IDIA Training Alumni & Blogs

Class of 2024

The first iteration of the IDIA Training in 2024 was held in Bishoftu, Ethiopia and focused on a cohort of actors from the national health innovation ecosystem who together produced a shared agenda for action known as ‘The Bishoftu Declaration’.

“It was an incredible experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with such a diverse group of leaders. I’m particularly thankful to the organizers and trainers - your insights opened our eyes and ignited a fire.”

“This course has reshaped my mindset in several ways. Initially, I approached problems with a fixed mindset, seeing challenges as barriers to overcome rather than opportunities for growth. However, this course has helped me cultivate a mindset focused on continuous learning, adaptability, and creativity.”

 Class of 2023

The 2023 IDIA Training was held in Cape Town, South Africa

“In this training you expect to learn about innovation tools, but actually you start learning more about yourself, your position and how to engage with the world around you.”

“I found my hidden super powers in storytelling and what inclusive leadership qualities I have to offer. Beyond learning how to manage innovation, I found purpose in facilitating meaningful experiences that have the potential to transform the realities and mindsets of individuals, teams and communities; just like this training transformed me.”

Class of 2022

The 2022 IDIA Training was held in Kenya. Participants were 56% female and 44% male, with 78% of participants coming from the Global South and 22% from the Global North. The organisations represented were 56% development agencies, 20% civil society organisations, 16% research institutions, and 8% government.

“Can't even start to imagine how all of you inspired me to do things differently. I am forever grateful to have met you... Hope this family continues to support each other.”

“I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you, by far the best week I have spent with people - I left feeling (1) Understood; (2) Seen and (3) that I Belong.”

 

 Class of 2020

In light of travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, our 2020 IDIA Training was a special virtual iteration delivered to a range of staff from the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Following a competitive application process launched in July 2020 as part of DFAT Innovation Month, successful participants were then able to join course sessions that were spread out over an extended four-week period. This enabled them to learn and then test and reflect on this learning in the context of their own work between sessions. The curriculum also featured a new module on Adaptive Learning delivered by experts from Results for Development (R4D). Participants were 60% female and 40% male, with 45% of participants based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries including Myanmar, Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji.

 

Class of 2019

Our 2019 IDIA Training was kindly hosted by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) at their centre in Harnosand, northern Sweden. Participants were 60% female and 40% male, with 40% of participants coming from the Global South and 60% from the Global North.

“I loved the whole week. I came here expecting to leave with a toolbox that would help me structure innovation processes at work. What I learned was way beyond that.”

 

 Class of 2018

The participants who successfully applied for the inaugural IDIA training on “Managing Innovation for Impact” represented 14 different countries (11 in the Global South) and a 50% men 50% women ratio.

“This course was absolutely phenomenal. It had many flavours—spiritual retreat, technical seminar, networking event, and global health strategy session.”

“Super high-quality lectures; super high-quality facilitators; super high-quality logistical arrangements; above all super talented and experienced like-minded colleagues! ”

 

IDIA TRAINING ALUMNI (2018-2024)

In alphabetical order, position titles and organisations correct at the time of training

  1. MOLLY ABBRUZZESE - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (INNOVATION TEAM), THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  2. DENEKE ABEBE - DEPARTMENT HEAD, ETHIOPIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH

  3. ENDEGENA ABEBE - LEAD EXECUTIVE OFFICER, POLICY, STRATEGY & RESEARCH, MINISTRY OF HEALTH ETHIOPIA

  4. GORDON ADOMDZA - ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, ASHESHI UNIVERSITY

  5. BORIS ALBERDA - INNOVATION MANAGER, OXFAM

  6. MOSES ALOBO - PROGRAM MANAGER (GRAND CHALLENGES AFRICA), AFRICAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

  7. ZAINAH ALSAMMAN - INNOVATION NETWORK OFFICER, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  8. DITTE AMSKOV - SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISOR, OXFAM IBIS

