Every woman and girl is unique, with inherent dignity and value at every stage of her life. Nothing can add or subtract from her significance.
Our Story
WHO WE ARE
Our Story
The Institute for Women's Health was founded to advocate for the optimal health and thriving of women throughout every phase of life. We saw how the health of women is caught in divisive policy debates during foreign policy negotiations. We heard the stories of how certain nations often apply pressure to other countries, using a form of diplomatic blackmail that threatens real health gains for women around the world. We knew this was wrong. We had to act. And thus the Institute for Women's Health was born, the only organization of its kind. Because women deserve better. We will settle for nothing less.
Our Leadership
What We Believe
Healthy women are the foundation for healthy families, and healthy families are essential to the health of our communities and societies. Together, we can ensure a lasting and positive global health legacy for women, our children, our families, and our nations.
Our
Mission
and Guiding Principles
What Drives Our Work
The Institute for Women's Health exists to promote the highest attainable health and wellbeing for women throughout every stage of their lives, and works to tackle the most pressing women's health issues through honest discourse, targeted action, and empowered alliances.
Real progress is accomplished when we:
Affirm the unique design and dignity of every woman.
1
Make women’s health the center of the conversation.
The dignity of every woman and girl demands a concerted effort to move the women’s health discussion toward neutral ground and away from controversial issues that can prevent real progress. It’s wrong to use women and their health to promote other agendas that don’t result in tangible health advances.
2
Clear the path.
This means identifying opportunities, challenges, and health solutions for more women in every corner of the world, and removing any obstacles standing in the way.
3
Stand stronger together.
We will work with any nation and any organization that wants to improve the health and quality of life for women. We strive to understand the most pressing needs for women in every location. We believe solutions can be crafted to accelerate improved outcomes for women while being sensitive to the cultural underpinnings of the country.
4
Our Leadership
The Institute for Women's Health has exceptional policy knowledge, international government experience, and a passionate desire for a united effort in expanding the health of women in every corner of the globe.
Valerie Huber, M.Ed., is the Founder and President of The Institute for Women’s Health. She previously served as U.S. Special Representative for Global Women’s Health. In this role, Huber promoted women’s global health priorities by empowering women to thrive and achieve optimal health outcomes from their first 1000 days and continuing through every stage of their lives.
Huber has also been involved in domestic women’s and adolescent health issues at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs, Senior Policy Advisor, and Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Health. Huber cares deeply about women's optimal health and thriving and advocating for every life.
Huber has also been involved in domestic women’s and adolescent health issues at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs, Senior Policy Advisor, and Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary of Health. Huber cares deeply about women's optimal health and thriving and advocating for every life.
Dr. Alma Golden is a pediatrician who retired in 2021 after serving as the Senate-Confirmed Presidential Appointee to lead the Bureau for Global Health in the United States Agency for International Development in Washington, DC. In that role, she oversaw the USAID Health response to the COVID pandemic, directed the Offices of Maternal and Child Health, HIV/ AIDS, as well as other critical health programs.
Previously (2002-2006) she served under President George W. Bush in Health and Human Services leading the Office of Population Affairs which included adolescent health, teen pregnancy, abstinence education, and family planning. She has been instrumental in developing evidence-based guidance and research related to adolescent health risks, parenting, and training of medical and education professionals.
Her career has included private pediatrics, indigent health services, academic medicine (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, and Texas A&M University), healthcare administration, adolescent health, and national and international public health policy. She began her professional career as a 7th grade Life Science teacher before entering medicine and has remained active in education as well as medicine.
Victoria Akyea serves as the Executive Management Director at the Institute for Women's Health. Currently a student in Liberty University's Ph.D. in Health Sciences (General) program, she also works as a full-time artist, and often volunteers through various commissioned projects in her community. Prior to becoming a fellow, she served as an intern in IWH's Internship Program. Victoria holds a bachelor's degree in Biology, with an independent minor in Linguistics (concentrated in Hellenistic Greek) from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa. While at Geneva, she also served in various academic support capacities, including student support and tutoring, assisting in on-campus event planning and programs for both the Biology and Visual Communications departments, and served as an assistant to Geneva College's Pre-Medical Committee. Victoria received her Master's in Public Health, with a concentration in Global Health from Liberty University in May 2022, and currently resides in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mallory Sparks serves as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Women’s Health. She is currently working as a full-time student getting her Doctorate in Psychology with a focus on Behavioral Neuroscience at California Southern University. Prior to becoming a fellow, she worked at San Antonio Behavioral Health as a psychotherapist and at Baylor Scott and White Memorial Hospital as a social worker on the Emergency Trauma Team, Inpatient Psychiatry Team, and Oncology Team. Mallory holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion, a Master’s in Theological Studies, and a Master’s in Social Work, all from Baylor University. During her studies, Mallory traveled internationally to over 15 countries through various study abroad and exchange programs, and the people she met along the way continue to impact her life and work significantly. While at home, Mallory spends time with her wonderful husband, Billy, her two magnificent step-kids, Ben and Abi, and her adorable rescue puppies, Max and Simon.
