Dr. Jeff Blander has been selected to participate in the inaugural year of expansion to civil service employees, the highly competitive Professional Development Mobility Program (PDMP), Bureau of Global Talent Management (GTM), to provide developmental rotations and training floats. The aim of PDMP is to foster career growth for highly valued employees while aligning with critical objectives and the priorities of the Secretary to modernize diplomacy, retain top talent, and contribute to the successful achievement of the department’s mission.Jeff's initial detail/float and role will be to serve as a Senior Advisor for Strategy and Partnerships, within the Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, Diplomatic Innovation Division (DT/DID). In this exciting and entrepreneurial role, Jeff will support the reinstatement of the Human Centered Design (HCD) Innovation Lab. Primary areas of focus for DT/DID and the HCD Lab is on accelerating the adoption of leading edge innovative technologies and transformative business solutions, by facilitating engagement with Department staff and collaboration with partners.HCD Lab engagement is based upon well-established proven design think models, puts people at the center of the process. It takes into account current behaviors, ways of thinking, and stakeholder needs and aspirations. It is a qualitative, participatory and iterative approach. This technique for creative problem-solving rapidly generates new ideas and innovative approaches to better understand and address needs, while applying technology or other business solutions. The HCD approach can provide a sense of why people are struggling with a specific challenge or process and offer insights about how to innovate or intervene to bring about positive change.

The Virtual Student Federal Service program connects the talents of U.S. citizen college students with the needs of federal agencies. Since 2009, more than 10,000 remote interns have advanced the work of the federal government. There are opportunities for all, from data visualization to political analysis. Internships are unpaid but may be eligible for course credit. U.S. citizen high school graduates, from rising college freshmen through Ph.D. students, who are enrolled at least half-time (as defined by the school) in college during their application and participation are eligible. Because the program is virtual, students can intern from anywhere.The VSFS program has been a powerful recruitment tool for public service and has supported some of the federal government’s highest priorities, including workforce modernization and strengthening the American workforce.Mentors play a critical role in the program’s success by guiding interns and implementing well-structured internship plans.

Since its inception in 2004, PEPFAR has made remarkable achievement towards epidemic control of HIV/AIDs globally, saving many millions of lives. However, the COVID pandemic has created implementation challenges, disruptions, and severe economic shocks. These challenges and disruptions, while confronting a duel pandemic threat, require innovative solutions and rapid scale up of proven interventions. Doing so will help strengthen and build resilient health systems that are more integrated, accountable, and leverage new technologies to better serve the local communities and clients across the over 50 countries we operate. Dr. Jeff Blander has been asked by PEPFAR leadership to take on the newly created role of Chief Investment Officer and Sustainable Investing. This position, within the Office of Financial and Programmatic Sustainability (OFPS), has been created specifically to develop a deeper understanding, create the foundation for, and design data driven approaches to drive all-market solutions, co-Investment models, that align across our technical and programmatic portfolios. By actively pursuing these goals, our office will ultimately achieve more strategic, leveraged, and sustainable investments with development, private, and host government partners.

Dr. Jeff Blander serves as the Chief Innovation Officer for the Office of The Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy. In this newly established role, Jeff supports the Chief Strategy Officer and OGAC Front Office in the provision of overall leadership, guidance, and programs for cultivating, incubating, and scaling high impact innovation strategies and initiatives.The rationale for creating this new position was the recognized imperative to reach beyond short-term efficiency gains to systemically strengthen an environment that facilitates “business NOT as usual” approaches to design innovative solutions to end AIDS by 2030. Cultivating new ideas requires applied strategic analytics, an enabling environment to test new concepts, and creative team building methods that leverage community priorities.

PEPFAR Program Managers (PPMs) are instrumental and one of the main cornerstones to the management structure at PEPFAR, working closely with PEPFAR Chairs to provide critical day-to-day support and leadership to the 54 PEPFAR-supported country and regional field operating units. In an effort to improve communications, operations and staff engagement across our office at S/GAC, the PEPFAR Program Manager Lead Coordination position was created.Dr. Jeff Blander, recognized for his exemplary leadership, innovative mindset, communication skills, and proven track record of success throughout this career within the public, private, and NGO sectors, will step into this newly created role in addition to his other duties. Starting effective immediately Jeff will focus attention on helping to streamline processes and strengthen accountability for the following core areas:- PPM Coordination, inclusive of strengthening recurring bi-directional communication and meetings with PEPFAR leadership to address emerging issues and share recommendations on best practices. - PEPFAR Planning Letter (PLL) development and assurance of execution while working with key representatives across the S/GAC office. - Join the advisory team of the COP/ROP21 Integrated Project Team (IPT), focusing on the delivery of efficient augmentation support to successfully host virtual convenings across USG and external stakeholders to complete the COP21 planning and approval process and showcase innovations.