  9. ANSSI ANONEN - TECHNICAL OFFICER, WHO INNOVATION HUB

  10. PHYLLIS AWOR - DIRECTOR, SOCIAL INNOVATION IN HEALTH INITIATIVE (UGANDA)

  11. TANIYA BAJAJ - ASSOCIATE - GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND

  12. MAGDA BANASIAK - SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISOR (RESEARCH & EVALUATION DIVISION), DFID

  13. JANE BASTIN-SIKIMETI - DIRECTOR, PACIFIC GENDER AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CANBERRA

  14. FINLAY BATTS - PROGRAM MANAGER (INNOVATIONXCHANGE), DFAT AUSTRALIA

  15. RUTH BELACHEW - CHIEF OF STAFF TO MINISTER OF HEALTH, GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA

  16. SENAIT BEYENE - MANAGING DIRECTOR, MAMELA ADVISORS (ETHIOPIA)

  17. RUTH BLACKSHAW - INNOVATION NETWORK OFFICER, UN INNOVATION NETWORK

  18. WILLIAM BLOMFIELD - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CLIMATE INNOVATION AND INVESTMENT, CANBERRA

  19. TOMMY OLIVER BOACHIE - SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION, GHANA

  20. TERESA BOSIBORI - INVESTMENT ASSOCIATE, GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND

  21. CHARLES BREWER - MANAGER, AUSTRALIA AWARDS (AFRICA)

  22. SIMON BUCKLEY - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, INVESTMENT DESIGN, DFAT CANBERRA

  23. JULIA CHANDLER - TECH AND INNOVATION ADVISOR, UK FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

  24. JOCELYN CHENG - SENIOR INVESTMENT DIRECTOR, GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND

  25. PAZION CHERINET - CEO, ORBIT HEALTH (ETHIOPIA)

  26. MOREDRECK CHIBI - PROGRAM OFFICER, WHO (CONGO)

  27. EMMY CHIRCHIR - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION ADVISOR, UK FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

  28. SHALLO DABA - PROGRAM COORDINATOR, GRAND CHALLENGES ETHIOPIA

  29. HIWOT DARSENE - LEAD EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NUTRITION DIRECTORATE, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA

  30. ENDANG DEWAYANTI - SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY, JAKARTA

  31. ERMIAS DEJU ASEFA - PRE-FACILITY EMERGENCY & REFERRAL DESK OFFICER

  32. JANNE DINGEMANS - PROGRAM COORDINATOR, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  33. BRITTNEY DUDAR - PROGRAM OFFICER, GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  34. EMILY EDWARDS - FIRST SECRETARY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

  35. ADETUNJI ELESO - DIRECTOR, SCALE & SUSTAINABILITY, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  36. JOSIAH EYISON - FOUNDER, ISPACE FOUNDATION, GHANA

  37. SHABEL FIRUZ - PROGRAM IMPACT & LEARNING MANAGER, ISLAMIC RELIEF WORLDWIDE

  38. NEAL FORSTER - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AID PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY, OFFICE OF THE PACIFIC

  39. TARAH FRIEND - HUMANITARIAN RESEARCH & INNOVATION MANAGER, DFID

  40. DANIEL GAMBOA - SPECIALIST (INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION), UNDP (MEXICO)

  41. JANKA GECKOVA - PROGRAM MANAGER, INNOVATIONXCHANGE, DFAT CANBERRA

  42. TESFAYE GELANEW - SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST, VIRAL DISEASE DIVISION, SHINE PROJECT TEAM, ETHIOPIA

  43. TENDAI GOTARA - DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS, SPARK HEALTH AFRICA, ZIMBABWE

  44. KATHI HANIFNIA - INVESTMENT DIRECTOR, GLOBAL INNOVATION FUND

  45. KATHRYN HARRISON - ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL, PORTFOLIO & INVESTMENTS, SKOLL FOUNDATION

  46. NUR HASAN - PROGRAM MANAGER, DFAT JAKARTA

  47. JOHN HEASLIP - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC)

  48. OBO HENSHAW - TECHNICAL ADVISOR FOR SCIENCE & INNOVATION (WEST AFRICA), FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

  49. JOHAN HELLSTROM - POLICY SPECIALIST, INNOVATION, SIDA

  50. EMILY HILLMAN - SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISOR, USAID

  51. MARA HOLZENTHAL - ADVISOR INNOVATION, LEARNING & KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, GIZ

  52. WON KI HONG - PLANNING, MONITORING & EVALUATION SPECIALIST, UNICEF SOUTH AFRICA

  53. CHRIS HOUSTON - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (HUMANITARIAN), GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  54. SUNNY IBENEME - DIGITAL HEALTH SPECIALIST, UNICEF THAILAND

  55. IJEOMA IWUORA - ASSOCIATE PROGRAM OFFICER, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION NIGERIA

  56. BIRKETY JEMBERE - CHILD HEALTH ADVISOR, USAID ETHIOPIA

  57. VINITA JINDAL - SENIOR MANAGER, GRAND CHALLENGES INDIA

  58. TRACY JOHNSON - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (USER EXPERIENCE & INNOVATION), BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  59. JASMINE JONES - PROGRAM OFFICER, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  60. NOEL JUBAN - PHILIPPINES PROJECT LEAD FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION IN HEALTH INITIATIVE, SIHI GLOBAL NETWORK

