MR. FELIX K. KOSKEI, E.G.H., MCIPS, MKISM, is a career civil servant with over three decades of illustrious service within the Executive, Judiciary, Constitutional Commissions and State Agencies/Corporations. In his years of service, he has had the distinct privilege of making contributions across diverse sectors of our national life. These include public administration and governance, agriculture, irrigation, environment, telecommunications, transport, aviation, as well as the roads and infrastructure sub-sectors.
He currently serves the nation as the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service in the Executive Office of the President. Before his appointment on 14th October, 2022, Mr. Koskei was serving as a Member/Commissioner of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a position he assumed in the year 2018.
In the preceding years, Mr. Koskei held the esteemed role of Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation & Fisheries from 2013 through to 2015; a period marked by his instrumental leadership in shaping the nation’s agricultural transformation strategy.
Mr. Koskei’s interest in civic affairs can be traced to the year 1990, when he joined a group of environmentalists who were spearheading a seedlings propagation programme. Thereafter, he joined the Kenya Posts and Telecommunication Corporation (KPTC) in 1997 as a supplies officer. He rose through the ranks, with his final position at Telkom Kenya (the successor of KPTC) being that of Manager - Contracts and Services in 2005.
Upon the establishment of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (the Commission) (predecessor of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC)) in 2005, Mr. Koskei was tapped by the Third Administration to serve in the Commission as the Procurement Specialist. Thereafter, he joined Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) as the Manager - Procurement; and upon the establishment of Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) in 2008, he would, a year later, be appointed as the organization’s Head of Procurement. While at KeNHA, he was promoted to the position of General Manager - Supply Chain and Support Service in the year 2013, a position he held until his appointment as a Cabinet Secretary in the nation’s Fourth Administration in the same year.
Mr. Koskei holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (BSc) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) both from the University of Nairobi. He also holds a number of other professional certifications, and is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS).

Mr. Julius Migos Ogamba, CBS, is the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Education. He is an Advocate of the high court of Kenya, who was before his appointment serving as the chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kenya Electricity Generating company PLC(KENGEN), and Senior Partner at Migos-Ogamba and Waudo Advocates. Mr Ogamba is a seasoned, visionary and accomplished legal practitioner of over 30 years’ experience. He is a driven Advocate with a proven track record of leading teams, forging long lasting client relationships and influencing organizational productivity by ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Mr. Ogamba holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from The University of Nairobi, a post graduate Diploma in Law from the institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London. His Professional affiliations include memberships to the Law Society of Kenya, and the Institute of Certified Secretaries of Kenya. He has undertaken trainings on board membership, corporate governance for directors, board mastery programme and political leadership development programme

Dr. Belio Kipsang is the Principal Secretary, State Department for Basic Education in the Ministry of Education. He was appointed on 2nd December, 2022. Prior to his appointment to the current position, Dr. Belio was the Principal Secretary State Department for Regional and Northern Corridor Development. 

He has previously served as Principal Secretary, State Department for Basic Education and Early Learning. 

He also served as Managing Trustee/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Coffee Development Fund and Deputy CEO and Head of Operations Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) where he had previously held various Strategic Management positions. 

Dr. Belio holds other distinguished positions. He serves as a Council Member at Mt. Kenya University and Cooperative University College where he also Chairs Finance, Planning and Development. 

He is a Board member Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade, (FAST) an International Think Tank on Financial Resource Mobilization; Council Member, Advisory Council for Coffee Initiative; Government Delegate, International Coffee Organization (ICO) and; Chair, Operations Committee, Association of African Higher Education Financing Agencies (AAHEFA).

Dr. Belio is a holder of PhD degree in Education (Educational Administration and Planning from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa. He also holds a Master of Arts degree in Economics and a Bachelors (Honours) degree in Education (Business and Economics), both from the University of Nairobi. 

He has had extensive professional training opportunities which has exposed him to local and international conferences and workshops in areas of higher education financing and administration, leadership, management, micro-enterprise development, fraud, corruption and combating economic crime, agricultural value chain financing, computing and other areas of business and management among others particularly in prestigious institutions such as the London School of Economics (LSE) in the UK, Harvard University in the USA, State University of New York in the USA, among other institutions in Kenya, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Thailand among others. 

As an education scholar, Dr. Belio has authored highly competent academic and research papers in the areas of Higher Education Financing and Planning.

As the Principal Secretary for Basic education, Dr. Belio has been  the lead advisor to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) appointed by the president on 30th September, 2022. 

He is an Associate Member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and also; a member, Institute of Directors of Kenya.

Dr. Belio has received various awards that include: First Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S.).

Dr. Juma Mukhwana, CBS was appointed the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry (MITI), in December 2022. He is the immediate former Director General of The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA); from where he also worked to support the development of the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF). Dr. Mukhwana has worked in the agriculture and higher education sectors both locally and internationally for many years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Medicine (1993) and M.Sc. in Pharmacology and Toxicology (1995) both from the University Of Nairobi, Kenya, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Wyoming in the USA. He has worked in top management either as a CEO, and/or Deputy CEO in the public and private sectors for over 20 years. Between 2011 and 2013, he worked as a Senior Lecturer and Chairman of the Department of Land and Water Management (and Acting Dean, School of Agriculture), University of Embu. From 2013 to 2017 he served as the Deputy Commission Secretary/Deputy CEO at the Commission for University Education in Kenya; in charge of Planning, Research and Development. At the State Department for Industry, he has been instrumental in developing and implementing policies to support local manufacturing. These include the introduction of County Aggregation and Industrial parks (CAIPs), promotion of local content in manufacturing, supporting the Buy Kenya, Build Kenya Initiative, and facilitating the revival and invigoration of value addition in the leather, textiles and other agricultural products. He is also spearheading the expansion of manufacturing in cement, and steel; as well promoting local assembly of vehicles and motorcycles. He represents the country in the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); and is working to promote increased manufacturing within the East African (through EAC) and African regions (through the AfCTA). His main drive lies in his efforts to improve the conditions for manufacturing within Kenya and Africa, so as to bring prosperity and inclusiveness. This is in line with the Kenya Kwanza manifesto of growing manufacturing from the current 7.2% to 15% of GDP by 2025. Dr. Mukhwana is an accomplished Leader, passionate speaker and powerful change agent. He has received many national and international awards for his work in creating prosperity and improving livelihoods for poor people in Africa.

Neil Wigan OBE is His Majesty’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya.

Previously, Neil was Ambassador to the State of Israel from June 2019 to June 2023. He also served as Director for Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) from November 2015 to September 2018, British Ambassador to Somalia from June 2013 to July 2015, and British Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from March 2010 to March 2013.

Neil has also worked in the Cabinet Office, working for the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser, and on Middle Eastern and EU economic issues within the FCO.

He has a BA from Oxford University, an MSc in Economics from the University of London and did postgraduate studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

Before joining the FCO, he worked at the Bank of England and as an economist in the private sector.

A native of Dublin, Caitríona Ingoldsby joined Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs as Third Secretary in July 2001, and served initially in the United Nations, and Asia Sections of the Department’s Political Division, which included a temporary assignment to Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.

In 2004, she was appointed Deputy Head of Mission at Ireland’s Consulate General in Shanghai where she served for three years.

Following further HQ assignments in the Department’s Consular and Passport Division, and Irish Abroad Unit, in 2010 Caitríona was appointed Ireland’s Consul General in Sydney, Australia. Having served four years in Sydney she returned to Dublin and served as Director of the Department’s Consular Services Division, and Director of the Irish Abroad Unit.

