Jessica Ferne
Director, Global Health Impact | CanWaCH (Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health)
Ottawa, ON, CANADA
Leader in disaster response, international development, youth & women-led programming, and sexual health & rights
Biography
Jessica currently serves as Director, Global Health Impact, with CanWaCH (Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health). In this role, Jessica leads CanWaCH’s strategic efforts to strengthen Canadian monitoring and evaluation processes, capacity, and collaborations, in order to drive evidence-driven programming and decision-making, with the ultimate aim of improving the health and lives of women, children, and youth.
Prior to CanWaCH, Jessica served as Director of Programs for a Canadian-based humanitarian organisation, where she led an extensive global portfolio of emergency response and development programs. A passionate health rights advocate, Jessica has also worked in diverse senior program management, technical expert, research, and evaluation capacities in Canada and abroad, with a particular focus on humanitarian action, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and youth engagement. Her work has taken her to multiple countries across South Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Americas.
Jessica currently serves as President on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Council for International Cooperation, an international development and education network working globally for social justice. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (University of Toronto), as well as a Bachelor degree in Philosophy (University of Ottawa). She has completed post-graduate certificates in Advanced International Project Management (University of Toronto), International Policy Analysis & Strategic Planning (Carleton University), and Humanitarian Response (Harvard University).
Jessica is currently based in Ottawa, and speaks both English and French.
Industry Expertise (7)
International Trade and Development
International Affairs
Non-Profit/Charitable
Government Relations
Women
Program Development
Health Care - Services
Areas of Expertise (15)
Monitoring and Evaluation
Adolescent Health
Non-Profit Leadership
Program Management
Public Health
Policy Analysis
Human Rights
Youth Engagement
Women's Health
Refugee and Human Rights Issues
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Disaster Management
International Development
Humanitarian Assistance
Data & Analytics
Education (5)
University of Toronto: Master of Public Health (MPH) 2010
Health Promotion, Women's Health
University of Ottawa: Honours Bachelor of Arts 2006
Philosophy
Carleton University: Executive Certificate 2017
International Policy Analysis & Strategic Planning
Humanitarian Academy, Harvard University: Certificate 2014
Humanitarian Response
University of Toronto - School of Continuing Studies: Graduate Certificate 2011
Advanced International Project Management
Affiliations (1)
- President, Board of Directors, Ontario Council for International Cooperation
Links (2)
Languages (2)
- English
- French
Media Appearances (5)
Virus That “Knows No Borders” Sees Canadian Aid Groups Responding Both Locally and Globally as Financial and Humanitarian Pressures Mount
The Philanthropist
2020-06-03
Canadian non-profit staff who work with vulnerable communities around the world are urging the federal government to maintain international development and humanitarian aid and establish a stabilization fund to help them remain afloat during the crisis.
'Our duty to help'
Metro News - Toronto print
2017-04-04
Group launches relief campaign for East Africa
IDRF's Director of Programs Speaks about the Challenges and Needs of Nepal
IDRF tv
2015-05-25
Excerpt from full interview
Toronto group wants to engage with young Muslims on disability issues
Metro News - Toronto print
2016-09-28
The challenges of living with disabilities know no religious boundaries. That’s why a Toronto group is hoping to engage Muslim millennials across the country, talking about how they can help bring down barriers so everyone can live with dignity.
Ebola Response: Household Protection Kits
IDRF & GlobalMedic online
2014-12-23
Joint Disaster Response: Household Protection Kits Distribution
Event Appearances (8)
Saviour Complex: Navigating Religion’s Messy History & Current Role in Development
International Development Conference 2017, University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Toronto, Canada
2017-02-11
Reflections on Moving towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Development Drinks, OCIC Toronto, Canada
2016-12-10
From International Volunteer to Career: Pathways in International Cooperation
Go Global Expo Toronto, Canada
2016-09-24
Responding to the Syrian Crisis - our work in Canada and abroad
When Art mets MSF Toronto, Canada
2016-07-09
Witness: Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration
Standing Committee on the Federal Government’s Initiative to Resettle Syrian Refugees to Canada Ottawa, Canada
2016-06-07
Needs of Syrian refugees resettling to Canada
Town Hall: Syrian Refugee Resettlement Toronto, Canada
2016-03-19
Rewriting the Script: Queer-Positive Health Care in Action
32nd Annual Guelph Sexuality Conference Guelph, Canada
2010-06-22
Sex Work and the Urban Environment
18th Congress on Women’s Health Issues Philadelphia, USA
2010-04-07
Social