About Us

Our Story

In a remarkable display of compassion and dedication, a collective of highly skilled medical professionals from the United States and Africa specializing in liver and digestive diseases has united to volunteer their invaluable time and expertise in Africa. Their noble mission is to prevent and treat liver and digestive diseases through groundbreaking research, vital patient education and treatment, and empowering local doctors and healthcare professionals through comprehensive training programs.

In partnership with the healthcare community, the private sector and governmental institutions, this group is making significant strides to combat health challenges and improve the well-being and life expectancy of countless African families.

Our Mission

To prevent and cure liver and digestive diseases in African communities through research, patient education, and training of medical professionals. 

Our Vision

To advance towards an Africa that is free of the burdens of illness and death from liver and digestive diseases. 

Our Team

Erika de la Garza

Executive Director
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Matt Cooley

Research Coordinator

Caitlin VanLith

Research Coordinator

Board of Directors

Lewis Roberts, MD, MB, ChB, PhD

President

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

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Scharles Alicia Konadu, MD

Secretary

TDDC Fort Worth-GI Alliance, Fort Worth, Texas

Victor Ankoma-Sey, MD

Vice President

Houston Methodist Hospital; Liver Associates of Texas, PA

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Mitchell “Mitch” Mah’moud, MD, DTh, FACG, AGAF, FAASLD

Treasurer

Duke University, Durham, NC

Akwi W. Asombang, MD, MPH

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
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Yaw Asare-Aboagye, DVM, MS

Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, Nairobi, Kenya

Thomas D. Amankonah, MD

VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS
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Bubu Banini, MD, PhD

Yale University, New Haven, CT

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Francis D. Dickson, MD

Nova Surgery Center, Accra, Ghana

Kofi Nuako, MD

Advanced Gastroenterology, Union City, TN

Jecinta Scott, PhD., CCRP

Exact Sciences Corporation, Blaine, MN

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F. Otis Stephen, MD

David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA

Advisory Board

Felix Boakye-Agyeman, PhD, MD

Takeda, Houston, TX

Kofi C. Clark, MD

Lionel A. Kankeu Fonkoua, MD

Mayo Clinic
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Patricia D. Jones, MD

University of Miami

Nana K. Wiafe-Ababio, PharmD

Certara

Amoah Yeboah-Korang, MD, MPH

University of Cincinnati
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AILDD is a 501c3 nonprofit tax-exempt organization in the United States (#81-1137705) and a nonprofit non-governmental organization (NGO) registered in Ghana.
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713 384 2892
713 545 2310
info@AILDD.org 

AILDD Foundation Inc.,
P.O. Box 300075 Houston, TX 77230-0075

4812 Holly Street, Bellaire, TX 77401

International Address
1st Floor, Teachers Hall
GNAT Drive, Adabraka
Accra, Ghana, Africa

© AILDD 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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Erika de la Garza

Executive Director

Erika de la Garza serves as Executive Director of the Africa Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases (AILDD) Foundation, where she leads the organization’s efforts to expand access to liver and digestive healthcare, training, and research across Africa. With a background in international policy and nonprofit leadership, Erika brings decades of experience building partnerships that drive impact and sustainability.

She is also a Senior Advisor at Rice University’s Baker Institute Center for the U.S. and Mexico and previously served as Program Director of the Institute’s Latin America Initiative. During her 20-year tenure, she developed and led research programs, organized high-level policy dialogues, and built lasting partnerships across the Americas on issues ranging from democratic governance to regional economic integration. Erika holds master’s degrees from Columbia University in International Affairs and the University of Costa Rica in Foreign Service and Diplomacy.

Her leadership at AILDD reflects her deep commitment to global health equity and to advancing solutions that improve lives in underserved communities.

Dr. Lewis R. Roberts

Founder and President, Board of Directors, AILDD
Peter and Frances Georgeson Professor in Gastroenterology Cancer Research, Mayo Clinic
Dr. Lewis R. Roberts is the Peter and Frances Georgeson Professor in Gastroenterology Cancer Research and a consultant in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. A globally recognized leader in hepatology, Dr. Roberts has dedicated his career to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of liver and digestive diseases, with a special focus on hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and viral hepatitis B. As one of the founding members of the Africa Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases (AILDD) Foundation, Dr. Roberts brings decades of clinical and research expertise to advance the organization’s mission. In his role as President of the Board of Directors, he provides strategic guidance and oversight to ensure that AILDD’s programs reflect the highest standards of medical care, research, and capacity building across the African continent.

