Virginia (Ginny) Fonner is a public health researcher and implementation scientist with over 15 years of experience advancing HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, and global health programs. At Root to Rise, she brings expertise in translating research into practice—helping partners design, evaluate, and scale evidence-based solutions that improve health outcomes and strengthen systems.

Virginia has led and contributed to large-scale research and implementation initiatives across the United States and sub-Saharan Africa. She has directed multi-country studies on HIV prevention and digital health interventions and has worked closely with governments, global partners, and community organizations to generate evidence that informs policy and program decisions. Her work emphasizes practical strategies for implementing effective interventions in real-world settings and ensuring that evidence is accessible to those who need it most.

Virginia is passionate about mentorship, collaboration, and strengthening the next generation of public health leaders.

She holds both a PhD and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.