PSI: About Us

Our People

PSI‘s people make our organization unique. What brings these extraordinary people to PSI? Most often, it is the realization that their business skills can make a real difference in the world.

PSI staff do their work in some of the most difficult places on the planet, yet they are known for their joie de vivre. Whether demonstrating the use of an insecticide treated mosquito net, traversing the bumpy back roads of a developing country, or creating a TV soap opera about HIV/AIDS, PSI staff bring a spirit to their work that comes from being part of an important, dynamic enterprise.

We invite you to meet just a few of the more than 6,000 people who make PSI the leading social marketing organization in the world. Of these thousands of people, 97% are nationals of the countries in which they work. Visit Employment if you are interested in a career with PSI.

•  PSI Board of Directors
•  Senior Staff
•  Country Managers
•  PSI History
•  PSI's Private Sector Approach
• PSI's major donors

• Jobs at PSI

Carol Maziya

Carol Maziya is a young Malawian woman, one of six children raised by her mother in Blantyre. Carol's mother struggled to keep her children healthy and to educate them. For a long time, Carol has wanted to repay her mother for all the sacrifices she has made. She reasoned that one way to do this was to study hard and achieve her goals in life. "While at school, I listened to the radio a lot, but the majority of the voices were male. Why should journalism be a male dominated profession? I enrolled with the Malawi Institute of Journalism, graduated, and joined one of Malawi's premier private radio stations as a part time broadcaster. This is exactly what I wanted to be — a role model for other Malawian young women. After a year with MIJ FM, I joined PSI/Malawi as producer and presenter of the youth radio show Youth Alert! Mix, which targets youth nationwide with sexual reproductive health information and life skills to help them adopt and sustain safe sexual behaviors. By concentrating on my future, respecting myself and being responsible, I have achieved my goals... Now I can repay my mother for the sacrifices she made in my childhood. This makes me very happy."

Naw Sheiwa

In a country where many believe that HIV is a disease limited to drug users and prostitutes, Naw Sheiwa, PSI/Myanmar Interpersonal Communicator, shatters misconceptions by telling her own life story. Naw Sheiwa was diagnosed with HIV in 1995. She contracted it from her husband, now deceased, the only man she had ever slept with. Left to raise their two children, both HIV-negative, Naw Sheiwa made the courageous decision to turn her tragedy into hope by teaching the people of Myanmar about HIV/AIDS. She finds comfort in supporting others living with the disease. "Before I thought I was the only one who suffered. Now I know that there are many people suffering in secret. When I tell them that we are the same, it gives them emotional and mental support." Her eyes are bright and expressive as she speaks, and her words gently captivate audiences whether they are rural women, gay men or youth in a nightclub. "I'm filled with joy for having the chance to serve people with my skills and experience during the time left for me to live."

Satya N. Shrestha

PSI/Nepal's Information Technology Officer, Satya N. Shrestha is not only responsible for managing the entire IT System, including training colleagues in computer technology, but is also an up and coming rock star in Nepal. In addition to his technical contributions to PSI/Nepal, he has performed in several of PSI/Nepal's Number One Condom launch campaigns. Satya began his IT career at the age of 19 when he started teaching computer science in a local college and consulting as a system administrator. He is a Microsoft Certified Professional, and PSI/Nepal benefits from his strong technical know-how in computer hardware/software. He says "PSI is a great organization and is indeed a fun place to work. I am learning many things every day. The thing I find very special about PSI is the friendly, innovative and brilliant people working here. I am really glad to work with such a great organization and contribute something to society."

Yulia Velichkina

At PSI/Russia Yulia is responsible for the development of relations with authorities and the promotion of PSI image among governmental organizations. One of the tasks Yulia handles quite successfully is the “Time to Live!” telethon that has already visited over 25 Russian cities. The telethon tells people, in a simple and clear manner, about HIV in the Russian hinterland where this is a particularly hushed-up topic. Taking part in live broadcasts are people living with HIV, local administration officials, NGO representatives and journalists. It is no easier to rid society of callousness and cruelty than it is to find a cure for HIV. “I have come to understand from talking with HIV-positive people that the pains of the disease are only part of the hardships they have to deal with every day,” Yulia says. “The hostility of the people around, including relatives, friends and doctors, is just as big a problem. Being one on one with the disease, asking for help and never getting it, losing friends and one’s faith in the future, isn’t this even more scary than the disease itself?” Reaching out to people’s minds and changing stereotypes — this is what Yulia is doing. The telethon requires total commitment and Yulia spares no effort. She says, “People need what we are doing, it interests them, and we must continue doing it and try to do it better than ever.”

