Dr. Mahlet (pronounced MAA-HAA-LATE) is a Deputy Director on the Data and Technology Adoption Team in the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation. She leads a portfolio spanning AI readiness and innovation, locally owned data systems, and women’s health measurement, driving strategic decisions on where AI and catalytic data investments can deliver the greatest impact for women and girls across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Before joining the Gates Foundation, Dr. Mahlet served as a Health Economist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led economic evaluations across multiple LMICs to inform CDC’s investments in global health security. She previously worked at the RAND Corporation, where she conducted policy research on a range of issues including HIV/AIDS, veteran’s health, and conflict-related sexual violence. She brings over fifteen years of experience in global health research and evaluation across multiple countries.
Dr. Mahlet holds a PhD from the RAND School of Public Policy and a Master of Public Health from the École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique in Paris. She speaks several languages, including Amharic and French.