LEAD Fellow Alumna Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire Appointed WHO Representative to the Central African Republic
Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire, a Harvard LEAD Fellow from the 2023–2024 cohort, was appointed the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Central African Republic (CAR) in December 2024, shortly after finishing her fellowship at Harvard. In her new role, she works with WHO teams, the Ministry of Health, and other partners to build a holistic and integrated emergency preparedness system in CAR.
From Fellow to WHO Representative
Within the first 100 days of stepping into this pivotal leadership role, Belizaire presented her progress report to the Prime Minister of CAR, reflecting on a period marked by listening, engagement, and action.
“These first 100 days have been dedicated to strengthening health systems, accelerating impact at the community level, and aligning WHO’s support with national priorities,” she shared. “I remain deeply committed to advancing health equity, protecting the most vulnerable, and building strong partnerships that deliver measurable results for the people of the Central African Republic.”
Her leadership has already contributed to significant progress in maternal and newborn health and most recently, supporting the pre-validation process for eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in CAR, in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA.
A Global Career of Service
For more than 16 years, Belizaire has served on the frontlines of public health emergencies, from HIV/AIDS in Haiti to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and yellow fever in Angola. She has led WHO emergency operations across Africa, combining technical expertise with empathy and cultural understanding.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations recognized her as one of six “real-life humanitarian heroes” for her leadership in protecting vulnerable communities in CAR.
Her academic journey spans from medical training in Cuba, a doctorate in epidemiology and public health from Spain’s University of Alcalá, an MBA from Queen Mary University of London, and a Harvard LEAD Fellowship in Global Health and Leadership, a collaboration between the Harvard Global Health Institute and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
A Lasting Connection to Harvard
While on campus as a LEAD Fellow, Belizaire built many lasting professional and personal connections, one being with Dr. Michael VanRooyen, Faculty Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI).
“I have continued to work with Marie-Roseline since her arrival at Harvard,” said VanRooyen. “She is an exceptional leader in public health emergencies. She has led with clarity, intelligence, and optimism in some of the most complex poly-crises in the world, such as the Ebola epidemic in the midst of conflict in DRC. She is a wonderful example of courageous, principled leadership.”
In April 2024, during the on-campus portion of the fellowship, Belizaire joined VanRooyen and Adrianna Korte Nahabedian, UN OCHA Access Lead, for the humanitarian panel at the 2024 Women in Power Conference at Harvard Kennedy School.
Driven by Purpose and Compassion
Rooted in her Haitian upbringing, Belizaire’s dedication to global health is both personal and principled. “My mother always taught me that my life is nothing if I don’t use it to alleviate the suffering of others,” she recalls. That guiding belief continues to shape her work, bringing empathy, integrity, and courage to some of the world’s most challenging health crises.
Dr. Marie-Roseline Darnycka Belizaire’s leadership continues to transform health systems, communities, and futures around the world well beyond the fellowship.
About the Harvard LEAD Fellowship
The Harvard Learn, Engage, Advance, Disrupt (LEAD) Fellowship for Promoting Women in Global Health is a transformational one-year fellowship designed to equip and empower leaders living and working in low- and middle-income countries. Offered by the Harvard Global Health Institute in collaboration with the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the program strengthens leadership skills, fosters reflection and professional growth, and builds a network of women committed to mentoring the next generation of female global health leaders. Apply today!