In 2019, Caitríona was appointed Brexit Director at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels, working on all aspects of the UK withdrawal from the EU, including the negotiations of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

In August 2023, Caitríona became Ireland’s Ambassador to Kenya, and she is also Ireland’s nominated Ambassador to Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan.

Caitríona holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Trinity College Dublin, and Masters degrees in International Law, from Cambridge University and Trinity College Dublin. She is accompanied in Nairobi by her husband and two sons.

Prof.  Dickson Andala is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Fund (NRF). He is an Associate Professor of Materials / Inorganic Chemistry at the Multimedia University of Kenya, PhD in Materials Chemistry from Binghamton University, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Pennsylvania State University, USA.  He is the Lead Expert with NEMA, DOSH and CBRN and a reviewer of several local and international journals. Prof. Andala has served in various senior leadership/management positions, including having been the Director of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA), African Materials Research Society (AMRS) boards, Executive Committee Member of the Africa Crystallographic Association (AfCA), Chairman of Chemistry Department, Multimedia University of Kenya. He is a member of various Professional Associations, including the African Academies of Science (AAS), Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS), Materials Research Society of Kenya, and Kenya Chemical Society (KCS). 

Prof Andala is endowed with vast experience in research/scholarly work, as evidenced by extensive publications in peer-reviewed journals, several awards and research grants mobilization, keynote lectures and conference papers, and supervision of numerous postgraduate students. His research interests lie in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology and its applications in remediation, sensors, and catalysis.

Prof. Emeritus Michieka was a member of the University of Nairobi and Founding Vice Chancellor of JKUAT. He is the president of KNAS and the Chairman of the National Research Fund Board of Trustees. He was a graduate and Distinguished Professor from Rutgers University where he obtained his BSc, MSc, and PhD in Agriculture specializing in weed Science and Environment. He worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan Nigeria prior to his appointment at the University of Nairobi as a lecturer in 1980. Michieka has held national and international positions cutting across academic and community services. He served as the: Director General of National Environment and Management Authority (NEMA); Chairman of the Kenyatta University Council; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI); Kenya Education Network(KENET); Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA); African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC), Weed Science Society of Eastern Africa and Patron of Japanese Ex-Participants (JEPAK). Other committees where he has served include: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Institute (KEMFRI), Commission for University Education, and Environmental Institute of Kenya (EIK). He was a member of FAO Weed Specialists, member of the Compliance Committee of the Kyoto Protocol of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Founder of the African Institute for Capacity development, AICAD. While in NEMA, he articulated environmental pollution and degradation and produced the first state of our environment publication. Michieka has done extensive research in weed science, with special emphasis on chemical weed control. He is a member of many national and international organizations in weed research and environment. Ratemo trained several masters and PhD students engaged in various local and international organizations. He has published widely in local and international journals and written books in his area of expertise.

Prof. Robert Gateru is the Vice Chancellor of Riara University. He holds a PhD in Microelectronic Engineering & Semiconductor Device Physics from the University of Surrey in the UK; a Masters in the same field from the University of Cambridge, also in the UK; and a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) in Physics from the University of Nairobi. He is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), a Member of the Board of the National Research Fund, the East African Science & Technology Commission (EASTECO), among other positions.

He previously held senior management positions at the Kenya Methodist University and Kabarak University. 

Ben has been Liquid Telecom’s Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer since 2017, having previously served as Liquid Telecom’s Chief Technical Officer since 2006. 

With over 20 years of experience across a range of technologies in design, support, integration, and operational management roles, he has led the group’s networking and product strategy, expanding its Technology base and Fiber network across Africa. 

Ben led the integration and business transformation as CEO of Liquid Telecom Kenya from 2013 to 2017 and remains in Kenya as Board Chairman. In his current role, Ben is driving innovation across the Liquid Telecom group, while exploring how to digitally transform our services and technology stack, launching new technologies and products to our customers, and helping our customers innovate using our services. 

Before joining Liquid Telecom, Ben was responsible for electronics design and satellite systems at Ericsson UK Limited. He also worked as an engineer with Lotus Cars, the British sports car manufacturer. Ben holds a BSc- Hons Physics from the University of Bristol in the UK. 

Ben is passionate about STEM education and how it can be enabled by ICT and is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Young Scientists Kenya (YSK). 

With a distinguished background as an aeronautical engineer, Dr. Mwongera has devoted the past 13 years to advancing organizations dedicated to supporting Kenyan youth through initiatives focused on education, business financing, and investment opportunities.

Prior to joining YSK, Dr. Mwongera served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya and previously held the position of Chairperson at the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. His academic career includes roles as the Head of Department for Mechanical Engineering at Kenyatta University, as well as serving as a Lecturer and Aerospace Engineering Coordinator at the same institution. Additionally, Dr. Mwongera has contributed his expertise as an investment analyst at Centum Investments.

Dr. Mwongera holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Bristol, along with a Master's degree in Engineering specializing in Civil, Aerospace, and Mechanical Engineering, also from the University of Bristol. 

Francis (Frank) is an Associate Professor of Health Systems and Policy at the Strathmore University Business School and the chairperson of the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council, the state corporation that coordinates Health Workforce matters. His work revolves around strengthening policy, governance and regulation of health systems, innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare, quality and operations management, financing health systems, managing the health workforce, and public private collaborations in healthcare. He previously worked as a health specialist with the World Bank Group, supporting diverse streams of work across sub-Saharan Africa.

 Frank a member of the World Health Organization Technical Expert Group on Regulation, presently developing guidelines for the 196 WHO Member states on governance and regulation of health systems. He serves on various boards, including the UK National Institute for Health Research (Global Health Policy and Systems Panel); Population Services Kenya (PSKenya), Meghraj Capital and Children Sickle Cell Foundation. He is a member of the Presidential Taskforce on Addressing Human Resources for Health. Frank is a visiting professor and/or examiner across various universities the University of Nairobi, University of Malawi, Witwatersrand University and the University of London. Frank previously served as Research Director for Aidspan (Global Fund Observer), a health systems researcher at KEMRI/ Wellcome Trust, and as a government pharmacist. He holds a PhD in Health Systems & Policy (LSHTM/OU), an MPH (LSHTM), and BPharm (UoN), with further training at Nanyang Business School (Singapore), IESE Business School (Spain) and Strathmore University among others.

Dr Jordan Kyongo is the Head of the UK Government’s East Africa Research and Innovation Hub (EARIH) based at the British High Commission in Nairobi. EARIH is a team that provides demand-responsive research and evidence, and technical expertise to country offices in the region and beyond to drive efficient delivery and support evidence informed decision making at post; and that develops and amplifies UK-Africa science, technology and innovation (ST&I) partnerships for development impact and diplomatic influence. Jordan holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from University of Antwerp; Masters in Public Health from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and; MSc in Molecular Biology from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels. His journey through basic science, public health and now development research has built in him a passion for making research count. That the research findings should not just sit on shelves as pretty reports, peer reviewed publications (which have their place!), policy briefs et al BUT that the results should inform policy and practice. He is passionate about evidence-informed decision making, research ecosystem strengthening and supporting equitable partnerships with the global north for research capacity strengthening and science & tech partnerships in Africa. 

Dr. Shikoh is the visionary CEO of Qhala, a leading Digital Innovation company spearheading transformative initiatives across Africa. With over a decade of expertise in Research, Design, Implementation, and Management of Digital Technologies, she specializes in catalyzing digital transformation for organizations in Africa and Emerging Markets. Dr. Shikoh's passion lies in solving complex challenges in key sectors including Agriculture, Education, Health, Payments, Retail, and Renewable Energies. 

