Why We Do What We Do: Erika Linnander

Erika Linnander, associate director at GHLI, realized her interest in health when she volunteered for the Peace Corps from 2001 to 2003. Even though she went on this trip as an educational volunteer, her experience exposed her to how health issues could spill over and create barriers for educational systems. “Students wanted to come and learn, but they were sick or were taking care of their families. It seemed like HIV wiped out education,” explained Erika.

During her two years as a volunteer in Malawi, Erika’s most vivid memory of that country’s health care system occurred when she was teaching at a secondary school campus. It was nighttime, and a young girl got sick. Erika brought her to the hospital and explained how committed the nurses were, but they couldn’t do anything because they didn’t have medicine. “You had good people working in a broken system,” she observed.

Erika heard about Betsy Bradley while finishing up her degree in public health and business at Johns Hopkins. A friend told her about Betsy and the Ethiopian Hospital Management Initiative program. Even though the program was in its first year, Erika was excited about its practical design and reached out to Betsy to see if there was a role for her with the program. But before Erika joined the GHLI team, she wanted to learn more about how hospitals work through an administrative fellowship with John Hopkins Medicine. Erika applied her knowledge from the fellowship to GHLI when she returned in 2009.

A part of Erika’s role at GHLI includes program development. She shared how watching a program start with a broad objective and then launch is one of the most fulfilling aspects of her work. “It makes me excited, humble and mostly grateful for the opportunity that I can do meaningful work with and for good people.”

Amanda Sorrentino, GHLI Intern

Kaiser Global Health Initiative Program Funding Report

The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report evaluating funding allocation of the Global Health Initiative (GHI) - the Obama Administration's six-year effort aimed at improving the health and lives of people in the developing world --  for the 2010 fiscal year. The report featured an analysis of six programs focused on HIV/AIDS; TB; malaria; maternal, newborn and child health; family planning and reproductive health; and nutrition.

The Foundation’s report found the United States funded support of $5.7 billion to more than 73 countries, with at least one program in 20 countries and all six areas in 12 countries. HIV/AIDS were the most commonly funded program. Eighty percent of GHI funding is directed to programs in Africa. The majority of countries that received funding, 86 percent, are categorized as low income by the World Bank. The Foundation’s report also found that GHI countries represented almost all of the maternal deaths in the world and 85 percent of HIV rates. According to the report, these findings are beneficial to help find improvements for GHI funding opportunities. One quarter of the total funding was allocated to eight countries that serve as “learning laboratories”. 

The report provided a context for the current role of the U.S. in global health and identity future developments. For example, it identified some countries with high funding have relatively low disease rates. GHI can utilize these findings, such as gaps in standardized funding, to allocate support efficiently.  And, the report points to several opportunities and challenges that face the GHI.  A more global look at GHI countries and program presence will not only help to identify overlaps and potential areas for further integration, but may also identify areas in need of particular attention, such as implementation of the GHI’s focus on women, girls and gender equality in those countries that do not currently receive GHI funding.

The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit private operating foundation dedicated to producing and communicating the best possible information and analysis on health issues. To read the report in its entirety, visit http://www.kff.org/.

Amanda Sorrentino, GHLI Intern

To return to our website: yale.edu/ghli

Why We Do What We Do: Martha Dale

It all began when Martha Dale, director for China programs, was on the receiving end of an unexpected phone call in 2005. Elizabeth Bradley, faculty director of the Global Health Leadership Institute (GHLI), was on the other end of the line. She wanted to complete a needs assessment in Ethiopia that would be funded by the Clinton Foundation. 

Martha was interested in Elizabeth’s proposal because traveling and hands on projects were two of Martha’s interests. She had experience running a non-profit organization for people with HIV and AIDS in New Haven and had a background with conventional health care administration after receiving her master’s in public health.  After completing individual projects for GHLI, she applied for her current position as the director for China programs. “I was looking for a new adventure in my career life and specifically the China program appeared on the horizon,” explained Martha. “As Eleanor Roosevelt said, ‘Do one thing every day that scares you,’ and this was what I did.”

