Job Title: director of technology
Company: Jacaranda Health
Jay Patel is the director of technology at Jacaranda Health in Nairobi, Kenya
He began his career in 2006 as an assistant project manager at JP Morgan Chase & Co. in Ohio, where he worked on large-scale technology conversions and system enhancements. Since then, he has built a career spanning nearly 20 years across banking, industry, and digital health.
Jay has held senior roles at JP Morgan Chase, Fina Bank, Hard Tech Industrial Supplies, and Jacaranda Health. His work has included establishing project management offices, leading core banking system replacements, building automation systems for industry, and architecting AI-driven health platforms in Africa. At Jacaranda Health, he has pioneered African language AI, developed specialised maternal health models, scaled digital health tools from fewer than 1,000 to over 600,000 monthly active users across five countries, and secured more than $3.5 million in strategic funding. His efforts have strengthened compliance with the Kenya Data Protection Act and advanced the use of technology for social impact.
Work
- Nov 2018 – present: director of technology, Jacaranda Health
- Apr 2012 – Nov 2018: operations manager, Hard Tech Industrial Supplies Ltd, Nairobi
- Dec 2010 – Apr 2012: project manager, Fina Bank, Nairobi
- Apr 2006 – Feb 2010: assistant project manager, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Columbus, Ohio
Education
- 2009: Master of Science in Computer Science, Franklin University, Ohio
- 2006: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Franklin University, Ohio
About company: Jacaranda Health is a non-profit organisation that leverages data-driven digital tools to improve maternal and newborn care in underserved regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Its PROMPTS platform, powered by AI solutions such as UlizaMama, delivers timely and accurate health guidance to millions of mothers, while also supporting healthcare providers with training, insights, and improved service delivery.
