"I’ve always been committed to primary care,” says Kate Tulenko, a physician and global health specialist. “Recruiting and training people locally, and recruiting and training people in primary care are part of the solution to the global shortage of health workers."

When Tulenko joined the World Bank in 2002, she was surprised to see that no one was working on issues related to the health workforce, which plays a huge role in whether or not a community can thrive and prosper. So she helped create the Africa Health Workforce Program to address the shortage, low productivity, and maldistribution of health workers throughout Africa.

In addition to her work at the World Bank, she has been an advisor to national governments on health policy and reform and served on expert panels for the World Health Organization, the American Public Health Association, the Global Health Workforce Alliance, and the American Hospital Association. Tulenko offers consulting services in a variety of fields, including workforce planning and management, health systems innovation, and universal access to care.