Internationally Recruited Staff

John Murray McIntire joined ILRI on 14 December 2012 as Deputy Director-Integrated Sciences. John is a native Californian. He graduated from Occidental College in 1972 with a BA in history. He worked in a pharmaceuticals factory until he joined Fletcher School, Tufts University, to undertake his graduate studies in 1975. At Fletcher School he completed a PhD degree in agricultural economics, based in part on 1977-78 field work done near Segou, in central Mali. After receiving his PhD degree in 1980, he joined IFPRI as a research associate for an year before being appointed as Principal Economist in the ICRISAT West Africa Program at the Kamboinse Research Station near Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. In 1981, John moved joined ICRISAT and relocated to Niamey, Niger, where he was one of the scientists involved in established the ICRISAT Sahelian Center at Sadore.

In 1984, he was appointed Principal Economist at ILCA in Addis Ababa where he worked on the economics of ILCA’s priority setting, trypanotolerance, smallholder cattle fattening, crop residue management, alley farming, and crop-livestock integration.McIntire joined the World Bank in 1989, where he worked until his retirement in 2011. While at the World Bank, he developed and managed a National Agricultural Technology Program for Mexico, which was, at the time, the largest Bank investment in national agricultural research in the world. He later worked as an Economist in Cote d’Ivoire where he was instrumental in the reform of the national cocoa marketing institution and in restructuring that country’s international debt as part of the HIPC Initiative.

In 2000, he was appointed World Bank Country Director for Senegal, the Gambia, Cape Verde and Guinea, a position he held until 2004. From 2004-2007 he was Director for Agricultural, Environmental and Social Development in the Africa Region of the World Bank.His final assignment in the World Bank was as Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, where he managed a team of some 200 people that delivered one of the largest IDA programs in the world. In 2011 he was the second person to receive both the Bank’s Good Manager Award and the Green Award for Environmental Leadership, notably for his work in defending the Serengeti National Park. John is from the USA.

Suzanne Bertrand joined ILRI on 14 January 2013 as Deputy Director General Research – Bio-sciences. With a PhD in plant molecular biology earned at Laval University, Dr Bertrand’s background is a unique mix of science and managerial roles in government, academia and the private sector, with a long interest and hands-on experience in international development.  Her expertise has been in managing stakeholder and client relationships, and building the engagement strategies for various projects.

Her first overseas assignment was as a consulting plant physiologist for the Gansu Forest Nursery Project in the People’s Republic of China, funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, and was later appointed Project Director in the last three years of the project. She then took up a Project Director position in Tunisia for a project on installation and starting up of five tree nurseries funded by the Nordic Development Bank and World Bank. Bertrand spent six years professor at North Carolina State University first as research assistant, and later as a founding principal for a biotechnology start-up company. She the became the Group Manager for Innovation with Livestock Improvement (LIC), a large dairy breeding enterprise in New Zealand and managed LIC’s Research and Development Group.

In 2008, Dr. Bertrand became Director, International Linkages for the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology in New Zealand. Before joining ILRI, she was the CEO for NZBIO, an NGO representing the interests and supporting growth of the bioscience sector in New Zealand. Dr. Bertrand has a lifelong interest in fine cuisine, art history, all things gardening, and travel. Suzanne is from New Zealand.

 Munenobu Ikegami a native from Japan was appointed as an Economist for Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) project in Livelihoods, Gender, Impact, and Innovation group on 1 April 2013. His work focuses on the evaluation of IBLI in Northern Kenya and Southern Ethiopia utilizing household-level socio-economic panel surveys.  His research interest is on household intertemporal decisions and poverty dynamics.  He joined ILRI as a Postdoctoral Scientist for IBLI project in 2008 and became a consultant for the same project in 2011. Nobu attained his Master in Economics from the University of Tokyo, Japan in 2003 and a PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA in 2008.

