About Us

Bold thinking. Actionable insights. Optimal impact.

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Our mission

Empower decision makers to improve lives through sustainable technology.

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Our vision

A world in which the transformative power of data is fully harnessed to enable thriving societies everywhere.

Our values

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Innovation

We combine state-of-the-art technologies and knowledge to develop cutting-edge solutions.

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Sustainability

We co-create solutions that are long-lasting and scalable.

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Empathy

We seek a deep understanding of our partners’ vision and needs.

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Excellence

We strive to produce the highest quality work that exceeds our partners’ expectations.

What we do

BAO Systems is an industry leader in digital data solutions for health and development. We empower our partners to implement scalable and sustainable solutions that uncover data-driven insights to improve livelihoods, strengthen health systems, and achieve equitable human development.

Our team comprises passionate public health and development practitioners, information system experts, software engineers, system engineers, monitoring and evaluation advisors, and data scientists. We excel in providing a broad spectrum of services and products.

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Our leadership

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Steffen Tengesdal Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder

Steffen has over 15 years of experience in senior-level IT technical and management positions. He has owned and operated several successful IT businesses, including development firms, hosting companies, and an IT consultancy. Steffen has experience serving commercial, government, and non-profit organizations. His expertise is focused on enterprise web application design & development as well as IT operations & infrastructure management in public health and international development.

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Dr. Adebusoye Anifalaje Chief Implementation Officer, Co-Founder

Busoye is a solutions architect with over 10 years of experience in health systems database design, training, and deployment. He has supported the design and implementation of DHIS2 health systems in several countries and worked on multi-country DHIS2 implementation for NGOs. He is an informatics specialist with distinct expertise in effective deployment of teams in the design, implementation, and evaluation of enterprise-level international development projects.

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Lars Helge Øverland Chief Data Officer, Co-Founder

Lars is a software engineer and architect with more than 14 years of experience in building web and integration solutions. He brings deep expertise in systems architecture, databases, data modeling, data analytics, and web API design. He has been the lead developer of DHIS2, the world’s largest information system within the international development domain, since its inception in 2005.

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Katherine Lew Director of Business Development

Katherine is a public health professional with over 15 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, health information systems strengthening, and data analytics, visualization and use. Having worked in multiple countries across Asia and Africa, she has keen insight into the data needs of our partners. Katherine builds and maintains partner relationships, conducts market research, and recommends services and products, helping to drive company strategy and impact.

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Nicola Hobby Senior Director, Portfolio and Account Management

Nicola has over 20 years of experience in field-based public health and health systems strengthening initiatives and since 2011 has led multiple institutional efforts to deploy DHIS2 at an enterprise level. She has worked in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa, and South America. Nicola manages the global services team, ensuring that our clients’ projects are implemented with the highest quality of technical support.

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Valerie Kerns Senior Director Product Management

Valerie is an accomplished Software-as-a-Service Executive. She has developed high performing product and engineering teams to deliver strategic results aligned with corporate strategy. Valerie has been building successful teams for over a decade in a variety of settings. Her recent experience has focused on product and engineering teams at Pre-Seed and Series A startups and now leads the Dharma Platform team at BAO Systems.

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Andrew Westdorp Chief Operating Officer

Andrew brings over 25 years of experience delivering innovative Health IT solutions for clients across the public and private sectors. He has successfully managed large, multi-million Health IT initiatives for the US Department of State (PEPFAR), AHRQ, NIAID, NICHD, and NIH OCIO. Andrew brings the right combination of technical expertise, scientific domain knowledge, and client/team management skills along with the process and business focus necessary to successfully capture, deliver, and manage business in the Health IT market.

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Michael Spitzer Chief Financial Officer

Michael has over 12 years of professional finance experience at both public and private companies. Prior to joining BAO Systems in 2018, he was CFO at a DC-based software startup with over $25M in venture capital where he scaled financial operations for high growth. Prior to that, he served as Director of Financial Planning & Analysis for XO Communications where he oversaw a budget of over $4B and played a lead role in the company’s eventual sale to Verizon.

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Phil Robson Director of Implementation

Phil is a dynamic IT executive with over 25 years of experience delivering strategic programs in the financial sector. Through a variety of senior positions at JPMorgan Chase he has demonstrated his strong Investment Banking background and technology analytical skills. With his excellent communication skills, he rapidly establishes rapport and credibility with individuals at all levels throughout the organization with our clients. Phil is solution-oriented with focus on timely, cost-efficient delivery.

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Emmanuel Beryhun Director of Human Resources

With over 15 years of human capital management (HCM) experience, Emmanuel has led the creation and implementation of a wide range of initiatives including selection, development and succession management programs. In prior roles, Emmanuel has supported and led multinational organizations and his expertise includes human capital strategy, talent management, total rewards, HCM technology, payroll and performance management processes to support the overall business strategy.

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Kristin Keller Senior Director, Department of State Operations

For over 25 years, Kristin has been a part of numerous technical and process transformations in both the public and private sectors on the domestic and global levels. She is a process advocate with a pragmatic lens bringing software and project operations together. Kristin’s hands-on experience with multiple Federal Health IT clients helps in her day-to-day oversight of the PEPFAR Program and mission driven BAO team.