Ricardo Roman

When Ricardo Roman started his first day of work as outreach worker for PSI/Mexico, he felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. Walking the sometimes dangerous streets of Mexico City at night to provide messages promoting safer behaviors to sex workers and other vulnerable populations can be a stressful experience. "In the first place, I was wondering whether this job was a serious career path after graduating in communications. I quickly found out that outreach was an exciting, difficult and intense job that has many applications beyond AIDS prevention. The training I received initially was really good and it felt reassuring to see that PSI had developed its own behavior change model based on various theories and based on evidence. And with this job, I could stay true to my desire to commit to HIV prevention in my country". This commitment is intact, as Ricardo says: "One of my best friends died of AIDS recently and this reinforced my commitments for HIV prevention." Today, PSI/Mexico has 61 trained people reaching out to most vulnerable groups in Mexico and generating over 25,000 contacts in a year. After just three years, Ricardo is now the manager of the entire Behavior Change Communication department.

Rodrigo Escoto

“I love my job. We encounter different challenges every month, and keep on learning every day.” Rodrigo Escoto is Assistant Financial Analyst for PSI in Washington, DC. Previously a private-sector accountant, he likes the difference of PSI's mission. “In my previous job, the main concern was profits,” he explains. “People here are concerned with health services.” Rodrigo spends most of his free time playing with his two sons, “the most valued treasures I have.” Originally from the Philippines, he believes in PSI's approach to encouraging more healthful behavior among people around the world. “It is important to educate people. I know when I was growing up it was taboo to talk about things like condoms, but let's face reality—in this day and age, you have to talk about it because people are getting sick. PSI is a vehicle for education and behavior change needed to save lives.”

Jane Miller

One of the first British twins born in Moscow, Jane Miller was hailed by the British press as one of the “Red Star Twins.” A specialist in medical parasitology, Jane followed up her doctoral research by developing a novel “dip-it-yourself” insecticide treatment kit for antimalarial nets, under the auspices of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. At PSI, she has been the driving force behind the success of a Tanzanian program to market these treatment kits. With a charismatic personality and old-fashioned hard work, she has enlisted a remarkable array of private and public stakeholders in Tanzania’s national fight against malaria.

Oswald Kassa

Oswald Kassa spends much of his time as “a crazy guy in public.” As a condom promoter/educator, Oswald can often be found surrounded by crowds at the public market, lecturing and demonstrating condoms. Prior to this work, Oswald sold cigarettes in “dark, dingy places” like bars—and he still works in such places, as he points out, “but with PSI I know I’m helping people, rather than hurting them.” He is also paying the school fees for most of his siblings and taking care of his aging parents— and this year he will be able to wed. In 1999, Oswald and his colleagues established 7,000 sales outlets in Benin—a country just the size of Tennessee. Research shows that condom use depends in part on ready accessibility, so Oswald sells to a multitude of outlets—including open-air snack stands, barber shops, and the many roving general goods traders who are an essential part of Benin’s market system.

Celestine Clemons

A star who has risen quickly at PSI's headquarters in Washington, DC, Celeste Clemons began as Office Assistant in 1999, became Receptionist in 2000, and was promoted to Office Manager in 2001. “I've learned a lot here,” she says, “and I still have more to learn.” Originally from the area, Celeste began her office career at the age of 18 with an office-cleaning job. A poet and an artist, her main inspiration in life is her three-year-old daughter. In the long term, Celeste plans to become a Registered Nurse. “I love what PSI does,” she explains. “It's about health. Helping people, being a part of what we do—anyone would be proud to work for PSI.”

Sally Cowal

Sally oversees the Americas Region (Latin America and the Caribbean) and maternal and child health, and came to PSI from a distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service in which she served in India, Colombia, Israel, New York, Mexico, Washington and Trinidad and Tobago, where she served as ambassador under Presidents Bush and Clinton. "It seemed to me that after the Cold War, the dynamic of what was important to U.S. foreign policy shifted from having a single enemy - China or the Soviet Union - to having common enemies, issues that threatened all humankind. I saw these as poverty, hunger and disease. And of all the new issues I considered, I thought the most interesting was HIV/AIDS because it was so complex - not just a disease but so many other things." She took that interest in AIDS, and became one of the founders of UNAIDS and served as its deputy director for four years.

Kerry Singh

Kerry, regional marketing manager for PSI/ Caribbean, is a Trinidadian by birth, and has always had a burning passion for marketing, media and promotions. A graduate of The University of the West Indies he has worked in branding and marketing for several regional companies. Kerry has been able to bring his regional marketing experience and commercially minded approach to PSI. A bit of a carnivalist, special events co-ordinator and an avid sports-fan, his personality suits his profession. Under PSI/Caribbean, Kerry has built a substantial media network for the promotion of their popular Got it? Get it. campaign. Condoms are very much taboo in the Caribbean, but the Got it? Get it. has already begun to reduce barriers and empower youth. It's a campaign that speaks with youth and not down to youth as evidenced by our promotional items and media channels. Kerry spearheaded "CHOICES: Roots, Reality and Culture" a miniseries with regional TV network TEMPO, the Caribbean affiliate of the MTV group. Kerry credits hard work, networking with key stakeholders and the dedication of the PSI/Caribbean team for the success of the Got it? Get it. project to date. "I love working for PSI because the work we do is very real and impacts on so many young people. I am able to make my small contribution to saving some lives and this keeps me going every day."