Meet the Team: Bernadette Nkhata, Our Public Health Project Manager
- Caroline Van Cauwelaert
- Jun 23
- 2 min read
We’re delighted to introduce Bernadette Nkhata, one of EPCON’s newest additions, and our new health-focused Project Manager as our team continues to grow. Bernadette joined in May 2025, bringing with her a wealth of experience in global health and a deep commitment to equitable, data-informed public health systems.
At EPCON, Bernadette plays a pivotal role in coordinating AI-driven public health initiatives, with a focus on tuberculosis control. She ensures that predictive models are not only technically sound but also meaningfully integrated into programs that improve health outcomes on the ground. “My work involves making sure that data-informed strategies don’t just stay on paper,” she explains. “We translate them into real-world interventions that serve communities.”
Bernadette’s background includes roles at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), and Wits VIDA, where she focused on improving health systems, vaccine policy, and implementation. She’s well-versed in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis, clinical research, and monitoring & evaluation. She also holds formal training in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Health.
What motivates her most? “The opportunity to help low-income countries implement innovative ways to reduce their disease burden,” she says. “AI can transform public health systems and if we get it right, it can make them more responsive, more efficient, and truly tailored to local needs.”
Bernadette is candid about the challenges: limited data, fragmented systems, and resistance to new technologies remain major barriers. But she’s hopeful. “We’re seeing more countries prioritize data quality and invest in systems that can support AI. Over the next five years, I believe predictive models will become more localized, timely, and effective, helping us detect and prevent outbreaks with far greater speed and precision.”
In addition, there is also a need for stronger regulatory frameworks and ethical guidance to ensure that AI in public health remains equitable and beneficial across diverse populations.
Outside of work, Bernadette enjoys exploring the city (currently Gauteng, but she will move to Cape Town). This includes finding hidden cafés, attending live music sessions, or perhaps trying new cuisine. She cares deeply about people and community, and often finds herself drawn to conversations and spaces that inspire connection and shared purpose.
We’re thrilled to have Bernadette on board and can’t wait to see the impact of her leadership as EPCON’s public health work continues to expand.
