Malia Duffy, Founder

Malia Duffy is a Family Nurse Practitioner with a Master of Science in Public Health (MSN-FNP, MSPH) and over 20 years of experience working domestically and in nearly every region of the world. Inspired by a hospital volunteer trip to Haiti at the age of fourteen, Malia has dedicated the entirety of her career to advancing health and psychosocial outcomes for populations who experience marginalization, including children and adolescents, women, families, immigrant/refugee populations, and people living in street and shelter settings. She has deep knowledge and experience spanning HIV, tubercolusis, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, sexual and gender-based violence, human rights, and maternal, newborn, and child health, among others. Malia is skilled at drawing upon data to design innovative global and national-level strategies and activities that translate research findings into real-world action, contributing to measurable improvements.

Malia’s client experience spans across multi-lateral organizations, inter-agency working groups, national donors, and private foundations. She works in partnership with policymakers, ministries at all levels of government, local partners, and people with lived experience to advance real-world, evidence-based solutions that are deeply contextualized. With > 35 publications, Malia is a highly experienced technical writer, effectively synthesizing research and making it easily understood and actionable for diverse global audiences.

Malia has a Master of Science in Public Health from Harvard University, Pediatric and Adult Nurse Practitioner degrees from Simmons College, a nursing degree from Johns Hopkins University, and degrees in Community Health Education and Spanish from Western Washington University. See her LinkedIn profile for a comprehensive description of her clients and professional experience, and her Google Scholar profile for her peer-reviewed publications.

Melissa Sharer is a social worker ( PhD, MPH, MSW) who has been working in public health, social welfare, and youth development since her time with the Peace Corps in Armenia in 1994. She has spent the past 25 years working in global settings, and is experienced in developing, delivering, and managing programs and research in development, relief, and post-conflict/transitional settings. Central areas of interest and experience focus on building strong public health and social services for children/youth inclusive of HIV/AIDS, maternal/child health, mental health, and issues related to sexual and gender-based violence. Dr. Sharer has expertise in designing/managing operational and participatory research, providing training/teaching and in implementing public health and social welfare programs in the United States, and in over 25 countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Having strong writing skills and a background in education, she has developed and delivered professional health, HIV, GBV, and youth/peer trainings tailored for audiences ranging from low-literacy populations to medical doctors.

Dr. Sharer has authored several peer-review publications, case studies, and training manuals, is an academic editor for the PLOS One journal, and has made several oral presentations at international and national conferences.  Dr. Sharer's active research and practice agenda focuses on refugee/immigrant mental health; substance use prevention and treatment; foster and juvenile justice strategies; child protection; gun violence prevention; and community-based mental health.  

Melissa has a PhD in Social Work from the School of Social Service at The Catholic University of America, a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Public Health from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. See her LinkedIn profile and Google Scholar profile for a comprehensive description of her professional experience and skills.

Sandee Minovi brings more than 20 years of strategic leadership to the table, dedicated to operationalizing complex health and development goals on a global scale. As the 'operational heart' of large-scale initiatives, she ensures that every project—no matter how geographically dispersed—is set up for success from the start.

Throughout her career, Sandee has managed multi-million-dollar portfolios around the world, but her drive for this work is deeply personal. Her dedication to marginalized communities was first sparked while working with street children in Guadalajara, Mexico, and was later galvanized by her own experience surviving a life-threatening pregnancy complication — a moment that underscored the vital importance of resilient, accessible health systems. Whether she is navigating the financial nuances of a major grant or mentoring a global team across 20+ countries, Sandee’s approach is rooted in partnership and a deep commitment to health equity. She has spent decades building trusted relationships with partners and funders, always with the goal of making operational processes feel seamless so that technical experts can focus on what they do best.

Sandee holds an MA in International Development Studies from George Washington University and is always looking for modern ways to work smarter, recently earning her PMI certification in Generative AI for project management. When she isn't streamlining global operations, she is a dedicated advocate for inclusive leadership and a firm believer that the best results come from a collaborative, high-trust team environment. See her LinkedIn profile for a comprehensive description of her professional experience and skills.