Our Team

CFK Africa has benefited from tremendous leadership for over 20 years, with a staff of 80+ on the ground and a dedicated team of Board and Advisory Council members.

Leadership team

Board of Directors

Advisory Council

Leadership Team

Executive Director | Kenya

With over 15 years of experience, Jeffrey brings a steadfast commitment to community-led development, passion for the power of education, and a growth-oriented mindset to lead CFK Africa.

He has strong roots in the Kibera community and finds joy in providing services that help uplift adolescents and youth. Growing up in Kibera and experiencing the power of education firsthand, Jeffrey serves as a powerful role model for youth in informal settlements. 

Okoro first volunteered with CFK Africa as a youth leader after post-election violence in 2009. He has since risen through the ranks of the organization, from a peer mentor to administrative assistant, project officer, program coordinator, and most recently as deputy director. In 2018, he co-founded CFK Africa’s Best Schools Initiative with Professor Steve Arnold and has since collaborated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to strengthen the program’s research objectives, which aim to improve education in primary schools in communities where we work and guide transformative policies for informal settlements globally. 

Jeffrey is committed to empowering people to empower themselves. He served as a 2019 Metis Fellow, working toward accelerating the pace of education reform across Africa. Jeffrey earned a Bachelor of Science in Project Planning and Management from Moi University and a certificate in Business Mathematics. He also earned a certificate in conflict analysis from the United States Institute of Peace.

Programs Manager | Kenya

Mediatrix is a highly motivated and results-driven programs and research coordinator with over 11 years of progressive work experience in programs and research.

A believer in the participatory approach to development, Mediatrix has led programs in Kenyan informal settlements and rural areas on sexual and gender-based violence, the supply of sanitary commodities to adolescent girls, and sustainable business opportunities for rural women. She has also carried out research consultancies and lectured university courses on development, research methods, project planning, and management in Kenya.

Mediatrix holds a Masters of Arts in Development Studies from the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nairobi and a Bachelor of Education (Arts) degree from Kenyatta University. She has certification in Monitoring and Evaluation from the Population Studies Research Institute at the University of Nairobi.

Dr. Dennis Kinoti
Clinical Services Lead | Kenya

Dr. Kinoti has dedicated his career to improving affordable healthcare services and policies in Kenya.

With over a decade of experience in managing the quality and affordability of clinical healthcare, Dr. Kinoti oversees service provision at CFK Africa’s three facilities, Tabitha Medical Clinic, Tabitha Maternity Home, and Youth Friendly Services Centre. He is committed to sustainability, accessibility, and community wellbeing.

His previous work includes roles at the Ministry of Health – Kenya, TATA Chemicals Ltd., HealthX Africa, and Beacon of Hope. His medical expertise, paired with business insight, enables Dr. Kinoti to effectively guide our clinical efforts. Dr. Kinoti holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) from Nairobi University and a master’s in business administration in Healthcare Management from Strathmore University.

Finance Lead | Kenya

With professional experience as an auditor, Jinalo offers a wealth of expertise having worked with one of Kenya’s leading audit firms.

Jinalo has extensive experience in provision of professional audit and audit related services to a variety of institutions including private companies, banks, government bodies, United Nations organizations, donor-funded projects, NGOs, and projects implemented by various NGOs, both local and international.

Throughout his career, he has gained extensive knowledge of public sector practices, having worked on public finance projects and programs in the East African region, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia. He brings these skills to guide the finance and administration of CFK Africa.

Jinalo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (Finance) from Kenyatta University and is a Certified Public Accountant. He has certification in USAID and CDC Financial Management and Compliance.

Beth-Ann Kutchma
Director of Strategic Partnerships | United States

Beth-Ann is a non-profit leader, higher education administrator, and multimedia producer with 20 years of experience specializing in global research and education development, data analysis, and international evaluation. 

She has completed professional work with organizations including Carnegie Mellon University, the Nature Conservancy, the UNC Mathematics and Science Education Network, and served as a Senior Program Officer and Fulbright Program Advisor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Beth-Ann served over three terms on CFK Africa’s Board of Directors and produced Without a Fight, an award-winning documentary that explores how soccer can facilitate social change in Kibera. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Terrestrial Ecology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. She enjoys playing bass guitar in a good rock and roll show on occasion.

We thank all of the members of our 80+ team, including additional support staff, clinical staff, interns, and volunteers for their tireless efforts to serve our communities.

Board of Directors &
Advisory Council

We have a dedicated team of Board and Advisory Council members who volunteer their time and expertise to maximize CFK Africa’s impact. They provide us with a strong, steady foundation even through the most difficult times. We are forever grateful for their support and expertise. 

Board of Directors

Our Kenya Board of Trustees and U.S. Board of Directors operate together on a Joint Board.

Rye Barcott, Chair

Co-Founder, CFK Africa; Co-Founder and CEO, With Honor

Steve Arnold, Ph.D.