Silvia Alonso joined ILRI on 1 April 2013 as a Post-doctoral Scientist in the food safety and zoonoses team. She is a veterinarian with postgraduate training in epidemiology and public health. She graduated in veterinary medicine in Spain and completed a PhD in food safety at the University of Bologna, Italy, where she also worked for few years as a research assistant. She holds an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a Diploma from the European College of Veterinary Public Health. Silvia has worked for 5 years as a lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College where she gained experience in teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level, both nationally and internationally. Her research looks at the epidemiology and control of different zoonoses, and her particular interest in zoonosis impact and control in developing countries encouraged her to join ILRI. She also has a special interest in the Ecosystems approach to health (EcoHealth), a novel holistic approach to the investigation of human health. Silvia is from Spain.

Patricia Rainey joined ILRI on 10 April 2013 as the Program Support Coordinator for the CGIAR Research Programs on Livestock and Fish and on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH). As a program support coordinator, she will work closely with the head of development partnerships, value chain coordinators, theme leaders, focal points and key finance, human resources and administration personnel at ILRI, our partner centers and the Consortium Office to successfully administer activities in these two CRPs. She will be based at the ILRI Nairobi office. Patricia’s educational background comprise of a master’s degree in evaluation from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Using that training, she recently managed a USAID funded Monitoring and Evaluation project in Uganda for four years where she provided performance management support to USAID and 40 implementing partners. Prior to that, she led a similar project for USAID in Nigeria. She has also worked extensively with USAID in the area of program management in Guinea and Ghana supporting work planning, budgeting, and performance monitoring and reporting. Before entering the world of performance management, she was a practicing sociologist, working on feasibility studies, baseline surveys and evaluations in the area of rural development. Patricia is from South Africa.

Julie M. Ojango was appointed as Scientist – Quantitative Genetics – Animal Breeding effective 1 April 2013. She joined ILRI in 2006 on a part time basis to lead a project on capacity building for sustainable use of animal genetic resources.  At the time, she was a senior lecturer in animal genetics and breeding (AGB) at Egerton University, Kenya. She holds a PhD degree in AGB from the University of London in the UK, and an MSc in the same field from the University of Nairobi,Kenya.  She is well versed in dairy and small ruminant production systems found in developing countries, and skilled in livestock data management and quantitative genetic analyses. She has strong knowledge sharing skills, and strives to impart information to transform the livestock sector and develop a next generation of scientists to help change the management and use of animal genetic resources in developing countries. She is a scientist, working on improved utilization of animal genetic resources under the Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity (ASSP) program. Julie is Kenyan.

Cristobal Verdugo joined ILRI Food Safety and Zoonosis unit as a Post-Doctoral Scientist, Marketing Opportunities on 16 April 2013. Cristobal is veterinarian from the University of Chile. He holds a Masters in Preventive Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, and was recently awarded a PhD degree from Massey University, New Zealand. Verdugo’s main areas of expertise include Veterinary Epidemiology, Bayesian inference, and Simulation modeling. Cristobal has previously worked in relevant diseases such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Foot-and-Mouth disease and Paratuberculosis, in Chile, USA, New Zealand and Denmark. He is expected to contribute in the development of simulation models for Rift Valley Fever outbreaks in Kenya, and data analysis support in several ILRI projects in Africa, South East Asia and Nicaragua.  Cristobel is from Chile.

Johanna Lindahl joined ILRI as a Post-Doctoral Scientist, Marketing Opportunities on 24 April 2013. Her research will focus on epidemiology of zoonotic diseases and food safety. Johanna attained her PhD in veterinary medicine from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, in Uppsala, Sweden. Before starting her PhD, Johanna worked as veterinary officer both in the field as a clinician and for the government. Her long-time interest in disease dynamics and zoonoses in low-income countries motivated her passion in the work of ILRI, where she hopes to contribute to the work within the One health and Ecohealth concepts. Johanna is from sweden.

Timothy Robinson joined ILRI on 1 April as a Senior Spatial Analyst/Statistician the within the Livestock Systems and Environment (LSE). He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Pure and Applied Biology in 1988 and completed his PhD in 1991, at the University of Reading, on ‘the ecology of the African armyworm’. This provided his introduction to the world of ecology, remote sensing, climate, geographic information systems and spatial analysis. After his doctorate he went on to work in Zambia (1992-1996) as a tsetse ecologist, followed by a zoology research fellowship at the University of Oxford (1996-1999). He worked on a number of livestock diseases, in particular trypanosomiasis and bovine tuberculosis. From 1999-2002, he moved to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, again working on diseases of livestock. He comes to ILRI from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, where he was, from 2002-2013; working for FAO’s Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch (AGA). His interests include the application of spatial analytical techniques to understanding and predicting current and future livestock species and production systems distributions – particularly in the context of social, environmental and epidemiological risks associated with a changing livestock sector. Timothy is from the United Kingdom.

