Grace Gathoni Wairimu is an Administrative Officer at the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Nairobi. She is a marketer by profession. Grace has worked in different roles across various institutions both private and public, with vast experience in Project Management, Sales and Marketing as well as Administration. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Nairobi and a Masters in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi.
Associate, AKU Mombasa Research Office
MBA, Strategic Management, CPA (K)
Irene Kibara is an Associate of the CoEWCH based at the AKU Mombasa Research Office serving as a focal person for research administration for the projects in Coast Kenya under the department of Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health. She joined AKU in May, 2017 as an Administrative Manager for the Mombasa Research Office until February 2022. She is currently involved in the day to day office and projects’ administrative roles for CoEWCH in liaison with the Project Managers in Coast. She is a Certified Public Accountant, CPA (K), Strathmore College alumni and a holder of MBA Strategic Management from Daystar University. With an experience spanning to more than 15 years, she has worked in senior roles in research and implementation projects handling both administrative and financial duties. Previously, she worked for International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) for 12 years having risen from an Assistant Accountant to the Director of Finance, Administration and Human Resources.
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Maura Malanga
Communications Officer
BA Communications
Maura serves as a Communications Officer at the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health (CoEWCH) whereby she handles the internal and external communications needs of the entity. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications (Public Relations Concentration) from Daystar University with cum laude honours. Maura has extensive experience in strategic, corporate and science communications, public relations, digital marketing, and event management. She previously worked at KCB Bank Kenya Limited under the Corporate Affairs division and at Dimension Global Communications as a Public Relations and Digital Marketing Officer where she brought substantial success by building beneficial links through the implementation of effective communication strategies. Her passion lies in maximizing impact through effective strategic communication. She has additional interest in community development, international relations, and crisis communication and management.
Nancy Gichobi
Administrative Officer
BSc Office Administration
Nancy serves as an Office Administrator at the Centre with experience of over 6 years in Office Administration. She has a background in Public Health, Procurement and is currently pursuing a Degree in Management and Office Administration. She has played a major role for the Centre when it comes to Procurement, travel and logistics, reception and general office management.
Norah M. Matheka
Program Assistant
BA Business Administration and Management
Norah Matheka’s background spans from Business Administration and Management, to Business Communication, Community Development, Management of Information Systems, Health and Safety, Basic First Aid as well as Nutrition. She currently serves as the program assistant in the Department of Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health in Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya. There are 2 NIH grants that she directly has supported and still supports. One of the grants ended in March 2022. She possesses great leadership skills with over 20 years’ experience in the field of administration, business management and accounting. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management (Daystar University), cumulative GPA of 3.38/4.00. She received a higher diploma in Institute for the Management of Information Systems (IMIS) - (Strathmore College/University). Norah volunteered with an organization known as CAREFORCE in the United Kingdom, specifically in London, with All Souls Church where she assisted with the various programs. She worked with Sisilo Childcare Centre where she worked as a marketing officer, she then moved to African Inland Mission (AIM). At AIM she worked as payables officer, cashier and subsequently to Accounts Assistant. Thereafter she joined Light of Africa (LoA) as a bookkeeper/ administrator, a position that introduced her to the area of human resources. Her first experience in the area of clinical research was with University of Washington – TREE program in 2012 as a program administrator. This position catapulted her to various facets of research administration from adhering to sponsors requirements regarding expenses, observation of study protocol by assisting study monitors when they visited the study as well as exposure to grant proposal submission.
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Margrette Hanselmann
Study Coordinator
Margrette Hanselmann is the study coordinator for the Adolescent perinatal mental health study (INSPIRE) in Kilifi. She has previously worked in different capacities in research studies and health development projects including Mama na Mtoto II, a community based project that sought to understand and improve maternal and child health needs in rural communities, which offered her an opportunity to be part of the authors for a publication on Prevalence, Incidence and Predictors of Volunteer Community Health Workers Attrition in Kwale. Margrette also served as a Project Officer, Nutrition Lead and Gender Focal person for AQCESS, an RMNCAH project. Most recently, she served as the County Research Project Officer for studies that looked into COVID 19 pandemic, its mitigation measures and impacts on health service access and delivery, focusing on SRH and GBV. She has a background in Public Health and is currently pursuing a Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation.
