Global Leadership

We are forever inspired and humbled by the remarkable people who lead our work. Their expertise, creativity, and care make this life-changing mission a reality around the world.

Anne R. Hansen, MD, MPH
Founder

Dr. Anne Hansen is the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She has over a decade of global health experience, including 10+ years in Rwanda, where she helped develop and publish Rwanda’s National Neonatal Protocols to improve survival for preterm and low-birthweight babies.

She has led national trainings for Rwandan nurses and physicians and is now working to make the curriculum globally accessible through a free web-based platform. Dr. Hansen has partnered with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) since the Dream Warmer’s inception—guiding its design, refinement, and clinical evaluation for use in resource-limited settings around the world.

Cassy Cox
Executive Director

Cassy brings over 16 years of hands‑on leadership in complex, low‑resource environments to her role with GNS. She’s managed everything from new clinical launches to post‑crisis program scale‑ups. She led international neonatal health initiatives in Somalia, South Sudan, and beyond, and holds a master’s degree in Global Affairs.

In 2018, Cassy was evacuated from Somalia under challenging conditions — while 29 weeks pregnant with twins — a life-changing experience that deepened her resolve to prevent avoidable newborn loss globally. She now guides GNS’s strategic direction, partnership growth, and Dream Warmer’s global rollout, turning her technical insight and practical experience into real-world impact once more.

Ashok Gadgil, PhD
Lead Engineer & Board Member

Dr. Ashok Gadgil is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Berkeley and a Faculty Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). He has spent his career designing affordable technologies for low-resource communities, including clean water systems, energy-efficient stoves, and methods to remove arsenic and fluoride from groundwater. His inventions have improved the lives of over 7 million people across Asia and Africa.

A globally recognized innovator, Dr. Gadgil holds numerous patents and has received awards from the World Technology Network, Discover Magazine, Popular Science, and the Smithsonian Institution. He brings deep expertise in sustainable design and implementation to the Dream Warmer project, helping ensure its viability in even the most challenging settings.

​Samira Schmitz
Head of Operations

Samira is a seasoned global operations leader who ensures that every moving part of GNS, from strategy to execution, is reliable and mission-aligned. She has streamlined partnerships, logistics, and regulatory compliance across multiple countries, making complex program delivery feel intuitive and sustainable. At Americares, she led global business development strategies and cross-functional teams across high-impact humanitarian environments.

She now oversees operations and financial stewardship at GNS, managing partnerships, grants, and scale-up strategies for the Dream Warmer initiative. Samira combines operational rigor with a clear-eyed focus on equity—making sure what works in the lab also works in the field.

Board of Directors

Our Board brings decades of leadership in healthcare innovation to guide our mission. Their expertise ensures that our strategy remains focused, impactful, and rooted in real-world solutions for newborn care.

  • Jan D'Alvise

    Jan D'Alvise

    CEO & HEALTHCARE ENTREPRENEUR

    Seasoned executive with expertise in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and Health IT/AI.

  • Raymond De Rise

    Raymond De Rise

    ATTORNEY

    Over 50 years of legal experience across nonprofits and international life science companies.

  • Mohammed Harris, PhD

    Dr. Mohammed Harris

    DIAGNOSTICS EXPERT

    Innovator leading efforts to implement whole genome sequencing in newborn screening.

  • Susan Krause

    Susan Krause

    MEDICAL DEVICE EXECUTIVE

    Global leader with extensive experience in quality, compliance, and operational excellence.

  • Vic Kulkarni

    Vic Kulkarni

    SILICON VALLEY TECHNOLOGIST & INVESTOR

    Veteran executive with decades of experience in semiconductor innovation, startup strategy, and global tech leadership.

  • Josephine Munene

    Josephine W. Munene

    MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH SPECIALIST

    Focused on nutrition and community-based capacity building in low-resource settings.

  • Ayòbámi Olúfadéjì, MD

    Ayòbámi Olúfadéjì, MD

    GLOBAL HEALTH EXECUTIVE

    Drives healthcare access through digital health innovation and systems design.

  • Diana Wangari, MD

    Diana Wangari, MD

    PHYSICIAN, ENTRENEUR & JOURNALIST

    Leverages communication, media, and AI to advance health outcomes.