Birkety Jembere
Newton,MA
Summary
Highly accomplished Public Health Physician with over 20 years of international experience in Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH) and Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). A proven leader in program management, research, and improving healthcare access and quality in diverse community settings. Expert in leading and empowering multicultural teams to achieve significant, measurable public health outcomes. Recently relocated to Massachusetts, seeking to leverage extensive global health expertise within the U.S.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Child Health Advisor
USAID/Ethiopia
09.2020 - Current
- Provided technical leadership and strategic guidance for multi-million-dollar USAID-funded child health programs, encompassing newborn health, childhood illness management, immunization, and health system strengthening across underserved regions. Managed a comprehensive child health portfolio across underserved and pastoral communities, directly impacting health outcomes for over 200,000 children and families, annually. Directed the monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of child health activities, ensuring data-driven program adjustments and accountability. Enhanced capacity for USAID and partners, supporting cutting-edge clinical approaches and interventions such as the Level of Care for Sick and Small newborns to improve newborn, child, and family health outcomes.
Regional Director
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
01.2018 - 09.2020
- Provided strategic and technical advice on community engagement to enhance the effectiveness of the quality improvement initiative of IHI. Led the development of a Model Maternity Unit concept note using human-centred design principles, setting the framework for cultural acceptability of skilled birth attendance. Developed motivational training materials and job aids for a compassionate, respectful, and caring human resource development initiative. Served as Regional Director, providing technical leadership and managerial oversight for the successful scale-up of quality improvement initiatives across five regions of Ethiopia.
Project Director
PATH Ethiopia
09.2013 - 01.2018
- Developed a comprehensive Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Strategy document that guided program implementation. Secured funding for a Digital Public Health project by leading the design and proposal development.
- Enhanced team productivity through regular progress tracking and performance evaluations.
Deputy Director for Health and HIV/AIDS
Save the Children Ethiopia Country Office
01.2011 - 09.2013
- Directed the strategic expansion of Save the Children US sites by 75% (from 57 to 100 districts), optimizing staffing, management, and financial oversight across three zones. Represented Save the Children in regional and national meetings effectively, influencing policy discussions and strengthening partnerships. Facilitated media roundtables that resulted in widespread publication of MNCH issues in newspapers, and served as a technical review committee member for the 'Enatalem' radio program, enhancing public awareness. Successfully managed the KOICA-funded MNCH project, ensuring 100% compliance with strict financial utilization and reporting requirements, collaborating closely with finance and field-based teams. Secured UNICEF funding for a Community-Based Newborn Care (CBNC) project by leading comprehensive proposal development.
Health and HIV/AIDS program head
Food for the Hungry/Ethiopia
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Secured funding for the Development for Food Assistance Program (DFAP) by contributing to the design of the nutrition component. Secured a second phase of funding (3 years) for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Program under my leadership, ensuring continued support.
Maternal health expert
Federal Ministry of Health
04.2007 - 12.2007
- Coordinated national maternal health initiatives, streamlining efforts across various stakeholders in order to improve maternal health outcomes. Monitored national 'Making Pregnancy Safer' initiatives, assessing program effectiveness and adherence to guidelines. Authored comprehensive weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports on maternal health initiatives, providing critical data for national decision-making. Designed and delivered trainings on advanced maternal health practices, including Focused Antenatal Care, for regional health staff and professionals, directly contributing to MDG 5 targets.
Country Health Coordinator
Merlin-Ethiopia
01.2006 - 03.2007
- Led the health team in implementing the health projects of Merlin. Conducted real-time monitoring and analysis of evolving humanitarian situations nationwide, providing action-oriented recommendations that guided emergency response. Led a client satisfaction survey for a DFID-funded health project across four woredas, generating key insights that enhanced project evaluation and future planning. Successfully led the rapid response to a cholera outbreak in West Arsi, significantly containing its spread, and contributed to the development of the national technical guide for cholera prevention and control.
Researcher and Regional Coordinator
The Health Information System Program (Addis Ababa University – Oslo University Cooperation pro...
06.2005 - 12.2005
- Contributed public health expertise to the Health Management Information System (HMIS) program at Addis Ababa University, ensuring clinical relevance and data utility. Prepared manual and provided training for health managers and health staff on HMIS. Conducted action research on the implementation and utilization of District Health Information System Software (DHIS). Represented HISP Ethiopia in high-level national meetings with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, as well as international forums, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.
