute she is currently responsible for the management and supervision of behavioral research studies and service projects in Latin America as well as providing guidance and support for research activities in Africa. She contributes to the Institute’s goal of providing research-based evidence for fertility-awareness based methods by providing technical assistance in the areas of trainings, preparing proposals, conducting research, data analysis, and writing articles. Currently she conducts research on service implementation strategies, method continuation, and social marketing as well as disseminating research results and representing the institute at various conferences.
cv38@georgetown.edu

Aysa Saleh-Ramirez, MPH
Senior Program Officer for Research
Ms Saleh-Ramírez has a Masters in Public Health degree with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She has over nine years experience providing technical assistance and managing activities for international and national NGOs and multilateral organizations in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, gender equity, adolescent health, and HIV/AIDS. As Research Officer, Ms Saleh-Ramirez provides technical assistance to operations research programs in Nicaragua, Albania, Guatemala, and Peru. Specific skills include program and resource development, design of research instruments, data collection and analysis, and conducting training activities.
as596@georgetown.edu

Bernard Kateta Balibuno, MPA
Program Officer for Training
Bernard Kateta Balibuno holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration with emphasis in international development and public health. Mr. Balibuno has worked in the areas of sustainable economic development and as an NGO Coordinator in refugee and displaced persons’ settings. He has also managed micro-credit and finance programs. As a Program Officer (PO) for training, Mr. Balibuno contributes to the Institute’s activities to scale up availability and use of simple natural family planning methods by providing training, program, and administrative support to technical staff and country programs.
bb254@georgetown.edu

Monica Marini, MA
Communications Officer
Ms. Marini has a Master’s Degree in Public Communication and supports Institute initiatives by developing information, education and communication (IEC) materials as well as conducting and managing respective field testing activities. In addition, she is responsible for organization-focused communication efforts, including building brand recognition, solidifying the organization’s image and increasing visibility of research findings through strategic dissemination efforts. Ms. Marini has experience developing training curricula and delivering trainings to audiences ranging from community workers to clinical personnel.
marinim@georgetown.edu

Katherine Lavoie, MPH
Program Officer, Research and Training
Ms. Lavoie has over five years of experience in public health. At the Institute, she supports domestic research, training and advocacy initiatives and coordinates knowledge management activities. Previously, she has worked on the country program management team of a USAID-funded maternal and child health project, served as a teaching assistant for on-line public health courses, and volunteered in the Peace Corps.
ksl24@georgetown.edu

Trinity Zan
Program Officer
Ms. Zan has five years of experience working in international development, focusing on community and women’s empowerment through basic education, income-generation and public/reproductive health. As Program Officer, she manages on-going research studies and the integration of family planning into reproductive health services in several countries in Africa, including Senegal, Mali, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda. Ms. Zan is fluent in French and Wolof (national language of Senegal).
tz25@georgetown.edu

Sujata Naik, MPH
Program Officer for Research
Ms. Naik has more than five years of experience working in international public health, focusing on health communications, research, and monitoring and evaluation. As Program Officer, she participates in the design, implementation, and dissemination of research as well as provides program and administrative support for related activities. She has lived and worked in Madagascar and Haiti. Ms. Naik received her MPH from Tulane University.
sin@georgetown.edu

Susana Melchora Mendoza, MA
Program Assistant, IEC and Training
Ms. Mendoza has four years experience working in international trade and holds a Masters degree in Latin American Studies from the Georgetown University. As Program Assistant she supports IEC and training efforts, working with materials in English, French and Spanish. She is also active in the inventory and dissemination of Institute materials.
Smm56@georgetown.edu

Elizabeth Salazar, MA
Program Assistant, Operations Research
Elizabeth Salazar has three years experience coordinating community development programs. As Program Assistant, she supports activities to conduct research and implement family planning programs in Latin America. She also supports HIV/AIDS and youth projects in the region. Ms. Salazar holds a Masters Degree in International Affairs from American University.
es336@georgetown.edu

Fatou Camara, MA
Program Assistant, Scaling up Programs
Fatou Camara has five years experience in international development focusing in education. As Program Assistant, Ms. Camara supports activities to scale up access and use of simple family planning methods in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She holds a Master's Degree in International Education Policy from Harvard University and a B.A. in International Business from the University of Dakar, Senegal.
fkc2@georgetown.edu

Farya Karim, MPH
Program Assistant for Research
Ms. Karim has a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Global Health Policy. Her past experiences involve working with adolescent reproductive health and HIV/AIDS with vulnerable populations at BRAC and UNFPA in Bangladesh. Currently she supports research activities and service delivery initiatives. She also supports activities to integrate family planning into services in South East Asia.
Fk49@georgetown.edu

Briana J. Sapp, MA
Program Assistant, Africa
Briana Sapp has three years experience working with international education and health NGOs in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe as well as experience working for an African diplomatic mission in Brussels, Belgium. She holds a Master’s of Arts in International Politics and is fluent in French with working knowledge of Spanish. As Program Assistant, she supports all of IRH’s field programs in Africa and coordinates with the IEC team for materials in French.
bjs55@georgetown.edu
Magaly Penuela-Alonzo
Administrative Officer
Ms. Penuela-Alonzo has more than 20 years of administrative experience working in family planning programs. As Administrative Officer, she is responsible for the overall administration of the Institute’s contractual, personnel, logistics and travel matters. She liaises with Georgetown University’s Office of Sponsored Research and the Human Resources department to ensure compliance with Georgetown’s regulations and policies. In addition to managing staff participation in conferences, she represents the Institute at domestic and international conferences and exhibits. Ms. Penuela-Alonzo is fluent in Spanish.
penuelam@georgetown.edu

