BRIDGE Welcomes African Ambassadors in Law, Technology, Ethics, and Lived Experience to the Team

BRIDGE welcomes four regional experts to join the project as ambassadors. These individuals will provide key contributions in the areas of law, ethics, technology, and lived experience. The ambassadors reside in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Project ambassadors will serve as subject matter experts and points of contacts within their region to foster exchange of knowledge and expertise across regions and cultures.

Uchenna B Amadi-Ihunwo, PhD - Lived Experience Ambassador. Dr. Amadi-Ihunwo brings 13 years of lived experience research to the team, including research into diseases with social stigma. As director of the Africa Brain Wellness Initiative, she has a wide network of patient organizations and individuals experiencing mental health conditions. She has extensive research experience in three countries, reflecting the international nature of this project.

Sandra Miller, LLM- Legal Ambassador. Barrister Miller is a law practitioner with nearly 20 years of legal research experience. She specializes in international law, and in national and regional laws across Southern and Western Africa. She will study the laws and policies concerning data governance across Africa.

Eberechi Wogu, PhD- Ethics Ambassador. Dr. Wogu is a neuroscientist and global coordinator of the African Brain Data Network. She is passionate about open science and using FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reproducible) principles in African neuroimaging studies. She is an advocate for the inclusion of African brain data and analysis in the global neurodata ecosystem. Bringing over 10 years of research and program coordination experience, Dr. Wogu will lead the efforts in identifying ethical guidelines and principles across the continent. 

Jacqueline Mavuti, MD- Technology Ambassador. Dr. Mavuti is a practicing radiologist with an interest in neuroimaging, especially advanced image processing and analysis techniques. She established a specialized Head and Neck radiology service at The Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. In addition to her clinical and leadership experience, she has an interest in advancing knowledge and skills in the neuroimaging field among colleagues and trainees. Dr. Mavuti will research the technical aspects of data governance and contribute to establishing data governance frameworks across the African continent. 

Photo by James Wiseman on Unsplash