Education Activist

Jim Herrington, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Vice-President, Drone Data and Film® Photography; Professor (retired), Department of Health Behavior, UNC-Chapel Hill

Francis Kibet, Treasurer

Director, IT Audit Services, Duke Energy Corporation

Jane Kilonzo
Director HFC Limited; Enwealth Financial Services
Suzanne Maman, Ph.D.

Professor and Associate Dean, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill

Roseanne Mugo

Finance Manager, AfricaNenda

Joseph Nganga

Executive Director, Smart Power Africa, Power Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation

Dickson Omondi

Founding Managing Director, Kenya, BowerGroupAsia

Claire Rotich, Secretary

Senior Manager, Cloud & Digital Analytics Insights at PwC

James Peacock, Ph.D. (Honorary Member)

Kenan Professor of Anthropology, UNC-Chapel Hill

Advisory Council

In 2020, we convened a diverse group of international leaders and volunteers that will guide CFK Africa’s strategic decisions and assist us as we continue to develop local leaders and catalyze change in informal communities.

Madeleine Albright (in memoriam)

64th U.S. Secretary of State

Karen Austrian, Ph.D.
Senior Associate, Population Council
Yaniv Barzilai​

Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State; former CFK Africa Peacock Fellow

Stellah Bosire, M.D.

Executive Director, UHAI: East African Sexual Health & Rights Initiative

Robert Breiman, M.D.

Emory University Professor; Former Director, CDC Global Disease Detection Division in Kenya

Brett Bullington

Angel Investor and Advisor to Start-ups, Technology Entrepreneur

Jennifer Coffman, Ph.D.

Professor of Integrated Science and Technology, School of Integrated Sciences, James Madison University

Peter Dixon

Founder and CEO, Second Front; former CFK Africa Peacock Fellow

Bill George, Ph.D.

Professor, Harvard Business School; former CEO, Medtronic

David Gergen

Professor of Public Service, Founding Director of the Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School

Christopher Hunt

Partner, Riverstone; Professor of Practice, Imperial Business School in London

Charles Kahura

Entrepreneur; Principal Architect, Space Form Studio

George Kuria

Chief Executive Officer, ACRE Africa

Orlando Lyomu

Group CEO and Managing Director, The Standard Group PI

Rebecca Martin, Ph.D.

Vice President for Global Health, Emory University; Director, Emory Global Health Institute

Kathleen McGinn, Ph.D.

Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration; Co-Unit Head, Negotiation, Organizations & Markets, Harvard Business School

Jesse Moore

CEO and co-founder, M-KOPA

James Ndiang'ui

Senior Finance, Administration and Compliance Manager, Malawi/Mozambique/Niger, Counterpart International

Joseph Nye, Ph.D.

Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Harvard University Center for the Environment, Harvard Kennedy School, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Isis Nyong'o Madison

Partner, Asphalt & Ink; Co-Founder, WomenWork Kenya

Bradley Opere

CEO and Co-Founder, Otto, CFO and Co-Founder, FarmMoja and Senior Consultant, Axum

Raj Panjabi, M.D.

Former White House Senior Director and Special Assistant to the President of the United States, NSC, Board Member & Advisor

The Honorable David Price

U.S. Representative for North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District (retired)

William Roper, M.D.

CEO, UNC Health Care; Former Director, U.S. CDC

English Sall, Ph.D.

Board Member, Sall Family Foundation; Adjunct Professor, UNC School of Public Health

Megan Smith

3rd Chief Technology Officer of the United States; Co-founder, the Malala Fund

Ron Strauss, D.M.D., Ph.D.

Dental Friends Distinguished Professor of Dental Ecology, UNC School of Dentistry
Professor of Social Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill

Grace Wamue-Ngare, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology, Gender & Development Studies, Kenyatta University

Past Board Chairs

CFK Africa has benefited from tremendous leadership on the ground and on our Boards for nearly 20 years. We recognize the tenure of our past Board Chairs, who volunteered and helped us grow at each stage of our movement to be a model of participatory development and responsible research in informal settlements gripped by cycles of extreme poverty and around the world.

Jennifer Coffman, Ph.D.

Professor of Integrated Science and Technology, School of Integrated Sciences, James Madison University

Joseph Nganga

Executive Director, Smart Power Africa, Power Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation

Kathleen McGinn, Ph.D.

Cahners-Rabb Professor of Business Administration; Co-Unit Head, Negotiation, Organizaitons & Markets, Harvard Business School

David Mshila

Senior Advisor, GIZ-PSDA

George Kuria

Chief Executive Officr, ACRE Africa

Fred Wasike

Division Director of Human Resources, Isuzu East Africa Ltd.

Jane Kilonzo

Deputy Managing Director, Bank of Africa (retired)

Kim Chapman Page

Owner of Bull City Running

Ben Mshila

Training Consultant, SelectTempStaffing

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