Noreen Masiiwa Huni
Co-Chair
Noreen Huni holds a Masters degree in Adult Education from the University of Zimbabwe. She is currently the Executive Director for Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI) which is a 13 country regional organisation set out to provide leadership, quality technical assistance in psychosocial care and support for children and youth affected by HIV and AIDS, poverty and conflict. Noreen is also the chairperson for Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Inter-Agency Task Team on Children and AIDS (RIATT), a multi-sectoral and inter-agency partnership comprised of representatives from SADC, EAC, international cooperating partners, civil society organizations, academia and UN organizations. Through advocacy and knowledge management, RIATT strives to build consensus around a regional strategy and response for children affected by HIV and AIDS. Noreen has over 15 years of successfully working in a number of multi-cultural settings and different environments including local and international NGO’s and state services, rural and urban settings with different audiences. Working with UNICEF and WHO, she has successfully spearheaded the Prevention of Mother-to- Child Transmission of HIV in the East and Southern Africa regions, setting out programming guidelines for PMTCT; and orphans and vulnerable children.
Her social development experience includes community development, project and programme development and management, implementation, strategic planning, policy development and development research. Noreen has worked with orphan, vulnerable children and youth related governmental and non-governmental organisations building their capacity in identifying, initiating and strengthening sustainable community-based and owned responses for children and youth affected by HIV and AIDS, poverty and conflict in the region. Has experience in: facilitation and training, designing and developing training courses and learning materials in health promotion, PMTCT, HIV and AIDS and infant feeding, early childhood development, psychosocial care and support for vulnerable children, pre and post HIV test counseling; nutrition, home based care, mainstreaming HIV and AIDS and gender, and sustainable agriculture; and in using participatory, reflection and action methodologies. Experience in sub-grant management is based on USAID and Sida, AusAID, SDC and Novartis Foundation funded grants. Evaluation and Research: community oriented research. Has conducted qualitative and quantitative research on nutrition and patience education among other issues.
Martha Vibbert, Ph.D.
Co-Chair
Martha Vibbert is the director of the SPARK Center (also known as the Children’s AIDS Program) at Boston Medical Center. SPARK operates medical/therapeutic childcare, summer, afterschool, and job training programs for over 100 children annually (ages 0-22 years) with medical/emotional challenges, including HIV and AIDS. SPARK/CAP is part of the Division of Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Vibbert is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine.
Dr. Vibbert has over 20 years of experience in the delivery of comprehensive neurodevelopmental and mental health services to children, adolescents, and families who are living with HIV and AIDS, first as Senior Psychologist within the Pediatric AIDS Team at Harlem Hospital in NYC (Columbia University), and since 1991, at Boston Medical Center. She has conducted research on the neurodevelopmental course of HIV in children; the efficacy of behavioral intervention on early HIV drug therapy adherence; and the HIV- related needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Uganda. She has overseen a child development partnership with a CDC-funded, HIV care and treatment program at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, and she coordinates an international Knowledge Exchange Program funded through Griffin Foundation, Inc. SPARK’s Knowledge Exchange Program currently collaborates with partners in Uganda, Malawi, and Haiti. In addition, Dr. Vibbert is Co-Chair of HIV and AIDS Action Tank Working Group for the World Forum Foundation.
Rosette Serwanga
Co-Chair
Awaiting biography…