The 2017 MedTech Boston 40 Under 40 Healthcare Innovators

38. Vanessa Kerry, MD
Co-Founder and CEO of Seed Global Health
Dr. Vanessa Kerry of Seed Global Health knew she wanted to become a doctor from a very young age. “I was increasingly drawn to international health and the complex interactions that affected health in many parts of the world,” says Kerry. In 2011, she started Seed Global Health, which trains skilled health professionals in many parts of the world.

Kerry discovered her passion and a unique unmet need in improving global health during her training years in Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda. “In each of these places, I saw many well-meaning efforts where volunteers would fly in, provide short-term care and support, and then leave,” she says “At the same time, I saw vast interest among my peers to engage in global health, but no appealing mechanism by which to do so.” Her organization provides a year-long fellowship to US health volunteers, who work with local partners to share critical medical skills—together improving and saving lives. To date, Seed Global Health has trained more than 8,300 health professionals in five countries where they operate.

Kerry is actively working to help eliminate global health disparity. “Seeing our mission come to fruition in a real, human way is incredibly gratifying, and if this is a fraction of what we do, we will have succeeded.”

When not working as a physician or on Seed Global Health, Kerry enjoys spending time with her two children, and seeing the world through their eyes.