# Virginia Thonyiwa

Virginia Thonyiwa is a remote worker on Himalayas, Public Health Specialist and Senior Technical Advisor at U.S. Embassy, Department of State, based in Malawi.

Source: https://himalayas.app/@virginiathonyiwa

```text
Public Health Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Malawi, co-wrote the U.S.–Malawi health implementation plan and secured up to USD 3M for lenacapavir PrEP.
```

| Detail | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Availability | Looking for a job |
| Location | Malawi |
| Authorized to work in | Malawi |
| Salary expectations | 95k+ USD |
| Job categories | Public Health Program Manager, Program Manager, Senior Technical Advisor, Epidemiologist |
| Skills | Public Health Program Management, Global Health Security, Outbreak Response, Emergency Preparedness, Disease Surveillance, Integrated Disease Surveillance And Response (IDSR), Epidemiology, Outbreak Investigation, HIV Prevention, PEPFAR Programme Coordination, Donor Funded Programmes, Government to Government Implementation, Project Planning, Budget Management, Financial Monitoring |

## About

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At the U.S. Embassy in Malawi, I contribute to public health emergency preparedness planning, national risk assessments and outbreak surveillance policy. I co-wrote the U.S.–Malawi MOU implementation plan and companion tools for HIV, TB and malaria.

I also analyse epidemiological and programme data, line-manage a team of five, and serve as a U.S. Government co-investigator on implementation science funded by the Gates Foundation and NIH. I secured up to USD 3M in catalytic funds for FHI 360 to scale up lenacapavir PrEP in Malawi.

At the U.S. Embassy PEPFAR Coordination Office, I coordinated a USD 40M+ DREAMS portfolio across five U.S. Government agencies and more than 15 implementing partners. I wrote the proposal that won USD 3M in LIFT UP Equity Funds and coordinated work that led the Global Fund to adopt the DREAMS curriculum and safe spaces.

Earlier, I coordinated multi-partner programmes and supported outbreak preparedness, surveillance and frontline health services. My work has included developing plans, budgets, SOPs and data tools, as well as co-authoring more than 15 peer-reviewed publications.
```

## Experience

### Public Health Specialist and Senior Technical Advisor (current)

U.S. Embassy, Department of State. Jan 2024 - Present

```text
Contributes to public health emergency preparedness planning and national risk assessments. Co-wrote the U.S.–Malawi MOU implementation plan and secured up to USD 3M in catalytic funds for PrEP scale-up.
```

Skills: Public-Health, Emergency-Preparedness, Surveillance, Policy-Development, Stakeholder-Coordination, Data-Analysis, Line-Management

### Senior DREAMS Coordinator and AGYW Technical Advisor

U.S. Embassy PEPFAR Coordination Office. Mar 2022 - Dec 2023

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Managed a USD 40M+ portfolio across five U.S. Government agencies and 15+ partners. Coordinated IDSR planning and represented the U.S. Government in technical working groups.
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Skills: Program-Management, Budget-Alignment, Performance-Monitoring, IDSR, COVID-19-Surveillance, Stakeholder-Engagement, Proposal-Writing

### Programs Officer

Partners in Hope. Nov 2020 - Feb 2022

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Participated in national disease surveillance meetings during COVID-19 and cholera outbreaks. Led the UNICEF-funded ICCAP programme and contributed to the USAID/PEPFAR CORE project.
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Skills: Disease-Surveillance, Program-Implementation, Workplanning, GBV, PSEA, Training

### DREAMS Service Delivery Coordinator

Christian Health Association of Malawi. Mar 2020 - Oct 2020

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Led district start-up within the FHI 360-led EMPOWER consortium. Managed a multidisciplinary team of 15 and developed work plans, SOPs, and data tools.
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Skills: Program-Start-Up-And-Licensing, Team-Management, Workplanning, Budget-Management, DHIS2, Datatools

### Project Officer, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Amref Health Africa. Jan 2017 - Dec 2019

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Managed the district component of a Global Affairs Canada-funded project. Led development of emergency preparedness structures and trained frontline health workers.
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Skills: Project-Management, Budget-Compliance, Emergency-Preparedness, Training, MNCH, WASH, Nutrition

### Study Coordinator, Lead Community Health Officer and Team Leader

UNC Project Malawi. Oct 2006 - Dec 2016

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Coordinated a consortium of 8 organizations across 7 districts for PURE Malawi. Led community engagement and clinical teams under Good Clinical Practice compliance.
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Skills: Research-Coordination, Consortium-Management, Workplans, Budgets, SOPs, Training, GCP, Community-Engagement

### ART Nurse and Adherence Coordinator; Research Nurse

Médecins Sans Frontières Greece. Jan 2004 - Dec 2006

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Provided ART nursing and adherence coordination. Conducted research nursing duties under protocol.
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Skills: Art, Adherence-Counseling, Research-Nursing

## Education

### Amref International University

Master of Public Health, Applied Epidemiology

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Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology, focusing on surveillance, outbreak investigation, biostatistics, and health policy.
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### CITI Program

Certificate, Research Ethics

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Training in Human Subject Research and Good Clinical Practice.
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### UNAIDS

Certificate, HIV Prevention

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PrEP South-to-South Collaborative Learning training.
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### Tekedia Institute

Mini MBA, Business Administration

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Mini MBA covering strategic, financial, and project management.
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### UNICEF

Certificate, Safeguarding

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Trainer of Trainers training on Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
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### Amref International University

Certificate, Monitoring and Evaluation

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Training in Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning.
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### Share World Open University

Bachelor of Science, Public Health. Grade: Credit

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Bachelor of Science in Public Health with credit.
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### Moi University

Diploma, Community Health. Grade: Distinction

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Diploma in Community Health with distinction and recognition as Best Overall Student.
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### Amref Health Africa

Certificate, Nutrition

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Certificate in Nutrition.
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### Malawi College of Health Sciences

Certificate, Nursing and Midwifery. Grade: Credit

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Certificate in Nursing and Midwifery with credit.
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## Tech stack

- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Office 365
- Zoom
- Stata

To contact Virginia, message them from this profile with a Himalayas employer account: [Hire on Himalayas](https://himalayas.app/hire).

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