Dr. Shikoh's remarkable journey includes the establishment of Safaricom Alpha, Africa's pioneering corporate innovation hub. In this groundbreaking role, she served as the Head of Products – Innovation and acted as the Chief Innovation Officer, leading Safaricom's transformation into a digital powerhouse. She also made significant contributions at the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), where she provided strategic counsel to governments across Africa, guiding them in adopting ICT for service delivery. Her innovative approach resulted in the development of the Digital Government Blueprint, a strategic document now embraced by Smart Africa. With experience at Google and Microsoft's emerging markets teams, Dr. Shikoh bridges business, government, and technology, earning awards for her contributions. 

Dr. Shikoh's influence extends to various boards in ICT companies, steering committees, and think tanks focusing on Africa and technology. As an advisor to governments, she plays a pivotal role in shaping policies related to data and digital development. She currently serves as an Advisory council member at WiDEF and sits on the Board at Longhorn, Open Institute, ANU, and Integrated Payments Service Limited (IPSL), further amplifying her impact in the technology, digital economy and development sectors. With a PhD and MSc in Computer Science from the esteemed University of Cape Town, South Africa, she combines her academic expertise with practical acumen, enabling her to adeptly navigate the intricate landscape of digital innovation. Dr. Shikoh has been honored with prestigious awards, including the ASEB Summit award for Ecosystem Builder of the Year and the Women in STEM Champion of the Year. These accolades underscore her dedication to empowering women in tech and her pivotal role in building a robust startup ecosystem in Africa. In every endeavor, Dr. Shikoh embodies a relentless commitment to innovation, making her a driving force behind Qhala's success and a trusted advisor in the world of digital transformation.

Dr. Christopher Mulanda Aura (PhD) is a 41-year-old Kenyan and currently the Director, Freshwater Systems Research and a Principal Research Scientist in Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) with a research experience of 16 years and 10 years as an employee and manager, respectively. He holds a PhD in Bio-resource and Environmental Sciences from Hokkaido University, Japan; an MSc. in Aquatic Sciences from a collaboration between Linkoping (Sweden) and Moi (Kenya) Universities; and a First Class Honours BSc. Degree in Aquatic Sciences from Moi University, Kenya. He is a trained and certified Graduate Student Lecturer and scientist under Hokkaido University (Japan) and University of California Berkely (USA) collaboration. 

He is also trained as a Senior Manager and Strategic Leader in Kenya School of Government. He has also attained 3 international diplomas in Environmental Leadership and Policy, Sustainability Sciences, and Scientific writing. Dr. Aura has various outstanding achievements and performances. For example, he was awarded an African Union-World Academy of Sciences Award (AU-TWAS) as best Young Scientist (below 40 years) in Life and Earth Sciences in 2012 and at the onset of evidenced based performance measurement in KMFRI in 2015, he has been the best and top performing scientist for a consecutive period of seven years and up to date. He has over 130 publications in international peer-reviewed journals, and various books and chapters. Furthermore, he has been a principal and co-investigator in over 20 international and national funded projects that are geared towards socioeconomic development of the blue economy and related communities. Dr. Aura has held positions of leadership and authorship as chairperson of national and international task forces on policies and emergency sectors, and international editorial boards.

Prof. Vasey Mwaja is the Editor-in-Chief of the Kenya Academy of Sciences (KNAS). He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agriculture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Science in Agriculture (Plant Science) and Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences from California in the United States of America.

Vasey has been active in high profile positions in the field of agricultural and environmental research, education and policy development for over 30 years. He has worked as a consultant in agriculture and environment sectors in Africa. He was also a reviewer of the agricultural technologies for the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Project and Agriculture Fast Track Program of the African Development Bank (AfDB), and served in the Council of Scientific Advisers of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in Tristie, Italy. Prof. Mwaja was as a Senior Program Officer with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in Seattle Washington and has held various high-level positions in academia, research, policy and business organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.

Prof. Mwaja was admitted into the membership of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS) in 2014 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biologists of the United Kingdom in 2015. Vasey is also a member the KNAS Governing Council, the Editor-in-Chief of the Academy and a Fellow of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences. Prof. Mwaja was recently admitted into the Fellowship of the International Science Council (ISC) and serves in the Advisory Board of Savida Agric-Com (Private Limited) in Mumbai, India.

PROFILE

PROF MARY ABUKUTSA-ONYANGO is an award-winning researcher and a Professor of Horticulture at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), in Kenya in the Department of Horticulture and Food Security since 2007. Prof Abukutsa is a member of Kenya National Academy of Sciences since 2007 and a fellow of African Academy of sciences since 2017. She is a former Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research Production and Extension (2017-2022) at JKUAT. Mary previously served as Agricultural Officer, Ministry of agriculture in Kenya for a period of 8 years. She also previously served as Director, School of Graduate Studies, Dean, Faculty of Science and Coordinator of Research at the Centre for Research in Natural Sciences and Technological Development (CENASTED) in Maseno University (1999-2007). Mary has conducted pioneering research on African Indigenous Vegetables for three decades in over 15 multi-disciplinary, trans disciplinary and multi-institutional projects. The work involved baseline and household surveys, germplasm collection and characterization and multiplication. Research on agronomic, physiological and nutritional aspects of priority African leafy vegetables culminating in registration of nine varieties by KEPHIS, in Kenya. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Master of Science in agronomy and Doctor of Philosophy in vegetable science. She has worked with communities learnt from them on indigenous knowledge. Mary is currently promoting regenerative agriculture and climate smart technologies in the production of African indigenous vegetables in Kenya.  She has worked with communities, students at all levels, scientists, researchers and policy makers in Kenya and beyond to promote the role of African indigenous vegetables in food security, nutrition and income generation. Mary is working closely with a team of experts to support the ministry of agriculture, in the process of developing the first ever African Leafy vegetables National Strategy for Kenya. Prof Abukutsa through her research has strategically repositioned African Indigenous Vegetables from being considered as a poor man’s crop to a high value commodity. She has supervised and mentored many upcoming researchers and authored many publications on African Indigenous Vegetables. (ORCID NO: 0000-0002-4693-3637). She is currently a Principal Investigator of NRF-UPSCALING Project (2023-2025) and a Local Coordinator for a European Union (EU) funded Intra Africa-ORPHAN Project (2024 to 2027). Prof Abukutsa has received 20 National, Continental and Global awards and accolades for her pioneering impactful research on African Indigenous vegetables including Presidential award in 2010, African Union Women in Science award and Edinburgh Medal in 2014.

Dr. David Ngigi is an Entomologist with over 23 years of professional experience in both Public and Private Sectors. He is a known Champion for Science, Technology, and Innovation in Kenya. He is the Director Advisory, Standards and Licensing Directorate at the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). He is spearheading national initiatives towards attaining the STI Act of 2013's aspirations.

Earlier, Dr. Ngigi successfully coordinated NACOSTI’s initiatives to operationalize the Government Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund that was set to intensify innovations and promote the uptake of STI output in priority areas in line with Vision 2030 aspirations. Through his leadership the STI Fund grew to nurture and support over 1,800 research and Innovation projects, solidifying his commitment to propelling Kenya’s scientific landscape forward.

He was one of the pioneer members of the Secretariat that was tasked to operationalize the National Research Fund (NRF), the successor of the STI Fund. He made a significant contribution in supporting the Board of Trustees to set-up organization structures, build linkages and spearheaded resource mobilization to support research and Innovation in Government priority areas. 

