Maggie Bangser brings over twenty five years of experience to her work on international health and rights, most of those years living in Eastern and Southern Africa. Ms. Bangser is currently a Consultant in health policy and programs, with a focus on women’s and girls’ reproductive and sexual health and rights.
From 1998-2008, Ms. Bangser was the founding Executive Director of Women’s Dignity, a non-profit organization based in Tanzania focused on obstetric fistula, maternal health, and health equity. This organization successfully reframed the concept of obstetric fistula from a purely medical position to an issue of social, political and economic rights.
She has been a Research Affiliate at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, after establishing the first fistula initiative in Tanzania between 1995 and 1998. Ms. Bangser was the Program Officer for Reproductive Health and Gender Relations at the Ford Foundation in East and Southern Africa from 1992-1995 and the Program Officer for Asia Region at the International Women’s Health Coalition from 1987-1992.
Ms. Bangser has a Master’s Degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University School of Management, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Amherst College which recognized her professional contributions by awarding an Honorary Doctorate in 2009. Ms. Bangser has authored and edited articles and publications on fistula, maternal health and health equity.