Dr Kizanne James - McCarthy is a multi-award-winning physician scholar, international development leader, and unapologetic advocate for health justice. With 20 years of experience spanning grassroots activism, clinical practice, and institutional transformation, she partners with NGOs, governments, and global health organisations to dismantle systemic inequities and co-create healthcare systems that honour the dignity of marginalised communities.
A radically empathetic leader, Dr. James merges her lived experience as an Afro-Trinidadian, Black intersectional feminist with her expertise in public health strategy to achieve measurable results for institutions, including:
● Co-creating healthcare interventions that honour cultural integrity and dismantle inequity.
● Diagnosing systemic failures in access and provision to redesign them in partnership with targeted communities.
● Training organisations in equity-centred evaluation, stakeholder negotiation, and inclusive leadership.
Values
My work is rooted in five core values that drive tangible outcomes:
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Leading with deep listening to create safe, productive spaces.
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Aiming for liberation and systemic change over assimilation.
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Centring local traditions and community-defined solutions.
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Advocating unapologetically as a Black Caribbean woman in systemic change spaces.
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Measuring success by restored dignity and verified metrics.
Recognised by Johns Hopkins, the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute, and as a TEDx speaker and international media contributor, Dr. James is a sought-after expert on decolonising global health, inclusive leadership, and the transformative power of joy as a public health strategy.
My Mission
To build systems where everyone—regardless of identity or circumstance—can thrive.
My work centres joy, authenticity, and creativity.
Media
Location: United Kingdom
TEDx Talk Solving the Sexual Health Education Challenge
Location: New York City
Conversation: My experience as World Contraception Day Ambassador for Latin America and the Caribbean
Location: Caribbean
Connecting with your purpose.
Location: Rawanda Africa
An interview discussing Sexual Health Education Challenges in the Caribbean
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Media interview to encourage young people from challenging backgrounds to keep working towards their dream
Location: Scotland
Black Women’s Poor Maternal Health Outcomes in the UK, Commission on the Status of Women United Nations Meeting Interview
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Interview: Leaders of Now talking about Access Sexual Health Promotion
Location: United Kingdom
International Women’s Day Keynote Talk for the University of Southampton
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
Award winning World Contraception Day Project
Location: Trinidad and Tobago
National TV interview about funding received to make surgical miscarriage management in Trinidad and Tobago safer
Location: New York City, USA
120 Under 40 Global Family Planning Champions by the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population Health
Location: New York City
World Contraception Day Ambassador’s Project