Meet the team
Having deep roots in underserved communities, our founding team comprises individuals from underserved groups who have experienced inequities firsthand. With a wide range of skills, expertise, and perspectives, our team is poised to create innovative solutions and transform the healthcare ecosystem.
Daniel Townsend, PhD
Founder, Chief Executive Officer
Daniel Townsend is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Loretta Health, a digital health company building AI-driven tools to help health systems close inequities in chronic disease care. Loretta’s platform integrates clinical, behavioural, and social data to identify risk patterns in cardiovascular and diabetes outcomes and support fairer, data-informed care decisions.
Daniel’s career spans health technology, global health policy, and data science. He has worked with the World Health Organization and the Global Fund, where he coordinated multilateral policy engagement and cross-sector partnerships in digital and community health. As a health system strategist, he has advised governments and public agencies on how to embed accountability and equity in the use of data and machine learning.
His earlier experience includes work in consulting, policy, and analytics, with roles at the Boston Consulting Group, Canada’s federal and provincial health agencies, where he helped modernize frameworks for performance measurement and population health planning.
Daniel’s career spans health technology, global health policy, and data science. He has worked with the World Health Organization and the Global Fund, where he coordinated multilateral policy engagement and cross-sector partnerships in digital and community health. As a health system strategist, he has advised governments and public agencies on how to embed accountability and equity in the use of data and machine learning.
His earlier experience includes work in consulting, policy, and analytics, with roles at the Boston Consulting Group, Canada’s federal and provincial health agencies, where he helped modernize frameworks for performance measurement and population health planning.
Kya Blackstone, JD
Chief Operating Officer
Kya Blackstone serves as Chief Operating Officer of Loretta Health, where she drives operational strategy, regulatory readiness, and execution across the company’s UK and EU markets.
A trained lawyer with a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University, Kya spent nearly a decade in finance at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, leading cross-functional initiatives to streamline legal and operational workflows, strengthen compliance systems, and improve efficiency across global teams.
Her leadership combines design thinking with operational precision—aligning people, process, and product to scale responsibly, accelerate growth, and ensure strategic clarity across Loretta’s institutional partnerships and pilots.
A trained lawyer with a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University, Kya spent nearly a decade in finance at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, leading cross-functional initiatives to streamline legal and operational workflows, strengthen compliance systems, and improve efficiency across global teams.
Her leadership combines design thinking with operational precision—aligning people, process, and product to scale responsibly, accelerate growth, and ensure strategic clarity across Loretta’s institutional partnerships and pilots.
.PNG)
Zhasheken de Guia
Full Stack Software Developer
Zhasheken de Guia is a Full Stack Software Developer at Loretta Health, committing her programming and design skills to building the complex software that shapes Loretta's impact.
With a broad background in data management, AI algorithms, and mobile software development from the University of Alberta, Zhasheken focuses on building compelling applications that bridge the gap between technology and the human experience. Zhasheken is passionate about making technology accessible, effective, and impactful to drive Loretta’s innovative mission.
With a broad background in data management, AI algorithms, and mobile software development from the University of Alberta, Zhasheken focuses on building compelling applications that bridge the gap between technology and the human experience. Zhasheken is passionate about making technology accessible, effective, and impactful to drive Loretta’s innovative mission.
Karima Murji
Strategic Advisor for Quality, Market Access, & Regulatory Affairs
Karima Murji is a Strategic Advisor at Loretta Health. She blends her strategic foresight, regulatory acumen, and unwavering commitment to quality excellence to support Loretta Health's mission.
With a Master's and Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and certifications from the American Society for Quality and ISO institutes, Karima brings a rare blend of technical depth and strategic vision to complex quality transformations.
Karima's global footprint includes successful engagements across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. She has led high-impact initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and global healthcare innovators, including Intuitive Surgical, Apotex, Cook Medical, Alcon, Siemens Healthcare, Actavis, ConvaTec, and Teva Pharamaceuticals.
With a Master's and Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo, and certifications from the American Society for Quality and ISO institutes, Karima brings a rare blend of technical depth and strategic vision to complex quality transformations.
Karima's global footprint includes successful engagements across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia. She has led high-impact initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and global healthcare innovators, including Intuitive Surgical, Apotex, Cook Medical, Alcon, Siemens Healthcare, Actavis, ConvaTec, and Teva Pharamaceuticals.
Empowering Health Through Innovation
Loretta is revolutionizing healthcare with AI-driven solutions that prioritize personalized care. By combining advanced science and machine learning, we provide tailored health insights and continuous support, addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. Our mission is to eliminate health disparities, offering a stigma-free pathway to better health and well-being for all individuals.
Supported by:
Contact us
We'd love to hear from you! Whether you have questions or want to learn more about Loretta, feel free to reach out. We're here to help!