Divine Rusa Umutesi works closely with community members participating in clinical trials, supporting their health needs while ensuring ethical, safe, and effective research that benefits the wider community. Her role bridges clinical care with public health research, ensuring that interventions are both high-quality and responsive to community needs.

Outside of her current role, Divine served as Head of the Internal Medicine Department at Kibagabaga Hospital, leading a team with more experience than herself, introducing innovative practices, and ensuring quality patient care. During medical school, she co-founded GLOW: Girls Lighten Our World through the Medical Students’ Association of Rwanda, mentoring female medical students and increasing women’s representation in leadership positions within the association.

In her current position, Divine is proud to contribute to clinical trials that advance new vaccines and treatments, overseeing participant screening, enrollment, follow-up, and adherence to ethical and safety standards. Her work generates high-quality evidence that improves care and access to effective interventions for the communities she serves.

Divine is committed to health equity and social justice, ensuring that all individuals—especially marginalized and key populations—have access to safe, stigma-free healthcare and evidence-based interventions. She draws inspiration from Marianne Williamson’s quote, “As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others,” guiding her to empower communities through both clinical care and research.