General Medical Practitioner
Debrezeit Air Force Hospital
12.2001 - 07.2003
Education
Master of Public Health - undefined
Eduardo Mondlane University
Maputo06.2005
Doctorate Degree in Medicine - undefined
Gondar College of Medical sciences
Gondar Town01.2001
Skills
- Management of Information Systems/Technology (MIS)
- Project/Program Management
- Healthcare
- Quality Management
- Public Health
- Proposal Development
- Qualitative Analysis
- Financial Management
- Operations Research
- Nutrition
- Analysis Skills
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- IBM SPSS Statistical Package
- Organizational Skills
- Emergency Response
- Project Evaluation
- Customer Satisfaction
- Market Surveys
- Team Lead/Manager
- Time Tracking
- HIV/AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
- Funding
- Leadership
- Technical Leadership
- Human Resources
- Quality Assurance
- Technical Strategy
- Finance
- Publications
- Recruiting/Staffing/Hiring
- Maintain Compliance
- Financial Reporting
- Program Evaluation
- Training/Teaching
- Research Skills
- Information Technology & Information Systems
- Healthcare Software
- Clinical Data
- Quality of Care
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- International Health
- Multicultural
- Healthcare Quality
Certification
- Project Management for Development Professionals (PMD pro)
- Certified Improvement Advisor (wave 55)
LANGUAGES
English - Advanced
Amharic - Fluent
Awards
AOR/COR of the Month, For effectively managing multiple multimillion USD bilateral and field support activities within USAID/Ethiopia Mission., Mission Honor Award, For providing technical and strategic leadership to strengthen USAID/Ethiopia's health programming in the areas of clinical newborn care, immunization and polio eradication, Mission Honor Award, For exceptional advocacy and accountability of USG funds, Above and Beyond Award, For my extraordinary effort in showcasing the immunization program support by the mission in Ethiopia during the visit of immunization technical lead., Leadership Award, For my brilliant leadership in guiding a project end core activities on time while inculcating flexibility to support conflict affected districts with a costed extension, Mission Group Honor Award, For commitment to innovative activity design to support quality health care for Ethiopians.
Research and publication
Research and Publication
1. Stated job preferences of three health worker cadres in Ethiopia: a discrete choice experiment. Lamba S., Arora N., Keraga W.D., Kiflie A., Jembere M.B., et al. Health. Policy and Planning (2021).https://academic.oup.com/heapol/article/36/9/1418/6328918?login=true
2. An innovative intervention to improve respectful maternity care in three Districts in Ethiopia. Mengistu, Birkety et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 21 (2021)https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12889-021-11558-2.pdf
3. Barriers to the uptake of community-based curative child health services in Ethiopia. Mengistu, Birkety et al. BMC Public Health 21 (2021).https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12889-021-11558-2.pdf
4. Barriers to the utilization of community-based child and newborn health services in Ethiopia: a scoping review. Miller, N., Ardestani, F.B., Wong, H., Stokes, S., Mengistu, B., Paulos, M., Agonafir, N., Sylla, M., Ameha, A., Birhanu, B., Khan, S., & Lemango, E.T. . Health policy and planning (2021).
https://academic.oup.com/heapol/article/36/7/1187/6245521
5. Effect of performance review and clinical mentoring meetings (PRCMM) on recording of community case management by health extension workers in Ethiopia. Mengistu, B. et al. Ethiopian medical journal 52 Suppl 3 (2014): 73-81
Timeline
Child Health Advisor
USAID/Ethiopia
09.2020 - Current
Regional Director
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
01.2018 - 09.2020
Project Director
PATH Ethiopia
09.2013 - 01.2018
Deputy Director for Health and HIV/AIDS
Save the Children Ethiopia Country Office
01.2011 - 09.2013
Health and HIV/AIDS program head
Food for the Hungry/Ethiopia
01.2008 - 01.2011
Maternal health expert
Federal Ministry of Health
04.2007 - 12.2007
Country Health Coordinator
Merlin-Ethiopia
01.2006 - 03.2007
Researcher and Regional Coordinator
The Health Information System Program (Addis Ababa University – Oslo University Cooperation pro...
06.2005 - 12.2005
General Medical Practitioner
Debrezeit Air Force Hospital
12.2001 - 07.2003
Master of Public Health - undefined
Eduardo Mondlane University
Doctorate Degree in Medicine - undefined
Gondar College of Medical sciences