Nadia Kist is a leader in Global Health Philanthropy with 20-years’ experience leading HIV-focused programs and organizations in Africa. She is committed to building equitable community-centered models of philanthropy that address the complex interconnected drivers of socio-economic and health disparities. Nadia’s career spans a diverse body of work within academia, national governments and policy, faith and civil society organizations. Nadia carries the personal vision to see fullness of life rightfully accessed at an individual level across communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Currently, Nadia serves as the Director of Africa Partnerships leading regional operations and overseeing Blood:Water’s grantmaking paired with organizational strengthening to African community-driven organizations in Eastern and Southern Africa. She sits on the board of the East Africa Philanthropy Network, is a member of the Africa Philanthropy Forum, the International AIDS Society and is the co-founder of Seeds for Hope (SFH), a youth-focused charitable trust expanding access to formal education through academic scholarships in Kenya.
Nadia has a Masters of Public Administration and a Bachelors of Arts in African Studies from New York University as well as a post-graduate certificate in Clinical Research Methods from University of Illinois at Chicago. She has made published contributions to numerous conferences, peer-review journals, and the World Bank. She is a native New Yorker who now calls Nairobi home for the last 18 years.