  61. FRANK CHARLES KASONGA - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WORLD CONNECT MALAWI

  62. LORIN KAVANAUGH-ULKU - SENIOR ADVISOR FOR GRAND CHALLENGES, USAID

  63. DANIELSON KENNEDY ONYANGO - SENIOR ADVISOR (MEL), INSUPPLY HEALTH

  64. CARINE KHAWAM - COUNSELLOR & HEAD OF COOPERATION FOR SOUTH AFRICA, GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA

  65. MYRIAM KHOURY - VICE PRESIDENT (INNOVATION), MERCY CORPS

  66. WARREN KIDD - DEPUTY DIRECTOR (NUTRITION & HEALTH INNOVATION), GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA

  67. STEPHANIE KIMBER - ACTING DIRECTOR, INNOVATIONXCHANGE, DFAT CANBERRA

  68. EMMA-LEE KNAPE - HEAD OF INNOVATION FOR EAST AFRICA, WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

  69. KAGWIRIA KOOME - PROGRAM ASSOCIATE, ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION (KENYA)

  70. KYRIACOS KOUPPARIS - SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISOR, USAID (THAILAND)

  71. FARHAD IMAM - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (DISCOVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES), THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  72. ASNAKECH LECHISSA - EASTERN CLUSTER COORDINATOR & BRANCH MANAGER, ETHIOPIAN PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY SERVICE (EPSS)

  73. MISRAK MAKONNEN - COUNTRY DIRECTOR FOR ETHIOPIA, AMREF HEALTH AFRICA

  74. AGAPITI MANDAY - DIRECTOR FOR RESEARCH & INNOVATIONS, TANZANIA DATA LAB (TANZANIA)

  75. ROY WILLIAM MAYEGA - DEPUTY CHIEF OF PARTY, RESILIENT AFRICA NETWORK

  76. BATHSHEBA MBONGWE - DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & PARTNERSHIPS, BOTSWANA INSTITUTE FOR TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH & INNOVATION

  77. GARRETT MEHL - SCIENTIST (DIGITAL INNOVATIONS AND RESEARCH), WHO

  78. NILIMA MEHTA - INNOVATION ADVISOR, CENTER FOR INNOVATION & IMPACT, USAID

  79. HABTAMU MILKIAS - QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND PATIENT SAFETY EXPERT, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA

  80. NEHA MISRA - CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF COLLABORATION OFFICER, SOLAR SISTER

  81. SHELBY MONTGOMERY - SENIOR PROGRAM COORDINATOR (DISCOVERY & TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES TEAM), BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  82. TESFAYE MESELE - SENIOR HEALTH FINANCING & ECONOMICS ADVISOR TO MINISTRY OF HEALTH, WORLD BANK ETHIOPIA

  83. KEITH METZNER - ENVIRONMENT TEAM LEADER, USAID MALAWI

  84. PRETTY MUBAIWA - DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS & GENDER, AFRICA RESOURCE CENTRE

  85. PATOU MUSUMARI - COUNTRY DIRECTOR, VILLAGE REACH DRC

  86. PARNIKA JHUNJHUNWALA - INNOVATION SPECIALIST, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)

  87. JENS LEVY - SENIOR EPIDEMIOLOGIST, USAID KENYA

  88. PATRICK JORAM MUGISHA - MANAGING PARTNER, INNOVENT LABS AFRICA

  89. SHIRA MUKIBI - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY & ECOLOGY

  90. PASCAL MULINDWA - INTERMINISTERIAL INNOVATION CONSULTANT, CONGOLESE GOVERNMENT

  91. LEONIDA MUTUKU - AI RESEARCH & STRATEGY LEAD, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE

  92. BEJOY NAMBIAR - COORDINATOR, STRATEGIC HEALTH POLICY & PLANNING, WHO ETHIOPIA

  93. SIMON NDORIA - PROGRAM OFFICER (INNOVATIONS), GRAND CHALLENGES AFRICA (KENYA)

  94. ALPHAXRD GITAU NDUNGU - INNOVATIONS & CLIMATE JUSTICE LEAD, HIVOS EAST AFRICA

  95. ZOLEKA NGCETE - PROGRAM MANAGER, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

  96. CHIPO NANCY NGONGONI - HEALTH INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS SPECIALIST, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

