WomenLift Health is delighted to announce the appointment of Lizz Ntonjira as Communications and Engagement Director, effective February 2023.
As a strategic communications, advocacy, and policy specialist, Lizz brings extensive experience gained within several roles in the public, private and international development sectors spanning over 16 years. Previously, Lizz was the Global Communication Director at Amref Health Africa where she led and mentored a capable communications team responsible for program communications, institutional messaging, branding, thought leadership and offered strategic guidance for Africa, Europe, and North America communication teams.
“Various studies have showcased the evident gaps in women leadership in health organizations stemming from the community to the global level. These gaps present remarkable opportunities in supporting and advancing women leadership at all levels in the health ecosystem, particularly in senior positions where there is the most evident disparity and most need,” says Lizz Ntonjira, “I am thrilled to be joining the WomenLift Health team as it tirelessly works to advance and equip women leaders with the tools, expertise, and leadership skills for health impact.”
In her new role, Lizz will lead and implement WomenLift Health’s communications and engagement strategy across the world with an initial focus in Africa, South Asia, and North America.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Ms. Lizz Ntonjira, our new Communications and Engagement Director,” says Amie Batson, President of WomenLift Health. “With her deep and cross-regional expertise in communications, advocacy and engagement, Lizz will help to elevate the voices and stories of women leaders in health, inspire institutional partners to take action toward more equitable and diverse leadership, and contribute to mobilizing a societal movement toward gender equality.”
Lizz has been pivotal in transforming brand perception, developing internal and external communication strategies, resource mobilization, media management, stakeholder mapping and engagement, policy facilitation, and has led in numerous public/private partnership dialogues in her various capacities over the decade. She has led and advised various institutions to deliver scalable programs, manage risk, and identify opportunities as well as to overcome critical stakeholder engagement challenges. Lizz has received a myriad of awards and recognitions throughout her tenure, and in August 2020, Lizz self-published and released her first book about youth and leadership, titled #YouthCan; an anthology of powerful, inspiring, and challenging stories from youths breaking barriers across 22 African countries.
Lizz holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, a post graduate Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the UK, and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Strathmore University. She is also a Public Policy Management Fellow from Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, and a recipient of former US President Barack Obama’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders (2015).
About WomenLift Health
WomenLift Health is dedicated to expanding the power and influence of women in global health and catalyzing systemic change to achieve gender equality in leadership, resulting in better health outcomes for all. Incubated at Stanford Global Health and with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WomenLift Health advances equality in health leadership through a range of actions at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Over the course of the next decade, it will expand to serve women in 25+ countries – employing a country-owned and country-led model where the strategy and interventions are led, designed, and executed by and with local partners.
