The leadership of EAHERI is headed by the Board of Directors (BOD) composed of Ugandan research scientists and founders of the institution. The BOD is steered by the Executive Director who is as well as the Chairperson of the BOD, and works hand in hand with the Senior Management Team (SMT) headed by the Program Director. The SMT is supported by the various departments led by the respective Heads of department who provide day-to-day technical oversight of the various research and program activities.
Board of Directors (BOD)
Kato Gerald
BBLT, MPH
Board Chair
Board Chair
Gerald Kato is the Board Chair of the East African Institute for Health, Equity, Research & Innovation (EAHERI) and a Laboratory Systems Strengthening Specialist with over nine years of experience in public health laboratory management, quality assurance, and health systems strengthening in Uganda. He holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Technology from Makerere University.
Gerald currently serves as Laboratory Coordinator for the Kampala HIV Project at Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative, overseeing laboratory services across 31 health facilities in Kampala, and has supported five laboratories to achieve SANAS accreditation.
He also serves as a Laboratory Technician at Uganda Christian University and previously spent over six years as a Laboratory Services Specialist at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI). As Board Chair of EAHERI, he provides strategic governance supporting the organization's mission to strengthen health systems and promote equitable access to evidence-based healthcare across East Africa.
Dr. Racheal Samantha Nanzira
MBChB- OB/GYN, MPH
Executive Director
Executive Director
Dr. Racheal Samantha Nanzira is a Ugandan physician who earned her MBChB and specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, followed by a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Makerere University. She currently serves as Executive Director of EAHERI and a board member.
She is also a senior OB/GYN at Kawempe National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where she leads the Department of OB/GYN, and serves as Coordinator for the Kampala Metropolitan area within Uganda's Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) under the Ministry of Health.
In academia, Dr. Nanzira serves as Associate Dean of the School of Medicine at Uganda Christian University (UCU), where she has trained several physicians across the country.
Specioza Mwima
B.Econ, MBA Candidate
Board Secretary
Board Secretary
Specioza Mwima serves as the Board Secretary of EAHERI, where she coordinates board communications, prepares and maintains accurate records of board meetings, and ensures board resolutions are effectively documented, communicated, and implemented.
She is currently pursuing an MBA in Finance and Administration at Victoria University, building on a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and brings nearly a decade of experience in the health research sector, including five years with AMBSO and three years with the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Specioza is certified in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Human Subject Protection, and Phlebotomy, and is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and experience in community mobilization.
Daama Alex
BDRH, MPH, PhD Candidate
Board Member & Co-founder
Board Member & Co-founder
Alex Daama is an accomplished epidemiologist, public health specialist, and demographer with over a decade of experience in cohort research, population health measurement, and public health program implementation across Uganda and East Africa. He is Co-Founder and Board Member of EAHERI.
Alex is currently a PhD student in Public Health (Epidemiology track) in the Joint Doctoral Program between San Diego State University and UC San Diego (2025–2030). He previously held senior roles at AMBSO and spent nearly a decade with the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP).
He has co-authored 20 peer-reviewed publications spanning HIV incidence, intimate partner violence, food and water insecurity, non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health, and actively mentors early-career scientists in Uganda.
Asani Kasango
BSWSA, MPH, PhD Candidate
Board Member & Co-founder
Board Member & Co-founder
Kasango Asani is an epidemiologist, public health researcher, and data scientist whose work integrates epidemiology, biostatistics, implementation science, and data systems. He is Co-Founder and Board Member of EAHERI.
He is currently a PhD Candidate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University, Canada, examining anthropometric trends by HIV status in Uganda. Since 2016, he has served in progressively senior research roles at the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP).
His research spans HIV, cardiometabolic health, and maternal and reproductive health, and he has mentored more than ten MPH students in research methods, statistical analysis, and dissertation completion.
Senior Management Team (SMT)
Owor Michael
BDRH, MPH
Program Director
Program Director
Michael Owor is a public health and community engagement specialist with over seven years of experience designing, implementing, and managing community-based health research and public health programs in Uganda. He serves as Program Director at EAHERI.
Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in Demography and Reproductive Health and a Master's in Public Health-Health Promotion. He previously led community engagement strategies at AMBSO across multiple epidemiological and clinical research studies.
As Program Director, he leads the development of multidisciplinary research and public health programs focused on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, HIV, non-communicable diseases, and community-centered innovations.
Leticia Mukyala Ronvincer
BStat, MPH
Head of Research Studies
Head of Research Studies
Leticia is Head of Research Studies at EAHERI, where she also serves as a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT). She provides strategic and technical leadership across EAHERI's portfolio of public health research.
She brings nearly a decade of experience in population-based longitudinal cohort research from the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP), including as a Quality Control and Compliance Officer supporting PEPFAR-funded HIV programming.
Leticia holds a Bachelor of Statistics (BStat) and a Master of Public Health (MPH), and is a driving force behind the technical rigor and data integrity of EAHERI's research portfolio.
Kato Philip
BStat, MPH
Statistician & Data Manager
Statistician & Data Manager
Philip is a Statistician with vast experience in data management for research studies and humanitarian programs. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Statistics and is pursuing a Master's in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Uganda Martyrs University.
For the past six years, Philip has managed data for clinical trials and epidemiological research studies, spanning electronic data collection systems, data quality assurance, secure data storage, and routine data cleaning and validation.