Penny Reyes Mendoza, BSC
Financial Manager
Ms. Mendoza has 10 years of experience managing the financial and contractual activities of the Institute. She is experienced in handling the general ledger and accounts for financial and external audit purposes. Prior to emigrating to the United States, Ms Mendoza was a licensed CPA working for an accounting firm in the Philippines, examining financial statements of both profit and not-for-profit organizations.
mendozap@georgetown.edu

Meredith Puleio, BA
Program Assistant
Ms. Puleio holds a Bachelors Degree in International Affairs with concentrations in Global Health, Latin America, and Spanish Language and Literature. She has public health experience from study abroad endeavors in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador as well as from an extensive internship with the Pan American Health Organization. As Administrative Assistant, Ms. Puleio backstops the Director with presentations, proposal writing, documents for publication, and travel and meeting arrangements
mp447@georgetown.edu

Jane Coleman, BA
Administrative Assistant
Jane Coleman has focused her studies and work in international development since receiving a Bachelors Degree in Communications. She worked in the Dominican Republic and held an internship with JurisAIDS, a non-profit organization that provides free legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS in Senegal. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa she worked as a Community Health and AIDS Prevention Teacher. Ms. Coleman assists IRH with all administrative requests, contracts, and proposals and facilitates communication among country teams.

Mercedes Valldeperas, BS
IT Specialist and Research Assistant
Ms. Valldeperas has 12 years of experience in computer science. She designs and analyses software applications and multi-relational databases for research in addition to managing study field data. She serves as the Institute liaison with Georgetown University’s Information Systems as well as provides direct IT support to Institute staff. She also oversees the maintenance of all organizational systems and databases.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICES

Priya Jha, MA
Country Representative, India
Ms. Jha has over 10 years of experience working in family planning and reproductive health. She has worked with UNFPA and the Government of India’s Ministry of Family Welfare in the design and implementation of public-private partnerships models that involve the private sector and NGOs into health service delivery for increasing access to and availability of quality services. In addition, she has worked with leading national and international organizations, including WHO, Marie Stopes International and PLAN International. As Country Representative, she is responsible for providing technical assistance and oversight to research and service delivery activities related to the introduction of the Standard Days Method in government and private sector programs. Ms. Jha has a Masters in Social Work.
pjha@irh.in.

Luisa Sacieta, MD, Ph.D
Representative in Perú
Dr. Sacieta has many years of experience in sexual and reproductive health. In Peru’s public health sector, she has worked as senior representative and advisor to the Ministry of Health, Social Security and Public Health School. In the private sector, she has served as president of the Board of INPPARES and as consultant for Pathfinder International, implementing quality improvement initiatives in maternal and child health services. She has also provided consultancy services to UNFPA, the Ministry of the Presidency and the Maternal and Perinatal Institute. She is Principal Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the San Marcos National University, a member of scientific committees and has authored over 40 publications.
lsacieta@isrperu.org

Maria Mukabatsinda, RN, BSN
Representative in Rwanda
Ms. Mukabatsinda, Country Representative for the Awareness Project in Rwanda, is a nurse by training. She holds a bachelor's degree in medical administration and is currently a candidate for a masters degree in public health. Ms. Mukabatsinda has over seven years experience with increasing responsiblities in social marketing management in her last position being communications manager. Prior to working in social marketing, Ms. Mukabatsinda has supervised numerous family planning and HIV/AIDS studies in Rwanda with a particular focus on information, education, and communication.
awarenessrda@rwanda1.com

Margarita de Monroy, RN
Representative in Central America
Ms. Margarita de Monroy has worked in reproductive health since she received her nursing degree in El Salvador in 1973. She also holds a masters degree in research, along with undergraduate degrees in public administration and education. Throughout her career, Ms. Monroy has focused on breastfeeding, family planning and health promotion. She has expertise in program design, implementation and evaluation; and has worked extensively in training and research. Ms. Monroy has worked with the Ministry of Health and NGOs on projects funded by PAHO, the World Health Organization, the World Bank, USAID, GTZ and UNICEF. She is responsible for providing technical assistance and oversight to research and service delivery activities related to the introduction of the Standard Days Method in Central America.
monroym@integra.com.cv

Arsene Binanga, MD
Representative in the Democratic Republic of The Congo(DRC)
Dr. Binanga is a medical doctor with seven years of experience working with reproductive health, STD, and HIV/AIDS programs in the DRC. Before becoming the country coordinator for the AWARENESS-DRC project, Dr. Binanga worked as a HIV/AIDS program officer for Christian Aid and was the director of 3 “C”, a HIV/AIDS project at the University of Kinshasa. Dr. Binanga is fluent in French, Swahili, Lingala and English.
binanga_arsene@yahoo.fr

Karina Arriaza, MPH
Country Representative, Guatemala
Karina Arriaza has worked in the area of Public Health since 1998. Her work has focused on Maternal and Child Health, Reproductive Health and STIs, and HIV/AIDS within the national health system, civil society and cooperating agencies. Her experience lies in the design and implementation of public health strategies, specifically promotional activities, IEC and BCC. Ms. Arriaza has worked at the Guatemalan Ministry of Health, the National HIV/AIDS Program and USAID/Calidad en Salud.
guatemala@gmail.com