Our People
Team
Bob Blouin joined Med Aditus International, Inc. as President and CEO in November 2023.
Prior to joining Med Aditus International, Inc., Blouin served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Under his leadership as Dean, Bob Blouin brought the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to prominence and recognized by US News and World Reports as the #1 program in the United States.
Robert A. Blouin, Pharm.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Med Aditus International, Inc.
Ms. Chiara Canzi is responsible for optimizing internal and external communications at Med Aditus, including the website management, print and social media communications, and public relations. Chiara works with the leadership to enhance and convey Med Aditus brand and to manage stakeholder relations, and serves as a liaison with the Board of Directors.
Chiara Canzi, M.A.
Chief Communications Officer
Ms. Lauren Frank is responsible for identifying and coordinating the preparation and submission of funding proposals to foundations, government agencies, and private sector establishments. Lauren works closely with the leadership to operationalize initiatives and manage projects.
Lauren McQuillan Frank, B.A.
Chief Operations Officer
Sheila Yamartino is an experienced and dynamic Executive Assistant with over a decade of administrative leadership across the pharmaceutical, gaming, and manufacturing industries. Before joining MAI Foundation, she held executive support roles at Epic Games, MEMA, and IQVIA, where she was known for her relationship-building, operational precision, and cross-functional coordination. Sheila supports MAI’s leadership team with a collaborative spirit and deep commitment to organizational excellence.
Sheila Yamartino
Executive Assistant
Carlos Rodriguez-Mayacen is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied Medical Anthropology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. His academic and professional interests center on healthcare, pharmaceutical access, and the intersection of public health systems and innovation. Carlos will begin his Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Fall 2025.
Carlos Rodriguez-Mayacen, B.A.
Intern
Board of Directors
Mr. Pape Gaye is a native of Senegal and a lifelong advocate for health workers, strong health systems, and access to health care for all.
Pape Gaye, M.B.A.
Med Aditus Board Chair
Founder and President, Baobab Institute
President and CEO Emeritus, IntraHealth International
Bob Blouin joined MAI Foundation, Inc. as President and CEO in November 2023.
Prior to joining MAI Foundation, Inc., Blouin served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Under his leadership as Dean, Bob Blouin brought the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to prominence and recognized by US News and World Reports as the #1 program in the United States.
Robert A. Blouin, Pharm.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Med Aditus International, Inc.
Mary Okelo is a pioneering leader in African banking, education, and women’s empowerment. She founded Makini Schools and the Kenya Women Finance Trust, and has held senior roles with Barclays Bank, the African Development Bank, and Women’s World Banking. At MAI Foundation, she brings decades of experience in institution-building and mentorship to help advance equitable development and healthcare access.
Elizabeth Mary Okelo
Founder,
Kenya Women in Finance Trust, Makini Schools
In addition to his responsibility as the Executive Vice Provost at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Ron Strauss was Chief International Officer for the University for nearly a decade.
Ronald P. Strauss, D.M.D., Ph.D.
Adams Distinguished Professor of Dentistry and Professor of Social Medicine,
Director and Chief Global Officer, ASOD-Global
Ambassador Lazarus O. Amayo is a seasoned Kenyan diplomat and Special Envoy of the African Union Champion for Institutional Reforms. With over 30 years of leadership in foreign policy, governance, and multilateral negotiation, he has served as Kenya’s top envoy to the United Nations, United Kingdom, and India.
Lazarus O. Amayo, M.A.
Special Envoy of the African Union Champion for Institutional Reforms
Prior to launching Arkane Innovation, an international advisory services firm (based in Ireland, the UK and the US), Mr. Mark Crowell served as Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development at King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST)
W. Mark Crowell, M.R.P.
President and Co-Founder, Arkane Innovation
With extensive multidisciplinary technology and business leadership background, Ngozi Bell is an entrepreneur and investment partner at Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation, a private equity and business development consultant corporation based in the U.S. and West Africa.
Ngozi Bell, M.S.
Entrepreneur and Investment Partner at Trans-Sahara Investment Corporation
Dr. Wagoner has over thirty years of experience as a leader in drug discovery, drug development and health care. Dr. Wagoner founded and led a not-for-profit cardiovascular disease prevention and rehabilitation company for which she raised funding, led multi-faceted teams of healthcare workers, and provided direct patient care.
P. Kay Wagoner, Ph.D.
Founder, Icagen, Inc.
Steve Hammond retired in 2018 after 39 years with Pfizer. He is now an independent consultant. Hammond joined Pfizer from Unilever’s Perfumes Division in 1979, to work as an Analytical Chemist in the Global Fermentation Development Group, where he developed a number of Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Applications for Pfizer’s Bioprocess Manufacturing Division.
Steve Hammond, M.S.
Former Pfizer Executive for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Dr. Jason Cross (Ph.D., J.D.) was a specialist in global health innovation law, policy and business strategy. He was Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of the healthtech company Rymedi. Rymedi provides a blockchain-based digital workflow and data automation platform for health care and health research.
Jason Cross, Ph.D., J.D.
In Memoriam
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Rymedi
Sachiko Ozawa, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and a global health economist specializing in the value of vaccines, access to medicines, and strengthening healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries. With decades of international experience, she brings a data-driven, equity-focused perspective to MAI Foundation’s mission of improving medication access and public health outcomes.
Sachiko Ozawa, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Global Health Economist & Vaccine Policy Expert
David Routh is a seasoned philanthropic leader and the President of New Republic Partners, with decades of experience in wealth management, fundraising, and nonprofit strategy. He previously served as Vice Chancellor for Development at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he led the university’s $5B “Campaign for Carolina” and cultivated partnerships to drive mission-focused impact.