Featuring: Jewelia Starkey, Access to Medicine Program Coordinator
At Heart to Heart International, the Access to Medicine Distribution team plays a vital role in ensuring that life-saving medicines and medical supplies reach communities around the world. Jewelia is a key part of that effort, coordinating with donors and partners, managing incoming supplies, and making sure every order is handled with care from start to finish. She also works closely with the logistics and supply chain teams to keep the process running efficiently and effectively.
No two days are the same, but most days begin with catching up on communications, whether it’s responding to pharmaceutical donors offering new materials or connecting with partners to determine what they need. “It’s a wide scope of work with a lot of details,” Jewelia explains. “But it’s incredibly fulfilling to see it all come together when a product reaches a patient who needs it.”
Jewelia’s drive to improve global health access started after college, during a mission trip abroad. One experience left a lasting impression: a boy asked her team for a band-aid, and within minutes, a line had formed out the door with people seeking basic medical care. “That moment really shifted things for me,” she says. “So many people just don’t have access to even the most basic care. I knew I wanted to be a part of changing that.” Now, through her work at HHI, she’s helping make that change every day. “A bottle of medicine that might otherwise be wasted can save someone’s life. We have access to things others don’t, and it’s our responsibility to help close that gap.”