Mary Mael

A six-year, $25 million Unitaid-funded malaria project conducting two clinical trials in different ecological and epidemiological settings in Mozambique and Kenya.

• Led comprehensive project planning and execution, ensuring key milestones and deliverables were met successfully.
• Prepared detailed, high-level project reports for funders, providing clear insights into progress and outcomes.
• Proactively identified and tracked critical issues, ensuring timely resolution, and monitoring of budgetary requirements.
• Managed relationships with external partners and consultants, overseeing contracts, and ensuring deliverables were met.

Most challenging, yet rewarding aspects of the role:

• Hands-on field experience, 8 months in Kenya and 4 months in Mozambique, collaborating closely with the local teams to successfully set up and implement the clinical trials.
• Managed field site preparation, including infrastructure development (offices, pharmacies, laboratories, and field sites), procurement, hiring, and training.
• Coordinated large-scale field logistics for a door-to-door MDA, with over 21,000 participants.
• Developed, organized, and led the training of a team of over 250 field workers.

• Provided support to the project management team and contributed to the effective execution of the project's study protocols.
• Acted as point of contact between the Project Manager and other departments, teams within the organization regarding assigned tasks, projects.
• Managed travel arrangements, schedules, meetings, and events.
• Managed the project's procurement and international shipping logistics.
• Arranged contracts and monitored expenses to guarantee precise accounting.

• Consented pregnant and actively laboring women for research studies at the Hospital of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Hospital
• Performed maternal blood sample collections; conducted placenta biopsies post-delivery; processed all specimens for pathology department evaluation.
• Ensured CRF completion adherence to the IRB protocol through accurate data collection.