Inspiring Inclusion and Equity in Global Health

This International Women’s Day (IWD), Rice360 is proud to advocate for the inclusion of women’s voices, ideas, and leadership in workplaces and communities across the globe. Three remarkable leaders in global health share their stories about what inspires and empowers them as women in the field.

International Women’s Day is an annual holiday bringing attention to key women’s issues like women’s rights, gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Rice360 joins women around the world by celebrating the inclusion of women and girls everywhere. We recognize the importance of inspiring the inclusion of women who drive change, innovation, and transformation toward a more equitable world.

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Madeleine "Maddy" Weld, MBE

Associate Director, Global Health Fellows Program

Interviewer: Tell us a little about yourself and what led you to Rice360.

Maddy: I am grateful to have found Rice360 early in my career at Rice University. I started at Rice360 as an undergraduate intern in the Global Health Technologies minor, working on the Celsi Monitor device for continuous newborn temperature monitoring. Later, as a Global Health Fellow, I focused on a dust protection system to extend the lifespan of medical oxygen concentrators in low-resource settings. Currently, I serve as the Associate Director of the Global Health Fellows program and support ongoing projects within the fellowship. I have so enjoyed the opportunity to combine my passions for engineering and healthcare with my desire to help others and promote equity. I consistently appreciate the ability to make an impact through global health technology development and engineering.

Interviewer: As a woman working in global health, can you share what you have learned in your career? 

Maddy: Being a woman engineer isn’t easy, but I have learned that it is always important to bring your opinions, knowledge, and expertise to the table and to be confident in yourself, regardless of your environment. For me, it has been valuable to try to embody empathy, kindness, compassion, and humility when approaching engineering and global health challenges. I am also fortunate to have many female role models who exemplify different ways of positively impacting the world, both personally and professionally.

Interviewer: What does gender equity in global health mean to you? 

Maddy: To me, gender equity in global health encompasses both equal access to healthcare and equal amounts of time, effort, and resources spent in developing medical technologies for women. I greatly appreciate Rice360 and NEST360's emphasis on maternal and newborn healthcare, both of which are areas of engineering that have been historically underdeveloped. 

Interviewer: What inspires you about the women you work alongside? 

Maddy: It truly inspires me to work alongside such an amazing team of women. I deeply value seeing other women, moms, and colleagues come together to improve global healthcare and healthcare for mothers and babies. Having a supportive, positive, and encouraging network of teammates and collaborators to work with every day is wonderful. 

Interviewer: What is an impactful piece of advice you have been given?

Maddy: An impactful piece of advice I have been given as I approached my work is to carefully assess areas where your natural skill sets, talents, and abilities intersect with your passions and interests. A strong work ethic certainly plays a large role in success, but knowing your strengths helps you find your niche. Discovering where your talents and interests intersect will help you excel and find joy in your career. I have found this to be true for myself. Where my engineering and problem-solving skills overlap with my interests in medical device design and, more specifically, maternal and newborn healthcare has been the place where I feel I excel and find purpose.

Interviewer: What advice would you share with women pursuing a career in global health today?

Maddy: I believe persistence, perseverance, and creativity are some of the most important qualities to strive for when pursuing a career in engineering and global health. Global health challenges are complex and require multiple solutions and perspectives, which are key to creating innovative and effective solutions.

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Catherine "Cate" Paul, MPH

NEST360 Implementation Director

Interviewer: Tell us a little about yourself and what led you to Rice360.

Cate: I am both a passionate and compassionate woman. Growing up in Tanzania — I have seen and witnessed inequalities and access issues, which scream so loudly, especially for women and children in underserved communities. I knew I could devote my time and expertise to bring impact. When the opportunity with Rice360, working on the NEST360 program, arose, I thought this was the right fit for me to join this organization whose mission was similar to my own. Discovering, evaluating, and providing solutions to issues that give rise to health and having this opportunity to work in this space for vulnerable babies has been inspiring and uplifting. Working with Rice360 gives me so much enthusiasm—this is the type of community I have always dreamt of being a part of.

Interviewer: As a woman working in global health, can you explain a few obstacles you had to overcome in your career?

Cate: There are so many challenges, including that of male dominance, but a challenge I see that women in global health still face is work-life balance. You often have to find a balance between your career advancement and family obligations, which can sometimes interfere with one another. I work with a group of people, especially the women, who supervise and work alongside me and understand the importance of that balance. That understanding has allowed me to grow personally and professionally into a leader. 

