SHI combines experienced leadership, hybrid delivery models, and technology-enabled ways of working to support complex health initiatives across Africa with agility, accountability, and responsible stewardship of resources.
Grounded in the spirit of Ubuntu, we believe sustainable progress is built through trusted partnerships, practical implementation, and strong institutions that endure beyond individual programmes.
In 2019, Robyn founded Supporting Health Initiatives (SHI), an African-led implementation platform that works alongside governments, regulators, regional institutions and development partners to strengthen institutions, build implementation capacity and deliver sustainable impact across Africa. Today, SHI supports national, regional and continental priorities through the implementation of programmes spanning regulatory systems strengthening, health systems, institutional development, digital innovation, artificial intelligence readiness and multi-country partnerships.
With more than two decades of experience working across Africa in strategy, governance and programme implementation, Robyn focuses on helping governments, regulators and development partners navigate complex implementation environments. Her work centres on building trusted partnerships, strengthening institutional capability and creating the conditions for sustainable impact.
Beyond her institutional leadership, Robyn is a longstanding advocate for improving the recognition and management of sepsis. Through her engagement with the Global Sepsis Alliance and Africa Sepsis Alliance, she supports efforts to improve awareness, prevention and patient outcomes and is a Lifelong Patron of the Global Sepsis Alliance.
Robyn holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University.
She believes sustainable progress is achieved when African institutions have the capability, confidence and support to lead their own futures. This philosophy continues to shape SHI’s approach to implementation, partnership and institution-building across Africa.
Professor Maria Papathanasopoulos is an internationally recognised scientist and academic leader whose career has advanced research, capacity development and scientific excellence across Africa.
As Co-Executive Director of SHI, she provides academic leadership, governance oversight and institutional stewardship, supporting the organisation’s commitment to excellence, integrity and long-term sustainability.
Professor Papathanasopoulos serves as Director of the HIV Pathogenesis Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand and brings extensive experience in research leadership, scientific collaboration and institutional development.
Through her role at SHI, she helps ensure that the organisation remains grounded in scientific excellence while supporting African-led approaches to strengthening institutions, systems and implementation capacity.
Dr Lieve Fransen is a globally respected public health and social policy leader whose career includes senior leadership roles within the European Commission and co-founding the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Through her association with SHI, she contributes strategic insight informed by decades of experience in global health, health financing and systems strengthening.
Professor Garrett Wallace Brown is an internationally recognised scholar and policy leader whose work focuses on global health governance, health systems strengthening, pandemic preparedness and institutional development.
As an Executive Member of SHI, he contributes strategic insight at the intersection of policy, research and implementation, supporting the organisation’s commitment to strengthening institutions and advancing African-led solutions.
Professor Brown is Chair in Political Theory and Global Health Policy at the University of Leeds and Director of the Centre for Global Security Challenges. His work has informed international policy discussions on health security, governance, financing and equity, while fostering stronger connections between research, policy and practice.
Through his association with SHI, Professor Brown supports the organisation’s growing engagement in research, thought leadership and evidence-informed approaches to institutional strengthening and sustainable impact.
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