Before joining the public sector, Dr. Ngigi was working at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). He made his contribution in the implementation of IUCN/East African Community (EAC) transboundary program, the Mount Elgon Regional Ecosystem Conservation Programme (MERECP) in Kenya and Uganda. He was also instrumental in designing insect pest control methods in food-crop land use systems and the associated Agroforestry practices in the Western Kenya region.

Robert is a biomedical scientist and development entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in STEM and development sectors. He holds a PhD in Parasitology and Entomology from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT). Starting his career as a scientist, Robert served at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where he was actively involved in the establishment of the intellectual property (IP) and technology transfer office (TTO). This nurtured his passion for transforming Africa’s development challenges into market opportunities through innovation in the life sciences. He contributed to intrapreneurial ventures at KEMRI such as developing diagnostics, nutraceuticals & phytomedicines products. Building on this experience, he launched a bio-entrepreneurship bootcamp at Strathmore University Business School for research commercialization in health and agriculture sectors. This paved the way for his entrepreneurial career as Co-founder at Villgro Africa. Robert remains passionate about transforming Africa through innovation and building local value chains as he serves on the board of several firms and organizations in Kenya and the region.

Dr. Emmeline Skinner is an Innovation, Evidence and Inclusion Adviser at the UK Governments East Africa Research and Innovation Hub, based in the British High Commission in Nairobi. She holds a PhD in Human Geography from University College London, and an MPhil in Politics and Economics from Oxford University and has been working in development for the past 20 years, with the past decade spent working for DFID/FCDO in Rwanda, Mozambique and now Kenya. The focus of her role in Nairobi is on building stronger evidence and data to inform the UK Government’s work in East Africa, and on promoting innovation, science and tech partnerships between the UK, Kenya and other countries in the region.  With a background in social and political analysis and training as a Social Development Adviser, Emmeline is particularly passionate about issues around gender equality, diversity and inclusion and is interested in how tech and innovation can be used to promote more equitable development and leave no one behind. 

Dr. Emmy Chirchir is a Science, Technology and Innovation Adviser and seasoned development practitioner with over a decade of experience and proven leadership in developing and growing science, technology and innovation programs, partnerships and ecosystems; strategically leading and managing a portfolio of multi-country projects and working across the spectrum of strategy and conceptualisation as well as implementation, growth and scale up in Africa and beyond, to address the development challenges of our time.

Expert in Strategic Partnerships and Socioeconomic Transformation Tonya Nyakeya is a strategist and program management expert with experience in the public and private sectors. As a Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives Advisor at the Results for Africa Institute, she drives socioeconomic growth through research, science, and technology. Known for a citizen-first approach, Tonya excels in strategic planning, partnerships, and delivering measurable results. She has led ecosystem initiatives, cofounded an AI and data analytics firm, and served in various advisory roles, bringing a global perspective to advancing transformation through research partnerships and innovation

Bernard Chiira Is the CEO and founder of Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust (AT4D), a legacy organisation of Africa’s 1st assisitive technology accelerator -Innovate Now. He is a member of the board of directors of the Strathmore Academy for International Research Collaboration, where he chairs the membership and diversity committee. With a distinguished career spanning over a decade, Bernard's expertise encompasses innovation, entrepreneurship, assistive technology, and venture capital. His impact resonates globally, with collaborations, awards and accolades[ Awards & Accolades In 2020, Bernard earned recognition as one of the top 100 most influential leaders in science and technology in Kenya by Avance Media, and a 50 Most Fabulous Innovative Leader awardee by the World Innovation Congress. In 2023, a Forbes leadership column featured him in their article "Disability Tech as a Game Changer for 2023 and Beyond." in 2023 he was a Compassionate Circle Leader award honoree and a recipient of the ASEB Leadership Achievement Award in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. In 2024, he was admitted to the prestigious Skoll World Forum Fellowship. ] across and beyond Africa, Europe, the UK, and the USA. He is a board member, advisor and professional speaker on critical matters such as international research collaboration, assistive technology, disability inclusion, and innovation. His passion and commitment continue to inspire individuals, startups, organizations, and governments to build a more inclusive world. He holds academic credentials from Strathmore University (BSc. Business Information Technology, MSc. Mobile Telecommunication and Innovation) and Stanford University Centre for Professional Development (Venture capital-VC Unlocked & New Venture Development-GIC iX instructor development program). 

Brian Seroney is a graduate of BSc Environmental Science from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), specializing in climate science and policy. He co-authored the book 'Charting the path to a sustainable future' and played a pivotal role in drafting the National Climate Change Action Plan 2023 - 2027 as well as amending the Kenya Climate Change Act 2016. Brian's expertise includes capacity building for communities and institutions on climate science and adaptation strategies. Over the years, he has authored policy briefs on youth engagement, which were presented at COP 27 and COP 28, showcasing his contributions to international climate discussions. Currently, Brian serves as the Director of Operations at Isisa Limited, where he focuses on leveraging innovative eco-solutions. He utilizes evidence-based science to inform policy and drive knowledge-managed actions towards sustainable development.

Ralph Roothaert has a BSc degree in Tropical Agriculture from the National Agricultural College in Deventer, Netherlands. He obtained an MSc degree in Tropical Animal Production and Health from Edinburgh University, UK. He got a PhD degree in Agriculture from Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Ralph Roothaert is an all-round researcher in tropical agriculture and food systems. He has worked in Africa for 26 years. He started as a development worker with VSO in Nigeria, then worked as an agricultural scientist with the CGIAR for 13 years (ICRAF, CIAT and ILRI). He was Fund Manager at Farm Africa in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. He coordinated the Economic Justice Programme for Oxfam GB in Tanzania, and was the Associate Country Director for Oxfam GB in Tanzania. At WorldVeg, he coordinated the homegarden scaling project in Africa and Asia, was Flagship Program Leader for Healthy Diets, and Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. Currently he is the Country Director for WorldVeg in Kenya and Principal Investigator for the Veggies 4 Planet & People project.

Prof Monicah Wanjiku Mucheru-Muna is a researcher and Associate Professor of Integrated Soil Fertility Management at Kenyatta University, with 24 years of experience in research and training. Monicah holds a Degree in Environmental Sciences, a Masters in Agroforestry and Rural Development and a PhD in Soil Sciences. Monicah is dedicated to advancing student training and conducting research collaboratively with local communities and extension to enhance food security. Prof Mucheru-Muna has made an impact in advancing students' research, having attracted 17 local and international research grants, successfully supervised close to 50 students, currently mentoring several upcoming researchers and published several research papers in refereed journals (http://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3RV8cOQAAAAJ&hl=en). Currently she is serving as the Chairperson in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Education.

Justin Berman is Technical Director for Infrastructure Science and Engineering (ISE) of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL) in Champaign, IL. As the CERL Technical Director ISE, he is responsible for technical leadership of ERDC’s programs in military data-driven installation technologies, energy security and resilience, and understanding facility and infrastructure technologies and their impacts. He received a BS, MS and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is an alumnus of the Center for Creative Leadership and Kellogg School of Management. 

With over 25 years’ experience as a civil servant, he has created significant impact across civil engineering and environmental sciences: from Army lab operations during COVID-19 to Army Arctic, Pacific climate, and NORTHCOM climate war gaming. His specific areas of research focused on fiber-reinforced polymer composites and smart materials technologies for Army infrastructure revitalization. Dr. Berman has served in most levels of leadership across four ERDC labs from branch chief to division chief to deputy director. He continues to lead ERDC military climate change programs to ensure USACE R&D addresses the climate crisis at home and abroad. 