Isaac Mwaniki
Study Coordinator
Isaac Mwaniki is the Study Coordinator for the PROTECT study at the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University. He has over seven years of experience in laboratory operations, research management, and data management. Isaac has previously served as the lab lead for the PRECISE Network, where he oversaw laboratory operations in Kilifi. In his current role, Isaac coordinates activities for the PROTECT study, focusing on data integrity and research protocol management. He also contributes to scientific publications and presentations. With a solid background in medical laboratory science, Isaac is committed to achieving excellence in research, driving impactful outcomes in women and child health.
Onesmus Wanje
Community Liaison Officer
Onesmus leads community engagement activities for the PRECISE network studies as a Community Liaison officer at the Aga Khan University's Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health. He is a current MPH student at Pwani University and holds a Bsc in Community Health from the Technical University of Mombasa. Onesmus has eight years of experience and strong expertise in Community work, youth programming, policy advocacy, implementation research and projects transition planning. Previous organizations that he has worked with include University of Washington (Mombasa Research Site), Bomu Hospital, VSO International, Tesla Exploration International and World Vision Kenya.
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Moses Mukhanya
Research Officer and Data Manager
Moses Wabwile Mukhanya is a computer scientist by profession working in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aga Khan University. He joined Aga Khan University in September 2020 and he is currently supporting PRECISE, PRECISE-DYAD and all Sub studies under the two main studies in overseeing, coordination and supervising data management activities. He ensures that all data management systems, devices and all ICT systems work are running seamlessly. He has a degree in Computer Science from Kibabii University with 6 years of practical working experience in systems design, development, setup and end user manual developments and trainings. He has previously worked with Impact Research and Development Organization as a Health Management and Information Systems (HMIS) Officer where he oversaw successful implementation of electronic data collection systems for Outreach HIV testing and Treatment Centers. Moses has trainings in Monitoring and Evaluation [University of Washington and NASCOP], Fundamentals of Global Research and Policy Development and Advocacy for Global Health [University of Washington]. Moses also has trainings in Data Science for Professionals, Python and R certifications for Data Science.
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Joycelyn Kathembe
Research Officer and Study Coordinator
Joycelyn Kathembe is a Research Officer/ Study Coordinator at the Aga Khan University's Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health. She holds an MSc in Nutrition for Global Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), as well as a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. With a proven track record of success in various capacities at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), she has extensive experience in nutrition and food safety research under the MoreMilk Project in peri-urban areas of Nairobi and Eldoret. She has also served as a program coordinator for the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Academy which nests the Innovative Methods and Metrics for Agriculture and Nutrition Actions (IMMANA) programme. As a nutrition consultant, she made significant contributions to the development of national FAQs on Infant and Child Feeding in the context of HIV in collaboration with UNICEF, NASCOP and MoH. In addition, she contributes to the Annual Nutrition and Growth YearBook chapter on stunting in developing countries. Her expertise in maternal and child health is further demonstrated by her experience as a nutritionist in clinical and community settings, promoting infant and young child feeding practices and management of moderate and severe malnutrition. At the Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health (CoEWCH), she serves as a researcher and study coordinator whose role entails design, coordination, implementation of research activities and community engagement for the SVN follow-up study, as well as other global health projects within the center.
