Essential Medicines News

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines has hired interim executive directors. Both of the new directors are students, and will serve February to September 2007. The organization is looking to hire a permanent executive director at that time. No announcement has been posted on the UAEM site yet.

Michael Steffen is in his second year at Yale Law School. He graduated from Yale in 2003 with a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, concentrating on information and technology policy. Before returning to law school, Michael spent two years in Washington, D.C. with the Center for Democracy and Technology, where he worked with industry, policy-makers, and the press as an advocate on civil liberties and intellectual property issues. Michael spent last summer with the Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge in India, and continues with the group as a legal and strategic consultant.

Robynn Sturm is a second year J.D. candidate at Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale in 2002 with a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science, Robynn worked with the Self Employed Women’s Association in India to develop an advocacy agenda on trade for informal sector workers. She later joined YUVA Consulting, where she led policy research to improve water access for Mumbai’s urban poor. Last summer, Robynn served as a law clerk on Senator Leahy’s Judiciary Committee staff.

Steffen and Sturm will be the first executive directors for the young organization. UAEM had posted the position in June. Steffen is a member of UAEM’s 2006-07 coordinating committee.