Dr. Mary Mwanyika Sando is the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Academy for Public Health (AAPH). AAPH is a Tanzanian non-profit, non-governmental research organization that works closely with different partners within and outside Tanzania to support the government in advancing efforts for improving the health of its community through collaborative research, training, capacity building and knowledge translation especially on issues pertaining to maternal, new-born child, and adolescent health & nutrition. Dr. Mary M. Sando has an extensive experience in the design and implementation of maternal and child health programs and as well as management of clinical trials and implementation science research. Prior to joining AAPH, she worked with UNICEF as the Health System Strengthening specialist which further broadened her skills in linking health policy and planning with program design, implementation, and monitoring. Before working with UNICEF, Dr Sando led and coordinated the maternal and child health (MCH) programs at Management and Development for Health (MDH). During her tenure, MDH experienced significant growth and expansion of its MCH portfolio beginning with the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) program and later expanding to include other aspects of the wider MCH platform. 

She completed her medical training at the University of Dar es Salaam and her Master of Public Health on Global Health & Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Mary M. Sando is an advocate for improvement of women’s health and the overall quality of care they receive, which includes the promotion of dignified and respectful care during childbirth. She is an active member and the current president elect for the medical women association of Tanzania (MEWATA). MEWATA is the champion organization on breast and cervical cancer awareness; including early diagnosis and timely treatment in Tanzania.