Martha has worked on and off for GHLI since 2006, until her appointment as director of China programs in 2009. During this time, her accomplishments include individual learning and program development. For example, even after visiting three countries, Martha explains how no experience can prepare you for the next. Specifically, her range of travels has taught her so much about individual practitioners and systems in other countries and how their health care systems operate in the context of their pressures from the environment and political challenges.

Martha’s successes extend outside of herself. Performance improvement, after listening and responding to the needs participants in programs and turning this feedback into constructive design work, is useful for each new class that participates in the China program. Martha explained how this is not black and white. For example, a woman raised her hand in a management and leadership class and asked how you can communicate more effectively. Although this was not initially a part of the course, Martha thought about how this could be incorporated into the curriculum. This is just one example of how student feedback helped the China program evolve.

One staple of the China program’s 10,000 women, displays a video from Goldman Sachs. Martha’s face lights up when discussing how this video makes her feel.  “Even though I have seen this video at least eight times,” explains Martha.  “Every time I watch it makes me more excited about and committed to the program.”  Martha said seeing this feeling and passion translated in the audience adds to the emotional experience. This video is an example of how Martha’s work has provided her with not only professional achievement, but also with personal growth. She explained how she never actively engaged in women’s empowerment issues during her early career, but now feels personally part of this important cause in other cultural settings. This positive experience reminds her of how easy it was to take this important social issue for granted, as she herself confessed she felt as a recent college graduate. Martha always reminds the students how important they are to the program and for other women.

She describes her role as an “exporter of expertise.” Martha feels a sense of comfort from the connection she has with her program when she visits her program in China. For Martha, her work in global health is more than a job. It has taught Martha you must love your work, no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

Amanda Sorrentino, GHLI Intern

To return to our website: yale.edu/ghli

Why We Do What We Do: Betsy Bradley

Betsy Bradley, faculty director at GHLI, received an email in 2005 that would take her career path all over the map - literally. The chief executive officer of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Ed Wood, knew one of Betsy’s students, Kaakpema Yelpaala at the School of Public Health. The student told Mr. Wood about Betsy’s expertise in hospital administration and thought she was someone he should speak with about his public health initiatives.

Mr. Wood wanted to meet with Betsy about public health efforts in Ethiopia. Betsy’s initial response was “Why me? I have never even been to the African continent!” She wrote back to Mr. Wood with one available time to meet and to her surprise, he agreed. Betsy invited other faculty to the meeting, hoping their interests would match up with the Foundation’s work. But she was inspired by the energy of the Clinton group and realized her expertise could be used in Ethiopia. “The global health experts I knew were focused on HIV and infectious disease. I did not realize how important finance, quality improvement, and leadership could be to global health. I realized that I had experience and skills that could help improve the management of their hospitals,” explained Elizabeth, “which was exactly what the Clinton Foundation and the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia wanted, it turned out.”

Once she agreed to take on the new challenge, one of Betsy’s first steps was to contact Martha Dale. “Martha was an alumna from our Health Management Program, which I directed at the time, and CEO of Leeway Hospital,” explained Betsy. Together, they sketched out goals for two weeks in Ethiopia. After visiting 14 hospitals and meeting the people during their trip in January 2006, Betsy felt committed to the program. After doing our assessment, we said “Ahhh, we can help here. Thinking about what could be grabbed my imagination,” said Betsy.

Betsy’s background gave her capacity for leadership of this type of project. After growing up in a financially depressed, industrial town in Connecticut, she always thought about how she could work across boundaries and use resources effectively. Traveling to Ethiopia, she felt she could do the same thing and was able to see research translate into practice. Betsy shared how her work not only gave her energy, but also inspired her. “Hospital staff and patients are so grateful when things work well – when medications are available, when you do not have to wait all day to be sent home without care, when the laboratory is functioning. You cannot stop when you see the potential and the impact.”

Betsy says success extends to the Yale community through student involvement. “If young minds can think differently on how to engage with people who are not like yourself you can shift the world over time.”

Amanda Sorrentino, GHLI Intern

To return to our website: yale.edu/ghli