The Founder of Saint Charles Lwanga America Center: Tom Rogers Muyunga-Mukasa

As far as public health and public service are concerned, Tom has led TB elimination drives in the DC/Maryland/Virginia Area and successfully connected 1,000 persons who had a positive TB diagnosis to care. Further to that, Tom has organized over 230 physical meetings at community level where he was able to present health talks to audiences of different age-groups.  This has been possible through networking with other persons and groups. It has not been a one-man show.  Tom's work in Africa can be accessed through these links as well: X-https://x.com/advocacy_africa; and Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/advocacy_africa/. 

Tom's work has ranged from serving in the USA, Europe, Asia and Africa. The roles are indeed a drum-roll of activities such as implementing, reviewing, monitoring and evaluating activities to mentorship. Most of Tom's work intersects between Clinical,  Public Health and Development Work.

Tom finds time to teach, as this is another of his heart's desires.  Tom has taught at several After-school centers.  Tom has managed care wards as a Long Term Care Giver in a 80-100 bed Long Term Care facility in Los Angeles; been a health navigator reaching out to over 20,000 refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers in San Francisco; worked with Seniors living with chronic illnesses in  Greater Boston Area at 5 units;  founded a health promotion organization enhancing attendance at health facilities for folks enrolled under smoking cessation, diabetes care, kidney care and other chronic care needs including HIV, TB and sickle cell anemia; and worked with the Virginia Education System to promote class retention for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.

Tom's work included grant writing, recruitment of beneficiaries in Clinical Trial calls, motivated beneficiaries to maintain adherence to care, has been pivotal in making referrals, follow up, ensuring retention in care, connected community groups to health care services and participating in increasing awareness of practices promoting health, preventing diseases and prolonging life such as nutrition advice, securing housing, community clean up campaigns and establishing schedules fostering active life.  This has been an example translating medical and public health knowledge into what works for communities.  Tom is skilled in making the connection between public health and public service which in turn has enabled him to strengthen the public and private synergy and continuity which is an under current existing and necessary as far as optimizing health outcomes are concerned. 

Tom has been able to use the same approach to service models in the USA and internationally.  In doing this kind of work, Tom has been able to identify population level needs, iterate community-based approaches, embed planetary health goals and empower community members to own knowledge and skills catalyzing robust and vibrant life enhancing practices. Tom can confidently say he has served since 2000-to present time.  In that period, Tom has also held C-suite managerial tasks per year and ably executed all assigned duties.

Tom is a fast learner too and it does not take him long to acclimatize or adjust. He is trainable, flexible, passionate and he has a high level of attention to details.  These skills have enabled Tom to be a team player and effective problem-solver.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• C-suite executive knowledge and skills fostering implementation of organization mission and optimizing outcome goals.
• Exceptional communication skills including content development, effective writing and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of iteration, piloting and project management best practices.
• Knowledge of grant formulation and writing requirements, including local international and federal guidelines.
• Skills in reading the room, establishing and maintaining effective and collaborative relationships with persons, groups, and organizations across spectra of disciplines.
• Skills in research, community organizing, project, financial, and grant management.
• Ability to read and follow instructions, organize and work independently on time-sensitive projects.
• Ability to solve a variety of complex problems in the absence of technical guidelines and when creative thinking is required.
• Special drawing rights (SDR) compliance, Community Organiser (TB and Forced Migration); Community organiser; Vaccine Trials Recruiter; Clinical care Navigator; Motivational Speaker; Life Planning Skills Practitioner; Health and development information, education and communication skits; design-thinking; research, monitoring and evaluation; report writing, computer proficiency, audio visual systems, peer counseling; HIV, TB, Malaria prevention integrating COVID-19 Response and Recovery; aligning SDGs; Virtual Work Place, Zoom, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Team, panel presentation; anchoring/hosting; Community Organizing and Organization, Resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH), Equity, CSS, CLM, ISD, human rights, and gender equality,  Health financing and sustainability.

