Dr. Victoria Odesina is the mother of three adult children, two of whom are living with sickle cell anemia with alpha thalassemia. She obtained her nursing and midwifery education in Nigeria. She is an advanced practice registered nurse with board certification in public health nursing. She earned her doctorate degree in nursing practice with an emphasis in leadership and education. Dr. Odesina has been engaged in nursing and public health practice, working in different capacities for more than four decades. She coordinates medical mission trips to Nigeria and co-established sickle cell newborn screening and follow up programs in Oyo, Kaduna, Anambra States, and in Osun State to serve the six southwestern States of Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos and Ondo States; coordinates hemoglobinopathy educator and counselor training programs. She is a passionate advocate who served on many state, regional and national committees related to genetics, sickle cell, and consumer issues of significance. She has presented at numerous international conferences, authored several journal publications on sickle cell disease and received several awards.
Board of directors
Dr. Victoria Odesina
DNP, MS, APRN, PHCNS-BC
Chair/Executive Director
Dr. Joseph Ubaike
MD
Secretary
Dr. Joseph Ubaike is a very experienced person in Genetics and Metabolic disease disorders. He has a 29 yrs experience in this field. He has been in consultation with many programs in several countries in the field of Sickle cell screening most especially in newborns and in adults. He has participated in many medical missions in Africa (Nigeria and Kenya) where a lot of sickle cell patients has been helped. He works in consultation with some companies that manufactures the screening materials for sickle cell and company that manufactures nutritional products that helps sickle cell patients to avoid frequent episodes.
Dr. Martins Olusola Ogundeji
Dr.PH, MPH, M.Sc., B. Sc.
Dr. Martins O. Ogundeji is the Executive Director of Primary Health and Health Management Center (PriHEMAC) which has become a reputable Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). The NGO has successfully carried out Local, State, National, and International Development Programs. One of his most remarkable experiences was the Finland Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) sponsored 5-Year (2004-2009) Ibadan Maternal Mortality Reduction Project – IMMREP - and 2-Year (2009-2010) Improvement of Primary-Level Maternal Health Services – IPMat. Since 2014, PriHEMAC has embarked on improving the well-being of the Elderly through, among others: i) establishment of Training Institute for the training of a) PriHEMAC Elderly Caregivers and b) Elderly Friendly Ambassadors (PEFAs); ii) promoting elderly friendliness through partnering with Stakeholders such as Religious Organizations like Churches/Mosques focusing on helping them to become Elderly Friendly Institutions.
Dr. Mary Oyin Ejiwale
PHD, MSN
Treasurer
Mr. Thomas Mokebe
Dr. Robin Leger
PHD, RN
Biosketch Spring 2023
Robin R. Leger, RN, MS, PhD retired was a Professor in the Graduate School at Salem State University and the Department of Nursing. She has been a nurse for over 45 years and a professor (14 at Yale University School of Nursing) and clinical researcher with over 40 peer reviewed publications. Her clinical and research focus is on justice and health-related quality of life for individuals, families, and vulnerable populations. Her earlier career focused on the health, education, and research of chronic illnesses and disabilities across the life span, particularly in the areas of latex allergy, spina bifida, and sickle cell diseases. For 17 years, she was a clinical nurse specialist at Newington Children’s Hospital and Yale New-Haven Hospital with a focus on pediatric neurology, genetic conditions, and rehabilitation. Robin was the first national recipient of the Excellence in Clinical Practice of Children and Families award from the Society of Pediatric Nurses in 1993; obtained a PhD in Nursing from NYU in 2003; received the 2007 Virginia Henderson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Research; and the lifetime achievement award from the CT Spina Bifida Association. She is a Board member of the Global Sickle cell Alliance GLOSCA.org and a member of the MA Medical Reserve Corp. She continues to support community-based participatory research efforts in chronic health and genetic conditions; environmental health/climate justice; global health literacy; and collaborates on health and social justice efforts locally and globally
