Lydia Saloucou is Pathfinder International’s country director in Burkina Faso. She has nearly 20 years public health experience in reproductive and maternal health and organizational management in Africa. She joined Pathfinder in Burkina Faso in 2015. In her early career, she expanded her field experience in sociological research, focusing on the needs of married adolescents and evaluation of how gender issues intersect with family planning and reproductive health. She studied the management of local NGOs in West Africa and gained important experience in building organizational capacity of reproductive health NGOs in Burkina Faso and other countries. She then transitioned into managing Population Council’s office in Ouagadougou and heading its operations research and development agenda. After eight years, Lydia joined the HIV and AIDS Alliance’s Private Community Initiative, where she organized local organizations in Burkina Faso to liaise and advocate with the Burkinabe Government to integrate family planning activities into the country’s HIV and AIDS program. Lydia then took her talents to the international stage, moving to Kenya to become team leader for the International Planned Parenthood Federation in West and Central Africa. She has a post-Master in education and development, specializing in gender studies and NGO management, with degrees from University of Lille in France and the University of Ouagadougou. She speaks French and English.