He was adjunct faculty for the University of Alabama Huntsville and has 35 publications including 8 refereed journal articles. He has received numerous awards, including multiple EEO, Diversity, and Army civilian service awards. He is married to Laura Elizabeth Clay. They have six of their own and adopted children.

George Calfas is a Division Chief with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center. In this position George leads a college-level research team of 150 federal employees and 40 graduate students whom focus on climate change, energy optimization, water reuse, and robotics; to name a few. George’s research is focused on deployed force infrastructure with an eye toward optimization of contingency locations as well as understanding the mutual affects between US Forces and the local population. Additionally, he conducts research focused on cultural heritage, protection of cultural properties, and reciprocal affects that occur between local populations and person from outside the cultural traditional boundaries. He is also a member of the Society of Historical Archaeology Committee to UNESCO. As a member of the UNESCO Committee, George works to aid world-wide protection of underwater historic resource and submerged cultural materials.                 

Prior to joining ERDC, George had a distinguish 14-year career in the US Army where he served as an Airborne Ranger stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Schofield Barracks, Hawai’i, and Camp Greaves, Korea. During service, he conducted clandestine long range reconnaissance operations focused on counter-drug, anti-genocide, and anti-terrorism operations. 

George holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics, Masters and Doctorate in Archaeology from the University of Illinois. Additionally, George has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters that focus on the Edgefield District and is currently writing a book that focuses on Industrial Slavery in the Antebellum South. Today’s talk will pull highlights from his 2013 Dissertation NINETEENTH CENTURY STONEWARE MANUFACTURING AT POTTERSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA: THE DISCOVERY OF A DRAGON KILN AND THE REINTERPRETATION OF A SOUTHERN POTTERY TRADITION.

Dr Nokuthula Mchunu is the Deputy Director at the National Research Foundation, South Africa at the Business Advancement Division working on open science and partnerships. Dr Mchunu has a wealth of experience in academia outreach programmes, the popularisation of science, and STEM with local communities. She was senior Researcher from the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa in the Biotechnology Platform and her research focused on pathogen surveillance in wastewater, fungal genetics, Cannabis and Africa legume genomics.. She completed her doctoral degree in fungal genomics and served as a senior scholar in a number of international institutions including the University of Cincinnati (USA), Lund University (Sweden), Tianjin University, (China) and the Centre for Chemical Biology (Malaysia). 

JOY OWANGO is an experienced award winning Founding Director of the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) an award winning Trust registered in Kenya set up in 2006 and is the first African-based training centre to teach effective communication skills to scientists. TCC Africa is in partnership and housed at the University of Nairobi, Kenya and provides capacity support in improving African researchers output and visibility through in scholarly and science communication Beyond this she has successfully created Global North –South collaborations, where , the centre , promotes Open Science dialogue and provides equitable access to open source research discovery solutions to African governments and their respective academic communities. Through these partnerships TCC Africa actively creates awareness through advocacy on Open Science in Africa. The latest TCC Africa project is The Africa PID Alliance an Open Infrastructure activity whose mission is to secure the future of African Innovation, Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Heritage from (Persistent Identifiers)PIDs. She currently sits on the Steering Committee of the Research Organization Registry and the International Science Council’s, Steering Group on the Project on the future of scientific publishing. 

Mr. Duncan Mboyah holds a B.Sc. in Communication and Journalism Degree from Moi University and has over 15 years in science Journalism. He has been practicing Journalism in Kenya for various media organizations for over 20 years - Kenya News Agency (KNA), Biosafety News, Science Africa, besides freelancing for mainstream media houses – The Standard and the Nation. He has also written hundreds of articles for various international print media outlets. He did research for the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Africa Regional Office in 2014 on Reporting Climate Change on the Kenya Media. In 2017, he worked as a consultant for Kenya Organization for Environmental Education (KOEE) and helped coordinate the writing, and wrote a chapter in a book – Climate Change Reporting Guide for Journalists. He previously worked as a Consultant for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in training Somali Environment Journalists in 2019. He contributed a chapter in a book ‘Biotechnology: Eastern African Perspective on Sustainable Development and Trade Policy’, a book that was published by International Centre for Sustainable Development (ICSD). The chapter I handled (page 44) looked at biotechnology development in Kenya. He served as a Judge for Africa Climate Change and Environmental Reporting Award for the year 2013 – 2014 and 2022, a Judge for Association of Grassroots Journalists (AGJ) award 2023 excellence award in Journalism and also served as a Judge for AFIDEP and AU NEPAD Platform for Dialogue and Action on Health Technologies in Africa 2024 media award. He is currently working as a media consultant and also freelancing for Scidev Net, Xinhua News Agency, Earth Dialogue and Science Africa, amongst other outlets. He is the current Chairman for the Kenya Environment and Science Journalists Association (KENSJA) 2023 – 2025. 

Mr. Kenneth Monjero Igadwa is the founder and President of Fun and Education Global Network. An organization that connects learner’s globally to learn from each other on local solutions to global issues. He is also a researcher at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization based in Nairobi Kenya. He is experienced on application of biotechnology tools in crop research for food security. He has worked on several viral diseases affecting cassava, beans, maize. He was involved in transgenic crops; Bt Maize, Gypsophilla and cassava. With passion on technology transfer, Mr Monjero great has vast skills on outreach programs and public engagement in science. After spending 10 years in research, Monjero added to his career, science communication training from reknown universities in South Africa, States and Australia. He pioneered the establishment of the first Children science centre Kenya which empowers young people on STEM through minds-on and hands-on exploration. He has been featured greatly on national and international media on advocacy of children, youth and adult’s attraction and engagement in science for better lives. Monjero has founded the Fun and Education Global Network as a private company connecting primary and high school learners across the globe. Monjero studied applied biology, crop protection and biotechnology from Kenya Methodist University and the University of Nairobi. Monjero advanced his training through several international universities; Stellenbosch University; trans-disciplinary research and engagement, North West University; Synthetic biology, Cornell University; biotechnology and communication, and Australia National University; leadership in science centres development. Monjero has made great advance in scientific research, Science communication and science engagement.

Dr. Mirera Oersted David holds a PhD from Linnaeus University, Sweden, is a Principal Research Scientist working for Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) and currently the Assistant Director in charge of Mariculture Research and Development. Dr. Mirera holds significant hands on and training experience in mariculture development in Kenya and the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region. As a scientist and extension agent I’m the brainchild of community mariculture development in Kenya through milkfish (Chanos chanos) and mud crab (Scylla serrata) farming in more than 50 farming groups along the coast of Kenya. Have participated in various taskforces including developed of the 1st National aquaculture policy 2011 and Review of the policy in 2023. Have engaged in several mariculture development interventions including providing expertise in assessment of the suitability of mud crab farming in Seychelles, Potential of mariculture development in Kenya and Evaluation of the level of implementation of mariculture and fisheries interventions and collaboration between the United Republic of Tanzania and FAO. Have made a number of innovations in mariculture that include development of drive-in cages for mud crab cages, fabrication of innovated plastic cages for mud crab fattening, design and development of simple marine earthen ponds that are regulated by the tides, introduction of freshwater Nile tilapia into marine waters to address lack of fingerlings for farmers, design of marine fish cages and development of the 1st marine hatchery in Kenya. I’m a mentor and supervisor to a number of scientists, MSc. And PhD Students from different Universities in Kenya and abroad. Have implemented a number of research projects through different funders like NRF, WIOMSA, IFS, National Research fund, Rufford grant, WWFefn, the nature Constancy, Plan international, World fish among others. I have published more then 30 peer reviewed publications and reviewer with different international peer review journals.

