Kathleen Sherwin

With more than 25 years of leadership in global health and international development, I have dedicated my career to expanding access to healthcare and opportunity for communities facing the greatest barriers. My work has driven large-scale, cross-sector initiatives and multi-million-dollar partnerships that have improved health and education outcomes for millions of people globally. Currently, as President & CEO of Orbis International, a global NGO committed to preventing blindness and restoring sight, I am focused on elevating eye health as a development priority and accelerating access to quality eye care in communities where it remains limited. Previously, I held senior roles at Plan International, Women Deliver, and at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, reinforcing my commitment to advancing health and rights—particularly for women and girls—through policy, advocacy, and strategic partnerships. I have worked extensively with multilateral and global institutions, including the United Nations, African Union, and European Union, to advance health rights and system-level change. I have also served as a board member and advisor to leading initiatives, including most recently the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health, SheDecides, the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), the International Civil Society Centre, the Adolescent Girls Investment Plan, the Joining Forces alliance, the Unlock the Future Coalition, and Generation Unlimited. I hold an M.B.A. from the NYU Stern School of Business and a certificate from Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives.