Susan Rich
Principal, Alafiya Consulting Services (Public Health and Philanthropy)

Susan is Vice President of Global Partnerships at Population Reference Bureau (PRB).

She served as Project Director of IDEA between 2013-2015 while she was the VP for International Programmes at PRB.

For 25 years, Susan has identified emerging issues and built coalitions to address international family planning issues. From 2006-2012 Susan led a team to revitalise Family Planning at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As President of the Funder’s Network on Population, Reproductive Health and Rights, she guided the affinity group of 55 private foundations.

Susan was a Programme Officer for the Wallace Global Fund (1995 – 2005) and developed programmes for the Special Projects Fund of Population Action International (1984 -1995).

She is an avid advocate for greater access to family planning and highlights influences on reproductive health: female genital mutilation, the global shortage of contraceptives, and the coordination of public and private funds.

Susan has engaged a variety of groups—from market women in Africa to parliamentarians in the United Kingdom—and has worked in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Kenya. Susan earned a Master’s in African Area Studies and a Master’s in Public Health from University of California, Los Angeles.

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