Judy Khanyola, MSc, was ICAP’s Regional Nursing Advisor, Africa at ICAP at Columbia University based in Kenya. She was the Africa representative for NursingNow, a three-year global campaign to raise the profile and status of nurses worldwide. proud of ICAP’s successful implementation of the eight-year, HRSA-funded Global Nurse Capacity Building Program (GNCBP), which ended in 2018 and revolutionized nursing in East, Central and Southern Africa. When asked what drew her to nursing as a profession she replied “I was drawn to the combination of caregiving and scientific rigor that nursing as a profession has. You need to have compassion and tenderness, and at the same time razor-sharp knowledge and skills. I like the adrenaline rush of saving patients’ lives, and the empathy, sympathy, love, and compassion that you have to give to another human being who is not your friend or family.” Judy is currently in Rwanda as the Chair of UGHE’s Center for Nursing & Midwifery. The Center is spearheaded by nursing advocate and changemaker Judy Khanyola. With 25 years professional experience in clinical nursing and education programs, she has witnessed firsthand this acute demand for qualified nurses and midwives, as well as the extraordinary value they have within health systems, and health system strengthening, globally. ‘Nursing is often neglected and forgotten and yet, especially in low-resourced settings, it is critical.’ Judy explains. ‘Qualified and competent nurses can plug gaps in resources, allowing those in need to access quality health care, in a health facility near where they live. She runs the Global Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery Executive Education Program in Rwanda.