Profile: Brian McKenna

Prior to establishing my consulting company in 2023, I served for nine years as a Deputy Director at PATH in Brussels, Belgium.  In my role, I was responsible for co-managing the operations of the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition including fundraising and grant writing and strategy development and execution.  I directed the planning of the organization’s annual General Membership Meeting which hosts 300+ participants from more than 50 countries over five days and takes place in a different city each year. During my tenure, this included Accra, Kathmandu, Brussels, Seattle, Oslo, and Mexico City. I also supervised technical staff responsible for implementing global and regional initiatives focused on supply chain management, market dynamics and advocacy, and I managed the global campaign to reduce product stockouts, "Take Stock," from conceptualization to implementation.

Prior to joining PATH, I worked for 11 years with Population Services International. This included serving as the Country Director in Madagascar, a program which had a $20 million annual budget from multiple donors and 300+ employees. During my tenure, I coordinated all fundraising efforts, including successful proposals for $71 million and $11 million to the Global Fund and $25 million to USAID. 

Upon completion of this position, I was promoted to be the Deputy Director of the Southern Africa region where I co-supervised a multi-country portfolio with a $130 million annual operating budget and led the transition of a large-scale regional NGO project to a profitable commercial business which continues to grow year-on-year and serves as a model for similar operations in other regions. 

Through my work at the World Affairs Council in Seattle, I also have extensive experience in planning events in the Puget Sound area - ranging from more intimate gatherings to large fundraising events in various venues.

A dual citizen of the US and Belgium, I hold a master’s degree in international affairs and economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea and Trainer in Senegal, West Africa.

My consulting work is now focused on nonprofits in Bellingham and the surrounding region. This community means a lot to me, and I enjoy supporting local organizations to achieve their objectives and thrive.

When I’m not working or reading, I spend much of my free time outside swimming, cycling, running and hiking around Bellingham and through the Pacific Northwest.