Founders  
 
  Awori J. Hayanga, MD, MPH (Chair)
  Suzzanne W. Gitata
 
             Board Members  
 
  Andrew L. Owiti  (Executive Director)
  Thomas E. Keane, MD
  Matthew J McGirt, MD
  Sonia Eden, MD
 
             Advisory Panel  
 
  John L Tarpley, MD
  Jon Weingart, MD
  Christine Grogan, MBA
  Rebecca Thornton, PhD
  Akbar Waljee, MD, MSc
  Jennifer Filip Waljee, MD, MPH, MSc
  Clare Muhoro, PhD
  Vincent M. Cimmino, MD
 
             Officer  
 
  Abidah Cheira
  Ted James, MD
  Malaika Awori - Gunther
  Aaron Abarbanell, MD
 
             RJW Health Policy Scholars  
 
  Oluseyi Aliu, MD
  Cedric V Pritchett, MD, MPH
  Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD
 
             Ground Logistics and Operations  
 
  Joshua Lwala
 
             Administrator  
 
  Tarja Virtanen
 

Matthew J McGirt, MD

Matthew McGirt MD is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and the Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University. Dr. McGirt specializes in the surgical treatment of spine tumors, trauma, and complex spinal reconstruction for adult and pediatric spinal deformity. His research on spine disease primarily focuses on clinical outcomes and cost-utility research. Dr. McGirt has published over 130 papers and given over 100 podium presentations at National medical meetings. He has been awarded over a dozen research grants and has received six awards from national neurosurgery societies including the Galbraith Cerebrovascular Award, Synthes Brain Trauma Award, Augustus McCravey Award, Julius Goodman Socioeconomic Award, Ronald Bitner NeuroOncology Award, and the Larson Spinal Disorders Award for his advancements in Neurosurgery and Spine Research. Dr. McGirt is currently working with the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health to established the first exchange program between Neurosurgery training programs in the U.S. and East Africa.