Executive DirectorWatsi
Mackinnon Engen is Executive Director of Watsi.org. She is a global health and humanitarian leader with 20 years of service. Mackinnon has overseen surgical programs reaching 1+ million patients worldwide.
Previously, she worked for the United Nations, local and international nonprofits, and in academia across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. At the UN, she worked to ensure more timely and community-led humanitarian assistance reached those most in need as well as helped to coordinate the Secretary-General’s response to the Global Food Crisis.
She has firsthand experience with how access to safe surgery can determine one’s life outcomes. At 30, during a routine annual visit, her doctor found early signs of cancer. With a leading team of oncologists and insurance coverage, she was able to urgently access surgery. Mackinnon has dedicated her life to making sure others around the world can access this same life-saving care, regardless of where they live.