Emmah Ng'ang'a
Research Specialist/PhD Student
Emmah Ng’ang’a is a Research Specialist and PhD student at the Centre of Excellence for Women and Child Health (CoEWCH), where she also serves as the AIMIX (Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for Medical Imaging Across Resource-Limited Settings) Study Coordinator. She holds a B.A. in Economics and Sociology, an M.A. in Economic Policy Management, and is a Certified Public Accountant CPA (K). With nearly 10 years of research experience, Emmah has worked as a qualitative research consultant for various NGOs and consultancy firms before joining AKU. As a social scientist, her passion lies in qualitative research and storytelling, focusing on understanding people’s lived experiences and ensuring that their voices are heard. Emmah is committed to conducting ethical and evidence-based research in all her work. Currently, as a co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) in the AIMIX study, she is investigating the socio-ethical principles, challenges, and requirements that govern inclusive AI in healthcare, particularly in prenatal care, alongside the clinical component of the study. She is also pursuing her PhD with the University of Barcelona.
Peter Munyalo Pascal
ICT Lead
Peter Munyalo Pascal is an experienced ICT professional with more than seven years of experience in project management, data management, and technical support. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology from Multimedia University of Kenya, he has constructed a career that is largely underpinned by the skills he has acquired in setting up and managing ICT systems’ infrastructure and data flow with bias toward the privacy and security standards. As ICT Lead in iMAMA Study at The Aga Khan University, Peter is actively involved in overseeing the ICT infrastructure, and data management for key healthcare interventions like the iMAMA Study funded by Philips & The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. This includes routine data collection and management of medical ultrasound data in obstetrics, as well as data management for Artificial Intelligence projects directed on increasing the availability and quality of healthcare services delivery in rural regions of Kenya. Peter has additional certification in Data Protection, System administration, and technical support which continue to add to his vast skill flexibility. Peter is known as a person with an analytical mind, good organizing capabilities as well as readiness to use information technology for the purpose of enhancing business operations.
Catherine Mwangi
Research Specialist - Community Engagement
Catherine Mwangi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. A Research Specialist-Community Engagement at the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health (CoEWCH), Aga Khan University-Mombasa Research Office. She is passionate in research projects and studies that are geared towards improving the health status of the community and especially the vulnerable groups. Catherine has immense work experience and rich expertise in implementation of the Kenyan government Community Health Strategy approach for sustainable health solutions.
Omar Mwakusema
Data Officer
Omar Mwakusema is a Data Officer working at the Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health at Aga Khan University. He holds a Diploma in Community Development and has over 15 years working experience in research at Community and Institutional level from different organizations in Kenya. Previously he worked at the International Center for Reproductive Health Kenya (ICRHK) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Currently he plays a major role in supporting Data collection and compliance with Research Ethical procedures in health Facilities and Community activities in the iMAMA Study.
Vincent Ambale
Data Associate
Vincent Ambale is a professional Data Analyst, taking the position of a Data Associate at the Aga Khan University's Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health under the iMAMA Study. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Statistics with IT from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology. Having a strong background in data collection, data visualization, statistical analysis and data modeling he has a proven track record of leveraging data to drive strategic decision-making through the transformation of complex datasets into actionable insights. Vincent has led multiple projects across various industries including sales, Logistics & supply chain and now in health delivering impactful solutions that have streamlined operations and optimized processes.
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Patience Kombe
Administrative Officer
Patience Kombe is a seasoned Administrative Officer with over 10 years experience in managing diverse projects and streamlining operations. Holding a diploma in Business Administration, she brings a wealth of knowledge and practical experience to every role. Currently, she is pursuing a Bsc in Project Planning and Management at JKUAT. Patience's career is marked by a proven track record of excellence in administration combined with a forward thinking approach to project management. Previous organizations she worked with are, African Institute for Health and Development ( AIHD) and Anand Marga Universal Relief Team ( AMURT) where she served in the capacity of Project Admin.
Belinder Orero
Administrative Officer
Belinder is an experienced professional with a strong background in research. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Community Development and a Diploma in Community Health, she brings over 8 years of expertise to her role in research and as an Administrative Officer. She is dedicated to enhancing research capacity and translating findings into impactful solutions. Her notable work includes significant contributions to HIV/AIDS, gender-based violence (GBV), and family planning initiatives through her roles at ICRHK and JHPIEGO.