Interviewer: What does gender equity in global health mean to you?

Cate: To me, gender equity is an area where women are limited currently—for example, research and policy fields where women remain underrepresented. Gender equity in global health, to me, means equal participation and creating opportunities for women to be decision-makers in the policy and research fields.

Interviewer: What inspires you about the women you work alongside?

Cate: The strength and diversity that these women bring to the table inspires me. Having worked with women both in my current role and even before, I have witnessed the women I work with to be resilient, hardworking, and hopeful. This has been inspirational, encouraging, and empowering to watch and be a part of.

Interviewer: What is an impactful piece of advice you have been given?

Cate: Stepping into my current leadership role was very intimidating in the beginning. I think imposter syndrome was creeping in, and I started to question my ability to work with seasoned and experienced experts. So, for a moment, I was worried, but a colleague whispered to me: "You are an exceptional leader." Another said, "You can excel," and another said, "Embrace yourself; your intelligence is unique and valuable.” After having three different colleagues validate my talents, I re-evaluated my thoughts and trusted what I heard them say to be true. I continue to trust the uniqueness of my skills and expertise that I bring to the table, and I see it as valuable. I also live with this mantra shared by another leader and woman role model: “Be gracious to yourself.” To me, this means—take time to appreciate my efforts while I continue to better myself—and those I lead and work with.

Interviewer: What advice would you share with women pursuing a career in global health today? 

Cate: Be resilient because the journey, especially for women, may have obstacles; being ready to advocate for oneself is essential. There is a spot for you out there; always remember that you are in this space to make a lasting change. You should always keep fighting for gender equity in this field because your voices need to be heard. 

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Nicole Moreno

Associate Director of Communications

Interviewer: Tell us a little about yourself and what led you to Rice360.

Nicole: I have always had an interest in making an impact. In college, I was the president of the Pay it Forward Club, an organization focused on supporting foster children and those who care for them through volunteerism. Being a part of Pay it Forward is where my career in the nonprofit world began. Post-grad, I transitioned my career to working in the corporate sector, but during the pandemic, I found myself still called to work in the nonprofit sector. I decided to regroup and find an organization looking to improve equity and better the state of our world, which led me to Rice360. Rice360 has given me many opportunities to support innovative programs that are working to improve health outcomes across the globe, like NEST360 and CITEC. Since working at Rice360, I have grown my skill sets and gained valuable leadership experience. I am grateful that I can work at a place with people with various skill sets and expertise who are working towards a common mission. 

Interviewer: As a woman working in global health, can you explain a few obstacles you had to overcome in your career?

Nicole: Early in my career, I had difficulty saying no and setting boundaries surrounding my work-life balance. As women, I feel we struggle with wanting to be perfect and always saying yes, no matter the demand. For me, working at Rice360 and working alongside women have taught me how to set personal boundaries (in and out of the office) and that it doesn't affect my worth or how good I am at my job. 

Interviewer: What does gender equity in global health mean to you?

Nicole: To me, gender equity is making sure that women, men, and trans individuals have the voice, space, and opportunity they need to be leaders in any space they want to occupy. Equity considers everyone and gives individuals the freedom and opportunity to express themselves. The biggest example is at Rice360, where we are working on devices related to women's health means developing devices and models for women and, often, by women. 

Interviewer: What inspires you most about the women you work alongside?

Nicole: What inspires me most is their dedication and passion for their work. It is incredible to see how their passion seeps into every area of their lives. Working alongside these women who lead by example is refreshing, and I feel like your voice is always valued and respected. They have taught me how invaluable it is to be empowered by female leadership in your workplace.

Interviewer: What is an impactful piece of advice you have been given? 

Nicole: My mother has always told me that you never know what people have going on in their lives or what they have going on at home. It’s best not to assume, give others the benefit of the doubt, and treat everyone with respect. 

Interviewer: What advice would you share with women pursuing a career in global health today? 

Nicole: Own who you are and where you came from. Working in global health has taught me that your individual perspective is important. For me, I am Latina, a child of immigrants, and I grew up in Houston, but I also went to school for communications, which means that my unique perspective and input are valuable. My advice is that while understanding your perspective is important, acknowledge what perspectives you don't have and where the gaps in your knowledge may lie.