Organization & Governance

WEMA Global Health brings together WEMA Inc., WEMA Health Innovation Tanzania and the Global Health Implementation Research Lab (GHIRL) within a shared framework of purpose, values, strategic alignment and accountability. The relationship has two complementary dimensions. Vertically, WEMA Global Health provides the overarching direction and stewardship of the wider ecosystem. Horizontally, the three platforms work as connected but distinct parts of the organization: WEMA Inc. supports institutional stewardship and international partnerships; WEMA Health Innovation Tanzania leads Tanzanian research, implementation and community engagement; and GHIRL connects learners, mentors and research activity across institutions. Each platform retains a clear mandate while contributing knowledge, relationships and capacity to the wider organization.

Karen Yeates serves as Founder and Chief Executive Officer of WEMA Global Health. She provides overall strategic and scientific leadership for the organization, shaping its long-term direction, research priorities, partnerships and institutional development. Her experience as a physician, nephrologist, global-health and implementation researcher, and Professor of Medicine at Queen’s University brings together clinical insight, scientific leadership and extensive international research experience. Across WEMA, her role includes guiding the development of research programmes, strengthening partnerships, supporting mentorship and capacity development, and ensuring that the organization’s work remains connected to rigorous evidence, health-system priorities and meaningful implementation.

Nicola West serves as Assistant Director of WEMA Global Health, working closely with the CEO to translate strategic direction into coordinated programme delivery. As a registered nurse, global-health researcher and programme leader, she brings extensive experience in implementation science, community partnership, digital health and health-system strengthening. Her role connects scientific design with the operational requirements of ethical, high-quality research, including programme coordination, research-team development, stakeholder collaboration, implementation planning and the systems needed to move projects from concept through delivery and evaluation.

Together, Karen and Nicola provide complementary leadership across the WEMA ecosystem. Karen’s role centres on strategic direction, scientific stewardship, partnership development and institutional leadership, while Nicola’s role emphasizes programme coordination, implementation, operational integration and support for research teams and partnerships. Their leadership helps maintain coherence across WEMA Inc., WEMA Health Innovation Tanzania and GHIRL while allowing each platform to preserve its own mandate, relationships and areas of expertise.