In June 2016, IHA launched its Health Innovation program, making it the first Impact Hub worldwide to deliver a full-time, sector-specific health vertical. With partners ranging from the Ministry of Health to Facebook to Yale University, the Health Innovation program at Impact Hub Accra has established itself as the key player in Ghana for critical thinking about the best ways to blend traditional health research and practice with innovation, entrepreneurship, and empowerment. 

Emily Sheldon, MPH serves as Director of Health Innovation for Impact Hub Accra. She is most passionate about using market-based approaches to solve complex health challenges throughout the African continent, and has global development experience which spans sub-Saharan Africa and includes diverse engagement in academic research, capacity building for urban and rural communities, and grant consultation services. In addition to her role as the Director of Health Innovation, Emily also serves as Africa Lead for the Impact Hub global team, driving sector-agnostic strategy and partnerships for Impact Hub throughout the continent.

Prior to joining Impact Hub, Emily worked in the non-profit, for-profit, and consulting fields with a predominant focus on process leadership, project management, and strategy. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, TN, USA. While pursuing her graduate degree, Emily also served as a key player in the launch of the Turner Family Center for Social Ventures (TFC) at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management, a social enterprise-focused initiative dedicated to global poverty alleviation. During her time with the TFC, Emily led the organization's inaugural strategic planning process and served on both the advisory board and programming board for the center.