Dr. Geraldine Veiman is a general practice physician who has developed her professional career within the field of Bioethics, as well as in Family Educational Counseling. She was Assistant Director at Enfoque Familiar for 9 years, which is a private therapeutic-educational entity that specializes in programs focused on the value of the person and family, and a projection of a healthy life, through training, conferences, consultancies, and clinical services. She has also worked as a freelance lecturer and educator on issues of Bioethics and Affective-Sexual Education for young people, educational centers from high school to university level, adults and professionals, medical seminars and the national medical congress.
Anita Mpambara Cox is Director of International Programs. Prior to working for IWH, she worked for the Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, and for the EU. As an international affairs professional with an economics background, she has represented the US in different capacities working at our embassies in over eight countries for more than two decades. Her career has included diplomacy across different portfolios, cultures and situations in several countries including Argentina, Sierra Leone, Egypt, The Bahamas, and India. Mpambara Cox also worked for the EU as a media analyst for a commissioner and TV analyst on panels addressing African political and economic matters.
Her interests include US domestic matters exercised through her extensive civic duties in her community as a commissioner of her county’s Charter Review Commission and chair of the city’s Multicultural Affairs Committee. The recipient of multiple US State Department awards, she holds a BSc (Econ) from the UK and an MBA in addition to professional training at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center.
Heather Edwards works as the Administrative Operations Assistant at the Institute for Women’s Health. Prior to living in Washington, DC, Heather spent 20 years living in eastern Europe with her family while working for a faith-based non-profit, and has a Master’s degree in government, with a focus on international politics in Europe and the Middle East. In addition to her background in government studies, she is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA). With a diverse professional background, Heather has extensive experience in the non-profit, business and ministry sectors.
Outside of her work, she enjoys cooking, walking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
Lori Kuykendall, M.P.H., is President of Beacon Health Education Resources. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education from Texas A&M University and a Masters of Public Health in Health Promotion from Liberty University. She started in prevention education at the Women’s Pregnancy Center in Houston, Texas in 1995. In 1998, she started a county-wide abstinence education program that was among the first to receive Title V Federal Abstinence Education funding. Later, she was the Executive Director of Lifetalk (Pregnancy) Resource Center in Frisco, Texas. She has worked with Aim for Success, now merged with Youth Equipped to Succeed, positive youth development organizations and also Medical Institute for Sexual Health.
She led community health education efforts in Romania and Guatemala.
From 2018 through 2021, Lori led the team which developed “K-12 Standards for Optimal Sexual Development” (www.newsexedstandards.org), an international resource for guiding policy and curriculum for optimal sexual health. Lori’s professional priority is to advance physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health.
She led community health education efforts in Romania and Guatemala.
From 2018 through 2021, Lori led the team which developed “K-12 Standards for Optimal Sexual Development” (www.newsexedstandards.org), an international resource for guiding policy and curriculum for optimal sexual health. Lori’s professional priority is to advance physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual health.
Sophia Downs is a junior at Harvard College concentrating in the Classics. Sophia enjoys studying literature and philosophy and has led several Christian and conservative groups on campus. She served as president of Harvard Right to Life and has also enjoyed writing for the Harvard Crimson, a student-led newspaper. Sophia has also interned for various organizations and offices, including the Institute for Women’s Health, the Innocence Project in New Orleans, congressional internships in Washington, D.C., and has gained a variety of experience including working for a Chicago-based venture capital firm.
Phillip Sayuni serves as the Uganda Regional Coordinator for The Institute for Women’s Health. As a key team member in Uganda, Phillip was instrumental in IWH’s official global launch of the Protego Women’s Optimal Health Framework (WOHF) in Uganda in February of 2024
Currently pursuing his Doctorate in Strategic Leadership at Corban University, he also holds a master’s degree in Congregational Leadership from The Moody Theological Seminary. Phillip also holds leadership and professional certificates, including from Public Speaking Mastermind, Sandoulos Africa Leadership Training, Institute for National Transformation and The Global Leadership Summit.
Phillip works closely with various Ugandan government leaders, is associated with the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, and regularly inspires youth as a motivational speaker.
Phillip is passionate about family and believes that strengthening the family is essential for creating strong nations. He, his wife and their two children live in Kampala, Uganda.
