In November 2015, Robert L. Mallett took the reins of Africare, the largest and oldest African-American founded, non-governmental organization.
Since then, he has led the organization to merge with Accordia Global Health Foundation, an organization that focuses on sustained health aid for countries in Africa; the launch of the Institute for Child Wellness in Africa (TICWA), a programmatic collaboration with the
Robert Mallett is the new president and CEO of Africare. (Courtesy Photo-Africare)
University of Malawi to test and demonstrate new approaches to ensuring child health and wellness; becoming the prime contractor of the Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Program that aims to improve the nutrition of children and pregnant and nursing women in Tanzania; renewed focus on operational excellence and management; and upgraded the organization’s internal systems and procedures among other accomplishments.
“We are confident Robert is the right leader at the right time for Africare,” said Stephen D. Cashin, Africare’s chairman of the board. “At this time of fierce competition for resources, Africare requires a leader who can clearly communicate and demonstrate the organization’s leadership and knowledge of Africa’s complex issues to partners and donors in both the public and private sectors. We believe Robert is uniquely qualified for this challenge.”
Africare was founded in 1970 by former Peace Corps volunteers Joseph Kennedy, PhD, and C. Payne Lucas to focus on meeting the needs of Africans in the areas of agriculture, food security, healthcare, maternal and child health, HIV and AIDS, access to portable water, and women’s employment. Africare has invested over $1 billion in more than 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa with partnerships from local, indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
Mallett is a 1979 Morehouse College graduate and a 1982 alumnus of the Harvard University School of Law. He served as a deputy corporation counsel, an aide to U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas), the District’s city administrator from 1991-1995, and at the Commerce Department from 1997-2001.
In the private sector non-legal arena, he has served as the executive vice president and general counsel for public and senior markets at United Healthcare; worked as the senior vice president of Worldwide Public Affairs and Policy at Pfizer, and as president of the Pfizer Foundation. He also served on the board of directors for seven years, and as president and CEO of Accordia Global Health Foundation.
As president, Mallett working to modernize Africare’s management structure and operations, and developing a strategic vision for the organization in the wake of new challenges for non-profits, particularly in the areas of fundraising. He is also coming up with new strategies in the fluid environment of development assistance while maintaining Africare’s unique mission.
“I have worked many years in the public sector and for private law firms and companies but not in the non-profit sector,” he told the AFRO. “I joined the board of directors of Africare in early 2003 and have maintained an interest in the organization throughout the years.”
Mallett said he will focus on financial stability and increasing the organization’s reach in Africa. “We have to make critical decisions on how we spend our money and foster growth to help African countries,” he said. “As a result, we have recently partnered with the Accordia Global Health Foundation and we are focusing on adding to our talent base.”
The results of the 2016 presidential election may be a problem to some people but not to Mallett. “During the campaign, Africa wasn’t mentioned very much by either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton,” he said. “Nevertheless, I will be actively engaging the Trump administration.”
Mallett noted that legislation on Capitol Hill regarding Africa, such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act that is designed to spur investment in countries on the continent, is supported by Democrats and Republicans.
“It was a smart choice for the board to select Robert as CEO with his experience as deputy secretary of commerce and the president of the Pfizer Foundation,” Pratt told the AFRO.