Banchiamlack Dessalegn

Dr. Banchi Desslagn has over 10 years of results management, relationship management, strategic programme design and implementation experience across many donors and areas including family planning, safe abortion, HIV/AIDS, and OVC (orphans and vulnerable children).

Banchi is MSI's Africa Director. Previously, Banchi held roles as the Director for East and Southern Africa and the Strategic Progammes Director at MSI, leading MSI’s portfolio of anonymously funded projects across 18 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Prior to that Banchi was the Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Support for International Family Planning Organisations 2 (SIFPO 2) project in Ethiopia and was a member of the Marie Stopes Ethiopia senior management team.

Before joining MSI, Banchi worked at FHI 360 and Population Council managing large SRH, youth, and HIV/AIDS projects. She was a post-doctoral researcher and lecturer at the University of Chicago and has a Ph.D. and M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in the USA.