Skip to Content Skip to Navigation
Internationally renowned leader and GAVI Board Chair Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala joined the podcast to talk about leadership in crisis and the inequities laid bare by the pandemic.

Voices of Resilience: A Conversation with Dr. Ngozi Okongo-Iweala

June 2020 – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala knows a lot about leading under pressure. The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) Board chair has steered the organization to help vaccinate over 760 million children all over the globe, and is overseeing their work to ensure the upcoming Covid-19 vaccine is equitably distributed once ready. Prior to joining GAVI, she had a 25-year career at the World Bank – eventually becoming the 2nd highest ranking official – and served two terms as the Finance Minister of Nigeria.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards Honoree, joined President and CEO Alyse Nelson on the Voices of Resilience Podcast to discuss what leadership in a global health and economic crisis looks like. They talked about how the pandemic widens pre-existing inequities both between and within countries. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala explains how the economic impact of the pandemic arrived on the continent of Africa before the virus did, and the way the pandemic shines a light on the disparity between wealthier and poorer countries’ ability to stimulate their economies. The conversation touched on the inequitable ways Covid-19 has affected marginalized communities within countries like the United States, and why strong and clear leadership is critical in a crisis.

 

Listen to her episode here: