Adolescents

Samir Chaudhuri: Director, Child in Need Institute

Samir Chaudhuri is the director of the Child In Need Institute with expertise in nutrition, mother & child health, adolescent health & nutrition, and child protection. He has worked with CINI, UNICEF, Dept. of Women & Child, and the government of West Bengal, India and has over 25 years of experience with the PD approach.

Djibril Cissé: Consultant, Program Manager

Dr. Cissé holds a PhD in Food and Nutrition, and brings over 15-years of professional experience in coordinating and managing health and nutrition programs. He was responsible for the conception and implementation of nutrition activities including support to the Food, Nutrition and Child Survival Division (DANSE) of the Ministry of Health in Senegal and played a key role in promoting the PD/hearth model approach in Senegal.

Inger W. Johannsen: Consultant

Inger W. Johannsen is a partner at Reflexio based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She brings over five years of experience to the Positive Deviance approach and has extensive knowledge working in sectors like vulnerable populations and education. She has worked with institutions for institutionalized children, and within the educational sector.

Siaka Konate: Consultant

Siaka Konate is an independent consultant on the use of the Positive Deviance approach in West Africa. Born and raised in Mali, Siaka has worked for Save the Children US and trained numerous organizations on the use of the approach to combat childhood malnutrition and scaled his approach to over 387 communities around Africa.

Dileep Kumar: Project Manager

Dileep Kumar is a Public Health Specialist, PhD Scholar and USAID-funded project manager who has worked with organizations like RSPN and HANDS on Positive Deviance related projects including a polio eradication program, Nutrition, Family Planning and a Maternal and Child Health Program funded by DFID, USAID and WHO. He has over 6 years of experience implementing the Positive Deviance approach in Pakistan.

Jon Lloyd: Consultant

Jon Lloyd is a senior clinical advisor for Plexus Institute and a Senior Associate at the PD Initiative. He worked on a community-wide effort to eliminate endemic Methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Dr. Lloyd is currently coaching several of these hospitals and is also applying PD to the problems of youth violence and the twenty five year disparity in longevity that affects people with serious mental illness.

Christina Shoemaker Simmons: Consultant

Christina Shoemaker Simmons is a consultant with areas of expertise in education, immigrant accultration, public health and pacific islanders. She has worked extensively in Hawaii, United States with social services and schools and community groups while applying the Positive Deviance approach for over seven years.

Monique Sternin: Co-Founder, Positive Deviance Initiative

Monique Sternin is one of the pioneers of the PD approach and has worked closely with diverse communities and organizations worldwide to teach and implement the PD approach for over 20 years. Her work spans various sectors including education, public health, and displaced populations, among others.

Lars Thuesen: Consultant

Lars Thuesen is a PD consultant with 10 years of experience specialized in the justice, social, and humanitarian sector, among many others. He is involved with UN agencies, local authorities, and government sectors.