Gabriele Gardenal

Gabriele has ten years of experience working in the development sector and humanitarian settings. He holds a B.A. and M.Sc. in Economics and Management. After completing his master’s degree, he applied his economic knowledge to improve conditions in several sectors: malnutrition, humanitarian relief and public health. He has worked in Uganda to improve the drug supply chain management, making drugs available to patients even in the most remote areas. Gabriele has worked with UNICEF, improving access to health facilities for newborns and pregnant women in India. His last duty station was in the development field in Bolivia, where he was running a multi-sector project to reduce malnutrition with the World Food Programme.

In 2012, Gabriele moved to Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This area has been affected by several conflicts whose origins can be dated to the early 1990s. Since Gabriele was appointed as the Association of Volunteers in International Service (AVSI) Country Director, he developed an innovative vision and strategy for the organization. Along with his team he developed and implemented innovative solutions to assure aid was delivered effectively in conflict sensitive areas. In 2016 he accepted the position of Cash Specialist, where he invested in developing new projects and tools to improve economic conditions of war affected populations.

Gabriele’s interest in public health began in 2007 when working on his first assignment in Uganda. From that moment on, he has had the chance to conduct research and continue working in this fascinating sector. He hopes to utilize his economic and management background while studying in the Public Health Leadership Program, making a contribution to improving health and bringing innovative solutions to this sector.