Caitlin Bishop, Program Manager, manages AAI members and partners in Nigeria, as well as projects across BVGH’s network of program partners. 

Before joining BVGH, Caitlin was a fundraising professional at community organizations in Washington and Arizona, and a research assistant and policy analyst at a healthcare company and health policy organization. Caitlin received her BA, Sociology and Communication, summa cum laude, from the University of Arizona and her MPA, Analysis and Evaluation, from the Evans Schools of Public Policy & Governance at the University of Washington. Her capstone project, which reviewed Washington State’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy and provided recommendations to increase vaccine uptake, was awarded the Evans School 2021 Policy and Governance Research Prize. Originally from Arizona, Caitlin loves exploring the Pacific Northwest and is most often seen hiking a new trail or enjoying local coffee, accompanied by her rescue pup, Margot.

Heather Davidson, Program Manager, manages AAI members in Cameroon and partners in Nigeria, along with projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Prior to joining BVGH, Heather was a grant writer with medical non-profits, focusing on helping marginalized populations gain access to low- or no-cost health care. Heather has many years of administrative, project-driven experience, and is a member of the Medical Writers Association. Heather has also worked as an artist and small business owner for over 10 years. Now she creates artwork for fun instead of profit. Heather received her BA, English and Art, from St. Olaf College and completed additional studies in Anatomy, Physiology, and Technical Writing. In her spare time, she loves growing food (including building a small aquaponics system), and likes settling down with her husband and their goofy cat to enjoy a movie or a good book.

Jennifer Dent, President & CEO is responsible for setting the organization’s strategy, determining its programs, and working with the BVGH team to establish partnerships and deliver on program objectives.

She joined BVGH in 2011 and took over leadership of the organization in 2012. She has facilitated partnerships across the private, government, and public sectors involving more than 50 countries. Jennifer leverages her international industry experience to tackle tough global health challenges with market-driven approaches focusing on sustainability, scalability, and most importantly, priorities and needs as determined by each African or low- and middle-income country partner. Prior to joining BVGH, Jennifer worked for Hoffmann-La Roche as an Alliance Director in South San Francisco at the Genentech site. She has 20+ years of broad-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience, including negotiation and structuring of deals, and management of global discovery and commercial alliances. Jennifer began her career as a sales representative in Canada working in a variety of positions for Parke Davis/Pfizer and Genentech. Following the acquisition of Genentech Canada by Roche, Jennifer held a number of senior management positions in marketing, life cycle management, global product strategy, business development, and alliance management at Roche and Genentech in Canada, Switzerland, New Jersey, and South San Francisco. Jennifer co-founded Sound Biotechnology, and prior to that, served as Vice President, Business Development, Marketing, and Sales at CombiMatrix Corporation in Washington State.

Jennifer received her MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University and her BSc from Western University in Canada. In her spare time, Jennifer can be found in her garden or spending time with family and friends.

Julia Franz, Associate Director, manages African Access Initiative (AAI) members and partners in Nigeria, as well as projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Prior to joining BVGH, Julia was a journalist and radio producer in her home state of Minnesota, covering the COVID-19 pandemic and breaking stories for a daily news show. She has a background in nonprofit communications, and once managed projects and teams at a large industrial supplier. Julia received her BA in Comparative Literature and East Asian Languages and Literatures from Smith College, in Massachusetts. She loves reading, biking, canoeing, and spending time outside with her husband and daughter.

Katy Graef, Vice President, Programs, develops new program strategy and leads the African Access Initiative (AAI) and African Consortium for Cancer Clinical Trials (AC³T) programs.

Prior to joining BVGH, Katy completed post-doctoral training at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana where she studied tick-borne flaviviruses. She taught an undergraduate microbiology course and mentored numerous laboratory students during her undergraduate and graduate studies. Katy obtained her BS, Microbiology, honors, magna cum laude, from the University of Washington. She completed her PhD, Virology, at the University of Oxford through the NIH Oxford Cambridge Scholars Program. She serves as the Assistant Secretary to the Secretary of the BVGH Board of Directors. Katy grew up in Washington. She loves to read, which works well for her snuggly Siamese cats, Robin and Lily.

Micaella Jorge, Program Manager, manages BVGH’s African Access Initiative (AAI) partners in Nigeria and facilitates infectious disease programs.

Prior to joining BVGH, Micaella conducted global health research at Vanderbilt University, where she analyzed, developed, and optimized point-of-care diagnostic tools for the detection of malaria, tuberculosis, and bacterial infections. She also worked as a freelance medical writer, covering a variety of health and scientific topics written to educate a general audience. A chemist by training, Micaella obtained her bachelor’s degree, Chemistry, from the University of San Diego. There, her interest in global health was piqued after traveling to Uganda during her senior year to learn about water quality research. Before earning her PhD, Chemistry, from Vanderbilt University, Micaella was awarded a Global Health Equity Scholar Postdoctoral Fellowship through the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Micaella is originally from Nevada, but now calls Tennessee home, where she enjoys playing card games, cuddling with her cat, Ruby, and exploring new places, both local to Nashville and abroad.

Valerie Krepel, Communications and Operations Manager, manages BVGH’s office, tracks new outreach initiatives, oversees company communications, and assists with special projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Before joining BVGH, Valerie was the Chief of Staff at Pius Kitchen and Bath, where she led rebranding and assisted in restructuring departments. Valerie received her BA in Multimedia from California Lutheran University, summa cum laude. Her honor’s thesis revolved around ethical and sustainable practices in agriculture, which led to a broader interest in global initiatives. Valerie is originally from Alaska and enjoys hiking, fiber crafts, and spending time with her cats, Pugsley and Pepita.