Prof. Eucharia Oluchi Nwaichi is an esteemed Environmental Biochemist and Ecotoxicologist, currently serving as a Professor at the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. With a career spanning over two decades, she has distinguished herself as a leader in the field of environmental science, focusing on pollution prevention, waste management, and the bioremediation of contaminated environments. Her groundbreaking research has significantly advanced our understanding of phytoremediation, particularly in the context of restoring polluted ecosystems. Prof. Nwaichi's work on utilizing indigenous plants for the remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils has garnered international recognition, positioning her as a pioneer in sustainable environmental practices. She is a recipient of the prestigious John Maddox Prize (2022), awarded for her courageous stand for sound science in the face of adversity. In addition to her academic and research pursuits, Prof. Nwaichi is a passionate advocate for sustainable development and is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists. Her leadership extends beyond the laboratory, as she actively engages with policymakers, industry stakeholders, and communities to foster sustainable practices.

Caroline Mose is the Director of Programmes at the Mawazo Institute where she leads a team that manages Mawazo’s Fellowship and Mawazo Voices Programmes, that supports women scholars from across the continent doing PhDs. Prior, she was a lecturer at the Technical University of Kenya in Nairobi, where she convened readings in cultural studies, music, and popular spaces from the Department of Music and Performing Arts. She holds a Master of Science from Oxford University and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. Her publications appear in various academic journals, books and newspapers. She is a governance and cultural studies expert, with expertise on the intersections between politics and culture. She is also a creative writer, having contributed a chapter to the anthology Nairobi Noir in 2020, and published short stories in Lolwe in 2022 as well as Unstamatic Magazine in 2022. Her short story Jaba, published in Lolwe, was shortlisted for the Caine Prize 2023.

Dr Okungu is a career health economist who has served in various technical leadership roles, advising and producing policy documentation and presentations on health sector planning, financing, and economic evaluation. His research interests include sustainable domestic health financing, financing research & development, healthcare equity and access, and value for money. As PI or co-PI in a number of research projects, some of his achievements include forecasting costs for national strategy deployment and finances for sustainable public health interventions in Rwanda, improving the potential of domestic mobilization of resources, and planning health expenditure using the cost model and sustainability plan in Kenya and Rwanda); co-authored and produced a comprehensive global report on care quality improvements, policy reviews and evaluations; and improved planning, budget allocation, execution and reporting through the design and implementation of program-based budgeting in Kenya and Uganda. Dr. Okungu's influence extends to a number of scientific and other positions, including his current role as a Senior Researcher at the University of Nairobi. He also serves as a senior advisor on sustainable domestic health financing in several African countries. His leadership is further demonstrated by his editorial roles in two international journals (PLOS ONE and Frontiers in Pharmacology) and his lead roles in various projects within the African Union, the NGO Network for Neglected Diseases (NNN), and the UN system. Within the UN system, he has consulted for the WHO, UNAIDS, and UNITAR. A selection of Dr. Okungu’s contributions to science includes: first, he identified health service access barriers, which led to the development of new advocacy tools that improved timely access to treatment services and consistent use of bed nets to control malaria morbidity. Second, by focusing on the health sector challenges brought about by a constrained fiscal environment, he developed a financial model and strategies to encourage participation in prepaid healthcare for sustainable financing of universal health coverage (UHC) in Kenya. He further provided policy options for the operationalization of UHC in Kenya by shaping robust economic models and executing sustainability programs. Third, Dr Okungu and colleagues collated comprehensive evidence on the quality of care globally, producing a global report that guides reforms to improve care quality across different settings. Finally, as a technical lead, he has produced detailed policy reports for ministries of health in various countries highlighting sustainability, effectiveness, and justifiable financing, with a second scientific report on controlling public finances. The evidence from these reports improved planning, budget allocation, execution, and reporting by designing and implementing program-based budgets in Kenya and Uganda. Some of Dr Okungu’s scientific honors include the Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship Award, the recognition for the most highly cited publication in five years (Health Systems & Reform), and Best Paper Award (Pharmacy Journal).

Margaret Karembu, is the Director of Africa center of International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA AfriCenter africenter.isaaa.org) and chair, Africa Science Dialogue hub. A science educator and communication trainer, Margaret has actively been involved in strengthening capacity for science communication and policy outreach for informed choices on modern biosciences in Africa. She is Editor-in-Chief of DrumBeat, a monthly e-newsletter on Africa Bioscience trends, pioneering chair of the Africa Science Dialogue platform and African Women for Biosciences, all aimed at positioning Africa as an active player in global biosciences’ advancements. She has wide experience in participatory training methodologies, technology diffusion and One Health approaches. She is very passionate about science and a strong believer in the power of innovations for transforming African agriculture into efficient and competitive enterprise for women and smallholder families. In 2020, Margaret’s efforts were recognized with a conferment by Kenyan President with a State Honour – Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS). She holds a PhD in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University, where she previously taught and mentored young scientists for more than ten years prior to joining ISAAA AfriCenter, a cause she has continued through ISAAA’s Early Career Professionals mentorship platform.

OTULA is the founding editor of ScienceAfrica. He has a strong interest in popularization of science, technology and innovations for sustainable development in Africa. Prior to founding Science Africa in 1994, Otula served for a decade as a pioneering science editor/writer with Nation Media Group, Nairobi Kenya and is a renowned science journalism coach and mentor. Otula has served in several boards, including the East African Science and Technology Commission; National Biosafety Authority (NBA-Kenya) and the Agricultural Information Resource Center. Has been a member of the African Federation of Science Journalists, International Science Writers Association and has associated with the World Federation of Science Journalists, among others. He holds an MA in International Relations; BSc in Microbiology, and a BA in Journalism from the University of Texas at Arlington USA

Dr. Rose Oronje is a development policy and communications specialist with over 15 years’ experience in designing and implementing public policy and governance research, knowledge translation, communication and evidence uptake interventions, and capacity development for enabling evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) in development efforts in Africa. She is experienced in conducting analyses of policies and policy environments and translating and communicating research to policymakers and other general audiences (including the mass media). She has designed and delivered capacity building programmes in knowledge translation, including research-to-policy communications, but also research utilisation by policymakers, media practitioners, and civil society. At AFIDEP, Dr. Oronje leads on the design and conduct of research on policy analysis, political economy analysis, and knowledge translation; and design and delivery of capacity development interventions aimed at enabling EIDM. Prior to joining AFIDEP, Rose headed the Policy Engagement and Communications unit at the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC).

Eunice Ogolo is a dynamic leader with a proven track record in international development. Over 17 years, she has successfully delivered social impact by forging strategic partnerships. As Director of Girl Capital Africa at the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Eunice is at the forefront of empowering girls with health, economic opportunities, and agency to shape a thriving Africa. Previously, she led Inclusive Economic Development at the British High Commission Kenya, where she designed and implemented impactful programmes. Her earlier experience as Country Director at Kenya Youth Business Trust further solidified her commitment to uplifting disadvantaged communities. Eunice is passionate about harnessing data-driven insights to create programmes that raise the potential of young people, especially girls and women, across Africa.

Dr. Mercy Korir is an award-winning Medical Doctor, Communication and Business Executive, recognised for her expertise in health journalism and strategic communications. Her background, combines medical expertise with communication and business aptitude, speaking to her versatility and expertise in the healthcare and media sectors. A Fellow of the International Centre for Journalists, she is also an Awardee of The Presidential Order of Service Award – Uzalendo Award (2020) for her key media role in Kenya during the Covid19 Pandemic. A pioneer medical journalist Dr. Korir played a key role at The Standard Group PLC, where she served as the Editor and Team Lead of the Health & Science Desk, where she revolutionised the media landscape by establishing a Multimedia Health and Science Desk. Her notable accomplishments include conceptualising high-quality content for TV, radio, and digital platforms, hosting TV health shows, and amplifying revenue growth through strategic partnerships. 

