Dr Alyssa Sharkey is a Lecturer in the School of Public and International Affairs and a Senior Health Specialist of the Implementation Research and Delivery Science Unit in UNICEF’s Health Section in New York. Her current focus areas are on equity and immunization, implementation research to improve health programs, and gender-related barriers to health services. Her previous roles with UNICEF have been Acting Regional Health Advisor (South Asia), Maternal and Child Health Specialist (South Asia), and Health Specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation, and Knowledge Management (New York). Over the past 25 years, Alyssa has worked as a health policy analyst, program officer, and policy researcher within a variety of academic, research and non-governmental settings both internationally and in the United States.

Dr Sharkey has masters and PhD degrees from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and a masters degree from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.