Tzameret Fuerst

Tzameret Fuerst
Born (1971-01-19) January 19, 1971
Nationality Israeli, American

Tzameret Fuerst (born 19 January 1971) is an Israeli-American social entrepreneur. She is the co-founder[1] and former CEO of Circ MedTech,[2] developers of PrePex, a medical device for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) of adults used in sub-Saharan Africa to prevent the spread of HIV.[3]

Background

Social entrepreneurship

Fuerst had over 12 years experience in strategic marketing and business development roles in Israel and the USA before changing her career path in 2003, to become a social entrepreneur. She spent the first six years in the non-profit sector, during which Fuerst founded several advocacy and social organizations for the Israeli-American community in New York.[1] She was chairwoman and founding member of Dor Chadash, a network of Israeli and American Jews who seek to create connections with Israel and each other through cultural, educational and social events.[4][5] In 2014, the organization was acquired by the Israeli American Council (IAC), making it part of a national movement.[6] In 2007 Fuerst, together with 92nd Street Y established Israeliness, a New York-based program helping expat children sustain their Jewish and Israeli heritage.[7]

In 2010, Fuerst became the Co-Founder and CEO of Circ MedTech, a double bottom line company that developed PrePex.[5]

During her tenure as CEO, PrePex attained WHO prequalification of Male Circumcision Devices[8] as announced by the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Eric P. Goosby,[9] gained the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance,[10][11] was referenced by Bill Gates in his Annual Philanthropy Letter,[12] was secured in pilots funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Government (PEPFAR) in target sub-Saharan African countries[13] and won the Technology for Health Award by GBCHealth.[14] In 2013, Fuerst jointly announced the first commercial launch in a press conference in Rwanda alongside the Minister of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho.[15][16] The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe, mentioned PrePex as a revolution in the acceleration of HIV prevention, after visiting the Nyamata hospital in Rwanda, a site selected for a safety study of the circumcision device.[17]

Fuerst’s experience in the nonprofit social entrepreneurial sector helped attract impact investors such as Acumen (in 2011), a nonprofit global venture fund[1][18] and BTG Pactual, a Brazilian investment bank.[19]

Public speaking

Today, Tzameret Fuerst has become a global public speaker about innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy and social impact. She presented the PrePex device at the opening plenary of the AIPAC Annual Policy Conference in Washington DC before an audience of 13’000[3] and was a TEDMED 2014 Jerusalem LIVE selected speaker.[20] She was also a TEDx2015 selected speaker, addressing the global social challenge of loneliness among the elderly.[21]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ernst & Young Global Limited. "Exceptional, January 2014 Circ MedTech". EY. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Company Overview of Circ MedTech Ltd.". Bloomberg Business. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  3. 1 2 Klein Leichman, Abigail. "AIPAC Innovation Showcase brings Israel21c's stories to life". Israel21c. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "IAC Dor Chadash". Israeli American Council New York. Israeli-American Council (IAC). Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  5. 1 2 "LinkedIn Profile Tzameret Fuerst". LinkedIn Corporation. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Dor Chadash becoming part of Israeli-American Council". Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). February 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Burstein, Nathan (August 26, 2009). "92nd Street Y gives expat kids better sense of Israeliness". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "WHO Prequalification of Male Circumcision Devices Public Report" (PDF). www.who.int. World Health Organization. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  9. ↑ Press Release. "Statement by the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) on World Health Organization Prequalification of First Medical Device for Adult Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision". pepfar.gov. The United States President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  10. ↑ Food and Drug Administration. "510(K) Number K103695 Summary PrePex" (PDF). FDA. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  11. ↑ McNeil, Donald (January 30, 2012). "AIDS Prevention Inspires Ways to Make Circumcisions Easier" (Health). The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Gates, Bill. "Annual Letter 2012". Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  13. ↑ McNeil Jr., Donald G. (August 13, 2012). "Africa: Nonsurgical Circumcision Device Will Be Tested to Help Curb AIDS". The New York Times. Health. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "Award Winner 2012: PrePex by Circ MedTech". businessfightsaids.org. GBCHealth. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  15. ↑ Musoni, Edwin (November 27, 2013). "Ministry targets 700,000 men after new circumcision method becomes popular". The New Times Rwanda. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Rwanda launches circumcision campaign to tackle HIV (The Guardian)". Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Health. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "From isolation to integration: Rwandan project transforms women's lives". UNAIDS. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  18. ↑ "Investments: Circ MedTech". acumen.org. Acumen. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  19. ↑ Orpaz, Inbal (August 2, 2012). "A bloodless coup against AIDS". Haaretz. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  20. ↑ "TEDMED Jerusalem 2014". medium.com. Medium. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  21. ↑ "TedxIDC speakers 2015". TEDxIDC 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
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