Dr. Desalegne Mengesha is a seasoned leader in higher education and global health, bringing over 20 years of experience in leadership, management, and governance within the Ethiopian higher education system. He has significantly impacted education quality, research, community engagement, technology transfer, and international partnerships. Previously, he served as President of the University of Gondar from December 2015 to March 2019 and as Vice President for Academic and Research from 2010 to 2015, during which time the university received multiple awards, including the Ethiopian National Quality Award for three consecutive years.

Dr. Desalegne is a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, having studied at Ohio State University in 2013/14, and was a Global Dialogue Fellow for the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) from 2015 to 2017. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and MSc in Tropical Veterinary Medicine from Addis Ababa University and has served as an Associate Professor of Tropical Veterinary Medicine at the University of Gondar. Currently, he leads various projects and programs at The Ohio State University as the Country Director for Global One Health-Ethiopia.