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The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) today announced the appointment of Kelly S. Willis, MBA, as senior vice president of Global Public Health.
“USP’s core mission is to improve public health around the world by helping to ensure the quality, integrity, safety and benefits of medicines and foods,” said USP CEO Ron Piervincenzi. “We are excited about the experience and perspective that Kelly is bringing to USP. We look forward to drawing on her skills to increase the impact of our global health initiatives.”
Piervincenzi explained that Willis will work closely with the USP Executive Team and Board of Trustees to develop and execute a strategy for global public health and will serve as a public champion for USP initiatives in that area.
“I am thrilled by this unique opportunity to help leverage the expertise of an enormously trusted global organization, and to shape and expand its reach for even greater impact on lives around the world,” said Willis.
As USP’s senior vice president of Global Public Health, Willis will be responsible for USP’s fundraising and development function and four unique public health programs:
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Promoting the Quality of Medicines – PQM is a collaborative effort with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) which was created to help developing countries to better ensure the quality of medicines that reach patients by strengthening their quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) systems. In addition to strengthening QA/QC, PQM also works to increase the supply of quality assured medicines, combat the availability of substandard and counterfeit medicines and provide technical leadership and global advocacy.
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Center for Pharmaceutical Advancement and Training – Launched in 2013, CePAT provides training and skills development programs for nations throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to equip national and local regulatory authorities, quality assurance and quality control professionals, manufacturers, and others in the pharmaceutical industry with knowledge and skills to promote access to good quality medicines. CePAT also serves as USP’s Commitment to Action through the Clinton Global Initiative.
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Technical Assistance Program – TAP provides developing countries with tools and training to increase their capacity to test the quality of medicines provided for their citizens.
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Official Medicines Control Laboratory Networks – The OMCL networks were established to provide a forum for sharing best practices on medicines quality issues at regional and national levels. These networks offer unique inter-laboratory testing activities for participating labs to improve laboratory performance as well as harmonize their drug analysis methodologies.
Prior to joining USP, Willis served as executive director of Accordia Global Health Foundation, in Washington, D.C., an organization that works to create innovative health models in Africa to address the burden of infectious diseases and transform the health landscape in that region. In that organization, she helped launch the Infectious Diseases Institute (a first of its kind HIV research and training institute in Uganda), and led the design and establishment of the West African Infectious Diseases Institute in Nigeria. Willis was recently elected to Accordia’s Board of Directors and will continue to serve the organization in that capacity.
Willis’ career has also included positions at Pfizer, Monsanto, USAID and Chemonics International, addressing topics such as economic policy analysis, corporate finance, supply chain management, strategic international business considerations, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Willis received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from Michigan State University. She also received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013.
Willis lives in Washington D.C. with her husband and two children.