David Pelster joined ILRI on 15 April 2103 as a scientist with the Livestock Systems and Environment group as a specialist in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and nutrient cycling. David received his Ph.D. in Forest Science from Lakehead University, 2009, in Thunder Bay Canada. He previously worked as a post-doctoral fellow for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Quebec City studying how various manure and crop residue management strategies affected soil GHG emissions. He will be using his expertise to help ILRI quantify GHG emissions associated with manure management in smallholder systems and then looking to help mitigate these losses in a cost-effective manner. David is Canadian.

Carlos Quiros was appointed as an Agricultural Information Systems Specialist on 15 April 2013. He has close to 15 years of experience in data management and information systems with over nine years supporting international agricultural research. As an Agricultural Information Systems Specialist at ILRI, he will coordinate the area of Data Management and Geographic Information Systems. He holds a Masters of Art in Science and Technology Studies from Maastricht University, in the Netherlands and a BSc. in Informatics from ULACIT in Costa Rica. Carlos is from Costa Rica.

Alessandra Galiè joined ILRI as ‘Social Scientist: Gender’ on 1 May 2013. Previously, she worked at ICARDA on gender equity, empowerment, food security and seed governance in inter-disciplinary, participatory research. She also worked on issues of gender, rural development and grass-root rural democratisation with various institutions worldwide (including NGOs, activists’ networks and universities). Her academic history is in the field of gender, rural development and agricultural research for development. After an MA in Anthropology of Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, she undertook a PhD at Wageningen Agricultural University (WAU), Netherlands, on social sciences applied to plant breeding. Alessandra is Italian.

Nationally Recruited Staff

George Wanyama Nandokha joined ILRI, Sustainable Futures Team as an Analytical Chemist on 1 January 2013. This position plays a significant role in conceptualizing ideas, developing & implementing strategy for ILRI research projects on estimation and mitigation of greenhouse gases in smallholder systems for the promotion of human life, environment and the society at large and dissemination of scientific findings in view to guide informed policy change. He holds a Master of Science in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Moi University. His Master’s thesis project was on ‘Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides Residues in Water and Sediments from Mutuini, Nairobi and Kangemi Dams of the Nairobi River Basin’.  Wanyama is an expert chemist with over 7 years of experience in Research and development using acquired scientific skills, writing competitive proposals and extended knowledge base in ISO requirements for R&D. He has hands-on experience in HPLC Systems, GC Systems, UV/ VIS and IR Spectroscopy, in various organizations including the Pest Control Products Board of Kenya.

Isaac Kariuki Kihara joined ILRI on 7 January 2013 as a Business Systems Coordinator to manage and develop ILRI’s business systems, specifically in finance, human resources, operations and research/project. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and is currently pursuing Project Management Course (Projects in controlled environments) from APM Group Prince 2.He previously worked  for Craft Silicon, the World Food Program/Knowing Ltd where he did Programming, implementation and training WFP stations on Flight Management System. He brings to ILRI five years’ experience in systems implementation transition, training and the development of holistic Human Resource system. In addition he brings forth technical skills include programming of reports and web based systems, extensive knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft.NET programming platform business systems project management in Africa Region. Some of his key tasks include playing a key role in the transition of the financial and business systems from the various systems into the fully integrated enterprise resource planning system – Agresso Route 66, the One Corporate System (OCS) for the CGIAR Centres.

Vivian Nerea Atakos joined The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) on 7 January 2013 as a Communication Specialist. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Sciences from Moi University, and is currently pursuing an Master of Arts in Development Communication at Daystar University. In the recent past, she worked for other international organizations including the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) where she implemented communication strategies to promote programme activities. Vivian joins CCAFS to further strengthen the communication aspect of the programme. Her key task will involve developing and implementing a regional communication strategy and provide communications support to CCAFS research scientists, other staff and partners. She will also be involved in website content management, media management and preparation of a variety of written outputs such as reports and publications among other tasks.

