Sterling, Va. — Rear Admiral R. Timothy Ziemer, U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator and head of the President’s Malaria Initiative is one of the global health leaders speaking at the Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) annual conference, June 26-28, 2015 at Marymount University in Arlington, Va. The conference attracts global health professionals and students from across the globe, including many from developing nations.

“The President’s Malaria Initiative partners with over 200 non-profit and non-governmental organizations around the world, of which 30 percent are faith-based organizations,” said Admiral Ziemer. “Faith-based organizations are key and valuable partners in the global fight against malaria. I look forward to participating in the CCIH conference and discussing the role faith-based organizations and people of faith can play in ending extreme poverty.”

A number of conference speakers were on the front lines responding to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, including Patricia Kamara, Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Liberia; Anne Peterson, MD, Senior Vice President of Programs, AmeriCares; Elizabeth Foulkes, Ebola Response Coordinator for ADRA International; and Lance Plyler, MD, Medical Director, Disaster Response Unit, Samaritan’s Purse.

“Faith-based organizations are indispensable providers of care in many nations, especially in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Garrett Grigsby, Executive Director, CCIH. “Faith communities have deep roots in these countries, and faith leaders are trusted opinion leaders and influencers. Interest in tapping into the broad reach of faith communities is growing among policymakers and program implementers, which opens new opportunities for Christ-centered organizations for creative and interesting partnerships. With this in mind, the goal of the CCIH conference is to explore what our members are doing more deeply, and examine how all of us can strengthen our work, specifically as it relates to ending extreme poverty.”

Visit www.ccih.org for more information.

###

Christian Connections for International Health is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) membership organization. It is a network of approximately 200 organizations and more than 300 individuals committed to promoting global health and wholeness from a Christian perspective.