Dr. Jeff Blander serves as Managing Director, Epidemic Control Teams (ECTs) for the Office of The Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy. In this newly established role, Jeff will bring to bear his over twenty years of leadership and coordination skills to more efficiently harness the collective technical expertise of hundreds of staff across all US Government agency partners. By doing so, Jeff will help ensure the rapid uptake of innovative solutions into PEPFAR’s business practices to end AIDS by 2030. The PEPFAR Epidemic Control Team (ECT) Structure has been adopted as the organizing framework for headquarters staff across the agencies to support PEPFAR’s field teams. It has been recognized to continue the successful deployment of the ECT’s; a dedicated senior level staff member is required to provide strategic oversight and management. Jeff will focus attention on helping to streamline established process, coordinate, and strengthen oversight for the following core areas:1) ECT Coordination and Management2) PEPFAR Solutions Platform Adoption and Uptake3) Execution of Technical Assistance Policy and Guidance for Implementation Subject Matter Experts4) Development of Communities of Practice (COOP) 5) Short-Term Task Teams (ST3’s) and Front Office Special Initiatives

The U. S. Global AIDS Coordinator's mission is to lead implementation of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).PEPFAR is the U.S. Government initiative to help save the lives of those suffering from HIV/AIDS around the world. This historic commitment is the largest by any nation to combat a single disease internationally, and PEPFAR investments also help alleviate suffering from other diseases across the global health spectrum. PEPFAR is driven by a shared responsibility among donor and partner nations and others to make smart investments to save lives.

Nominated and appointed as a Expert, Non-resident Fellow. This is a voluntary and unpaid affiliation considered part of Jeff's on-going senior leadership, career development and training.Jeff plans to explore how applying emerging technologies such as AI, advanced manufacturing, and quantum computing can help modernize diplomacy & foreign policy and accelerate economic growth & development. Furthermore, engage on policy innovations in global health delivery, private sector investment, digital finance and health. Jeff plans to collaboratively complete his 4th textbook and other publications focusing on transformative solutions for emerging technology and innovative financing.https://www.cgdev.org/expert/jeff-blander

Bien – in French/ Spanish means good or well and Moyo – in Swahili means heart or soul. Collectively ‘Bienmoyo’ symbolizes ‘good heartedness’ or ‘having a good soul.’The concept of Bienmoyo stems from the belief that people are naturally connected through ordinary acts of kindness and philanthropy that makes others lives extraordinary.

The BAMM Global Health Initiative is a collaborative effort to develop novel technology solutions for complex health systems and service delivery challenges. BAMM efforts combine multidisciplinary fields (biology, engineering, physics, and medicine) to develop robust, reliable, and affordable microfluidic point of care (POC) devices for developing countries and vulnerable populations.

The philosophy the course is that innovation in global health starts with examining problems experienced in the field. Solving these problems requires leaders who are trained to think and act like entrepreneurs. In collaboration with sponsors, students will work on design projects to address "real world" field-based problems. Projects may involve strategic planning, case study development, product design, or field test proposals. Examples include creating a regulatory testing plan for a low cost aerosol device for children with asthma, or using microfinance schemes to expand non-communicable disease (NCD) services.

The overall goal of WRI is to foster multi-disciplinary training and research focused on global health and nutrition of women and children (i.e., maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH). A major component of WRI is to develop the foundation for a network of systematic public health evaluation and research sites (SPHERES) that enable an integrated field approach to enhance MNCH research and program implementation at scale.

Supporting technology innovation education and research at Harvard University to produce future global health leaders and foster change.

Fogarty Overseas Fellowship specializing in global clinical trials, translational research for point of care diagnostics, health systems strengthening assessment, and psychosocial interventions for infectious and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

This innovative, trans-faculty Harvard/MIT course teaches the student how information technologies are shaping and redefining the health care marketplace through examining aspects related to 1) improved economies scale, 2) greater technical and business efficiencies in the delivery of care to patients, 3) advanced tools for patient education and self-care, and 4) network integrated decision support tools for clinicians.Students work in interdisciplinary teams to design an innovative solution to a current or future health care problem. Sponsored driven projects in past years have included those from Pfizer Health Solutions, Merck, Johnson and Johnson, Mass General, and Warner Lambert.Note: Projects will be offered this year by faculty this year to help students identify ways to combat bio-terrorism and support drug donation programs for HIV/AIDS through the use of clinical and bioinformatics systems.

MBC is leading advocate for the Bay State's world premier life sciences cluster. The technology committee's primary goals are to:- Provide access to world-class technology innovation thought-Leadership- Enable a forum where problem-solving and best practices can be shared- Develop cases where informatics has made a fundamental difference to the life sciences- Fully leverage the unique academia/industry environment in Massachusetts

Responsible for coordinating a team in partnership with the Jamaican Ministry of Health (JMOH) to support the procurement of life saving medicines for treating the over 25,000 PLWHA.Planning Activities include: a) Disseminating national treatment protocols for adult and pediatric PLWHA based upon internationally established guidelines in developing country settings, b) Supporting the National Public Health Laboratory logistical planning and implementation process for the placement of CD4 and Viral Load diagnostic equipment to be purchased using Global Fund monies.c) Working with the Global Fund in the timely release of monies to support drug procurement and diagnostic equipment purchase.