Solomon Maina joined ILRI on 14 January 2013 as a Research Technician (Capacity Building) at the BecA Hub. He holds a Master of Science degree in Biotechnology from Kenyatta University and a Bachelor of Science degree in biotechnology from Periyar University India. Prior to this appointment Solomon worked as a research associate in Microbiology in the Aflatoxin project and NIR screening in maize. He has also worked at Jomo Kenyatta University as a Part time Technical lecturer handling postgraduate students. He thus brings to this position experience involving research in the area of agricultural Biotechnology and also capacity building by teaching several local universities in Kenya.

Emily Kerandi joined ILRI on 29 January 2013 as a Senior HR Assistant in the Recruitment unit. She has more than 5 year’s technical experience in both operational and strategic management of the human resources functions. Prior to joining ILRI, Emily worked with Deloitte & Touche in the Management Consulting and internal HR department and AMREF in the HR department and Child Survival Project in Busia District. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration at the University of Nairobi. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Paul’s University, Kenya and Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Human Resource Management.

Velma Kivali joined ILRI as a laboratory technician for the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project in ILRI as from 1 February 2013.   She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Technology from the University of Nairobi, where she finalized with a project on ‘Immunodiagnostics for Taeniasis and Cysticercosis in humans’. Prior to this she worked for the same project as a technical assistant on a temporary basis since 2010. She has previously worked in the ELISA diagnostic lab, where she gained vast experience in the handling and diagnosis of zoonotic diseases. She has interests in Public health and her main goal is to understand the epidemiology of zoonoses and come up with ways of eliminating and probably eradicating such infections with the aim of achieving one-health goals and eventually alleviating poverty.

Keith Huma joined ILRI on 4 February 2013 as ICT Infrastructure Manager. He has 13 years of experience in ICT from the IT services to higher education industries in Kenya. He is a graduate of the University of Eastern Africa Baraton with a Bachelor of Science in Technology degree in Electronics, and is currently pursuing an Executive M.Sc. in Organizational Development at United States University. Keith leads the ICT infrastructure and “back office” functions for ILRI. His main task ensures ensuring that staff of ILRI and ICRAF, hosted organizations’ and visitors receive the expected level of infrastructure from the ICT unit so that they can work efficiently and effectively.

Symon Kipyator Chebor joined ILRI on 11 February 2013 as a Finance and Accounting Officer in corporate services. Some of his key tasks include staff & current accounts management, supervisory functions, and maintenance of Kapiti plains estateand a wide array of other duties. He holds a Master of Science degree in Actuarial and Finance, a postgraduate degree in Actuarial Science and a Bachelor of Commerce degree respectively all from the University of Nairobi. Symon was previously working in the United Nations Savings and Credit as a Finance Officer. He over five years’ of immense experience in financial and accounting matters.

Catherine Mutuku joined ILRI as a Programme Management Officer within the Policy, Trade and Value Chain Team on 18 February 2013. She has 7 years’ experience gained in various disciplines notably Financial Management, Project Management, Proposal writing, Event Management and Marketing. Her career track has included assignments with development agencies and the private sector where among other assignments, she facilitated the registration of over 500 World Social Forum (WSF) delegates. Catherine holds a Master’s Degree in Project Planning and Management and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Some of her useful achievement and contributions has been the publication of her thesis project titled “ Factors influencing teachers take up of life assurance in Kenya: a case of secondary school teachers in Machakos county”.

Eddy Kipngeno Chebelyon joined ILRI on 12 March 2013, as a Research Assistant. He is in charge of Field Implementation at ILRI’s Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) Team. Eddy holds a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Management and a Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from Egerton University. His MSc thesis project was on ‘Resource Allocation Decisions and Constrains on Finger Millet Production’ in Teso District, Western Kenya. Eddy has over 3 year’s hands on experience in field research supervision having worked previously for Coffee Management Services. While at Coffee Management Services Eddy was charged with drafting concept notes and business plans for implementing sustainable production of coffee in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda.