  97. PETER NJUGUNA - ICT4D SPECIALIST, FINNISH DEVELOPMENT NGOS (FINGO)

  98. DOROTHY OKELLO - DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION, RESILIENT AFRICA NETWORK (UGANDA)

  99. BEVERLEY OKOYE - SCIENCE, TECH & INNOVATION LEAD, UK FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (GHANA)

  100. REINA OTSUKA - ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST, UNDP RWANDA

  101. ELIZABETH PALU - PROGRAM MANAGER, PACIFIC ISLANDS FOOD REVOLUTION, SYDNEY

  102. GIGI PASCO ONG-ALOK - INNOVATION FACILITATOR, PARTOS

  103. SARA DE LA PENA ESPIN - COORDINATOR, PLANNING & INNOVATION, UN WOMEN

  104. NASRATULLAH RASA - SENIOR MANAGER, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  105. KANISHKA RATNAYAKE - ASIA PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT & LEARNING COORDINATOR, OXFAM (SRI LANKA)

  106. JOSEA RONO - CEO & CO-FOUNDER, E&K CONSULTING

  107. MICHAEL SANTOS - DEPUTY DIRECTOR (STRATEGY, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT), THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  108. DAVID SARLEY - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, THE BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  109. LOREE SEMELUK - DEPUTY DIRECTOR (DEVELOPMENT INNOVATION UNIT), GLOBAL AFFAIRS CANADA

  110. TINA SENILOLI - ACTING SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION, DFAT FIJI

  111. RIRI SILALAHI - SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY, JAKARTA

  112. SHWE SIN HLAING - SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER, DFAT MYANMAR

  113. ANAITA SINGH - PROGRAM OFFICER, DIGITAL HEALTH, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  114. EMMELINE SKINNER - INNOVATION, EVIDENCE & INCLUSION ADVISOR, FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (FCDO)

  115. ESTHER SOKO - HEALTH INNOVATION INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, WHO AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE

  116. ELIZABETH ST GEORGE - HEAD OF SCALING INNOVATIVE CULTURE, AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS & TRADE

  117. SABRINA STORM - SENIOR ADVISOR (INNOVATION), GIZ

  118. SAVITHA SUBRAMANIAN - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  119. BERHANESTSEHAY TEKLEWOLD - DIRECTOR, ACSIS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IMPACT SYNDICATE, AFRICA

  120. KIDIST TESFAYE - CEO, YENEHEALTH (ETHIOPIA)

  121. FREDERIQUE THOMAS - DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, FONDATION JULES ET PAUL EMILE LEGER

  122. BRENDAN THOMASON - PROGRAM MANAGER, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS & GRAND CHALLENGES, BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

  123. CARMEN THONNISSEN - PROGRAM MANAGER (REGIONAL PROGRAM SOUTH AFRICA), SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION (SDC)

  124. TSEGAYE TILAHUN - PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, USAID ETHIOPIA

  125. MELISSA TIPPING - FIRST SECRETARY, GOVERNANCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION TO FIJI

  126. GEREMEW TSEGAYE - PROGRAM MANAGER, GRAND CHALLENGES ETHIOPIA

  127. NATHAN TUMUHAMYE - PROGRAM ANALYST & HEAD OF EXPLORATION, UNDP UGANDA

  128. BEN TWIKIRIZE - SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER (M&E), EMBASSY OF ICELAND, UGANDA

  129. MICHAEL UNWIN - INNOVATION ADVISOR, UK FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

  130. BART VEENSTRA - TEAM LEAD, DIGITAL FOR DEVELOPMENT, NETHERLANDS MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

  131. FRANK WAFULA - ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, OPEN PHENCES HUB, STRATHMORE UNIVERSITY, KENYA

  132. AARON WATSON - SECOND SECRETARY, DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION, DFAT JAKARTA

  133. MOSES WAWERU - SENIOR PROGRAMME MANAGER, VILLGRO AFRICA

  134. MIRKUZIE WOLDIE KERIE - DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FENOT PROJECT, ETHIOPIA

  135. RACHEL WOOD - SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISOR, CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND IMPACT, USAID

  136. ASCHALE WORKU - MATERNAL HEALTH PROGRAM EXPERT & PERFORMANCE TEAM LEAD, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA

  137. ANGELINE YALWALA - GRANTS OFFICER, SCIENCE FOR AFRICA FOUNDATION

  138. SYEDA ZAKI - INVESTMENT ASSOCIATE, GRAND CHALLENGES CANADA

  139. BEREKET ZELALEM - NATIONAL HEALTH INNOVATION COORDINATOR, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, GOVERNMENT OF ETHIOPIA