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Organisational structure

Governance and global leadership.

Our governance framework sets out who leads Hearts for the Homeless International, how decisions are made, and who is accountable for the 64 chapters running free preventive health screening opportunities in 12 countries.

Executive committee Departments
Hearts for the Homeless International governance and leadership team on a panel at Clinton Global Initiative University
nine on the committee

Governance model

How our governance works.

Hearts for the Homeless International is directed by a nine-member executive committee, supported by national chapter leadership and an international operations office. This page serves as the public record of our governance structure: who holds each office, the regions and areas they oversee, and how decisions are coordinated with the volunteers delivering our free preventive health screening opportunities worldwide.

01

Executive governance

Nine officers form the Executive Committee, the organisation’s senior governing body. Together, they provide strategic leadership, oversee the organisation’s core functions, and support the development and coordination of its national chapters and international activities. The Executive Committee works under the leadership of the Founder and President, Andrew Aboujaoude, MD, ensuring that organisational decisions are coordinated effectively and carried through across the wider Hearts for the Homeless International network.

02

Chapter governance

Chapter governance operates through a coordinated national and international structure. In the United States, an Executive Director of National Chapters oversees five regions: Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, and West Coast. Internationally, chapter operations are coordinated across South America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Europe. Across every region, chapters follow the same screening protocols, governance standards, and reporting structure, ensuring consistency and accountability throughout the Hearts for the Homeless International network.

03

Research and ethics governance

Research governance is overseen by the Research Department, led by the Chief Scientific Officer, Jennifer Daley, MSc, MPH. Research conducted using data collected through screening opportunities is subject to review by an independent institutional review board registered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under IORG0010851. The board operates independently of the Research Department, providing an external layer of ethical oversight and ensuring that research activities are reviewed objectively.

Hearts for the Homeless began as a student project at the University of Central Florida in 2015, and its leadership has since presented at Clinton Global Initiative University. The same governance structure now supports 64 chapters, including 53 across the United States and 11 internationally, serving communities in 12 countries. Questions regarding governance, chapter accreditation, or partnership can be directed to the International Operations Office.

Leadership

Executive committee.

Nine officers form the executive committee, the senior governance body of Hearts for the Homeless International. Each one holds a defined portfolio and answers to the founder and president.

Andrew Aboujaoude, MD, Founder and President of Hearts for the Homeless International
Founder & President

Andrew Aboujaoude, MD

Founded Hearts for the Homeless at the University of Central Florida in 2015 and grew it into a global organisation of 64 chapters worldwide. Anesthesiologist and interventional pain specialist, Captain in the U.S. Air Force, and Assistant Professor.

With H4H since 2015
Based San Antonio, Texas
Discipline Anesthesiology and pain medicine
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Sarah Haddad, BDS, Executive Officer of International Operations
Executive officer, international operations

Sarah Haddad, BDS

Amman, Jordan
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Sastha Rajamanikandan, Chief Administrative Officer
Chief administrative officer

Sastha Rajamanikandan

Orlando, Florida

United States

National chapters.

Regional ambassadors oversee five geographic areas across the country.

Maeve Murphy, Executive Director of National Chapters
Executive director, national chapters

Maeve Murphy

Baltimore, Maryland

Regional coverage

Region North east
Region Midwest
Region Southwest
Region South east
Region West coast

Worldwide

International chapters.

Operations run across five world regions, led from Amman.

Sarah Haddad, BDS, Executive Officer of International Operations
Executive officer, international operations

Sarah Haddad, BDS

Amman, Jordan
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Yazan Dabbah, International Chapter Operations
International chapter operations

Yazan Dabbah

Amman, Jordan

Regional coverage

Region South America
Region Africa
Region Asia-Pacific
Region Middle East
Region Europe

Eight specialist teams

Explore our departments

Expansion, medical information, research, finance, marketing, human resources, and our national and international chapter operations teams each publish how they work and who leads them.

View all departments About H4H