Sonia Panzani
Ornex,FRANCE
Summary
Accomplished professional with expertise in people management and complex multistakeholders' partnerships, driving policy change in support of countries' governments. Skilled in developing and scaling-up human-centred digital solutions to accelerate impact and efficiency.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
8087
8087
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Head of Country Action
Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, UNOPS
Geneva, SWITZERLAND
01.2022 - 08.2025
- Led regionalization design & implementation of 5 hubs supporting the needs of 67 countries in the framework of the SUN 3.0 strategy.
- Led development and implementation of the knowledge management identifying evidence based solutions including digital solutions of the SUN global support system composed of its secretariat and 4 global networks for the 67 SUN member countries.
- Oversaw external evaluation of SUN 3.0
- As Nutrition For Growth (N4G) focal point within SUN in support of ASG in her Co-Chair role within N4G Governance, oversaw support to SUN countries in formulating their N4G Commitments
- Led High-Level advocacy missions of UN Assistant Secretary General and SUN Coordinator in Ivory Coast, Mali, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Timor Leste.
Policy Specialist
Scaling Up Nutrition Secretariat (UN)
Geneva, SWITZERLAND
04.2020 - 12.2021
- Strengthened the coordination of multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholders' nutrition platforms in 11 African countries and raised nutrition profile, liaising with high-level officials.
- Drove the 21 francophone countries' consultation for the SUN 3.0 strategy.
- Documented innovative approaches including digital solutions to foster peer to peer exchanges around replicable low investment high impact nutrition specific and sensitive interventions.
Health Programme Manager for Africa
Terre des hommes Lausanne
Dakar, SENEGAL
04.2018 - 04.2020
- Designed and led the 1st health program strategy in Africa.
- Supervised 10 M€ annual budget and 80 health staff in 5 countries.
- Secured 1st two regional projects with new donors (UNITAID) and established new partnerships (AleDIA in digital health).
- Led expansion of 2 innovative flagship projects, including one in digital health for primary healthcare (leDA) implemented at large scale (more than 85% of ) which started in a new country (Niger) and was expanded in another country (Mali). Both won prizes.
- the PHCS of the countrySpeaker on digital health (World Health Summit, PMAC, ODESS).
Country Director
Terre des hommes Lausanne
GUINEA, BENIN-NIGERIA & BURKINA FASO
10.2009 - 04.2018
- Successively managed 3 country missions with increasing financial volumes (In Burkina Faso : 9.4 M CHF annual budget, 150 staff and 20 simultaneous donor contracts).
- Launched innovative projects (on digital solutions including with AI, namely epidemiological surveillance, early warning systems, inter-agency child protection case management, National Insurance Scheme).
- Coordinated advocacy initiative which led to scale-up of 'free' healthcare for children and pregnant women.
- Launched and led different inter-agency coordinations (Children on the move, juvenile justice, universal health coverage and information system, and Primary Healthcare Strategic Purchase through certification processes).
- Restructured two delegations, program and support functions.
- Secured new donors (The Global Fund, GIZ).
Country Director
Médecins Du Monde
Puerto Cabezas
04.2009 - 09.2009
- Professionalized digital case management of the Centre of Assistance to the Caribbean women victims of violence and contributed to its financial autonomization.
Long Term Electoral Observer
OSCE-ODIHR
MOLDOVA
03.2009 - 04.2009
- Parliamentary elections of 5/04/2009, managed 3 districts.
Consultant
French Embassy
MOLDOVA
11.2008 - 02.2009
- Designed a project to prevent trafficking in human beings.
Country Director
Médecins du Monde
MOLDOVA
11.2007 - 11.2008
Responsible of the European programme and lecturer
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
DENMARK
10.2006 - 10.2007
Education
High Performance Leadership - Leadership
IMD
Masters - International organizations and Human Rights
Université Catholique
Lyon07.2003
Master of Arts - International Law And International Politics
MENDES FRANCE UNIVERSITY of GRENOBLE II
/2018 - 01.2022
Master of Arts - MA in Foreign Languages: English, Spanish And Italian
STENDHAL UNIVERSITY OF GRENOBLE III
/2018 - 01.2022
Skills
- People management
- Multistakeholders' partnership
- Policy change
- Human-centered digital solutions
- Change Management
- Governance
Certification
- Change management course, United Nations System Staff College, 6 weeks
- Digital Health specialization, Imperial London College, 3 months
- Digital Transformation, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, 1 month
Languages
French
Native
English
Fluent
spanish
Advanced
Romanian
Advanced
Italian
Advanced
Russian
Elementary
PUBLICATION
mastering stakeholders' engagement to reach national scale, sustainability and wide adoption of digital health initiatives: lessons learnt from Burkina Faso, https://fmch.bmj.com/content/19/3/e00095910/2005-04/2006
Timeline
Head of Country Action
Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement, UNOPS
01.2022 - 08.2025
Policy Specialist
Scaling Up Nutrition Secretariat (UN)
04.2020 - 12.2021
Health Programme Manager for Africa
Terre des hommes Lausanne
04.2018 - 04.2020
Country Director
Terre des hommes Lausanne
10.2009 - 04.2018
Country Director
Médecins Du Monde
04.2009 - 09.2009
Long Term Electoral Observer
OSCE-ODIHR
03.2009 - 04.2009
Consultant
French Embassy
11.2008 - 02.2009
Country Director
Médecins du Monde
11.2007 - 11.2008
Responsible of the European programme and lecturer
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
10.2006 - 10.2007
High Performance Leadership - Leadership
IMD
Masters - International organizations and Human Rights
Université Catholique
Master of Arts - International Law And International Politics
MENDES FRANCE UNIVERSITY of GRENOBLE II
/2018 - 01.2022
Master of Arts - MA in Foreign Languages: English, Spanish And Italian
STENDHAL UNIVERSITY OF GRENOBLE III
/2018 - 01.2022
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