Lilian Kong'ani - Health System Strengthening Specialist, HJFMRI

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Work Background

The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military MedicineHealth System Strengthening Specialist

Jul. 2024Kenya1. Fostered collaborations with county governments of Kericho, Bomet, Narok and Nandi to ensure transition to sustainable high quality HIV service delivery 2. Supported development, implementation, and monitoring of a comprehensive sustainable transition plan for PEPFAR supported facilities for uptake by County governments 3. I Provide technical oversight of integrated health systems strengthening programming and technical assistance activities. 4. I Support implementation of HIV prevention and treatment services in an integrated and sustainable model 5. Take lead in health systems assessment, identify gaps and develop customized course 6. correction strategies 7. I Design and lead activities related to differentiated service delivery systems, including client-centered and community-based interventions, provide prevention and treatment services to people at risk or living with HIV. 8. Strengthened private-public collaboration and capacity to effectively manage HIV prevention and treatment services 9. I Support the development and roll-out of a robust HRH system to effectively and efficiently manage and oversee health workforce 10. I Establish and maintain positive working relationships with the local county government ministry of health and other local implementing partners for enhanced synergies.

Center for International Health, Education, and Biosecurity (Ciheb) at UMBHealth Systems Strengthening Lead

Feb. 2022 - Sep. 2025Kisumu, Kisumu County, Kenya➡️ I was brought on board to provide continued support in completing transition from Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation to Ciheb, particularly in Health Systems Strengthening, by spearheading engagement with county leadership in Kisumu and Migori Counties to transition the HIV program, including funding from the donor to the counties. Select Accomplishments: o Led transition strategy and roadmap – including a baseline survey of the HIV and TB service landscape in both counties, developed health systems strengthening (HSS) tools, plans, and training modules, and oversaw the transition of the entire program to the counties. o Strengthened county capacity by co-developing the County Integrated Development Plan III and the 2023-2027 Health Sector Strategic Plans. o Managing 24 direct reports, approximately 1,350 health care workers, and health systems strengthening budgets. o Increased use of EMR in points of care from 20% to 80%, transitioned 80% of facilities to cloud-based EMR, and upgraded Integrated Health Human Resource Management System (IHRS). o Rolled out lab manifests that helped reduce viral load processing turnaround times. o Championed a collaborative work environment by establishing County Tripartite Transition Teams (CTT). o Positioned Kisumu County as a CDC sub-grantee and supported Migori County in scaling county government funding from one to two counties. o Successfully negotiated and worked with the Governor’s Office and County Public Service Boards to transition health workforce payroll to the counties, and engaged in the recruitment of health workforce in both counties. o Built capacity of county leadership and governance in delivery of quality-and-people-centered HIV and TB services. o Led advocacy for increased budgetary allocation for TB and HIV services. o Serving as Steering Committee Secretary for Kisumu County Health Sector Forum, member of HRH, Commodities, HIV Service Delivery, Gender, and M&E Technical Working Groups (TWG).

Kenya Red CrossRegional Program Coordinator ► Global Fund HIV Program

Jan. 2020 - Feb. 2022Nairobi County, Kenya➡️ I was accountable for coordination and implementation of all regional components of the Global Fund HIV Program in 11 counties in Western Kenya region, including nurturing and managing partnerships with 18 sub-recipients, providing technical support to sub-grantees and driving advocacy for the multi-million-dollar-fund portfolio. Select Accomplishments: o Managed budgets, over 200 staff and partners, and led the staff and partners in project implementation and reporting, receiving an A1 rating for successful project implementation and leadership of sub-recipients to deliver over 90% in budgets and project deliverables o Strengthened capacity of sub-recipients with trainings in finance and budgetary policies, organizational capacity assessment tools, and grant management. o Worked with Risk and Compliance Department to oversee risk and compliance across sub-recipients and affiliates. o Drove increased adoption of Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) across the region, conducted routine data quality audits, and facilitated quarterly coordination meetings. o Developed and reviewed budgets, prepared contractual agreements, disbursed funds to sub-grantees, and reviewed grant reports of sub-grantees before posting to NAVISION. o Served as Lead Convener of the HIV Technical Working Group across the region. o Received commendation and a two-year, International AIDS Society (IAS) Scholarship for successfully supporting grassroots organizations to improve community HIV service delivery.

