Staff Spotlight: Alice Mwangi, Regional Coordinator, Africa

Meet Alice Mwangi, GoodVision’s Regional Coordinator for Africa, whose two decades in the continent’s eye care sector and deep commitment to community-driven change make her a natural fit for the mission. Based across Africa, Alice brings expertise in strategy execution, policy advocacy, and high-level government partnerships, a talent for turning bold regional ideas into on-the-ground reality, and a steadfast dedication to positioning women as leaders of health transformation rather than just its beneficiaries.

We caught up with Alice for a quick Q&A:

Q: What excites and inspires you most about GoodVision’s mission?

A: “I am deeply inspired by GoodVision’s ability to bring affordable eye care to the world’s most vulnerable communities. A simple pair of glasses can completely transform a life—allowing a child to see the school blackboard clearly or enabling a parent to return to work and sustain their family. Witnessing this immediate transition from visual impairment to full community participation brings me profound joy and drives my commitment to our mission.”

Q: Is there a moment or story from your work with GoodVision that reminds you of the impact we are making?  

A: “Nothing captures the scale of our impact, quite like our Africa Regional Meetings! In 2025, we gathered in Malawi to design cost-effective, last-mile solutions for the continent. We launched bold ideas: training public nurses in Burkina Faso, developing government vision technicians in Liberia, upgrading cataract surgeons in Malawi, and pioneering tele-refraction in Kenya. Returning to our second regional meeting in Nairobi, I was incredibly proud to see that every single initiative has transitioned from a blueprint into a reality. Hearing the achievements of our passionate team—from the factory floor technicians making the glasses to the drivers ensuring they reach the field—constantly reinforces my pride in the vital work we do at GoodVision.”

Q: What keeps you inspired to support this work?

A: “My ongoing inspiration is anchored in GoodVision’s institutional commitment to continuous learning and patient-centric innovation. Our strategic discussions are deeply focused on refining best practices to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and extend our operational reach into the most isolated and marginalized regions. What sets this organization apart is its highly collaborative and flat communication structure, where insights are actively shared and valued from everyone—including field-level vision technicians who work directly with patients up to executive leadership. This shared passion and alignment toward a common mission make our workplace culture exceptionally motivating.”

Q: What are the strengths, skills, and experiences that you bring to GoodVision to advance our mission?

A: “I am a public health specialist with more than two decades of leadership in the African eye care sector, specializing in strategy execution, policy advocacy, and high-level government partnerships. In my current role as Regional Coordinator for Africa at GoodVision, I leverage an extensive career history that includes serving as Assistant Director for Africa and Country Director for Kenya at Operation Eyesight Universal, as well as pioneering foundational regional eye care programs for The Fred Hollows Foundation in Kenya. Armed with a master’s degree in Public Health from Moi University, I excel at implementing the Community Eye Health model to bridge clinical excellence with community ownership. I have a proven track record of collaborating with ministries of health to shape national policy and support Universal Health Coverage frameworks. Central to my professional mission is a steadfast commitment to gender equality; I actively structure health programs to ensure women are positioned not just as beneficiaries, but as drivers of societal transformation.“

Q: What’s a fun fact people might not know about you?

A: “ I am an avid traveler with a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and heritage. My curiosity also extends to the culinary arts, where I enjoy exploring global cuisines by testing and adapting diverse recipes from online culinary channels.“

Q: What’s a favorite book, podcast, or quote that inspires you?

A: “In my daily life, I find immense value in resources and podcasts centered on mental health, leadership development, and strategic execution. I highly value the teachings of leadership experts like John Maxwell, particularly the philosophy that lasting impact requires a disciplined willingness to stretch beyond our comfort zones and intentionally build resilient systems that outlast our individual tenures.“