Conference Schedule
20 November 2025
Join us for an exclusive conference where thought leaders gather to share insights and innovations.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Registration
Registration
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
Opening Remarks Day 2
Opening Remarks Day 2
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 10:00 AM – 10:15 AM
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
Reach Research Launch – Panel Discussion and Q&A
Featuring

Head of Asia Pacific, The Earthshot Prize
Climate Resilience and Ethical Innovation for Sustainability: Empowering Communities in a Changing World
- Session Type
-
Reach Research Launch – Panel Discussion and Q&A
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 10:15 AM – 11:00 AM
Featuring
-
Sarah Cragg
Head of Asia Pacific, The Earthshot Prize

Sarah Cragg
Head of Asia Pacific, The Earthshot Prize
Bio
Sarah is a sustainability leader and impact strategist dedicated to scaling solutions that regenerate our planet. As Head of Asia Pacific for The Earthshot Prize, Sarah accelerates groundbreaking innovations tackling climate and environmental challenges. With a background spanning Conservation International, Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever, and Virgin Unite, she has mobilized multi-million-dollar partnerships, shaped industry-leading ESG initiatives, and driven systemic change. Originally a qualified lawyer, Sarah brings a strategic lens to sustainability—bridging policy, finance, and innovation. Passionate about unlocking capital for climate solutions, she champions bold action for a thriving future.
Speaking Engagements
Reach Research Launch – Panel Discussion and Q&A
Featuring

Head of Asia Pacific, The Earthshot Prize
About the Session
Featuring newly launched Reach Alliance research on climate resiliency and sustainable ethical innovation, this session opens with expert framing, followed by brief presentations from Reach researchers. A moderated discussion and audience Q&A will explore shared insights, challenges, and opportunities for impact.
11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
Reaching Marginalized Women in Peri-Urban India for Gender-Inclusive Climate Action
- Session Type
-
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
11:20 AM – 11:50 AM
Break
Break
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 11:20 AM – 11:50 AM
11:50 AM – 12:10 PM
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
Featuring

Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity, Howard University

Fellow, Africa Leadership in Health Research
A Holistic Approach to Maternal Health
- Session Type
-
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 11:50 AM – 12:10 PM
Featuring
-
Amy Yeboah Quarkume
Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity, Howard University
-
Elizabeth Lubinda
Fellow, Africa Leadership in Health Research

Amy Yeboah Quarkume
Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity, Howard University
Bio
Amy Yeboah Quarkume, Ph.D., affectionately known as Dr. A, is a daughter of Africa, a scholar, filmmaker, data scientist, and Associate Professor of Africana Studies in the Department of Earth, Environment and Equity at Howard University. She holds a Ph.D. in African American Studies, two master’s degrees in Sociology and African American Studies, and certificates of Data Analytics from Harvard Extension School and the University of Massachusetts. Quarkume is an Andrew Mellon New Direction Fellow, a National Center for Atmospheric Research Innovator Fellow, and a White House Initiative HBCU All-Star Campus Mentor.
Speaking Engagements
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
Featuring

Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity, Howard University

Fellow, Africa Leadership in Health Research

Elizabeth Lubinda
Fellow, Africa Leadership in Health Research
Elizabeth Lubinda
Bio
Elizabeth Lubinda is a maternal and newborn health epidemiologist and demographer committed to advancing evidence-based interventions that improve pregnancy outcomes across sub-Saharan Africa and inform global maternal health strategies. She holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Cape Town and a BA in Demography from the University of Zambia.
A fellow of the Africa Leadership in Health Research, the Health Literacy Leadership Programme at the West African Institute of Public Health, and the USAID Youth Lead Programme, Elizabeth has contributed to strengthening maternal and newborn health research, promoting health literacy, and driving community-focused advocacy across the continent.
Her research spans infectious disease management and noncommunicable disease prevention, including investigations into the impact of antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women living with HIV, which have generated robust evidence on maternal health, stillbirth reduction, and neonatal survival in the era of universal ART. In collaboration with the South African Medical Research Council, she leads a multi-country study assessing community-based maternal care interventions to prevent the progression from gestational diabetes to type 2 diabetes among women in resource-limited African settings.
As a Maternal Research Consultant, Elizabeth examines maternal aflatoxin exposure in rural Zambia, linking agricultural practices and community awareness to neonatal outcomes. Her earlier work with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture under the Aflasafe programme, combined with monitoring and evaluation experience on the USAID Stop GBV Project, has further strengthened her ability to design policy-relevant, evidence-driven strategies that safeguard maternal and newborn health across Africa.
Speaking Engagements
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
Featuring

Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity, Howard University

Fellow, Africa Leadership in Health Research
About the Session
This moderated conversation, grounded in Reach research, brings together stakeholders for an in-depth discussion on approaching maternal health, especially for people of colour, in a holistic form. Panelists will share perspectives from policy, practice, and research, exploring the implications of the findings and identifying pathways for action and collaboration.
12:10 PM – 12:30 PM
Research in Action
Advancing Disability-Inclusive Maternal Healthcare in Nepal
- Session Type
-
Research in Action
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 12:10 PM – 12:30 PM
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch
Lunch
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
Reach Research Launch – Panel Discussion and Q&A
Reimagining Sustainability Through Community-Led Initiatives
Reimagining Sustainability Through Community-Led Initiatives
- Session Type
-
Reach Research Launch – Panel Discussion and Q&A
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
Enhancing Financial Literacy in Migrant Populations
- Session Type
-
Reach Spotlight – In Conversation
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM
3:15 PM – 3:30 PM
Announcement
Hackathon Awards Ceremony & Presentation
Hackathon Awards Ceremony & Presentation
- Session Type
-
Announcement
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM
3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
Featuring

Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Marking a Decade of Excellence with Reach’s Vision for the Future
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
Featuring
-
Marin MacLeod
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance

Marin MacLeod
Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
Bio
As the Executive Director, Marin leads strategic development and scale up of the Reach Alliance, including managing relationships with Reach’s global partners and broader insights community. Marin was a member of the Reach team that investigated the world’s first iris-scanning cash-assistance program for refugees in Jordan. Prior to joining the Reach Alliance, Marin led Grand Challenges Canada’s approach to impact measurement across their maternal, newborn and child health innovation portfolio. Her focus was on the systems and processes used to capture results, and to share knowledge generated by grantees through the organization’s unique innovation platform. Marin has experience with program design, delivery and evaluation, having worked across a range of public health issues in several countries. Marin holds a BA (Hons) from Queen’s University as a Loran Scholar, and a Master in Public Health degree from the University of Toronto.
Speaking Engagements
Featuring

Executive Director, The Reach Alliance
3:50 PM – 4:00 PM
Closing Reflections & Vote of Thanks
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 3:50 PM – 4:00 PM
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Farewell Dinner Mixer
Farewell Dinner Mixer
- Thursday
- November 20, 2025
- Time
- 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
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