CARE KenyaProject Manager ► NAWIRI Project (Maternal & Child Nutrition)

Jun. 2016 - Dec. 2019Siaya, Siaya County, Kenya➡️ I led the implementation of the Maternal and Child Nutrition project funded by the European Union (EU), Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), and CARE to increase nutritional status of children under five and women of reproductive age, and alleviate the most severe obstacles of poor MIYCN in Siaya County. Select Accomplishments: o Led a team of 10 composed of staff and consortium partners and managed project budgets. o Developed proposals that helped secure millions of Euros in funding to support gender and safe water systems and teen mother economic empowerment interventions. o Formulated and implemented the inaugural County Nutrition Action Plan, County Nutrition Strategy and Investment Plan. o Developed Nutrition Charters that were successfully adopted for use in the County by the Governor. o Scaled and mainstreamed the use of Community Score Card (CSS) in nutrition programs and other projects in the county. o Planned and convened country-level engagements which included consultations, workshops, quarterly reviews, inter-agency coordination forums, and the first scientific health conference to amplify conversations on maternal and child nutrition. o Trained staff and partners on Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives (BFHI), Baby-Friendly Community Initiatives (BFCI), Social Analysis and Action (SAA), and the Community Score Card (SCC). o Produced human interest stories, documented case studies and best practices to scale project best practices and approaches.

Kenya Red CrossRegional Monitoring & Evaluation Officer ► Global Fund HIV Program

Oct. 2013 - Jun. 2016Kisumu, Kisumu County, Kenya➡️ My role involved developing and implementing regional monitoring and evaluation strategies and plans to support the implementation of the Global Fund HIV Program across 11 counties in Western Kenya. Select Accomplishments: o Oversaw budgets and a team of 36 staff and led 18 sub-grantees in program reporting. o Developed the 2013-2015 monitoring and evaluation framework for the Global Fund program. o Facilitated data-driven programming and results-based project management for the Global Fund HIV Program and Kenya Red Cross Disaster Response activities. o Directed 18 sub-grantees (NGOs, CBOs, FBOs) and regional staff in developing, reviewing and upgrading M&E frameworks. o Supported knowledge management by coordinating learning and reflection activities to develop best practices and lessons learned. o Supported quarterly compilation, summary, and dissemination of technical updates on program planning, monitoring, evaluation, and operations research. o Facilitated joint mid-term reviews, surveys, baselines, evaluations, learning workshops and events. o Led nationwide roll out of youth and general population HIV programming. o Oversaw the recruitment of more than 100 project staff and sub-grantee staff across the region.

World Vision KenyaProject Officer ► Health, HIV & AIDS Response (HHAR)

Sep. 2009 - Oct. 2013Nairobi County, Kenya➡️ I developed people-centered strategies for area development program (ADP)-specific Health, Nutrition, and HIV/AIDS interventions, and facilitated the implementation of Health, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS Response projects within Integrated Program Areas (IPAs). Select Accomplishments: o Managed successful implementation of maternal and newborn child health program in Elgeyo Marakwet, Narok South, and Nyamira counties and worked with project partners to develop monitoring plans. o Led identification of nutrition and HIV/AIDS challenges and development of community-led solutions. o Rolled out the Positive Deviance (PD)/Hearth Initiative – a community-based and food-based approach to reduce prevalence of malnutrition among children under five, build local capacity to treat malnourished children, sustain rehabilitation of children and prevent future malnutrition. o Engaged in the development of the Channels of Hope Manual for HIV prevention in collaboration with religious leaders. o Supported the counties in developing and implementing annual operational plans, M&E Frameworks, and activity-based budgets. o Built capacity of partners which included AACs, CHWs, CBOs, CORPs, and FBOs. o Set up community hope teams to serve as support groups for orphans and PLHIV. o Established area advocacy committees to help reduce stigma, strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention approaches, and coordinate community-led monitoring of public service delivery and resource mobilization. o Mobilized gifts in kind to support orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). o Documented and disseminated project success stories and best practices, developed weekly situation and quarterly reports for submission to donors. o Engaged in the recruitment and onboarding of interns and supervised two interns. o Represented the organization at stakeholder meetings, workshops, and conferences. o Secured a scholarship for pivotal role in supporting HIV positive women from pastoralist communities in Narok South.