Uwaila Akpan

Seasoned Public Health Project Manager with over 16 years of global and national experience in community health project leadership. Demonstrates expertise in technical oversight, strategic planning, and project management with a commitment to advancing community health outcomes. Skilled in managing budgets, supervising cross-functional teams, and coordinating healthcare initiatives, with a proven track record of impactful results in HIV prevention, family planning, and community outreach programs.

Community Outreach Specialist
Ultimate Health Care – Forney, TX
September 2021 – September 2024

• Developed and led community outreach initiatives aimed at reducing HIV-related stigma, promoting testing, and linking individuals to essential treatment resources.
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to create culturally relevant communications addressing HIV prevention and healthy lifestyle choices.
• Provided direct support for individuals newly diagnosed with HIV, connecting them to counseling, medical, and community resources.

Program Manager
Vision Beyond Sight – Abuja, Nigeria
March 2019 – August 2021

• Led a team of eye health professionals delivering free visual screenings to over 3,000 children aged 5-15 in remote communities, with over 800 children receiving prescription glasses and 105 referred for additional services.
• Successfully executed a strategic plan to improve access to eye health resources for underserved populations.

Program Manager, Family Planning
Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) – Boston, USA / Abuja, Nigeria
July 2015 – July 2018

• Oversaw the development of the Family Planning Web-Based Dashboard in collaboration with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, facilitating real-time monitoring of family planning resources and healthcare workforce distribution across the country.
• Directed capacity-building initiatives, training over 400 healthcare workers in rural Africa to provide long-acting reversible contraceptives, resulting in increased access from a 17% baseline to 95%.
• Coordinated policy review meetings and operational research initiatives to support community health worker task-shifting, significantly enhancing service delivery in hard-to-reach areas.

Senior Technical Advisor, Prevention
ECEWS / CDC - PEPFAR – Abuja, Nigeria
March 2009 – February 2014

• Provided technical guidance across HIV prevention programs, including PMTCT and HIV/AIDS education for vulnerable populations, such as at-risk youth, sex workers, and uniformed service members.
• Led a pediatric HIV testing and early infant diagnosis initiative across three states, training over 300 healthcare workers and connecting 12,000 individuals to testing, care, and treatment facilities.

Program Associate
ECEWS / CDC-PEPFAR – Nigeria
March 2008 – March 2009

• Assisted in proposal development and budget planning for HIV grant focused on seven thematic areas, resulting in awarded funding and promotion to the implementation team.

• MSc in Management (in progress) – Collège de Paris online
• Certificate in Project Management – Google (2020)
• Certificate in Design & Interpretation of Clinical Trials – Johns Hopkins University (2016)
• Certificate in Epidemiology & Biostatistics – Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2010)
• Doctor of Optometry – University of Benin, Nigeria (2004)

Core Skills

• Project & Budget Management: Expertise in project design, implementation, and financial oversight.
• Public Health Strategy & Planning: Proficient in creating and evaluating impactful public health initiatives.
• Training & Capacity Building: Skilled in training healthcare workers in HIV prevention, family planning, and community health.
• Data Analysis & Program Evaluation: Experienced in data management and program monitoring to inform decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Adept at building partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and community organizations.