• EXPERIENCE:

  ·        NOAHS ARK DC LLC and Saint Charles Lwanga America Center Washington, D.C. co-founder

  ·       American Association for the Advancement of Science-AAAS-Member

  ·       Coalition of Advocates for Global Health and Pandemic Preparedness Member

  ·       The Lancet Neurology-Review Board Member

  ·       The Lancet Haematology-Review Board Member

  ·       The Lancet Respiratory Medicine-Review Board Member

  ·       Health Care Information for All (HIFA) Coalition Member

  ·       Global Fund Advocates Network Member

  ·       CDC-End HIV Epidemic (EHE) in the U.S.-Review Board Member

  ·       Co-facilitator Pan African Health Community Classes, 2020-Present

  ·       Design, formulate and develop NFM4/UNHLM inclusion training tools targeting refugees, Key, Vulnerable and Priority Population-led grassroots-based communities; work with 10,000 Health Champions; effectively facilitated participation by 2,800 CBOs in 25 African in efforts to eradicate HIV/TB/Malaria, endemic poverty and diseases integrating COVID-19 Response and Recovery

  ·       Member TB Public-Private Mix Network, McGill University

  ·       McGill University Summer Institute in Global Health Participant

  ·       CDC-End HIV Epidemic (EHE) in the U.S.-Review Board Member

  ·       Strategic Visioning to align Persons with Disabilities in Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Botswana and Uganda to National TB Prevention, Care and Mitigation Policies 2018/2022/2023-2028

  ·       Chief Investigator TB and Forced Migration in selected refugee/host communities in Kakuma, Kajiado, Nairobi, Nyeri, Kitengela, Kiambu and Lamu Under the Refugee-Led Research Hub Refugee Studies Centre/University of Oxford/BIEA

  ·       Conducting studies, aligning policy, and harmonizing TB Screening eligibility with the Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) protocols; Assessment of the Safety, Tolerability, and Effectiveness of Rifapentine Given Daily for LTBI 

  ·       Member and Reviewer WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis (STAG-TB); policy formulation and review tasks outlining Africa’s progress

  ·       The Union Community Connect Track Lead: “Driving equitable access to new tools and technologies.”

  ·       The International AIDS Society Member

  ·       TB/HIV Policy and Programming reviewer for BIPOC Communities in the USA, Brazil, Haiti, Mexico and Canada

  ·       Design, formulate and develop training tools for grassroots-based communities to effectively participate in eradicating HIV/TB/Malaria, endemic poverty, diseases and loss and damage finance compliance

  ·       Conduct accelerated learning through High Impact Hackathons targeting Marginalized Populations most especially Key Populations and Refugees

  ·       Health Occupational Staff-COVID-19 Surveillance Clinic- UCLA-Health November 2020-August 2021

  ·       Procurement/Logistics Officer with the Big Heart Foundation/UNICEF-USA – Greater Los Angeles Area/West-Pacific Board August 2020-November 2020

  ·       Co-founder Advocacy Network Africa (AdNetA)/Lung Health Africa-2018- Present

  ·       UCSF Hospital Community Navigator Associate-2016

  ·       Co-organiser National HIV Is Not a Crime II Conference, 2016

  ·       Program Associate, Equality California: Equality California Institute, Californians for HIV Criminalization Reform California meeting at HIV Is Not a Crime-2015

  ·       California State Working Group for Modernizing HIV criminal laws Member, UC College of Law, Clinical and Experiential Learning Program 2015

  ·       Care Nurse-Institute on Aging-University of California San Francisco – 2012-2014

  ·       Front Office Manager- Mercy Housing Complex-San Francisco – 2014-2015

  ·       Community Mobiliser National HIV Is Not a Crime II Conference, 2014

  ·       Founder- Bay Area Healthy Living Platforms for New Americans – Founder 2013- Present

  ·       Member, The Black AIDS Institute-2012

• National Academy Sciences, Engineering and Medicine-Reviewer Team Member

• Core Competencies:

  Organizational Leadership

  • Understanding of organizational mission.
  • Understanding of and applying ethics and public good; and aligning with public trust.
  • Demonstrated respect for the opinions and beliefs of others.

  Collaboration

  • Contribute to and amplify an inclusive workplace where equity, diversity, inclusion, and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission.
  • Demonstrate a sense of responsibility for the success of the group.
  • Collaborate with others to improve quality and address needs.
  • Ability to adapt to change

  Interpersonal Abilities/Personal Characteristics

  • Treat others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect.
  • Behave in an honest, fair, and ethical manner.
  • Assess and recognize own strengths and gaps.
  • Use sound judgment.
  • Self-motivated and an ability to step aside when the need arises.
  • Organizes and maintains work environment to allow for maximum productivity.
  • Awareness of when to engage in self-care, seek guidance and share work related reports on time.

  Communication:

  -An ability to communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing.

  -Ability to write in the Arts and Science.

  Mental health-related therapy:

  -An ability to organize and competently establish a continuum of care milieu.

  -Ability to provide rehabilitation and recuperative services for those in need.

  Research:

  -An ability to conduct research and synthesize outcome reports.

  -Ability to disseminate research or study findings and engage with policy, planning and programming stakeholders to foster translation of results  .

 

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