Absolomon Kihara was appointed as the Bio-Repository Manager on 1 March 2013 in the biotechnology genomics theme. He previously was a Data Management Technician primarily attached to Arbovirus Incidence and Diversity (AVID) project where he gained over three (3) years of professional experience in cryo-preservation and management of samples.  The Bio-Repository Manager position exists to manage all aspects of the bio-repository samples, infrastructure and database and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) interoperability. Ensure consistent sampling protocols and high quality metadata associated with each sample. Assist in capacity building in field staff, some field travel necessary. Liaises with scientists to ensure derived data and aliquots retain linkage to the primary sapling. Liaise with EOHS office over regulatory issues and with scientists, collaborators and legal office over IP issues. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Department of Computer Science, Tver State Technical University, Russia.

Grace Miano joined ILRI as Monitoring Evaluation and Knowledge management specialist on 12 March 2013 under Kenya Rural Development Project (KRDP). She holds a Master’s degree in Monetary Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi. She is a CPA holder. Grace career track includes assignments in monitoring and evaluation with UN Agencies and International NGO’s. Prior to joining ILRI she worked for Netwas International, HELB/Ford Foundation and CITI Bank.

Anne Odhiambo joined ILRI as the Human Resource officer in the recruiting Unit on 25 March 2013. She has 7 years’ work experience in various aspects in Human Resource management. She has previously handled other tasks in office management and support in information systems and project management at her previous employment in non-profit organizations. Anne has just completed a Master’s degree in Business Management from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She attained her Bachelor’s degree in Information Science from Moi University, and a diploma in Human Resources from the Institute of Human Resource Management. Anne believes that her training, coupled with past experience, and a constant endeavor to develop her skills shall add value to her current role in ILRI.

Joyce Njuguna has been appointed as Bioinformatician in the BecA –ILRI Hub from 1 April 2013. She was previously the Research Technician- Bioinformatics-BecA. She holds a Masters in Bioinformatics from Rhodes University in South Africa and a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Technology from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. Joyce has skills in working in a Linux environment, Python programming, mathematical and statistical applications to biology and bioinformatics (R and Matlab), structural bioinformatics, genomics. She also has interests in application of bioinformatics to genomic and proteomic studies. Through this, she used various structural bioinformatics approaches to characterise Falcipain-2 a known drug target in Plasmodium falciparum and its orthologs in other Plasmodium species. This was in an effort to discover potential peptidomimetic therapeutic agents against the Plasmodium parasite, the causative agent of malaria.

James Thuku was appointed the Technical Services Manager in ILRI effective 1 April 2013.  He previously worked as the Electronics Engineering Supervisor and Electronics Technician in ILRI. He holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics from Jomo Kenyatta university of Agriculture and Technology and is currently finalizing his MBA at Kenya Methodist University. James also has extensive training in laboratory equipment maintenance from Stuttgart Germany and BSL3 maintenance and operations from the National university of Singapore. His experience spans over eight years in laboratory equipment and facilities management and was greatly involved in the ILRI-BECA Hub construction project.

Fredrick A. Amanya joined the Biotechnology unit as a Research Clinical Officer under the Urban Zoonoses project on 1 April 2013. He graduated from the St. Mary’s School of clinical medicine and surgery. His thesis project was on ‘prevalence of organophosphate poisoning on age groups 18-35 years in Mumias District’. Fredrick also holds a diploma in project management. He has over 3 years working experience both in clinical and research based institutions and previously worked on PAZ project under slaughter slab in Busia and also worked in various hospitals before joining Paz research project. His interest is on Preventive Medicine particularly Public Health and Research.

Edwin Isaac Onyiego was appointed as Greenhouse assistant at the BecA-ILRI Hub on 1 April 2013. Prior to this appointment, he worked with the central core unit as the laboratory assistant. He also worked in biosafety level 11 greenhouses on assigned duties. In his new role, Edwin will be responsible for implementing Integrated Pest Management practices in the plant growth facility, scouting for insect, disease and weed pests, soil and soilless media preparations; including continuous supply of sterilized soil / sand mixtures and Performing crop sprays with pesticides to manage insect, disease and weed pests as needed and also Monitoring and programming of greenhouse and chamber daily environmental conditions as well as  Plant Care, including daily watering of greenhouses and growth chambers, performing scheduled requested fertilization, observations of plant health and pest and disease incidences.  He is finalizing his diploma in biotechnology at the Technical University of Kenya (formerly Kenya polytechnic university college).

