Kristen Rodrigues is the Senior Director of Programs at Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Kristen is an international development practitioner with over 10 years of experience in global project management and multilateral cooperation. She holds a Master's in Development Practice, specializing in Global Health and Sustainable Development, as well as a Bachelor's in Environment Resource and Business Studies.
Through her experiences working across Africa and Asia, Kristen has gained a deep understanding and appreciation of the importance of cross-sectoral and cross-cultural understanding. Kristen brings extensive knowledge of food security, MEL(monitoring, evaluation and learning), and women’s economic empowerment to her role within the VWB/VSF Canada team from her time with WUSC, CIDA, the Guyana Red Cross, and SEW Tanzania.
She is passionate about improving the lives of the most vulnerable through international cooperation and committed to strengthening communities’ relationships with animals and their environment.
This field report from Rwanda highlights how VWB’s COHERS program is tackling the pork tapeworm Taenia solium through a One Health approach — uniting local One Health Teams, Community Hygiene Clubs, and behaviour-change initiatives to strengthen sanitation, improve animal health, and build momentum at the community level.
This story profiles Donatha Anyinkamiye, Executive Secretary of Tare Sector, whose leadership and advocacy are helping COHERS turn One Health awareness into lasting, community-led change in Rwanda.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dave Shuey, a Veterinary Social Worker with IndeVets, about the growing field of veterinary social work and how innovative practice models can help bring balance, fulfilment, and sustainability back to veterinary medicine.
