Lifebox Leadership Team

Kris has worked in the global health and humanitarian sector for more than 20 years. Prior to joining Lifebox, Kris worked with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) for over 14 years, including serving as the organization’s Secretary General from 2008 to 2012 and as part of MSF’s Ebola response team in Liberia in 2014. Kris sits on the board of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) North America, and is a former board member of All Out and The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) USA where she was also Founding Executive Director.

Kris holds a B.A. with honors in East Asian Studies from Wesleyan University, an M.Phil in Chinese language and literature from Columbia University, and an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Kris is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Senait Bitew has over 15 years of experience in global health, with expertise in program development, strategic planning, and team leadership. Her career includes significant work as a public health consultant for UN agencies, NGOs, and government bodies, focusing on healthcare system strengthening and program evaluation. As PMTCT National Advisor at Jhpiego, she provided technical guidance for maternal and child health programs. Since joining Lifebox in 2018, she has progressively taken on increasing responsibility, starting as Ethiopia Country Programs Manager and advancing to Head of Programs for East and Southern Africa, before assuming her current role as Chief Program Officer. Under her leadership, Lifebox has expanded its programs across multiple countries, implementing the Clean Cut surgical safety program and developing the Nursing Leadership for Surgical Excellence (NLSE) initiative. She has built strong partnerships with Ministries of Health, academic institutions, and key funding partners. Senait holds a Master’s in Public Health, a Degree in Nursing, and is a certified Project Management Professional. She has co-authored several publications on surgical safety and infection prevention in low-resource settings.

Dr. Negussie is responsible for the clinical content, relevance, and quality of all Lifebox programs delivered globally and oversees a diverse team of perioperative clinicians and fellows working in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Tihitena is a consultant general and pediatric surgeon and worked at the Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for more than 14 years. She has served in different leadership positions including as Chair of the National Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in Ethiopia, Coordinator of the CPD centers at Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences, and the Ethiopian Medical Association (EMA). Tihitena is part of the clinical team that developed Lifebox’s Clean Cut Program in Ethiopia and sits on the Lifebox leadership team.

Judy Ngugi is an operations and finance executive with more than twenty years of experience working in the development sector with roles at a variety of international non-profit organizations and foundations, including International Livestock Research Institute – Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, and Helen Keller International. Judy joins Lifebox from Gatsby Africa where she was Deputy Director for Operations and Finance.

As Chief Finance and Administration Officer for Lifebox, Judy is responsible for all aspects of Lifebox’s finances, governance, and administration worldwide and works closely with the global team and trustees to put in place robust financial and administrative management systems to support Lifebox deliver on its objectives. Judy is part of the Lifebox leadership team.

Judy holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Zainab is a qualified accountant with over a decade of finance experience, most recently as Finance Manager with Heifer International South Africa, where she also oversaw IT and operations. Zainab provides robust financial and management accounting, financial consolidation, and ensuring compliance with local financial regulations worldwide. Zainab also plays a critical role in supporting the coordination of all aspects of Lifebox operations and administration worldwide.

Cleopatra is an HR strategist with over 10 years’ experience across various industries.  She joined Lifebox to lead its HR function from Bushveld Minerals – an LSE listed vanadium producer. Prior to this, she worked as a consultant and has provided services to companies such as CRRC E-Loco, Multichoice, National Empowerment Fund and SA Mint. Cleopatra holds an MCom in Industrial and Organisational Psychology from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. She is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, South African Board of People Practices and South African rewards Association.