Regional Mesh Coordinators - Africa, LAC, MENA, Asia
Mesh has a team of coordinators based in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. Their role is to plan and implement Mesh activities in the regions, to share excellent engagement practice. tools and resources on Mesh, and to develop and connect regional networks of engagement practice.
Shekha Salum Mohamed
Shekha Salum Mohamed is the Mesh Coordinator for the Africa Region, based at Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Glasgow, UK, an MBA from Mzumbe University, Tanzania, and a BBA in Administration from St. Augustine University, Tanzania.
In her work, Shekha provides vital linkages between research, stakeholders, and communities. She is passionate about strengthening public health initiatives and research ecosystems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Over the years, she has supported a range of projects focused on malaria and other infectious diseases.
Luis Felipe Arias Soto
Luis Felipe Arias Soto is the Mesh Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean Region. He is a Clinical Psychologist based at Etikos in the Dominican Republic.
He has experience in research and community engagement in mental health and violence prevention in school settings, the use of digital tools in tuberculosis treatment, and research ethics review. He has worked extensively with low-income psychiatric patients and their families, as well as in community engagement initiatives.
Luis is currently a member of the Etikos training and research unit, with particular interests in Implementation Research, Research Ethics, and the professional development of new researchers.
Nada Abdelrahman
Nada Abdelrahman is a Medical Laboratory Sciences graduate from the University of Khartoum. She is currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research at the University of Oxford, strengthening her expertise in research methodology, ethics, and implementation in low- and middle-income country contexts.
Nada serves as the MENA Regional Coordinator for Mesh. In this role, she maps and analyses community engagement practices across the Middle East and North Africa, contributing to knowledge sharing and capacity strengthening efforts that promote ethical and participatory research.
Her commitment to community engagement began during her undergraduate training, when she designed and conducted a citizen science project engaging primary school students in health research in Sudan. This experience shaped her interest in embedding inclusive and locally grounded approaches within research systems.
Nada’s long-term goal is to advance and institutionalise community-centred approaches to health research across the MENA region, fostering research ecosystems that are responsive, equitable, and grounded in meaningful collaboration with communities.
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