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.
Based in Scotland | Working Globally
Values
My work is rooted in 5 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.