Hermela Assefa is an associate on the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy. She supports the SPARC Rare Disease and Oncology portfolio, helping to advance innovation in biomedical science and promote inclusive research practices. Assefa brings strong skills in community engagement, project coordination, and strategic planning, along with a background in public health research and health equity, to help design and implement strategic, impact-driven philanthropic initiatives.

Prior to joining the Institute, Assefa was a senior associate at Pyxis Partners, where she led engagement efforts for pediatric partners of the NIH All of Us Research Program. She also served as a maternity care specialist at Children’s National Hospital, coordinating care and services for low-income Black women in a maternal mental health research initiative. Assefa holds a BA in public health with a concentration in sociology from Franklin & Marshall College and is based in the Institute’s Washington, DC, office.