Leslie Mancuso

Leslie Mancuso

President and CEO
Jhpiego

Since she took over as president and CEO of Jhpiego in 2002, the nonprofit organization focused on international health has grown from a small NGO with an annual budget of $5 million to a global organization with a budget of $408 million.

The Johns Hopkins University affiliate now works in 36 countries throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

But a career highlight, Mancuso said, came when Baltimore tapped Jhpiego to help with contact tracing and vaccination.

“After 50 years, it was heartwarming to apply our skills in our backyard for the first time, working with partners to keep local families healthy and employed,” Mancuso said.

Mancuso received her undergraduate degree in nursing from Southern Connecticut University, her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, a doctoral degree in Education/Organizational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

She has received numerous international and local awards, and over the years Jhpiego has expanded its reach from a focus on maternal health and family planning to include a host of health issues.

But her proudest accomplishment, Mancuso said was receiving the United Nations Population Award, given to one organization a year, in 2014.

“As a maternal health leader since our founding, family planning will always be central to Jhpiego’s mission because it saves lives and gives people the time and good health needed to care for their families, stay in school, or work,” she said.