Our Staff

Kate Campana has been building successful coalitions and campaigns for equal access for the past 12 years. As the chief executive of The Access Challenge, Kate is responsible for the organization’s vision and strategy.  She designs and executes its powerful mass media campaigns, builds global coalitions and pushes for policy change to ensure universal access to health for the most vulnerable populations.

Before founding The Access Challenge, Kate led Speak Up Africa, Inc. for six years. In that role, she created some of the continent’s most notable mass media campaigns, including Every Breath Counts, focused on the global fight against pneumonia and Africa United, which featured football stars in a campaign meant to build public trust in health workers to fight ebola. Before joining Speak Up Africa, Kate was the first employee and founding member of Malaria No More, where she served as Managing Director. She played a pivotal role in establishing the organization as a leader in the global fight against malaria.

Kate has her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, and her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. She worked as an attorney at the international law firm, Shearman & Sterling before beginning her career in public health.

“To me, universal access means reaching ALL all mothers and children -- even the most vulnerable in the hardest to reach places.”

A native of Tanzania, located on the eastern coast of Africa, Asad is a recent Master’s graduate from New York University (NYU) - Gallatin School of Individualized study with a Master's in Business and Human Development in Global Emerging Markets. His Master’s thesis research was based on sustainable textile manufacturing in Tanzania and the way forward. As part of his thesis deliverables, Asad created a policy proposal for Tanzania’s Textile sector and collaborated with Tanzania’s Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Textile Development Unit, and the esteemed Prof Benno Ndulu, Former governor of Tanzania’s central bank among other renowned economists, professors, and leaders.

While at NYU, Asad was appointed as a graduate research assistant at NYU Africa House & Development Research Institute, working directly with the Former President of Tanzania, H.E Jakaya M. Kikwete doing high-level research and had the rare opportunity to be a ghost-writer for his upcoming book: The Journey of My Life: From Barefoot Schoolboy to President" which is based on the Former President’s 40+ years of leadership experience and active public service.

Prior to NYU, Asad graduated from Drexel University in Philadelphia with a Bachelor’s in Business and Engineering, and has worked at multinational corporations such as Sunoco Inc, Exelon-Peco, and TE Connectivity in business development and corporate strategy.

These broad experiences have provided Asad with an expertise in emerging markets, business strategy, sustainable investing, high-level presidential research, presidential book writing, government affairs, diplomacy and policy planning.

To Asad, “Access means hope. Hope for a better future, for all people, everywhere.  Access to healthcare, education, and adequate living standards, is essential for the development of any nation.” 

Banafsheh joined The Access Challenge in September 2018 and is a certified public accountant in the State of New York.  She has over ten years of experience in public accounting and has supervised audits of companies of all sizes, including non-profit organizations.  She volunteers as the chief operating officer of a human rights organization, The Article 20 Network, and is a lifelong activist.  

Banafsheh overseas and manages our finances and implements our budget process.  Banafsheh believes that all people should have access to healthcare and free education as these are basic human rights and is working with us to help achieve these goals. 
 

Katy Morris has spent the majority of her career in communications and marketing, working for a range of organizations across many cultures.

She spent two years as Director of Communications & Marketing for Guatemalan-based nonprofit Mayan Families where she was responsible for designing and running their integrated marketing, communications and fundraising strategy. She also has four years of experience consulting women-founded health & wellness startups, international and domestic human rights organizations and startup investment funds in the areas of strategic planning, communications, marketing and growth. 

She holds an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from UNC Kenan-Flagler, a professional certificate in Impact Investing & Social Enterprise from Middlebury Institute, and a BA in International Politics from NYU.