Valentina Buj de Lauwerier is global malaria and health partnership advisor at UNICEF. Since 2008, she has worked to assist countries to continue scaling up integrated malaria interventions and works to foster greater harmonization among global malaria initiatives. Mrs. Buj de Lauwerier spends much of her time working in malaria-endemic countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Kenya, Madagascar, Cameroon, and Mozambique, where she supports countries in the development and implementation of UNICEF’s Global Fund grants for malaria as well as with the coordination and distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), anti-malarials (ACTs), malaria diagnostics (RDTs), intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp), seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC), integrated community case management (iCCM) and the development of supportive community and health systems.

Prior to joining UNICEF, Mrs Buj de Lauwerier worked for the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme, the International Rescue Committee, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Development Programme.

She earned a master’s degree in Public Health, focused on malaria control in refugee populations, as well as a master’s degree in International Affairs, focused on Economic and Political Development and Refugee Law, both from Columbia University. She is working toward a Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (University of Basel) focused on improved delivery of malaria interventions in difficult contexts. Her initial training is in biochemistry from Bryn Mawr University. Mrs  Buj de Lauwerier has traveled extensively in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Valentina is a citizen of both the US and Mexico and is the mother of two Belgo-Mexicans, a son and a daughter. She is fluent in English, French and Spanish, trying to hold on to her Turkish, and is working on her Swahili, Lingala, Flemish, and Portuguese.