The people behind Thriving Teens.

Mr. Tom Mshindi is a communications expert in media and development communication. He is a communications and business management graduate, previously worked as the Editor-in-Chief at the Nation Media Group, Senior Editor at the Standard Media Group and other leading media houses in Uganda and Tanzania. He worked for UNICEF as the Chief of Communications for the UNICEF Nigeria office. His work at the UN and as a consultant for the International Planned Parenthood Association and the World Bank fostered a strong interest in children and adolescent health.

Dr. Noguchi, CNM, PhD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist and certified nurse-midwife with over 20 years of experience in maternal newborn health, research, and program implementation in the U.S., Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. She supports COVID-19 response activities for maternal newborn health services within the USAID-funded MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership Project and preparations for the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference by the Jhpiego Secretariat of AlignMNH.

Dr Chris is a Medical Doctor and a Health Systems Specialist with over 16 years’ experience in implementing USAID, CDC and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation–funded HIV and Reproductive Maternal Child Adolescent Health programs. He is currently the Chief of Party for a USAID-funded Health Leadership and Governance Project at Amref Health Africa. Previously, he served in various senior capacities in various projects, including the Imarisha Jamii Project; the Fahari ya Jamii Project; and CDC ICAP at Columbia University Kenya. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, a Master of Science in Health Systems Management and Policy, a Masters in Business Administration, and Masters in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Noel Museshi is a bubbly civic leader passionate about Global Health advocacy, with a keen focus on adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health. A graduate in Public Health from Kenyatta University and a UN Academic Impact Millennium Fellow, she is propelled into action by a commitment to servant leadership. She is a Program Coordinator at Reproductive and Sexual Health Programme for Kenyan Teenagers (RESPEKT) where she designs sexual and reproductive health training materials and strengthens capacity building and advocacy activities for adolescents within the country.

Bonventure Machuka is a medical doctor from Moi University, Kenya, and a global health researcher, policy advocate and youth leader. He serves as a Youth Ambassador with the Africa Health Collaborative and has worked with the AMPATH Consortium on research in equitable collaborations, critical care, climate and health, and medical education. A former Vice President of the Federation of African Medical Students’ Associations, he has contributed to WHO work on African medical education and climate-resilient health systems.