Lydia Saloucou Zoungrana is an executive leader in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and women’s empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa. She has nearly 25 years of public health experience, particularly management of reproductive and maternal health programs in challenging contexts affected by climate shocks, political coups, and conservative movements.

Based in Burkina Faso, Ms. Lydia Saloucou Zoungrana currently serves as Pathfinder’s President, Africa. In this role, she is accountable for the impact and strategies of Pathfinder’s programs across 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries are Burkina Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

Leading Pathfinder from Burkina Faso, she is an exemplar in the localization of global health programs. Early in her career, she studied the management of local NGOs in West Africa and gained important experience building their organizational capacity.

Ms. Lydia Saloucou Zoungrana joined Pathfinder in 2016, opening Pathfinder’s first office in Burkina Faso. Since then, Pathfinder has strengthened services at more than 850 health facilities & opened five additional offices in the country.

Previously, in Ouagadougou, Ms. Lydia Saloucou Zoungrana managed programs for the Population Council and the HIV/AIDS Alliance. While based in Kenya, she also spent time as a team leader for the International Planned Parenthood Federation in West & Central Africa.

Ms. Lydia Saloucou Zoungrana has post-master's in education and development, with specialties in gender studies and NGO management, and degrees from University of Lille in France & the University of Ouagadougou.