VITAMIN ANGELS APPOINTS GLOBAL HEALTH LEADER ANA CÉSPEDES AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

GOLETA, Calif., March 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitamin Angels is pleased to announce the appointment of Ana Céspedes as its new Chief Executive Officer. As a globally recognized leader in the health space with a strong commitment to advancing innovation, access and health equity, Céspedes will build on Vitamin Angels' 31-year legacy of improving maternal and child nutrition worldwide. With her extensive expertise working with governments, academia, local and global health organizations, multilateral partners, philanthropies and life science corporations, she is poised to lead the organization into a new era of growth, impact and expanded reach. 

"I have immense admiration for the incredible work Howard and the Vitamin Angels team have achieved together with our local and global partners and funders. I am committed to building on this very solid legacy with dedication and passion," said Ana Céspedes, CEO of Vitamin Angels. "Today, nearly 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet and are at risk of malnutrition. Together, we have the opportunity to be the generation that ends malnutrition in pregnant women, infants and children under five. Nutrition interventions targeting underserved populations are not only backed by strong scientific evidence but are also among the most cost-effective public health strategies. For example, according to a recent Copenhagen Consensus report, every $1 invested in multiple micronutrient supplementation versus iron-folic acid (the current global standard) can generate returns of $37 through improved health outcomes and enhanced productivity. Over the past three decades, Vitamin Angels' programs have not only saved lives but also helped break the cycle of poor health and poverty to support long-term economic gains."

Céspedes, PhD in Pharmacy, brings nearly three decades of global leadership experience to Vitamin Angels. Most recently, she served as Chief Operating Officer at IAVI (previously, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative), where she played a pivotal role in the expansion of the organization's focus to include Tuberculosis and other emerging infectious diseases while spearheading key initiatives in operational excellence and strategic growth. Prior to IAVI, Céspedes held senior leadership positions in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and strategic consulting sectors, including Lilly, Arthur Andersen, Serono and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, where she led global market access and pricing teams, and corporate affairs in Spain and Portugal. She also serves as an independent board member of argenx, a global biotechnology company listed on Nasdaq and Euronext.

"Ana is the ideal choice to lead Vitamin Angels into our next chapter of growth and impact," said Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels Founder. "Her visionary leadership, deep expertise and passion for global health uniquely positions her to advance our mission. I am confident that under her leadership, Vitamin Angels will thrive and, most importantly, continue improving lives around the world."

"The Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Ana Céspedes as the new CEO of Vitamin Angels," said Jim Hamilton, Chair of the Vitamin Angels Board of Directors. "Her strategic vision and proven track record will be invaluable in guiding the organization toward its next phase of sustainable long-term success in global public health."

Céspedes will officially begin her role as CEO at the end of March 2025. To learn more about Ana Céspedes, please visit: https://vitaminangels.org/about/team/

ABOUT VITAMIN ANGELS
Founded in 1994, Vitamin Angels is a public health nonprofit working to improve nutrition and health outcomes in low-resource settings worldwide. We strengthen, extend, and amplify the impact of our partner organizations working to reach the most nutritionally vulnerable groups – pregnant women, infants, and young children – who are underserved by existing systems. We do this by delivering evidence-based interventions and offering technical assistance, including ongoing monitoring and evaluation, to ensure program quality, scale, and impact. Vitamin Angels works with over 1,200 local organizations, including governments, to reach over 74 million women and children in 65 countries annually. Both Charity Navigator and Candid give Vitamin Angels their highest marks for financial transparency. To learn more, visit: www.vitaminangels.org.

SOURCE Vitamin Angels