He also supports statistical analysis, generates research-ready datasets, and builds the capacity of field teams and study staff in data collection, quality, and use.
Board of Directors (BOD)
Kato Gerald
BBLT, MPH
Board Chair
Board Chair
Gerald Kato is the Board Chair of the East African Institute for Health, Equity, Research & Innovation (EAHERI) and a Laboratory Systems Strengthening Specialist with over nine years of experience in public health laboratory management, quality assurance, and health systems strengthening in Uganda. He holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Technology from Makerere University.
Gerald currently serves as Laboratory Coordinator for the Kampala HIV Project at Reach Out Mbuya Community Health Initiative, overseeing laboratory services across 31 health facilities in Kampala, and has supported five laboratories to achieve SANAS accreditation.
He also serves as a Laboratory Technician at Uganda Christian University and previously spent over six years as a Laboratory Services Specialist at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI). As Board Chair of EAHERI, he provides strategic governance supporting the organization's mission to strengthen health systems and promote equitable access to evidence-based healthcare across East Africa.
Dr. Racheal Samantha Nanzira
MBChB- OB/GYN, MPH
Executive Director
Executive Director
Dr. Racheal Samantha Nanzira is a Ugandan physician who earned her MBChB and specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, followed by a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Makerere University. She currently serves as Executive Director of EAHERI and a board member.
She is also a senior OB/GYN at Kawempe National Referral Hospital in Kampala, where she leads the Department of OB/GYN, and serves as Coordinator for the Kampala Metropolitan area within Uganda's Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) under the Ministry of Health.
In academia, Dr. Nanzira serves as Associate Dean of the School of Medicine at Uganda Christian University (UCU), where she has trained several physicians across the country.
Specioza Mwima
B.Econ, MBA Candidate
Board Secretary
Board Secretary
Specioza Mwima serves as the Board Secretary of EAHERI, where she coordinates board communications, prepares and maintains accurate records of board meetings, and ensures board resolutions are effectively documented, communicated, and implemented.
She is currently pursuing an MBA in Finance and Administration at Victoria University, building on a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and brings nearly a decade of experience in the health research sector, including five years with AMBSO and three years with the Medical Research Council (MRC).
Specioza is certified in Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Human Subject Protection, and Phlebotomy, and is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and experience in community mobilization.
Daama Alex
BDRH, MPH, PhD Candidate
Board Member & Co-founder
Board Member & Co-founder
Alex Daama is an accomplished epidemiologist, public health specialist, and demographer with over a decade of experience in cohort research, population health measurement, and public health program implementation across Uganda and East Africa. He is Co-Founder and Board Member of EAHERI.
Alex is currently a PhD student in Public Health (Epidemiology track) in the Joint Doctoral Program between San Diego State University and UC San Diego (2025–2030). He previously held senior roles at AMBSO and spent nearly a decade with the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP).
He has co-authored 20 peer-reviewed publications spanning HIV incidence, intimate partner violence, food and water insecurity, non-communicable diseases, and maternal and child health, and actively mentors early-career scientists in Uganda.
Asani Kasango
BSWSA, MPH, PhD Candidate
Board Member & Co-founder
Board Member & Co-founder
Kasango Asani is an epidemiologist, public health researcher, and data scientist whose work integrates epidemiology, biostatistics, implementation science, and data systems. He is Co-Founder and Board Member of EAHERI.
He is currently a PhD Candidate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University, Canada, examining anthropometric trends by HIV status in Uganda. Since 2016, he has served in progressively senior research roles at the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP).
His research spans HIV, cardiometabolic health, and maternal and reproductive health, and he has mentored more than ten MPH students in research methods, statistical analysis, and dissertation completion.
Senior Management Team (SMT)
Owor Michael
BDRH, MPH
Program Director
Program Director
Michael Owor is a public health and community engagement specialist with over seven years of experience designing, implementing, and managing community-based health research and public health programs in Uganda. He serves as Program Director at EAHERI.
Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in Demography and Reproductive Health and a Master's in Public Health-Health Promotion. He previously led community engagement strategies at AMBSO across multiple epidemiological and clinical research studies.
As Program Director, he leads the development of multidisciplinary research and public health programs focused on maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, HIV, non-communicable diseases, and community-centered innovations.
Leticia Mukyala Ronvincer
BStat, MPH
Head of Research Studies
Head of Research Studies
Leticia is Head of Research Studies at EAHERI, where she also serves as a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT). She provides strategic and technical leadership across EAHERI's portfolio of public health research.
She brings nearly a decade of experience in population-based longitudinal cohort research from the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP), including as a Quality Control and Compliance Officer supporting PEPFAR-funded HIV programming.
Leticia holds a Bachelor of Statistics (BStat) and a Master of Public Health (MPH), and is a driving force behind the technical rigor and data integrity of EAHERI's research portfolio.
Kato Philip
BStat, MPH
Statistician & Data Manager
Statistician & Data Manager
Philip is a Statistician with vast experience in data management for research studies and humanitarian programs. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Statistics and is pursuing a Master's in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Uganda Martyrs University.
For the past six years, Philip has managed data for clinical trials and epidemiological research studies, spanning electronic data collection systems, data quality assurance, secure data storage, and routine data cleaning and validation.
He also supports statistical analysis, generates research-ready datasets, and builds the capacity of field teams and study staff in data collection, quality, and use.