Leadership
Advisory and Board of Directors:
Professor Mykola G Shcherban, MD, DSc.
Board of Directors & Advisory Co-Principal Investigator — Public Health & Hygiene Research
Professor Mykola Shcherban brings over 40 years of expertise in environmental hygiene, toxicology, and public health. As Director of the Research Institute of Labor and Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Diseases and Professor at Kharkiv National Medical University, he has led extensive research on developing hygienic standards for water safety, surfactant exposure, and ecological health. Within the Developing a Functional Cure for Chronic HBV by Targeting cccDNA (2025–2029) project, Professor Shcherban oversees social, hygienic, and public health aspects. His work focuses on identifying the environmental and chemical etiologies of hepatitis, particularly the role of surfactants and pollutants in liver disease. He also mentors emerging researchers, fosters academic collaboration, and contributes to scientific publications and international conference presentations. Professor Shcherban is an Academician of the Ukrainian Ecological Academy of Sciences and a leading expert in the field of occupational and ecological hygiene. |
Associate Professor Anastasiya Bezrodna, PhD. Board of Directors & Advisory Co-Principal Investigator — Biochemical & Analytical Research
Dr. Anastasiya Bezrodna is an accomplished biochemist and Associate Professor at the Kharkiv Institute of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Her research centers on biochemical mechanisms underlying hepatotoxicity, environmental pathology, and HBV virology. In the Functional Cure for Chronic HBV project, Dr. Bezrodna leads biochemical and analytical research, overseeing clinical trial design, molecular testing, and preclinical validation of cccDNA-targeting approaches. She ensures compliance with international research ethics and fosters collaborations with Eastern European and global institutions. Dr. Bezrodna holds a PhD in Biological Sciences (Biochemistry) from V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. She has authored and co-authored multiple peer-reviewed publications indexed in Scopus and WoS, focusing on hepatotoxicity, surfactant biochemistry, and viral pathogenesis. She is an active member of the Ukrainian Biochemical Society and the Kharkiv Society of Clinical and Laboratory Diagnostics. 📧 [email protected] |
Executive Management:
Dr. Eme Blessing, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC.
Director of Psychiatry
Dr. Eme Blessing is a dual board-certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a distinguished academic, clinical, and executive background. She advanced from Instructor to Assistant, Associate, and ultimately Full Professor before transitioning from academia into healthcare leadership.
With extensive experience in hospital administration and executive management, Dr. Blessing is recognized for her dynamic teaching style, visionary leadership, and compassionate approach to care. She holds two doctoral degrees alongside multiple bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
A respected scholar and speaker, she has lectured across the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands and authored numerous publications and conference presentations.
Guided by a lifelong belief that healing begins with understanding, her mission is to unite compassion, science, and global access in mental health care, transforming lives worldwide.
Director of Psychiatry
Dr. Eme Blessing is a dual board-certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a distinguished academic, clinical, and executive background. She advanced from Instructor to Assistant, Associate, and ultimately Full Professor before transitioning from academia into healthcare leadership.
With extensive experience in hospital administration and executive management, Dr. Blessing is recognized for her dynamic teaching style, visionary leadership, and compassionate approach to care. She holds two doctoral degrees alongside multiple bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
A respected scholar and speaker, she has lectured across the USA, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands and authored numerous publications and conference presentations.
Guided by a lifelong belief that healing begins with understanding, her mission is to unite compassion, science, and global access in mental health care, transforming lives worldwide.
Felicia Gatewood, MSc, APCC.
Director — Mental Health Programs Felicia Gatewood is a multilingual mental health therapist (APCC) with over a decade of experience in community-based counseling and trauma-informed care. Her work spans non-profit, clinical, and outreach settings, where she has served populations affected by homelessness, foster care, substance use, sexual trauma, and migration. Felicia integrates mindfulness, spirituality, and culturally responsive approaches in therapy, emphasizing holistic healing and empowerment for underserved communities. She plays a pivotal role in developing and leading Lily Flower’s mental health and wellness programs. . |
Tushar Tambe, MBA-HR, MBA-MIS.
IT/Projects Director & HR Tushar Tambe leads strategic project development and implementation, focusing on technology integration and community health initiatives. With seven years of experience in human resources, project management, and mental health program coordination, he contributes to the design and execution of impactful community projects aligned with Lily Flower’s mission. |
Nabil Mahmoud, MSc-Finance, BSc. Eng.
Director of Operations
Nabil Mahmoud oversees organizational operations and financial management at Lily Flower of the Valley. With a background in engineering and over five years of experience in finance and operations for both non-profit and for-profit organizations, he ensures efficient program execution and fiscal accountability across all departments.
Director of Operations
Nabil Mahmoud oversees organizational operations and financial management at Lily Flower of the Valley. With a background in engineering and over five years of experience in finance and operations for both non-profit and for-profit organizations, he ensures efficient program execution and fiscal accountability across all departments.
Dr. Victor H Mudenda, PhD, MBA.
Executive Director
Principal Investigator — Hepatitis B Virus Functional Cure Research
Executive Director, Lily Flower of the Valley Corporation (California, USA)
Dr. Victor H. Mudenda is a biochemist, medical scientist, and nonprofit research leader with expertise in virology and translational biomedical research. As Principal Investigator of the Functional Cure for Chronic HBV by Targeting cccDNA (2025–2029) project, he provides strategic leadership in research planning, implementation, and funding oversight.
Dr. Mudenda holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Gideon Robert University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at the Kharkiv Institute of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (MD Candidate of June 2027). He also holds an MBA from Lincoln University (California, USA).
His research focuses on molecular virology, HBV replication mechanisms, and cccDNA biogenesis. Dr. Mudenda is also a Grants and Contracts Accountant at the West Coast Children’s Clinic in Oakland, CA, and serves as an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Gideon Robert University.
He is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCPi).
📧 [email protected]
Dr. Victor H Mudenda, PhD, MBA.
Executive Director
Principal Investigator — Hepatitis B Virus Functional Cure Research
Executive Director, Lily Flower of the Valley Corporation (California, USA)
Dr. Victor H. Mudenda is a biochemist, medical scientist, and nonprofit research leader with expertise in virology and translational biomedical research. As Principal Investigator of the Functional Cure for Chronic HBV by Targeting cccDNA (2025–2029) project, he provides strategic leadership in research planning, implementation, and funding oversight.
Dr. Mudenda holds a PhD in Biochemistry from Gideon Robert University and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at the Kharkiv Institute of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (MD Candidate of June 2027). He also holds an MBA from Lincoln University (California, USA).
His research focuses on molecular virology, HBV replication mechanisms, and cccDNA biogenesis. Dr. Mudenda is also a Grants and Contracts Accountant at the West Coast Children’s Clinic in Oakland, CA, and serves as an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Gideon Robert University.
He is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCPi).
📧 [email protected]