Associate Director, Nutrition and Technical Assistance

Jillian Emerson, PhD

Jillian Emerson, PhD is a public health nutritionist with over ten years of experience in research and programs.  In her role as Associate Director, Nutrition and Technical Assistance, she provides technical guidance for the development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of Vitamin Angels’ maternal, infant, and young child nutrition and micronutrient supplementation programs.  Prior to working at Vitamin Angels, Dr. Emerson was the Associate Director of Francophone Africa Programs at Alive & Thrive, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s flagship nutrition project.  She started her career working in humanitarian emergency and post-emergency nutrition programs in Haiti and South Sudan, and her experience includes managing programs for the treatment of acute malnutrition as well as the promotion of optimal maternal, infant, and young child nutrition through social and behavior change and health systems strengthening.  Dr. Emerson received her doctoral degree in International Health and Human Nutrition from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her research focused on maternal mental health and its association with maternal and child health and nutrition outcomes.  She also has a MA in International Politics from American University’s School of International Service.

Team member since 2021.