Our monthly check-in with staff from around the world. Learn more about the people who work at CHAI.
Sharmishta Sivaramakrishnan
Title: Senior Manager, Global Operations
Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Start date: July 1, 2024
Please tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to CHAI.
Before joining CHAI, I built my career across the UN, World Economic Forum, Singapore Government, EY-Parthenon, and the Asian Development Bank—working at the intersection of corporate strategy, public policy, and cross-sector partnerships. As a trained development economist who has studied, lived, and worked across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and North America, and is also bilingual in English and French, I bring a global perspective to my work. My portfolio has spanned global health, foreign workforce policy, free trade agreements, and private-sector engagement. A common thread across these roles is a focus on solving complex challenges through systems-level change, which ultimately led me to CHAI’s mission of strengthening health systems and expanding access to care in low- and middle-income countries.
For me, systems-level change isn’t abstract—it happens in the day-to-day decisions that enable teams to deliver better, faster, and more sustainably. That’s why I see global operations as a powerful lever: it’s where strategy meets execution.
Looking back on your first year with CHAI, what has been the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is working behind the scenes to make frontline impact possible in our 35+ geographies around the world. I love the challenge of helping teams navigate complexity—whether that’s through operational problem-solving, better systems, or simply unblocking what’s in their way. No two days are the same, and I thrive in that mix of structure and adaptability. It’s also a privilege to collaborate with such mission-driven colleagues around the world—people who show up every day with humility, urgency, and heart. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that what we build in global operations directly supports our country and program teams to get more people the care they need, when they need it.
When do you feel the most inspired by your work?
I feel most inspired when I’m working alongside our country and program teams based in over 35 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. These are some of the most committed, thoughtful, and solutions-driven colleagues I’ve worked with. The field is where the real action happens—whether it’s a health facility, a team room, or a conversation that challenges your assumptions. Every interaction shows me all that I do not know, and reminds me that humility, curiosity, and collaboration are at the core of doing this work well.
What is your favorite thing about your career?
One of my favorite things about my career is the chance it’s given me to work across sectors—public, private, and non-profit—on issues that matter. I’ve always taken on challenging, high-intensity roles. The challenge fuels me rather than deters me. Each chapter has brought new challenges, sharp learning curves, and most importantly, mentors who’ve stretched how I think and lead. I’ve learned as much from navigating complexity as I have from the people who showed me how to stay grounded.
Who is someone you admire, and why?
Someone I deeply admire is Kofi Annan—not because he was perfect, but because he carried his imperfections with humility and conviction. He was the UN Secretary-General I grew up reading about, the face of diplomacy, and dignity during my formative years. As a graduate student at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva—our shared alma mater—his legacy felt both distant and personal. I once had a brief, unexpected encounter with him in the hallway of our school; he smiled and nodded, and though just a passing moment, it stayed with me. Later, through my work at UNAIDS and with youth at the UN, I saw firsthand how his emphasis on dignity, inclusion, and quiet leadership continues to ripple through global institutions. What struck me most was that he didn’t only share his successes—he openly reflected on where he fell short and what he learned. That, to me, is one of the most powerful tenets of leadership: the willingness to own your missteps and still show up with purpose.
What are three words that you describe you?
Inquisitive, grounded, empathetic.
What is your proudest accomplishment at work or in life?
One of my proudest accomplishments at work has been creating space for peer mentorship and paying it forward. Whether it’s helping someone navigate a tough decision, sharing what I’ve learned the hard way, or opening a door that was once opened for me—I’ve found deep fulfilment in investing in others. Titles and roles shift, but the relationships we build and the people we support leave the most lasting impact.
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?
If I could choose to do anything for a day, I’d curate and refine my second photography exhibition. I’d immerse myself in the stories behind each image, select prints, and think through how they speak to one another. My first show, Geneva: The Habitats Within, held at the UN Headquarters in Geneva, explored the quiet intersections of city, self, and the idea of home. Photography isn’t just a hobby; it’s a way I process the world and share it back, frame by frame.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, and could only bring three things with you, what would they be and why?
If I were stranded on a deserted island, I’d bring my camera, infinite rolls of 35mm film, and a journal. The camera helps me pay attention; film makes my photography more deliberate. The journal would be for piecing things together—thoughts, memories, and questions.
