Lifebox Names Natalie Meyers Global CEO to Advance Safe Surgery Worldwide

Global surgery and health systems leader brings nearly two decades of experience scaling locally led programs, partnerships, and impact.

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- November 12, 2026. Lifebox, a global nonprofit working to make surgery and anesthesia safer worldwide, today announced the appointment of Natalie Meyers, MPH, as its new Global Chief Executive Officer. Meyers will assume the role on November 16, 2026.

Meyers brings nearly two decades of experience in global surgery, public health, international development, government, philanthropy, and social impact innovation.

She joins Lifebox as the organization enters the next phase of delivering its 2025–2030 strategy to strengthen surgical systems, scale patient-safety programs, and improve outcomes for millions of surgical patients worldwide.

“As we deliver our 2025–2030 strategy and position Lifebox for our ambitious third decade of work, we wanted a leader who could build on our strong foundation, help us reach more people, and expand our partnerships and impact,” said Professor Thomas Weiser, Chair of the Lifebox Global Governance Council and Professor of Surgery at Stanford University. “Natalie brings the global health leadership, strategic thinking, and partnership-building experience we need. She understands the importance of supporting locally led surgical systems and has a proven record of bringing together partners and resources to create lasting impact.”

Before joining Lifebox, Meyers served as Executive Vice President of Programs and Partnerships at ReSurge International, where she led teams across 17 countries and built ReSurge’s eight-country Africa portfolio from the ground up with local leaders and institutions, and helped secure resources to grow the organization’s programs and impact. She also led initiatives advancing women’s leadership in surgery, including the Pioneering Women in Reconstructive Surgery program, and founded and co-chaired ReSurge’s AI and Innovation Task Force. Her work has contributed to global health projects in more than 40 countries.

As a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Meyers managed over US$55 million in Ebola preparedness funding across nine African countries and helped set up the agency’s Ebola Task Force during the 2014 West Africa outbreak. She also worked on the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) at the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.

Earlier in her career, Meyers worked with the Gates Foundation and Global Impact Advisors on a project that expanded contraceptive access for more than 40 million women over six years. She also worked with Spring Impact in London, supporting organizations to scale social impact. She later became an innovation strategist in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office, where she managed Civic Bridge, a program that connects private-sector experts with government teams to tackle important city challenges.

Meyers is also a published thought leader on global surgery, with commentary appearing in Stanford Social Innovation Review, Devex, The Hill, and Think Global Health.

“Safe surgery is all too often treated as an afterthought in global health. Yet, it is the cornerstone of every strong health system, and Lifebox’s work proves what can happen when practical solutions are combined with local leadership and long-term support,” said Meyers. “Much of my career has focused on building and scaling what works. I am excited to bring that experience to Lifebox to work with our partners and team to build on the organization’s legacy of impact to date, which has meant safer surgery delivered to over 248 million patients worldwide.’’

Meyers succeeds Kris Torgeson, who previously served as Lifebox Global CEO. During the transition, Judy Ngugi, Lifebox’s Chief Finance and Administration Officer, served as Interim CEO.

As Lifebox celebrates 15 years of making surgery and anesthesia safer, Meyers’ appointment marks a new chapter for the organization. Lifebox will focus on scaling its programs, strengthening surgical systems, and closing the gaps that still prevent millions of patients from accessing safe surgery and anesthesia.

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About Lifebox
Lifebox is a global nonprofit that saves lives through safer surgery and anesthesia. Through tools, training, and partnerships, Lifebox addresses critical gaps in surgical systems to make surgery and anesthesia safer worldwide. Lifebox’s work focuses on three core areas: anesthesia safety, surgical teamwork, and reducing surgical infection. The organization was co-founded in 2011 by Dr. Atul Gawande, who led the development of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist, a landmark global patient-safety tool designed to improve teamwork and reduce preventable harm in the operating room.

Since 2011, Lifebox has worked in 116 countries and trained more than 14,400 healthcare workers, helping make more than 248 million surgeries safe. To learn more about Lifebox, visit www.lifebox.org

Lourdes Walusala
Lifebox
lourdes.walusala@lifebox.org
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