CRDF GlobaL

Longstanding Partners in International Research

CRDF Global has been part of RePORT International’s research management processes for many years.

This month, we wished to learn more about its history and the people who make it a successful and efficient. We thank the CRDF Global team for answering our questions!

Background: CRDF Global’s past, present and future

CRDF Global is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a safer, healthier, and more secure world through science, innovation, and collaboration. CRDF Global was founded in 1995 with the mission of bolstering the global scientific community and its research aims, primarily to reduce emerging threats after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Over the course of nearly three decades, CRDF Global has remained a trusted partner to the U.S. and Allied governments and has expanded its work to address ever-changing global concerns and research values. Today, CRDF Global teams mitigate shared global challenges in the areas of international security cooperation, nonproliferation, cybersecurity and digital resilience, global health, food security, economic development, and professional exchanges. With offices in Arlington, Virginia; Amman, Jordan; Kyiv, Ukraine; Warsaw, Poland; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Manila, Philippines; CRDF Global’s diverse staff and networks of local community and government stakeholders deliver tailored programs that meet specific regional needs in over 100 countries across the globe.

NIH represents one of CRDF Global’s largest and oldest institutional partners. Within NIH’s extensive framework, CRDF Global supports projects and activities associated with the National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Fogarty International Center (FIC), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and, most recently, FAST-TB. Administrative actions and solutions across these different portfolios are as varied and diverse as the projects themselves, and CRDF Global is proud to remain a consistent and dependable partner that can assist NIH program staff and funding recipients in reaching their goals for reducing health risk and the burden of disease for people around the world.

Involvement with NIH and with RePORT International

CRDF Global began its relationship with NIH in 1997, initially supporting FIC by providing one-off and ad hoc program support. Since the late nineties, however, CRDF Global has vastly grown its presence in the global health solutions sector applying services and expertise for more complex projects at a larger scale, ultimately leading to its current relationship and involvement with the Regional Prospective Observational Research for Tuberculosis (RePORT) program today. CRDF Global has been a proud partner of RePORT since 2012, when it began as a bilateral initiative between India – specifically the India Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – and the U.S. – specifically NIH under the Indo-US Vaccine Action Program (VAP). Over the past 12 years, RePORT has expanded to include partner countries including Brazil, South Africa, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and most recently, Uganda.

The people of CRDF Global: Tara, Aisha, and Kesina

Tara Devezin Moore

Tara Devezin Moore

Program Manager

Tara Devezin Moore is a certified senior program manager with over a decade of experience, including significant work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in internal and external stakeholder engagement and relationship management. Currently, Tara serves as CRDF Global’s Senior Program Manager of NIH Programs. In her role she oversees the portfolio of NIH activities and research projects – comprised of grants and contracts management, hosting high-level meetings, and supporting procurements for research success. Tara works closely with NIH, RePORT International Colleagues, and CRDF Global staff to support the implementation of RePORT research activities. Prior to joining CRDF Global, she worked in pediatric TB and HIV treatment, diagnostics, immunology, and prevention research administration at Baylor College of Medicine’s Global TB Program, as well as in HIV prevention and maternal TB implementation science activities at Jhpiego (Johns Hopkins University Affiliate). Throughout her career, Tara has proven her ability to establish and maintain U.S. government and foundation funder relationships that yield successful results aligned with organizational strategic short- and long-term plans. She possesses experience leading teams in multicultural and matrixed work environments and managing several related projects simultaneously. Further, she has served as a liaison between funding agencies and implementing research teams, ensuring seamless adherence to funder-requested guidelines and policies for reporting and documentation compliance. Tara holds a Master’s in International Development from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and is passionate about reducing the global burden of TB and TB co-infections.
Aisha Eiger

Aisha Eiger

Project Lead

Aisha Eiger is a public health professional with over 10 years of experience in managing multifaceted projects with varied stakeholders across diverse contexts. Having begun her career in Burundi working in the sexual/reproductive health arena, Aisha possesses the passion and determination to help experts and key stakeholders improve health outcomes for all, particularly for at-risk populations. Aisha has demonstrated expertise in optimizing health infrastructure, access, and outcomes, and she currently serves as Project Lead at CRDF Global. As Project Lead, Aisha is responsible for managing CRDF Global’s commitments under RePORT International and RePORT South Africa portfolios, ensuring ethical, timely, and compliant grant and contract administration with all participating RePORT network contributors and fund recipients. Aisha holds a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy, Law, and Ethics from the University of Virginia.
Kesina Kum

Kesina Kum

Project Lead

Kesina Kum is a versatile development professional with experience in large NGOs and business settings, specializing in project management, knowledge management, and data analysis within social impact and global health sectors. In her current role as a Project Lead at CRDF Global, she manages daily operations for RePORT India, RePORT Philippines, and HIV CURE portfolios, which consist of 35 complex projects and, notably, established major project frameworks, including the recent RePORT Philippines Phase II. Kesina holds a Master’s of Arts in Politics, International Development from the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK, and a Master’s of Arts in International Service, Social Innovation from American University in Washington, D.C.

The benefits of CRDF Global to RePORT International

CRDF Global supports RePORT in its advancement of regional TB science that contributes to the global research agenda; strengthens local TB research capacity; and promotes biomedical, clinical, and implementation innovations within each country. CRDF Global is motivated to provide realistic and customizable solutions to help researchers and sites grow their global footprint and technical capacity in the TB research arena while ensuring compliance with NIH and U.S. Government standards and guidelines.

Though CRDF Global ensures ethical and timely grant and contract administration in compliance with 2 CFR 200 regulations for all participating RePORT contributors, its most important function is to deftly navigate the unique and nuanced needs of different projects, their teams, and geopolitical contexts. With its network of global hub offices, CRDF Global is positioned to provide real-time assistance and solutions, which may not always be possible with government institutions or big private sector firms. CRDF Global’s experience and priority on global health missions allows its team the flexibility to work within the diverse contexts or varying capacities required by the NIH, all while operating with strict respect to the organization’s standards of administration.

CRDF Global is proud to support RePORT International projects in achieving their diverse and varied research goals across the consortium. Our team is always available to help constituents navigate complex grant or contract administration hurdles, so awardees may access the tools they need to successfully complete deliverables that may reduce the burden of disease for people around the globe.

Challenges on the global health front

CRDF Global excels in bringing the best minds together to tackle diverse issues of global importance as compassionately, ethically, and quickly as possible and to the highest standard, despite the myriad threats and challenges that confront the sector. One notable challenge is the need to continuously recalibrate our tools and strategies to best operate in ever-changing international environments with varying geopolitical climates; in essence, understanding and navigating individual bureaucratic infrastructures, stakeholders with competing interests, and conflicting rules and regulations.

The COVID pandemic has also presented an undeniable challenge to our way of life and, notably, the way of work. Anxieties born over the past few years continue to reverberate, whether it be through the availability of funding and competition for that funding among various organizations, ease and security of travel, or dynamics that impact effective collaboration.

CRDF Global is steadfast in its support to RePORT and confident that the value of our continued collaboration and progress are evident and compelling to future decision-makers and contributors.

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