Mr. Wanambisi has vast research experience conducting studies and consultancies across several sectors among them including: ICT Sector: On behalf of the UK’s East Africa Research and Innovation Hub (EARIH) conducted a research titled ‘Use and Impact of Universal Services (Voice and Data) - Deepening Usage for Enhanced Inclusivity in Kenya’. In Micro Finance Institutions, Cooperatives and MSMEs: On behalf of DGRV/ German Kenyan Co-operative Development conducted an assessment on the Achievements of Co-operative Education, Training and Information Centers (CETICs) for primary cooperatives in Narok and Kakamega counties. On behalf of Terre des Hommes Netherlands conducted a Baseline Survey titles SCROL programme to determine the safety of children online with a case study of Nairobi, Kisumu and Kilifi Counties. On behalf of Light for the World Kenya, Sense International, Humanity & Inclusion and United Disabled Persons of Kenya conducted the Market Assessment of Inclusive Features, Promoting Disability Inclusion in the Kenya market. And on behalf of USAID/KEA Mission Organizational Development Support (MODS) programme supported Bungoma and Kakamega Counties to establish a Local Development Organisation (LDO) whose aim was to provide organizational development, capacity building/technical assistance (TA), strengthening the role and capacity of local organizations and business advocacy networks.

Anthony holds a Ph.D. in Information Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, an M.Sc. in Computer-Based Information Systems from the University of Sunderland, and a B.Sc. in International Business Administration from the United States International University-Africa. He graduated from the Africa Innovation Leaders Course at the Politecnico di Milano/Politecnico di Torino in Italy and is an alumnus of the Echidna Global Scholars’ fellowship Program 2022 at the Brookings Institution and a member of the Echidna Global Scholar Alumni Network.  Currently a senior lecturer and the Director Research at the National Defence University -Kenya, Anthony has worked for more than 17 years as a university instructor and researcher. He was previously a faculty member of staff at the Computer Science Department at Alupe University and the School of Computing and Information Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He has previously served in management at JKUTA as an associate head of the IT department and as the Director Kigali campus.    An active player in the western Kenya entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, Anthony Luvanda is a founder and chair of Mabintitech community organization (a rural-based Organization that works towards having more girls and young women in western Kenya joining technology and engineering courses and careers), co-founder of Magharibi Innovation Hub, and a founding member of the Association of Countrywide Innovation Hubs. Anthony dedicates himself to empowering youth in entrepreneurship by enhancing their digital literacy and technology skills and reducing gender disparities within digital technology.

Prof. Mike Kuria is the CEO of the Commission for University Education (CUE), in Kenya. Previously, he was the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) whose mandate included quality of higher education in the East African Community (EAC) Partner States. Kuria has a wide experience with higher education and quality in the region having been the Director, Centre for Quality Assurance at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya for 10 years. From 2011-2015 he was the coordinating expert for a regional higher education quality assurance initiative by IUCEA in partnership with the German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) in which he coordinated several capacity-building exercises including a regional QA framework for East Africa with supporting Handbooks “A Roadmap to Quality”. He was the founding Secretary General of the East African Quality Assurance Network (EAQAN). He holds a PhD in English from the University of Leeds, UK.

Dr. Patrick Kinyua Kubai (PhD) is the Coordinator Research, Collaboration and Extension where he oversees the University Research, Collaboration and Extension Ecosystem in the Directorate of Research Innovation Commercialization and Extension at the Meru University of Science and Technology (MUST) where he doubles as faculty member in School of Health Sciences, Kenya. Dr Kubai P.K (PhD) has 15 year experience in research and teaching in the areas of Clinical Medicine, Community Health, Public Health Programs Implementation in Kenya and Uganda, Health Promotion, Health Education and International Health, Research Knowledge Translation through Digital Story Telling Methodologies a Micro research Methodology for Health Interventions, Miraa Herbal and Pharmacological Extracts Research under Miraa Research Institute (MRI), Intergration of Artificial Intelligence into Health Interventions. He has researched extensively with interests in the areas of Health Program Evaluation, Public Health Genomics, Cancer Research and Community Health Strategies. Innovations in One Health and Agriculture Technologies, Circular Economy, Climate Change Adaptation and Rural Development for narrowing Health the delivery divide. He is a member of ASPHA, COC, Various University Senate Committees, He is Part of Lead KENIA EIMF. To date he is a mentor Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Faculty members in research, technology and innovation, coordinated innovations and entrepreneurship programs for the last 7 years in diverse sectors including areas of Emerging Health Intervention, Technologies and Curricullum Development and Reviews. Dr. Kubai P.K (PhD) in collaboration with both Local and International faculty and industry partners created the Inaugural Meru University of Science and Technology International Conference MUSTIC 2023 and 2024 series, MUSTIEW i.e Innovation Weeks, Micro Research Workshops in demystifying Quantitative and Qualitative Research for Faculty and Postgraduate Students, Established a Functional Meru University of Science and Technology Institutional Research Review Ethics Committee (MIRERC), mobilized local and international academia, industry and government partners in the identification, nurturing and globalization of local research Outputs through Knowledge Health research output Translation into Innovative Products and applications and publications in international AND Mobilized and won a Ambulance grant for MUST from UK. Dr. Kubai P.K (PhD) has participated as judge during the NRF inaugural Conference – Nairobi, KENIA Innovation Week, HAY Symposium – Uganda, Facilitator Nairobi Summer School for Climate Change Justice – TNC-Kenya, Technical Officer in KeBs for development of Miraa Standards, Established Miraa Research and Startup Competitions. Dr. Kubai P.K (PhD) is committed, passionate Mentor, Coach and motivation speaker of Young Researchers, Innovators in attaining their aspirations, dreams to translate their research outputs into viable prototypes, products and create products by applying current technologies and innovations that simplify life for inclusivity and value addition. Dr. Kubai P.K (PhD) has conducted out mentorship in Research, innovations and consultancy through adoption of Schools, Open days and training for capacity Building of Faculty and Community and Conference activities with private and government institutions including KEMU and KENIA, KIPI. Dr. Kubai P.K (PhD) has attracted Grants from Capital Limited Services - UK, Ministry of Agriculture in Partnership Community Stakeholders for community Empowerment and published in the areas of Public Health, Sanitation Quality of Life, and Health Care Delivery Programme Evaluations.

