Speaker's profile

Marla Shaivitz is the director of digital strategy for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. In this role, she serves as the Center’s point person for designing new technology based digital initiatives and providing strategic technical leadership across the Center. Since joining Johns Hopkins, she has been instrumental in a number of digital initiatives. In 2017, Marla led the team that was a Webby Award finalist for a digital documentation of CCP’s work in West Africa during the Ebola crisis. She authored a proposal to the UNICODE consortium advocating for a mosquito emoji, which was approved and implemented across operating systems in the fall of 2018. Most recently, was the technical lead for the KAP COVID series of data visualizations. A seasoned technologist with over 20 years’ experience managing and leading digital projects, Marla has a passion for innovations in technology and those working toward social good. Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, Marla was a founding member of a technology consulting firm and spent nine years working for a strategic health philanthropy directing online initiatives. As a contributing writer for a popular tech blog focused on technology companies and their founders, she has interviewed entrepreneurs across the United States and Africa.

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