Karin Kanewske Turner (Birnie) brings over two decades of global health and development leadership to her role as Chief Advancement Officer at Project Yananai. Renowned for her visionary approach and unwavering commitment to equity, Karin has dedicated her career to empowering local organizations and championing locally led innovation across Africa.

With more than 18 years of experience working on the continent, Karin has partnered with communities and organizations to drive sustainable change in health systems, environmental health, and public health innovation. Her work spans building strategic partnerships with ministries of health, civil society, and international funders, always with a focus on strengthening the capacity and resilience of local actors. She worked over 12 years at USAID in Southern Africa, and before that in UN missions, World Bank and the US Peace Corps. She has a BA in Molecular Biology, a MPH from Johns Hopkinds and recently completed an Executive MBA from the University of Edinburgh.

Karin has overseen major growth initiatives for South Africa-based organizations, established locally led program offices in multiple African countries, and directed large-scale projects focused on HIV, TB, and health systems strengthening. As an independent consultant and advisor, Karin supports executive teams on operations, business development, and strategic direction. Karin’s work is guided by a commitment to diversity, gender equity, and inclusion, using community-led, human-centered design approaches to drive meaningful, sustainable progress. She is also a champion of innovative financing and angel investment, particularly in supporting women-led initiatives and expanding access to capital for African entrepreneur
 

Karin’s passion lies in fostering inclusive cultures and lifting up emerging leaders, ensuring that solutions are tailored to the unique needs and strengths of each community. She believes deeply that lasting impact comes from empowering local organizations to lead the development agenda. Throughout her career, she has mentored diverse teams, supported executive leadership, and guided organizations through major growth initiatives—always centering local voices and expertise.