Jhpiego CEO Leslie Mancuso receives Academy of Public Health honor

Leslie Mancuso, president and CEO of Jhpiego, is among eight global health leaders named as distinguished fellows of the Nigeria-based Academy of Public Health for their contributions to improving the health of Africans and inspiring a generation of public health professionals.

Image caption: Leslie Mancuso

Mancuso and the other fellowship recipients were honored as "individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, scholarship, and service in the field of public health," according to the award announcement released by the academy, which represents the membership of the West African Institute of Public Health.

Mancuso's "commitment to delivering quality health care in underserved communities has garnered recognition and made Jhpiego a pivotal force in global health, impacting countless lives through innovative and sustainable interventions," the selection committee said.

The 2023 fellowship honorees include Wondimagegnehu Alemu, an adjunct professor and former World Health Organization official; Uche Veronica Amazigo, professor of medical parasitology; Pape Amadou Gaye, president emeritus of IntraHealth; Rose Gana Fomban Leke, malariologist and emeritus professor of immunology and parasitology at the University of Yaounde; Joy Phumaphi, former minister of health for Malawi; Michel Sidibé, former executive director of UNAIDS; and infectious disease specialist and virologist Oyewale Tomori.

"I am both humbled and thrilled to receive this fellowship alongside such distinguished colleagues," Mancuso said. "For 50 years, Jhpiego has worked closely with health leaders across the African continent to ensure women, men, and their families receive high-quality health services. Our work is grounded in the belief that where a person lives should not determine if they live. Thank you, Academy of Public Health, for this honor."

Mancuso, a recognized international business executive and nurse, has led Jhpiego for more than two decades. During her tenure at the global health non-profit and Johns Hopkins University affiliate, she has prioritized equity, inclusion, and diversity in the delivery of quality care across the organization's work in 40-plus countries, including its programs in Nigeria.

She has prioritized support for West Africa, often neglected in development appropriations, and been a vocal advocate for funding to strengthen health systems, educate health workers, and advance lifesaving interventions in the region.

The academy will host a formal induction ceremony on Nov. 2 with recipients participating in person or virtually.