Vandana Shah

Vandana Shah is Vice President, Health Systems Strengthening at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), where she provides strategic leadership across a global portfolio advancing stronger, more equitable health systems. She oversees major initiatives spanning noncommunicable diseases, Data for Health, Drowning Prevention, Health Financing, Immunization and Prevent Epidemics.

Vandana manages multidisciplinary teams working in more than 20 countries, partnering with governments and civil society to catalyze political will, mobilize domestic resources and strengthen the effectiveness and accountability of health spending. With deep expertise in budget advocacy and health tax policy, she has driven strategies that translate evidence into policy change and increased public investment in health. Her work has enabled locally led advocacy efforts that deliver sustainable financing and improved health outcomes across diverse settings.

Previously, Vandana served as Regional Director for South Asia at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and GHAI, where she led multi-country policy and advocacy efforts across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the broader region. Her portfolio included tobacco control, food policy, cardiovascular health, drowning prevention and gender equity. She continues to guide tobacco control and food policy initiatives in India.

Earlier in her career, Vandana was Executive Director of the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund, where she led the design and implementation of statewide prevention programs with annual budgets exceeding $30 million. She is co-founder of KIRAN, a North Carolina–based organization supporting South Asian survivors of domestic violence, and has held board leadership roles across several healthcare and nonprofit organizations, including serving as Vice Chair of the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation.

Vandana holds law degrees from Duke University and University of Calcutta.