Benjamin Weil

Education: MA in International Affairs from Columbia University, specializing in Economic and Political Development and African Studies; B.A. in International Relations and French from San Francisco State University

Recent projects include: The James Irvine Foundation, Memphis Public Library, CFLeads (Community Foundations Leading Change)

Personal interests include: Classical music (singer and listener), languages and linguistics, reading and writing, yoga, swimming, hiking

Benjamin has been working in international public health for nearly 30 years, with a thematic focus on HIV and sexual and reproductive health, and a regional focus on sub-Saharan Africa.

A consultant since 1997, Benjamin also worked as Program Advisor on HIV\STDs for International Planned Parenthood in 1999-2000 (in Latin America and the Caribbean), and as a UNDP Program Advisor for UNDP HIV and Development Project, based both in New York and Dakar, Senegal, in 1993-1997. At UNDP he was instrumental in helping found and support the African Regional Network on Ethics, Law and HIV and the Network of African People Living with HIV\AIDS. He also participated in the creation of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV\AIDS (UNAIDS).

Consulting clients have included the World Bank, UNAIDS, UNICEF, the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, EngenderHealth, the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs, AmFAR, the Global Business Coalition on HIV\AIDS, TB and Malaria, Family Health International, and Keep a Child Alive.

During and after college, Benjamin spent several years living, studying and working in Europe and Africa. He is fluent in French, Spanish, German and Italian, and also speaks Wolof and a tiny residue of Hausa.