 Lorren Alumasa was appointed as Clinical Officer effective 1 April 2013. Lorren holds a diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery with five years’ experience in Clinical patient management from the Kenya Medical Training College, Kisii. She has over three years’ experience in Clinical Research. Recently, she worked in ILRI for 18 months on a Community based research project which studied People, Animals and their zoonoses, looking at emerging, neglected and infectious diseases affecting both humans and animals.

Lorren currently works on the urban zoonoses project, which is a multi-partner research project that is focused around understanding the role of urbanization in the emergence of zoonotic pathogens in Nairobi region. Her area of specialization is in the management of humans where she examines, samples, treat and give them health education. She has interests in understanding the distribution and prevalence of zoonoses in Kenya and the best way to eradicate the same. She has also written an article on ILRI biolives blog on ‘Taeniasis’ in Western Kenya to create awareness on the same.

Teresa Werrhe – Abira joined ILRI on 2 May 2013 as Senior Administrative Assistant in the Directorate. Prior to joining ILRI Teresa worked as an Executive Assistant with the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA). She has over 17 years’ experience, 10 of which involve handling functions at administrative, program and executive level. Teresa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Project Management Option) from Limkokwing University of Creative Arts, a Higher Diploma in Project Management and an Advanced Certificate in Business Management both from the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) as well as a Secretarial Group Certificate from Reeswood Secretarial College.  

Kyaka Cynthia joined ILRI on 9 May 2013. Prior to joining ILRI she worked with a renowned law Firm in Kenya, Iseme Kamau & Maema Advocates (IK&M), with her specializing in Commercial, Intellectual Property & Corporate Law. During her tenure with IK&M, Cynthia was seconded to British American Tobacco Kenya Limited where she was instrumental in managing various projects and implementing the Legal Charter.   She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law from Moi University and a postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. Cynthia is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. Through her work, she purposes to provide much needed capacity to the IP & Legal Unit in the efficient management of our contracts processes and other legal support services.

Charity Muriuki joined ILRI as a Research Technician-Biotechnology on May 1, 2013 and will be working in the Vaccine Platform, under the East Coast Fever project. She has completed her MSc. in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and holds a BSc. Biomedical Technology from the University of Nairobi. She carried out her Master’s research at ILRI under the AVID project and also has previous experience in molecular biology and bioinformatics from a placement at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Kilifi where she worked on a project on recombinant protein expression and purification of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Her interests are in host-pathogen interactions and she wishes to combine her skills in molecular biology and bioinformatics in more advanced technologies.

Ivan Lihenzero Muhavi joined ILRI on February 26, 2013 as a Student Associate at the EOHS department. He has finished his Bachelor of Science degree in environmental health from Moi University awaiting graduation. Prior to this appointment Muhavi worked as a student associate at the EOHS department. He was also at Bungoma district hospital and Sirisia Health centers as a student associate dealing with various Health issues .

Racheal Mwaura joined ILRI as the Project Management Specialist with the IBLI project in May 2013. She is transitioning from Management Sciences for Health in a USAID funded project. She holds an MBA in Project Management from Colorado Technical University and a BA from University of Nairobi.

She has more than 6years of Project Management experience working with various organizations including government and private sector both locally and internationally. Most recently she worked with National Council for Law Reporting under the Judiciary and was in the team that helped steer the organisation in the Organisational Performance Index (OPI) under Kenya Institute of Management (KIM). The organisation won the judges award even though it was a first time participant in this event.

Elizabeth Ngungu joined ILRI’s Finance department as an Assistant Accountant on May 14, 2013.  She will assist in staff accounts and payables functions. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from the University of Nairobi and Certified Public Accountants qualifications. Previously she worked as an Assistant Accountant at Rural Poverty Reduction and Local Government Support Programme (RPR&LGSP).

Jibril Abdi has joined ILRI’s Human Resources Learning and Development unit on 15 March 2013; He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Finance from Heriot-Watt University and Advanced diploma in Human Resource Management. He previously worked in the Private sector in different capacities both in Kenya and Tanzania, where he was mainly involved with the organizational building team in coordinating development opportunities for staff across the company.