Meet the Team

Welcome to our team! We’re a group of passionate, creative, and driven individuals committed to delivering exceptional results.

Ms. Julie Neidel - Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Julie Neidel is a healthcare quality management (QM) expert with over 30 years of experience in Namibia’s public health system. As the former QM Manager within the Ministry of Health’s Quality Assurance Division, she contributed significantly to national efforts to institutionalize quality systems, including the development of the National Quality Policy and Strategy (2021–2026) and the rollout of internationally accredited healthcare quality standards across public healthcare facilities.

Julie has played a central role in strengthening national capacity in quality improvement (QI) through the design and refinement of Generic QM and QM Coaches training curricula, and by leading large-scale Improvement Collaboratives in HIV/TB care, malaria, and maternal and newborn health. She has authored and co-authored abstracts and manuscripts on QI initiatives, which she has presented at international conferences, showcasing Namibia’s progress and best practices on the global stage.

Her expertise spans systems leadership, external evaluation, training, and QI coaching, with a proven ability to translate policy into measurable health outcomes. She holds an MBA in Quality Systems and Hospital & Healthcare Management, a Postgraduate Certificate in Change Leadership, a Bachelor of Administration, and a Diploma in Nursing. Since 2016, she has been a Member and Fellow of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) and holds a specialist certificate in External Evaluation from ISQua.

Dr. David Tjiyokola, Technical Board Member

Dr. David Tjiyokola holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree from the University of Namibia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Anaesthesia from the College of Medicine of South Africa.

He began his career with Catholic Health Services in the Oshikuku District after completing his internship at the Intermediate Hospital Oshakati. He later served as Senior Medical Officer and Hospital Director for the Swakopmund District Hospital, where he led the implementation of Hospital Quality Standards and strengthened clinical governance systems.

Dr. Tjiyokola currently serves as Managing Director of Mercymed Medical Centre in Oshakati. His professional interests include clinical leadership, healthcare quality improvement, and expanding access to safe, patient-centered care in Namibia.

Ms. Petsy Neiss – Advisory Board Member

Ms. Petronella Neiss is a seasoned healthcare and academic leader with extensive experience across clinical practice, institutional management, and higher education. She holds a Diploma in Nursing Science and a Professional Diploma in Education from the University of Namibia, a Bachelor of Business Administration in Project Management, an MBA from MANCOSA, and a Master’s in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Namibia University of Science and Technology. She is currently a PhD candidate at the International University of Management (IUM), focusing on strategic systems leadership.

Ms. Neiss has held senior leadership roles, including her current position as Director for ITS and Academic & Research at IUM, where she oversees academic operations, leads policy implementation, manages examinations, and drives institutional quality assurance processes. A respected educator and curriculum developer, she has contributed to multiple universities and national training bodies. Her unique blend of healthcare, business, and education expertise aligns strongly with SQuaSH’s mission to drive quality, safety, and systems excellence in healthcare.

Ms. Ntombizodwa M. Nyoni - Advisory Board Member

Ntombizodwa M. Nyoni is a distinguished public health leader and health systems expert with more than 20 years of experience advancing quality improvement, patient-centred care, HIV prevention, and health programme excellence in Southern Africa. She currently serves as the Programs Coordinator at Society for Family Health (SFH) Namibia, where she leads strategic program implementation focused on strengthening health service delivery, community-led improvement, and equitable access to care.

Mrs. Nyoni has played a key leadership role in national quality initiatives and high-impact research, including coordinating the pioneering PANTHER-95 adherence strengthening study, supporting healthcare worker capacity building across more than 50 public health facilities, and contributing to evidence that has shaped policy, service innovations, and improved patient outcomes. Her work reflects a steadfast commitment to data-driven decision-making, continuous quality improvement, and partnership-centred public health delivery.

A trained nurse leader and Master of Public Health (MPH) graduate, she brings deep experience in health systems development, operational excellence, and stakeholder engagement with government, development partners, and civil society. Her technical strengths include quality standards integration, community-responsive programming, implementation science, and strengthening frontline health worker performance.

As a member of the SQuaSH Advisory Board, Mrs. Nyoni contributes to advancing the Society’s mission of championing excellence in health service quality, accountability, and systems strengthening in Namibia. She is passionate about building resilient, people-centred health systems that uphold safety, dignity, and measurable performance improvement across all levels of care.

“Quality is not an act it is a culture. When systems improve, people’s lives improve.”