Nan Chen

About Nan Chen

Nan believes that complex problems can be solved with the right mix of curiosity, compassion, and collective action. As Co-Executive Director of Africa Frontline First, Nan leads a partnership initiative working with governments to scale, strengthen, and sustain professional community health workers across Africa by 2030, reaching more than 100 million people.Africa Frontline First efforts have already unlocked over $240 million, directly supporting CHWs who deliver lifesaving care to more than 40 million people. These investments are helping countries build resilient, people-centered health systems that bring quality care closer to communities.A strategist and coalition-builder, Nan has spent his career mobilizing financing, shaping policy, and bringing doers and donors together to turn vision into reality. Previously, he led Health Systems Strengthening at Last Mile Health and served as a founding member and board chair of the Financing Alliance for Health. He also sits on the institutional leadership team of the Community Health Delivery Partnership, a multi-stakeholder effort to expand the reach and impact of CHW programs.Bridging policy and practice, Nan champions frontline health workers and is committed to shifting power and resources closer to communities. Connect with Nan to collaborate on advancing health sovereignty and reimagining primary care from the frontlines.

Experience

1. Co-executive Director, and Founder

   Africa Frontline First

   Oct 2022 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Co-lead Africa Frontline First’s vision to scale and professionalize community health workers by 2030.Drive strategic partnerships, policy engagement, and financing solutions with governments, donors, and the African Union to strengthen national community health systems. This includes leading teams to design and launch the Africa Frontline First Catalytic Fund. Advocate for Africa-led, locally owned development—championing integration, sustainability, and CHWs as central to health security and economic resilience.Oversee organizational growth and cross-partner alignment across AFF’s founding coalition (Last Mile Health, CHIC, Financing Alliance for Health).

Education

• Peking University

  Mandarin

  2009 — 2009

• Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

  Law

  2006 — 2009

• IE Business School

  LLM - Exchange, International Business Law

  2008 — 2009

• Harvard Kennedy School

  Masters in Public Policy, Political and Economic Development

• University of Chicago

  BA, Comparitive Human Development

  2003 — 2006

Skills

• Emerging Markets
• Social Enterprise
• Strategy
• Financial Modeling
• Class Actions
• Advocacy
• Commercial Litigation
• Policy Analysis
• Business Strategy
• International Development
• Nonprofits
• Legal Research
• Appeals
• Legal Writing
• Litigation
• New Business Development
• Accountability
• Research
• Governance
• Human Rights
• Rule of Law
• Public Private Partnerships
• Government Relations
• Entrepreneurship