Dr. Victor Ankoma-Sey

Founder and Vice President, Board of Directors, AILDD
Director, Liver Transplant Program, Houston Methodist Hospital & Director, Liver Associates of Texas, Houston

Dr. Victor Ankoma-Sey is the Director of the Liver Transplant Program, Houston Methodist Hospital & Director, Liver Associates of Texas in Houston. He is a renowned hepatologist with over three decades of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of complex liver diseases. Dr. Ankoma-Sey has played a leading role in the advancement of liver transplant medicine and has made significant contributions to patient care, education, research, and medical training in hepatology. Throughout his career, he has mentored numerous physicians and has been deeply involved in initiatives aimed at expanding access to liver disease prevention and treatment, particularly in underserved communities.

Dr. Ankoma-Sey is a co-founder of the Africa Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases (AILDD) Foundation and currently serves as Vice President of its Board of Directors. His expertise and passion for improving liver health continue to guide AILDD’s efforts to build sustainable healthcare solutions across Africa.

Akwi W. Asombang, MD, MPH

Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Dr. Akwi W. Asombang is an interventional gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Director of Global Health Programs in Gastroenterology at Harvard Medical School. She completed advanced endoscopy training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and fellowships in gastroenterology and global health at Washington University in St. Louis. She holds an MPH from Saint Louis University and an MD from Kasturba Medical College in India.

Dr. Asombang’s clinical interests include endoscopy (ERCP/EUS), gastrointestinal cancers, medical education, and global health. She is the founder of the Pan-African Organization for Health, Education and Research (POHER) and the African Association of Future Gastroenterologists (AAFG), both of which support mentorship, education, and collaboration across Africa’s medical community.

A passionate advocate for equity in healthcare, Dr. Asombang brings deep expertise and global perspective to AILDD’s mission. She plays a key role in strengthening the organization’s training programs and expanding access to specialized care across the continent.

Thomas D. Amankonah, MD FACP FAASLD

VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS
Dr. Thomas D. Amankonah is a transplant hepatologist and founding member of AILDD. He completed his medical training in Poland and the U.S., with a hepatology and liver transplant fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Over his career, Dr. Amankonah has played key roles in developing and improving liver transplant programs across several states, including California, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Washington. He was instrumental in establishing the liver transplant program at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle and currently serves as Chief of Hepatology and Director of the GI Endoscopy Lab at the VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Known for his compassionate care, leadership, and dedication to liver disease patients, Dr. Amankonah’s research interests include viral hepatitis and liver cancer. He enjoys soccer, photography, and traveling.

Bubu Banini, MD, PhD

Yale University, New Haven, CT
Dr. Bubu Banini, MD, PhD, received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Biology at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, during which she spent time at Oxford University in the United Kingdom on an Honors Study Abroad program. She then received combined MD and PhD degrees from Sidney Kimmel Medical College / Thomas Jefferson University, and subsequently completed Internship, Residency and Chief Residency in Internal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital. Thereafter, she completed an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Subsequently supported by an NIH T32 training grant, Dr. Banini completed Research and Clinical Fellowships in Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), followed by Fellowship in Transplant Hepatology at VCU. Dr. Banini is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine (Digestive Diseases) at the Yale School of Medicine, where she also serves as Translational Research Director of the Metabolic Health and Weight Management Program, and Associate Director of the Clinical and Translational Core of the Yale Liver Center. Her research interests in steatotic liver diseases, liver cancer and population health span the T1 through T4 translational spectrum. Dr. Banini has board certifications in Gastroenterology, Obesity Medicine, and Transplant Hepatology.

Jecinta Scott, PhD. CCRP

Exact Sciences Corporation, Blaine, MN

Dr. Jecinta Scott is Associate Director Medical Science Liaison at Novartis specializing in Radioligand and radiopharmaceutical cancer therapy. With 17 years of experience in clinical and translational research focused on hematology and oncology, she supports healthcare providers with clinical and scientific information. Dr. Scott holds a PhD in Health Sciences focused on cancer risk factors and a master’s degree in Biology Medical Sciences. As a member of AILDD’s board, Dr. Scott brings both passion and strategic insight to the committees she serves on and leads, helping drive meaningful progress in the organization’s mission.

Lionel A. Kankeu Fonkoua, M.D.

Mayo Clinic

Dr. Lionel A. Kankeu Fonkoua is an Assistant Professor of Oncology and Senior Associate Consultant within the Department of Medical Oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He specializes in the treatment of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Cancers, with a research focus on the development of novel combinatorial immunotherapeutic strategies. In addition to his clinical and research activities, Dr. Kankeu Fonkoua is also committed to improving equitable access to care for ALL cancer patients, including the underserved and at-risk populations. In his role as Advisory Board Member of the Africa Institute for Liver and Digestive Diseases (AILDD) Foundation, he provides strategic advice, guidance, and support to the Board of Directors and staff.

Amoah Yeboah-Korang, MD, MPH

University of Cincinnati