WASHINGTON, D.C. — Results for Development (R4D) announced the addition of four new members to its Global Board of Directors and one new member to its UK Board. Together, these leaders bring expertise in artificial intelligence, private sector innovation, medicine access and health systems — strengthening R4D’s ability to navigate a rapidly changing development landscape.
The new members join a Board already recognized for its diversity and depth of expertise, with deep personal and professional roots in the communities R4D serves.
“We are thrilled to welcome these five exceptional leaders to our Boards,” said Gina Lagomarsino, president and CEO of R4D. “Country leaders now face unprecedented opportunities to chart their own sovereign futures, by harnessing promising new technologies including AI while strengthening domestic financing of health and education. These appointments reflect R4D’s deliberate effort to build board leadership that reflects the potential we help our partners realize.”
New Global Board Members
Beth Tritter | Consultant, FGS Global
Beth Tritter is a seasoned global development strategist with deep experience leading multistakeholder initiatives at the intersection of policy, advocacy and implementation. She served as director of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) and executive director of the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI). Her background in global health communications will help R4D sharpen its approach to translating evidence into impact.
Esther Masese Waititu | Head of Financial Services, Safaricom (M-PESA)
Esther Masese Waititu leads financial services at Safaricom, overseeing the M-PESA platform — one of Africa’s most transformative financial technology platforms, with deep reach across underserved communities. Her experience with private sector innovation and building digital platforms that work at scale is invaluable as R4D helps governments navigate an increasingly complex technology landscape.
Fumie Griego, Ph.D. | Head of Global Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Fumie Griego brings extensive experience at the intersection of health policy, pharmaceutical systems and global governance. As head of global affairs at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, she brings a valuable vantage point on the pharmaceutical industry and Asia — two areas of growing strategic importance for R4D.
Kedar Mate, M.D. | Chief Medical Officer, Qualified Health
Dr. Kedar Mate is Chief Medical Officer at Qualified Health, an AI company serving hospital systems, and former CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). A physician and health systems innovator, he brings a rare combination of clinical, technological and organizational expertise — a valuable strategic perspective as R4D and its country partners navigate the opportunities and risks of AI in health systems.
New UK Board Member
Sema Sgaier, Ph.D. | Co-Founder and CEO, Surgo Health
Dr. Sema Sgaier is the co-founder and CEO of Surgo Health, whose data and AI products uncover the ‘why’ behind health behaviors. Before founding Surgo, she managed large-scale public health programs at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation across India and Africa. Her expertise in data science and AI brings a valuable perspective as R4D and its country partners work to harness new technologies to strengthen health systems.
Learn more about R4D’s Global Board of Directors here.
Learn more about R4D UK and its Board of Directors here.
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About R4D
Results for Development (R4D) is a leading nonprofit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — supporting them as they navigate complex change processes to achieve large-scale, lasting outcomes in health, education and nutrition. We work with country leaders to diagnose challenges, co-create, innovate and implement solutions built on evidence and stakeholder input. We also support them to engage in learning to adapt, iterate and improve the efficacy of programs. At the same time, we are working to strengthen global, regional and country ecosystems that support country leaders with expertise, evidence, and innovations. R4D helps country leaders solve their immediate challenges today, while also strengthening systems and institutions to address tomorrow’s challenges. And we share what we learn so others around the world can achieve results for development, too. www.R4D.org
