Project HOPE Welcomes New Board Directors

Washington, D.C. (October 25, 2021) – Project HOPE is pleased to announce the addition of four new directors to the Board of Directors whose experience, voices and leadership will advance the organization’s mission: placing power in the hands of local health workers around the world to save lives and support safer, healthier communities.

Board Chair Reynold Mooney and President and CEO Rabih Torbay celebrated the inductions and how they will benefit a growing impact-driven organization, addressing some of the world’s most pressing health and humanitarian issues.

“These new Board directors will enhance the capability of our excellent Board of Directors. They all embody our core values, are seasoned leaders in their fields and are primed to advance our vision: that everyone deserves access to the health care needed to reach life’s full potential; that health care workers are the linchpin of everything we do; that aid should be localized; that the voices of the most vulnerable should be heard; and that no one should be marginalized for their gender, race, ethnicity, beliefs or abilities,” Mooney said.

“The new directors join at a time of concentrated strategy-setting and, working with the other members of the Board, will directly inform and guide the implementation of Project HOPE’s new Five-Year Strategic Plan,” Torbay added. “Prioritizing health worker trainings, we specifically focus on the most vulnerable populations, including women and children. This includes addressing physical and mental aspects of disease burden, pandemic preparedness and response, and responding to global emergencies: all crucial in a time of increasing climate change impacts that add threats to human health, safety and security.”

Project HOPE’s new Board directors share the organization’s goals to advance health opportunities by making health care more accessible and more equitable. Supporting health care workers will continue to be at the core of the global health organization’s work and a top strategic priority for the Board.

Carly Baron is Vice President and General Manager at Amgen where she holds a dual executive role leading commercialization strategy and execution across marketing and sales for migraine drug Aimovig while also advancing marketing excellence across the full Amgen U.S. portfolio. Carly joined Amgen in 2016 after spending nearly 15 years at Johnson & Johnson marketing healthcare brands in the U.S. and Asia. She is a fervent advocate for advancing diversity in the workplace, and is a dedicated coach, mentor and executive advisor to various employee resource groups and employees at Amgen. She resides in Southern California with her husband and four young children. She is an avid supporter of foster care, has traveled to over 30 countries and is an evangelist of mental and physical health.

“Project HOPE is an organization that is truly transforming lives around the world, especially in the context of natural and man-made disaster,” said Baron. “I am both humbled and excited to support the continued growth and impact of such an impressive, mission-driven team!”

Ben Higgins is the President & Co-Founder of Generous International and host of the Hope Still Wins podcast. Higgins started Generous to support Humanity & Hope United, a non-profit working to assist underserved villages in remote parts of Honduras, where he served as a member of the Board for over six years. It has since grown into a global movement donating 100 percent of profits to life-changing partner organizations that create jobs, feed children, improve education and empower communities to eliminate poverty. He is also a public figure and American reality television star who starred on ABC’s “The Bachelor” franchise.

“I want to be a part of the solution, and not the problem,” Higgins said. “I believe humans need humans. We need each other for different reasons and different purposes. Each human has unique skills, talent and resources. When we share our uniqueness in a way that focuses on helping and not hurting, I believe it will move us forward even in the smallest of ways to a more equal, more loving, and more just world. Project HOPE has a tremendous amount of impact, influence, skills and resources around the world and cares deeply for those hurting. The opportunity to work with Project HOPE excites me for the small or large role I will be able to contribute.”

Nicolette A. Louissaint, Ph.D., MBA, is the Executive Director of Healthcare Ready, an organization that works in the U.S. strengthening health care supply chain preparedness and response before, during and after natural disasters and disease pandemics. Prior to this role, at the height of the 2014 Ebola epidemic, Louissaint served as the Senior Advisor to the U.S. State Department’s Special Coordinator for Ebola. She has also served as a Foreign Affairs Officer at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, leading health intellectual property and trade issues and policies related to pharmaceutical trade, supply chain, and climate change.

“I’m honored to have been asked to serve on the Board of Directors of Project HOPE, an organization whose mission, vision, and values are closely aligned with Healthcare Ready,” said Louissaint. “I share Project HOPE’s passion for addressing the world’s greatest public health challenges, transforming lives, and uplifting communities. I look forward to helping advance their lifesaving work.”

Lawrence T. Phelan (Larry) is an attorney and former managing partner of Phelan Hallinan. He was also CEO of Full Spectrum Services LLP and its related subsidiaries until his retirement this year. Larry is actively involved in efforts to improve the lives of the world’s poorest. He was a member of the Advisory Board of Children International and funded the building of Children International Community Centers in Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. He finances micro-finance projects through Opportunity International and Accion and was a member of the Board of MAP International, a supplier of medicine and health supplies throughout the world. He has recently worked with Project HOPE in the building of three neonatal centers in the Dominican Republic.

“It’s a privilege to be able to join the Board of Project HOPE, a community of dedicated people who add meaningful value to the world. I look forward to helping advance the organization’s charitable goals,” said Phelan.

View the full list of Project HOPE’s Board of Directors here.

About Project HOPE

With the mission to place power in the hands of local health workers to save lives around the world, Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian organization operating in more than 25 countries. Founded in 1958, we work side-by-side with local health systems to improve health and support community resilience. We work at the epicenter of today’s greatest health challenges, including infectious and chronic diseases; disasters and health crises; maternal, neonatal and child health; pandemic preparedness and response; mental health for health workers; and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. For more information, visit www.ProjectHOPE.org and follow us on Twitter @ProjectHOPEorg.