Daniele is a Senior Research Associate at the Alan Turing Institute, the UK National Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. He is a political scientist by first degree and holds a PhD in economics from the University of Sussex (UK). He has been a technical consultant for different research centres and international organisations, such as The International Growth Centre (IGC), The Institute of Development Studies (IDS), The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and The World Bank Group (WBG). His research interests span various topics across political science, development economics and political economy. He has worked on social media, sustainable development, food policy, public financial management, trade and innovation, political violence, decision-making dynamics, health equity, international aid and climate security. For this, he employs text analysis, network science, agent-based modelling, machine learning, and more traditional methods such as econometrics

Eve is a True Value Accounting of Nature Program and Research officer at the Strathmore Natural Capital Hub. Her work revolves around developing advisory strategies using community led, co-design citizen science approaches in providing compelling evidence that informs policymaking and decision-making in Innovation Communities & Prosperity, Nature Capital Frameworks & Emerging Markets and Transforming Africa’s Food & Fibre Systems. She works in various roles as in delivering projects as Lead Rapporteurs for Africa Climate Summit ’23 intergovernmental process, co-designed Prosperity research in TRANSFORM ‘s “Future of Work” project and currently implementing UN-TEEB True Value of Food Programme and GoK Policy Integration on Ecosystem Management of Natural Capita

Dr. Charles N. Lange is an eminent environmental expert with over 15 years of experience in environmental research and management. In training, he holds Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Philosophy on environment and natural resource management from Moi University, Kenya. He further holds PhD from the faculty of science, Copenhagen University, Denmark. In work experience, Dr. Charles Lange has undertaken environmental research for over 15 years. Many of his research projects have played a major role in supporting science policy interface on environment and natural resources management. During his career, Dr. Lange has successfully developed and implemented over 16 key environmental projects and has published over 30 peer reviewed scientific papers. Dr Lange has also participated in many national and international scientific conferences and symposiums for sharing his scientific findings. Dr. Lange currently serves as coordinator for environmental research and planning at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). Dr. Lange is also instrumental in technical backstopping on domestication of various Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Specifically he has been the focal technical backstopping on matters United Nations Convection to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Kenya. Between November 2022 and June 2024, he served in an Intergovernmental Working Group on drought under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification on identification of policy options for effectively addressing drought. On other United Nations assignments, Dr. Lange served on a global committee hosted by UNEP on development of Options on the future of the Global Environment Outlook (GEO) from 2020 and 2021. Dr. Lange also co-supervises post-graduate students at various universities.

Prof. Peter Muchiri is an esteemed academic leader and the current Vice Chancellor of Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT). With a distinguished career in higher education, Prof. Muchiri has made significant contributions to the fields of engineering and technology. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in industrial automation and energy systems. Prof. Muchiri has held various leadership roles at DeKUT, including serving as the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs before his appointment as Vice Chancellor. Under his leadership, DeKUT has continued to excel in research, innovation, and the development of cutting-edge programs designed to meet the needs of the modern workforce. An advocate for technology-driven education, Prof. Muchiri has spearheaded initiatives aimed at enhancing the university's research capabilities and fostering collaborations with industry partners. His vision is to position DeKUT as a leading institution in Africa for technology and innovation.

Dr Antonina Mutoro is a registered nutritionist and an associate research scientist at the African Population and Health Research Center. She holds a PhD in Human Nutrition (2018) and an MSc in Human Nutrition, clinical nutrition specialization (2011), from the University of Glasgow. She has an interest in infant and young child nutrition and food systems and is currently managing projects which aim to improve infant and young child nutrition and food systems in African countries. Her previous research focused on risk factors for under nutrition in children and adolescents in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. She has also assessed the nutrition quality of prepackaged foods marketed to children in United Kingdom and South American countries. Antonina has worked closely with government, local and international non-governmental and community-based organizations. 

Prof. Raphael Munavu is the Chairman of Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA), a Professor Emeritus in Chemistry at the University of Nairobi, and a Director at the National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). He previously served as Chairman of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform in Kenya; Chairman of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences; Chancellor of Laikipia University; and Commissioner in the Commission on Revenue Allocation. He is a Fellow of the KNAS, the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and a member of the Governing Council of the AAS. Prof. Munavu obtained a B.A. degree from Kalamazoo College (1970); an M.Sc. from Wayne State University (1972); and a Ph.D. from University of Detroit (1975). His specialization is in organic, environmental and industrial chemistry. He joined the University of Nairobi as lecturer in 1976 and retired in 2019. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of Moi University; Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Nairobi; and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Egerton University. He was the founding Principal of Laikipia College of Egerton University; Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Nairobi; Chairman of Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC); and the founding Chairman of Council of the South Eastern University College (SEUCO). Prof. Munavu has been conferred with National Honours of Order of the Grand Warrior (OGW), and Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) for his services in the Education Sector in Kenya. 

Silvia Mwendia is a professional with over seven years of experience in international development, communications, and research. As a Programme Officer at the Mawazo Institute, she supports the implementation of public engagement strategies and manages key activities within the Mawazo Voices Programme. She is also responsible for coordinating the production of communications outputs, including podcasts and publications. Additionally, Silvia plays a crucial role in managing the Mawazo Connects Network fostering meaningful collaboration among alumni and ensuring a smooth transition from the Fellowship Programme into the Connects Network. Lastly, she assists the Strategic Partnerships Lead in managing partner relationships and exploring strategic opportunities.

Dr Evelyn Gitau is the Chief Scientific Officer for the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) where she provides strategic leadership and vision for the organisation's science portfolio. A seasoned scientist with over 20 years’ of experience in biomedical research, Evelyn is highly skilled in programme management, grants management, fundraising, strategy, policy, and monitoring, learning and evaluation. She is harnessing this experience, together with her interdisciplinary expertise in impact evaluation, implementation research, cellular immunology, molecular biology and infectious diseases, to lead a proficient and experienced programme team at the SFA Foundation who are designing, managing and mobilising funding for the science and innovation programmes being delivered across the continent, in partnership with African and global partners. Through her leadership, the SFA Foundation is promoting the efficient delivery of its programmes, ensuring that the insights and evidence they generate inform Africa's development agenda and position the SFA Foundation as a global thought leader. Additionally, she is driving high-level relationship building and advocacy with partner organisations as she positions the public charity. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of Programmes at the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC). She has received numerous awards, including recognition as the Next Einstein Forum Fellow for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. She sits on the advisory board of several organisations advancing Africa’s science and evidence generation agenda. The holder of a PhD in Life Sciences from the Open University/Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, is committed to mentoring and supervising researchers, believing that the next generation of research leaders in Africa must be at the forefront of the continent’s development agenda, to shape decision-making and policy with evidence. 

I am a Senior Research Scientist working with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). My research area is in virus epidemiology and control. I am currently based at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) in Kilifi, Kenya, where I head a multi-disciplinary research group named Pathogen Epidemiology and Omics (PEO). My background is in Biochemistry (BSc), and I have an MSc in the Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases and a PhD in virus molecular epidemiology. For over 15 years I have primarily focused on elucidating the molecular epidemiology common respiratory and intestinal infections in Africa using modern molecular tools e.g. next generation sequencing and bioinformatics. I helped set up the initial whole genome sequencing protocols for a range of medically important viruses in Kenya and describe their local epidemiology including for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rotavirus, hMPV, endemic coronaviruses etc. During COVID-19, I co-led the KWTRP laboratory response overseeing set up of its diagnostics and whole genome sequencing protocols. I have co-supervised to completion 2 PhD students and > 10 MSc students. In 2022, I won a Wellcome Career Development Award to set up studies on rates, determinants and transmissibility of respiratory virus reinfections

Dr Thomas Kariuki is Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer for the Science for Africa Foundation, established in 2021 to support, strengthen and promote science and innovation in Africa. A long-time advocate involved in the global effort to develop vaccines, drugs and diagnostics for poverty related diseases, Kariuki is a prolific science leader whose experience in science diplomacy has enabled the mobilisation of support and hundreds of millions in USD funding from global funders and African governments for science and innovation in Africa. Through his leadership, Kariuki is driving the SFA Foundation to establish global strategic partnerships and build a sustainable pan-African science funding organisation that contributes to the growth of science and innovation in Africa. He is a recipient of various national and international awards including the Presidential honour of the Order of Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) for scientific leadership and public service, is a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS) and an Honorary Professor of Research of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LSTM. He has served on many global boards and committees of Africa-wide professional networks including the Federation of African Immunological Societies (FAIS), CEPI, the World Health Organization and others