Mette Kjaer Kinoti is a distinguished development professional with over four decades of expertise in strategic leadership, health and nutrition policy, and community development. She has held pivotal roles, including Group Programmes Director at Amref Health Africa and Vice President for Africa at Helen Keller International. Mette has made substantial contributions to the enhancement of health systems, program management, and fundraising initiatives across Africa. She holds a Master of Food Science from the Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University in Copenhagen and has extensive experience working in various African countries. Mette is the founder and former chairperson of the Kenya Health NGO Network (HENNET) and has served on several prestigious boards, including the World Bank CSO Committee on Health, Population and Nutrition, the WHO's International Health Partnership (IHP+), and the GAVI Alliance CSO Steering Committee. She continues to support Amref Health Africa and other organizations as a consultant and board member, steadfast in her mission to uplift and empower marginalized communities.
HR Leader and Executive coach
Evelyne is a seasoned HR leader, leadership development professional, and an executive coach with over 15 years’ senior leadership & management experience in various industries.
Evelyne is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) for Kenya Airways Plc. Prior to joining the airline industry, Evelyne worked with The Co-operative Bank of Kenya as the Director- Human Resources. Evelyne also has senior leadership experience in various sectors for local and international employer brands, including the IBM Corporation, PwC, Ernst & Young, Standard Chartered Bank, and Oxfam Great Britain.
Evelyne holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Land Economics from the University of Nairobi (UON) and a Master of International Business Administration (MIBA) from the USIU-Africa. She is a certified Executive Leadership Coach (CELC-CDI Africa) and Professional Career Coach (PCC).
Evelyne is a member of several professional HR organizations, including the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM), Association of Talent Development (ATD), Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Evelyne is inspired by enabling individuals to become and realize their potential and finding a greater purpose and good in what they do. Her passion is impacting lives- one life at a time.
Gerald is a public health professional with more than 16 years’ experience working in Global Health. He has overseen public health programs in several African countries and participated in various Global Health initiatives built around lowering the cost of HIV medicines and diagnostics, improving access to essential medicines, introducing new and innovative approaches to improve access to care and treatment for various disease areas and provided leadership to various teams working in the public health space in a number of countries.
He has also been involved in a number of governance roles in the public and private sectors in Kenya; serving as a Board member in a number of public entities and as chairman of committees having oversight over audit, risk, finance and strategy.
Mary is a public policy professional with 11 years’ experience in developing evidencebased policy proposals to advocate an improved business enabling environment across East Africa. She has supported policy reform in Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia. She is an expert in Monitoring and Evaluation and has published two articles in the Journal of Public Policy.
She is currently working at the Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility as the Country Manager for Kenya and Somalia. She previously worked at the Business Advocacy Fund where she served as Advocacy Manager and Deputy Fund Manager. She also worked at the Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum in Tanzania.
Mary previously served in the Amref Business Development Communications and Resources Mobilization Board Committee.
Dr. Mercy Korir is an accomplished Medical Doctor, award-winning Journalist, and Business Executive whose expertise bridges healthcare, media, business and marketing strategy.. A pioneer in medical journalism, she founded Kenya’s first-ever Multimedia Health and Science Desk at Standard Group PLC, revolutionizing health reporting across TV, newspaper radio, and digital platforms. Her exceptional contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic earned her The Presidential Order of Service – Uzalendo Award (2020), recognizing her vital role in public health communication. Currently, she is the Co-Founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Willow Health Media, Kenya’s first-ever niche health media house—supported by the Gates Foundation—shaping the future of digital journalism and creating a centre of excellence in health journalism for Kenya and Africa. Beyond her impact in media and healthcare, Dr. Korir is a visionary leader driving innovation at the intersection of health, business, and communication and disrupting old norms, paving way for the future, today. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery, Master of Business Administration (Finance & Marketing) and a Master of Arts in Communication Studies, alongside specialized leadership and journalism training. An avid hiker and explorer of megastructures, she brings the same curiosity and passion to her work, ensuring that health and science storytelling remains both engaging and transformative.
Dr Gitahi joined Amref Health Africa on June 1, 2015. Until his appointment at Amref Health Africa, Dr Gitahi was the Vice President and Regional Director for Africa, Smile Train International, where he successfully established partnerships for long-term sustainability with various African governments. Prior to that, he worked with the Nation Media Group, where he was the Managing Director for Monitor Publications in Uganda as well as General Manager for Marketing and Circulation in East Africa. Dr Gitahi is also the Co-Chair of the UHC2030 Steering Committee, a global World Bank and World Health Organisation initiative for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
He is also member of the Private Sector Advisory Board of Africa CDC and of the World Health Organization’s Community Health Worker Hub. He is member of the Board of Directors of The Standard Group and holds Board member positions across Amref Health Africa offices in Africa
Dr Githinji is a member of the Amref Health Africa in Kenya Board.
Marstella joined Amref as a Resource Person for the Audit, Risk & Compliance and Human Resource, Finance, and Administration Committees of the Board in March 2024. She is a financial and business consultant specializing in risk assessment and corporate governance. With over fifteen years of experience as a Non-Executive Director, she has served in three state corporations: Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). She was the Chairperson of the Finance Board Committee at KIE, the Chairperson of the Human Resource Committee of the Board at KEPHIS, and the Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Board at KEMRI.She has been a committee member of several committees of Boards. Marstella has extensive experience in finance and banking, having worked as a banker for over 35 years in top-tier banks, including Absa Bank (formerly Barclays Bank of Kenya) and Kenya Commercial Bank. She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) with a specialization in Strategic Management and a Bachelor's Degree in Arts (Second Class Upper Division), both from the University of Nairobi. Additionally, she has earned several certifications, including Audit and Risk Oversight and Assurance, the Trustee Development Programme, and Induction for Public Sector Boards. Marstella is also a community leader, actively mobilizing and organizing farmers in the Coast region through a cooperative that trains and supports farmers in best agricultural practices. The cooperative helps them increase production, add value to their products, enhance household incomes, and improve their livelihoods.
