Dr Cassandra Akinde

Dr. Cassandra Akinde is a multi-award-winning public health physician and social entrepreneur with over 8 years of experience of driving health equity and strengthening systems for underserved populations across Africa and beyond. With a career spanning global development and public health, she has led and managed high-impact projects that have reached over 40,000 beneficiaries in Nigeria and focused on Maternal and Child Health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, digital health, climate action and vaccine-preventable diseases.  

Her work is distinguished by its dual focus: grassroots implementation and policy-level advocacy. This approach has enabled her to deliver sustainable, community-driven solutions while influencing broader health systems reforms. She currently serves as a Research Consultant for the EmpowerHer Health Fellowship Research for Gender Equity Stream with Women in Global Health where she is at the forefront of amplifying the voices, research authorship, and visibility of female researchers advancing gender equity in global health leadership in Nigeria. 

Her work bridges grassroots implementation with policy-level advocacy, positioning her as a rising leader in tropical medicine and global health. Dr Akinde was the winner of the RSTMH Emerging Leaders Award 2025.