January 26, 2017, BOSTON—Lois Quam, named three times to FORTUNE’s list of the most influential women leaders in business, will join Pathfinder International as its new chief executive officer. A pioneer in the public and private health sectors, Quam brings decades of strategic and operating experience to Pathfinder at a critical time for women’s health issues worldwide.
Quam was selected by Pathfinder’s Board of Directors after an intensive, international search. “We were looking for a visionary leader to transition Pathfinder into the next 60 years of innovation and service,” said Richard Berkowitz, Chair of the Pathfinder Board of Directors. “Lois’s powerful track record will help us chart our course during a very pivotal moment in the global health of women.”
Quam is on the faculty at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management. She has served as chief operating officer of The Nature Conservancy and as executive director of the US Department of State’s Global Health Initiative, before serving as a senior advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Prior to her work in the public sector, Quam was the founding CEO of Ovations, a division of the FORTUNE 50 global corporation UnitedHealth Group.
“I am inspired by Pathfinder’s mission and record of service,” said Quam. “The need for Pathfinder’s work has never been more important, and I welcome this remarkable opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of women and families around the world. Every woman should have the opportunity to achieve her full potential.”
A Rhodes scholar, Quam has degrees from Oxford University and Macalester College. She also serves on the Council for Foreign Relations and as a director of The Commonwealth Fund. Quam will begin her role at Pathfinder in February.
About Pathfinder International
Pathfinder International is driven by the conviction that all people, regardless of where they live, have the right to decide whether and when to have children, to exist free from fear and stigma, and to live the lives they choose. Since 1957, we have partnered with local governments, communities and health systems in the developing world to remove barriers to critical sexual and reproductive health services. Together, we expand access to contraception, promote healthy pregnancies, save mothers’ lives, and stop the spread of new HIV infections, wherever the need is most urgent. Our work ensures millions of women, men, and young people are able to choose their own paths forward.
For more information, please contact:
Colleen Fazio, Pathfinder International
cfazio@pathfinder.org
+1 617.972.1336