Chaja Levy, Program Manager, manages African Access Initiative (AAI) members and partners in Nigeria, as well as African Consortium for Cancer Clinical Trials (AC³T) and Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) members and partnerships.

Prior to joining BVGH, Chaja was a graduate research assistant and study coordinator at the University of Washington and has a background in science education and non-profit program coordination. Chaja received her BS in Environmental Science and Resource Management and her MS in Environmental Science from the University of Washington. Her thesis examined the effects of forest terpenes exposure on stress-related physiological and psychological outcomes in humans.

Chaja is originally from Nevada, but has spent most of her life in Seattle, where she enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and finding the best places to eat in town.

Sally Loos, Senior Program Manager, manages African Access Initiative (AAI) members and partners in Senegal, as well as projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Before joining BVGH, Sally spent a decade working in the medical humanitarian aid sector with international non-governmental organizations and Doctors Without Borders. Originally from the Midwest, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Integrative Physiology from the University of Iowa and continued on to earn her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic, specializing in sports medicine and non-communicable disease prevention. During graduate school, Sally completed a clinic abroad rotation in Fiji, which solidified her interest in working in underserved and low-resource settings. Her shift to working in global health began in 2012 by serving in the US Peace Corps as a Health Extension Agent in Cambodia. An avid world traveler, she has traveled to and worked across more than 50 countries. Thanks to her work in Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, she is proficient in French. Sally loves cooking, traveling, running, and adventuring with her partner and their two dogs.

Cathyryne “Cathy” Manner, Vice President, leads BVGH’s infectious disease programs and strategy, and plays a key role in communications. She brings broad expertise in life sciences and grant making to BVGH, as well as over 15 years of experience in catalyzing and managing partnerships to promote research, advance product development, and improve health.

Before joining BVGH, Cathy was a Senior Program Officer at the Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund, where she co-led grant program development, technology evaluation, award management, and communications. Previously, she was a Program Coordinator at SAIC (now Leidos), where she provided programmatic, scientific, and grant management support to the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. Cathy received her BS, Biochemistry, with highest honors, from the University of California Davis, and her PhD, Biomedical Sciences (cancer and neuro-inflammation research), from the University of California San Diego. Born and raised in San Francisco, California, Cathy enjoys reading and doing word and logic puzzles.

Teddy Olberding, Program Manager, manages infectious disease collaborations and special projects across BVGH’s network of program partners. 

Teddy received his BS, Public Health and Communication, magna cum laude, from Tulane University. During his junior year, he researched Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture and health behaviors in Australia. In his senior year, he worked with SightSavers to evaluate the effectiveness of various water, sanitation, and hygiene campaigns designed to decrease the prevalence of various neglected tropic diseases among underserved global populations. Teddy is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. In his spare time, he enjoys filmmaking and analysis, and playing soccer. He is also active in sports media, including spending some of his weekends assisting in the Cincinnati Bengals’ press box.

Kyle Peet, Senior Program Manager, manages African Consortium for Cancer Clinical Trials (AC³T) and Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) members and partnerships, as well as African Access Initiative (AAI) projects.

Before joining BVGH, Kyle was a professor and researcher in higher education. He taught a diverse range of life and environmental science topics including microbiology, cell and molecular biology, global health, sustainability, and climate change. Kyle completed a BS in Biology and Biotechnology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a PhD and post-doctoral research in Environmental Biology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

Kyle grew up in Massachusetts, but now calls Washington home. He enjoys spending time with his wife and son, outdoor adventures (climbing, hiking, and biking), travel, and cooking. He has two cats, Margot and Richie.

Eleanor Plaunt, Program Manager, manages AAI members and partners in Kenya, facilitates infectious disease collaborations, and manages projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Before joining BVGH, Eleanor was a research assistant for the Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program and a Policy Consultant with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Eleanor received her BS, Sociology of Organizations, Business, and Nonprofits, and her MPH, Community Health Promotion, from the University of Minnesota. Her master’s project focused on the need for multi-level interventions to address childhood cancer, specifically regarding childhood cancer policy and advocacy efforts to increase funding for research and improve survivorship care practices. Eleanor hails from Minnesota and enjoys spending her time on the slopes and on the trails.

Ashly Senske, Program Manager, manages AAI members and partners in Nigeria, facilitates infectious disease collaborations, and manages projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Before joining BVGH, Ashly participated in the development of new seed technologies at Germain’s Seed Technology, and assisted research at Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences. Ashly received her BS, Biology, from the University of Washington, with a focus in conservation, ecology, and evolution. She completed her MS, Horticulture, from Iowa State University where her research – focused on the sustainability and potential implementation of perennial agriculture on Iowa farms – led her to an interest in global food security and global health. Ashly volunteers for Minds Matter Seattle as Co-Director of Senior Mentoring and as a Writing and Critical Thinking instructor. Ashly was born and raised in Iowa. She spends her free time reading, cooking, and hanging out with her cats, (aptly named) Dumpling and Ravioli.

Ellie Weisblat, Program Manager, manages BVGH’s African Access Initiative (AAI) members and partners in Cameroon and Tanzania, along with projects across BVGH’s network of program partners.

Before joining BVGH, she worked as a member of the Foodborne Illness Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health. Ellie received her BS, Biology, and BA, Spanish, from Gonzaga University, and her MPH, Epidemiology with a graduate minor in Global Health, from the University of Minnesota. Her interest in global health began after spending a month in Chimfunshi, Zambia, doing field biology work and observing the local health clinic. Ellie is originally from Spokane, Washington and now lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In her spare time, she enjoys running with her running club, spending time outdoors, and trying new recipes in the kitchen.