Photo (pictured left to right): Omar Hernandez, Sarah Sceery, and John Chew of Build Health International
Beverly, Massachusetts – January 10, 2022 – Today, Build Health International (BHI), a nonprofit leading the effort to design and build high-quality, sustainable health infrastructure in resource-constrained regions around the world, announced key changes and additions to its leadership team, to reflect the organization’s expanding footprint and increasing visibility as a leader in global health infrastructure.
BHI Co-Founder and Managing Director Jim Ansara will continue in his current role, with an increased emphasis on developing and maintaining key partnerships with governments, NGOs, and other partners in the communities where BHI works, as well as leading long-term strategic initiatives to continue expanding BHI’s impact. Omar Hernandez will become Deputy Director for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), with increased oversight of BHI’s day-to-day design and construction work, as well as organizational finance and the operation of BHI’s central warehouse in Beverly. Sarah Sceery will become Deputy Director for Partnerships and Administration, leading several critical areas of BHI’s current work and continued organizational growth, including partnerships, communications, development, capacity building and human relations.
“I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to help lead the next phase of BHI’s growth alongside such a diverse and dynamic leadership team,” said Ansara. “It is humbling to look back on the evolution of BHI and the impact we have been able to achieve – from a team of three people when we started in 2014, to more than 80 employees today, with hundreds of partners and projects in dozens of countries. I’m grateful for the partnership of everyone at BHI – including the Board of Directors – in helping think through how to grow the organization sustainably, and I am as excited as ever to continue the work of improving access to health care for marginalized communities around the world.”
“I am proud to have worked as a director of multiple projects during the construction of the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM) in Haiti – the project that led to the creation of BHI,” said Hernandez, “and I’ve been honored to help expand that work over the past six-plus years, leading the engineering and construction of BHI projects from Haiti to Peru to Malawi. I’m excited to take on the role of Deputy Director For Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) and to continue working with this incredible team to expand our life-saving work.”
“Since joining BHI nearly two years ago, it has been amazing to be part of such a dedicated, innovative, and effective team of international staff, partners, and supporters,” said Sceery. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to step into the role of Deputy Director for Partnerships and Administration to continue working to strengthen key global partnerships, expand BHI’s impact and resources to meet the urgent demand for high-quality healthcare infrastructure, and ensure that our diverse growing team and organization is set up for long-term success.”
In addition to Hernandez and Sceery, Eric Buckley, who currently leads BHI’s medical oxygen work, and Michael Washington, the organization’s senior financial manager, are also joining the senior leadership team, alongside Ansara, Gerard Georges, Director of Architecture, and Laura Roaen, HR Specialist and Office Manager.
About Build Health International:
Build Health International (BHI) believes that every person has a right to quality healthcare. In 2010, following the Haitian Earthquake, BHI built the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM), Haiti’s flagship teaching hospital. Since then, BHI has designed, built, and equipped over 200 dignified spaces in 30 countries for care in the world’s most vulnerable communities, enabling local clinicians to work at their full potential. Working closely with ministries of health, partner organizations, and local workforces, BHI promotes sustainable design, and empowers communities, and enables access to dignified and affordable healthcare in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Additional information can be found at https://buildhealthinternational.org.