International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
Tewodros Melesse, Director-General
Tewodros Melesse became the Director-General of IPPF in September 2011. Previously he was the Regional Director of the IPPF Africa Region starting in January 2002.
Tewodros is an economist who studied at the Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium. He has nearly 20 years experience in planning, developing, monitoring, and managing effective large-scale development and Reproductive Health programmes in Africa. After he assumed the directorship of IPPFAR he has overseen the complete refocusing, restructuring, and renewal of the office.
Tewodros Melesse began his professional career in Family Planning/Reproductive Health in 1984 as a programme officer with Family Planning International Assistance (FPIA), and subsequently joined IPPFAR as a programme officer.
Before his current role with IPPF, he served Pathfinder International in a number of different capacities; he was Assistant Regional Representative, Associate Regional Representative and Country Representative in Ethiopia where he played a leadership role, managing an annual budget of US$4 million and a staff of 25 people.
Tewodros Melesse believes firmly that a higher level of responsibility demands more of leadership than just management. Leadership, he believes, requires transparency and vision.