Staff
Senior Staff
Dr. Neeraj Mistry
Dr. Neeraj Mistry is the Managing Director at Global Network. He was a founding member and former vice president of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GBC) where he led the work on co-investment and public-private partnerships with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund. Dr. Mistry received his medical degree from Witwatersrand Medical School in Johannesburg, South Africa, and holds a Master's degree in health policy and economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Dr. Peter Hotez
Dr. Peter Hotez is President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. As a distinguished researcher at The George Washington University, his research focuses on vaccine development for parasitic diseases, with an emphasis on recombinant vaccines for hookworm and schistosomiasis. He is Director and Principal Investigator of the Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative (HHVI), a product development partnership supported by the Gates Foundation and other sources. He received a PhD from Rockefeller University, and a Doctorate in Medicine from Weill Cornell Medical College.
Michael Marine
Michael Marine has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Sabin Vaccine Institute since April, 2010. He joined Sabin's leadership team in December, 2009 as Senior Vice President and interim Managing Director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. He served for 32 years as a member of the U.S. State Department’s Foreign Service, and was U.S. Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 2004-2007. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Mr. Marine graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara with a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies.
Michelle Brooks
Michelle Brooks is the Policy Director at Global Network. Ms. Brooks advances the key advocacy messages and policy recommendations of the Global Network. Prior to the Global Network, Ms. Brooks was the Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Congressional Relations at the U.S. Peace Corps, and also Vice President of Government Relations for the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) in Washington, D.C. Ms. Brooks graduated from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in business administration concentrating in international management. She loves to travel, discuss politics, run along the Potomac river, and explore the cultures of Germany and India.
Richard Hatzfeld
Richard Hatzfeld is the Communications Director at the Sabin Vaccine Institute and oversees all communications activities within Sabin’s progarms. For 15 years, Mr. Hatzfeld worked in international market development for both corporate and nonprofit organizations and has direct work and living experience in Africa, Asia and Europe. Prior to joining Sabin, Mr. Hatzfeld was a senior consultant at APCO Worldwide, specializing in strategic communication on behalf of major health development clients. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and French Literature from Grinnell College and his Master of Business Administration from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Marcia de Souza Lima
Marcia is the Director of Programs and Operations at Global Network. Marcia is a key liaison between program teams and global NTD partners through leveraging resources and investments to raise awareness and garner international political support for NTD control efforts. Prior to Global Network, Marcia served as Chief Medical Officer at The ReLeef Initiative in California and as Vice President at Global Clinical Development under Bausch & Lomb, Inc in New York. Marcia is currently working towards her Masters of International Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University in The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Brian Davis
Mr. Brian Davis has worked with the Sabin Vaccine Institute since 2005. In 2008, Mr. Davis was made their Chief Operating Officer, with oversight of finance/accounting, IT, human resources and communications. Prior to joining Sabin, Mr. Davis owned an established accounting practice in Washington, DC that served the non-profit sector in areas of life science, education, economic development, and low-income housing. Mr. Davis holds CPA certificates in Maryland and the District of Columbia as well as a B.A in Business Administration with a major in Finance from Michigan State University. Mr. Davis is an active member of the American Institute of CPAs.
Global Network Staff
Valerie Fitton-Kane
Valerie is responsible for managing relationships with individuals, companies, and foundations that want to support our goal of controlling and eliminating NTDs around the world. With an MBA and experience in both fundraising and programs, Valerie sees the Global Network as the perfect place to combine her interest in healthcare, international development, non-profit management, and innovation.
Laura Gonzalez
Laura Gonzalez is the Program Associate for the Global Network. She supports the program team’s advocacy, resource mobilization and programmatic efforts with a particular focus on efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean. Laura completed her Bachelors degree at the University of Florida and Masters in Public Health at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. She conducted her graduate thesis in Cambodia, leading the evaluation of a food supplement program for preschool children in rural villages. She has also spent time working in rural health settings in Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Austin Lee
Austin, from the great state of Indiana, is the Operations Associate for Global Network. He is responsible for managing all GN subgrants and agreements, a variety of operations processes and supporting other team needs. Austin earned his MPH in 2011 at the George Washington University. A graduate of Wheaton College (IL), he has field experience living and working in rural Guatemala.
Karen Palacio
Karen is a Senior Program Officer for the Global Network. She is responsible for managing programmatic, advocacy and resource mobilization activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prior to joining the Sabin in 2006, Karen worked with Partners of the Americas as a Research Coordinator, and at Arch Street Communications as a Communications Associate. She holds a Masters of Public Health degree from The George Washington University, and a Bachelors degree from the State University of New York Oswego.
Laura Payne
Laura is the Resource Development Coordinator for the Global Network, supporting the development and maintenance of donor relationships with individuals, foundations, and companies committed to the elimination of NTDs. Prior to joining Sabin, Laura was a Global Health Fellow in the Washington office of UNAIDS and a founding member of Spark the Wave, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting leadership in community service among middle and high school students. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from Boston University and an M.P.H. in Global Health Policy from The George Washington University.
Greg Simon
Greg is the Senior Technical Officer at Global Network. He is responsible for assisting program directors and officers with technical review of proposals and programs in their respective regions. Gregory earned his PhD in immunology at the University of Florida College of Medicine and his MPH at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Irene Wangechi Thuo
Wangechi is a Program Officer for Global Network . She supports the Program Director through grant/funder opportunities, advocacy, and resource mobilization activities. Prior to this, Wangechi served at Sabin’s Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative Program where she acted as a Program Coordinator. She graduated from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY with a B.A. in International health and Development and from George Washington University with a MPH. A native of Kenya, Wangechi enjoys travelling and comedy, lots of it.
Mara Veraar
Mara serves as Social Media Officer. She oversees the strategic direction of social media, website development and online communications for several projects at Sabin including Global Network and the END7 campaign. Prior to joining us, Mara worked as Senior Coordinator for Online Communications at College Summit. She received an M.A. from American University’s Anthropology department, where she studied emerging trends in online communication and advocacy.
Johanna Harvey
Johanna is a communications officer responsible for media relations, communications strategy and stakeholder engagement. She has worked in the health care communications for more than five years, with experience in both corporate and non-profit public health programs. Johanna earned her Master's Degree from the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs and a dual degree in public relations and Spanish language from North Carolina State University.
Amber Cashwell
Amber Cashwell is the Policy Officer for the Global Network. Amber monitors global health policies and advances the Global Network’s messages to Capitol Hill, G8/G20 countries and the global health community. Prior to the Global Network, Amber was an Account Supervisor, where she led national outreach and media relations efforts for several clients, including the U.S. Army Reserve, Bank of America and General Mills. She has worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs and on Capitol Hill for Congressman Henry Brown (SC) and Congressman Joe Wilson (SC). She graduated from Converse College with a Bachelor’s degree in History and in French. Amber also holds a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies.
Kalin Petkov
Kalin is the Administrative Coordinator for Global Network. He is responsible for providing support to the Managing Director, CEO and the Global Network team. He is a graduate of the University of Sofia where he studied Political Science and specialized in International Relations. He has experience from working in the NATO HQ in Belgium. He enjoys learning new skills and travelling.
