2023 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

2023 Keynote Speakers

Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, PS

Dr. Inyangala has served as the Deputy Executive Director of Nairobi-based Partnership for African Social and Governance Research. She was earlier the Director of Higher Education at the same organization. She is an accomplished educationist with a Bachelor’s degree in Education having specialized in Economics and Geography at Moi University. She later proceeded for a Master’s degree in Education Planning and Economics at the same university. She acquired a Ph.D. from Athens University in Greece in 2004 at the age of 33. The outspoken woman, who hails from Shiruku village in Malava constituency in Kakamega County, has been at the forefront of championing for education reforms and is credited for being part of a team that developed the Education and Training Strategy under the canopy of Vision 2030. She also served a stint as a senior official at the Commission for University Education where she worked closely with university researchers to craft solutions to problems bedeviling the Kenyan society. During her campaigns in Kakamega, she had promised to ensure women were in a position to influence policy and programs that make a difference in the society. She advocated for a program to help young girls who got pregnant during their high school studies to go back to class upon delivery.

Ms. Roseline K. Njogu

Ms. Roseline K. Njogu is the current Principal Secretary, State Department for Diaspora Affairs, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. In her role as the first-ever PS for Diaspora Affairs, she is tasked with improving the services of Kenyans living abroad.

Rosa is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya and brings 14 years of legal experience advising corporations in technology, health, energy, financial services and international development. She was the co-founder and partner in charge of the commercial law practice at Lexlink Consulting.Roseline holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from Harvard Law School, and a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University of Nairobi. She is also trained as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) from Strathmore University.

She is currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Nairobi.

Dr. Philemon Yebei

Philemon Yebei holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the IU School of Education in Bloomington, a Master of Science in applied health science from the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, and a Bachelor of Education in technology from Moi University in Kenya. He is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the regional and state affiliates (CACUBO/IACUBO). Yebei is also a member of Rotary and was the Treasurer of the Rotary Club of Kokomo Early Risers until February 2018. Philemon Yebei joined the Office of the Vice President for Regional Campuses and Online Education, previously the Office of the Executive Vice President for University Academic Affairs, in March 2018 as Assistant Vice President for Administration. He manages the University Academic Affairs budget and administration, serves as the fiscal liaison between IU’s regional campuses and the university’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and provides fiscal support and guidance to IU’s regional campuses.…Read More

Amb. Lazarus O. Amayo, EBS

Lazarus O. Amayo, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya, to the United States has held several senior public positions before his current assignment, among them; Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the United Nations (May, 2018 – June, 2020), High Commissioner of Kenya to the United Kingdom (August, 2014 – April, 2018), the Permanent Representative of Kenya to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Commonwealth Organization. He was the Director for Europe and Commonwealth Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (June, 2010 – July, 2014), High Commissioner of Kenya to Zambia and Malawi and Permanent Representative to COMESA (July, 2006 – June, 2010), Ag. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (March, 2006 – July, 2006); Director of Administration (May, 2005 – March, 2006) and Head of International Organizations and Conferences (Multilateral Relations) Division in the same Ministry (April, 2004 – April, 2005). Read More…

Prof. Jane Irungu

Dr. Wamwari Waichungo currently leads a team of over 140 regulatory and safety experts at SC Johnson. A well-recognized international food systems and regulatory expert, Dr. Waichungo is a Distinguished Fellow of the Monticello Society at University of Missouri-Columbia, and she serves on the advisory board of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Recourses. She is a sought-after advisor and has supported numerous groups, such as the national board of Community Health Charities, an organization that has been raising awareness and empowering people to take action to improve their health outcomes for over 60 years.

She established the W. Waichungo Study Abroad Scholarship endowment that enables international learning opportunities for food science students, and through her work, philanthropy, and travel to over 90 countries, Dr. Waichungo advocates for training the next generation of scientists, and closing capacity gaps, so that all communities can have access to safe, abundant food and economic opportunity. Born and raised in Kenya, Dr. Waichungo credits her STEM education to the diverse and innovative opportunities in her career, which have led to ground-breaking advancements in food safety.