MR BROWNE KUTSWA (MPRSK) is a consummate communication professional with over 25 years working experience in public sector communication and PR. He currently heads the Corporate Communications Division in the Public Service Commission with responsibility for providing strategic communication leadership and support to the Commission. He previously served as Deputy Head Presidential Press Service; Press Secretary/Head of Vice-Presidential Press Service; Deputy Director/Head of Public Communication in the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Devolution and Planning, Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs, and Ministry of ICT.

Mr Kutswa is an active member of Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) where he is currently serving on the Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Committee and also on the Panel of Judges for the PRSK Annual Excellence Awards. He has contributed immensely to the growth of the public relations and communication sector in many ways through mentorship and coaching and making presentations of professional papers during PRSK Annual Summits and induction/training workshops for staff in various organizations.

He was a member of the Taskforce for Improvement of Government Information and Public Communication to align them with emerging public sector dynamics and expectations appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Information and Communication Technology. He also served as a director/board member, Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board.

Mr Kutswa is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Communication and Information Studies at the University of Nairobi. He holds a Master of Arts degree (ISS - Erasmus University, Netherlands); Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication (University of Nairobi); Bachelor of Arts degree (University of Nairobi); and a certificate in Strategic Leadership Development Programme from the Kenya School of Government, among several other qualifications.

Ms. Ann Gichuhi is a Communications Specialist and Chartered Public Relations Practitioner (MCIPR) with over 15 years’ experience in Public Relations & Strategic Communications.

She has worked in Public Relations and Communications at Price Water house Coopers and in a Marketing Capacity in the UK, hence combines Marketing and PR experience towards strategic communications.

She handles diverse consultancies in both private and public sector. She has also played a critical role in the development of PR and Communication strategies for diverse organizations while working at agency level: Key accounts such as: Nairobi Stock Exchange(NSE), Family bank, General Motors, Metropolitan Canon Insurance, Longhorn publishers, Telecom Kenya, National Assembly, PTA bank, Chase bank, WWF and KRA among others.

Her drive and passion for PR professionalism, has led her to establish training PR centers regionally and currently she is the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Lead for Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

At the community front, Ann believes in giving back to society by providing diverse capacity building trainings in soft skills to young upcoming entrepreneurs at university level.

A passionate brand builder with well-honed skills in strategy and ideation, stakeholder and reputation management, corporate messaging and content creation. She is also a seasoned trainer and executive coach, working with C-Suite leaders and communications teams in both corporate and agency contexts – her main areas of focus being Strategic Communications, Personal Branding, PR Agency Business Development and Client Service, and Bespoke media training programmes.

A seasoned practitioner with more than 20 years’ active experience in corporate communications, Julie brings her best to the table: a unique understanding of the practice of public relations, the evolving media landscape, and an inherent passion for nurturing brands. She is the founder and lead consultant at Traction Communications Limited, a firm she established in 2014 after a fruitful engagement with Ogilvy Kenya Limited.

Her client portfolio (training work) includes the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) and leading public relations and marketing communications agencies in Kenya. In collaboration with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Enterprises (JKUATES) Consultancy Division, she has also spearheaded a high level executive coaching programme (media relations and personal branding) since December 2019.

She holds a Bachelor of Education Degree from Kenyatta University, and has undertaken a post-graduate diploma course in Public Relations Management from the Kenya Institute of Management. She has also gained immensely from strategic communications training workshops in Nairobi, Johannesburg, Dubai and London.

Irene is a seasoned Corporate Communication practitioner with over 10 years’ experience in the areas of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. She holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the University of Nairobi and a post graduate diploma in Public Relations from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (UK). An ardent writer and thought Leader, Irene is the interim Chair and a founder member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations –Kenya Chapter (CIPR-K). She is an editorial contributor to the bi-monthly Publication Marketing Africa, running a column on matters Public Relations. Irene is a Standing Committee member of the East and Central Africa Social Security Association (ECASSA) and is a Board Member at the ECASSA Institute of Social Protection (EISP). Ms. Mbonge is currently the Group Head of Corporate Affairs at CPF Financial Services, a group of companies with interests in Pension Schemes Administration, Wealth Management, Insurance, ICT, Property Services and Management Consulting.

Is Public Relations practitioner with slightly over 14 years of experience in designing and implementing integrated communication strategies. He has worked in media, transitioned to the consultancy world and is currently a Communications lead in the heath care sector.

He considers himself a 360° communication expert that can deliver at both the strategy formulation level as well as at a multi-layered tactical execution beat.

Mr Barasa has a Masters in Public Policy Administration from Kenyatta University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication and Public Relations from Moi University, both from Kenya and was recently certified by the Global Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Paul considers his track record as one of building relations with media, public and private bodies; developing and executing high level stakeholder engagement strategies; and creating and deploying internal and external communications, among others.

He has demonstrated history of top-notch projects in the infrastructure development, banking, telecommunication, financial sector, energy, investment, and philanthropy.

Nashipae Orumoy is a PR and Corporate Communication expert with over 14 years’ hands-on experience in all aspects of brand management, public relations and media engagement, advocacy, events management, corporate social investment, crisis communications and digital communications. She has worked in the private sector; 2 years as communication officer at Imperial Bank and then 7 years as Head of Corporate Communications at a top tier insurance company; APA Apollo Insurance Group. In 2015 she joined Worldwide Fund for Nature ( WWF) Kenya office where she was head of communications. At WWF Kenya, she set up a communications department and she worked closely with management and board to develop a 3 years of strategic communications plan to grow the brand locally and steered the organization through a change process of being registered as a local NGO. Successful implementation of the plan led to impactful brand and messaging campaigns, increase donor confidence and launch of in- country private sector fundraising. In January 2020, she moved to African Wildlife Foundation as Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications where she is building the brand across Africa as well globally in line with implementing a 10 year strategy of representing Africa wildlife and wildlands.

Nashipae has experience in project management experience from conception to implementation through team development and leadership. A strategist, she influencing thinking, forges strategic alliances, and build consensus for impact.

Paul Wafula is the News Editor of the Business Daily, a publication of the Nation Media Group. He is a Certified Public Account (CPA-K), Strathmore University, and a financial investigative journalist who has worked across Kenya’s mainstream media for over a decade.

Mr Wafula has also previously served as a Business Editor for the Daily Nation and as a senior reporter for the Standard Group. He has been a contributor to the Mail and Guardian of South Africa, and The Times in the Uk. He has worked on several joint projects with international news outlets published across the world.

An award-winning financial journalist, Mr Wafula is known for in-depth data journalism projects that aim to set the public agenda, raise public awareness, and promote action by policymakers. He is an all-round journalist who also deeply reports on health, environment, devolution and other sectors.

His David Astor Award program in 2014 involved six-week attachments with The Times in London, and with amaBhungane, the Mail & Guardian Centre for Investigative Journalism, in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Wafula graduated from Maseno University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Technology. He undertook specialist training in data journalism in 2013.

He has won several awards among them, the Financial Journalist of the year 2021, Environment journalist of the year 2021, and best print reporter on Good Governance 2015, organised by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK). He has also won the Energy Journalist of the Year 2017, was a finalist at the World Media Summit Global Awards for Excellence in 2014 and was named the Reporter of the Year for Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2013, and Best Tourism Print Reporter in 2011.

His immediate career goal is to lead a bureau of investigative journalists in East Africa.

Twitter: @paulwaf

Director of Communications and Knowledge Management, at The Pharo Foundation. Juliet is a communications practitioner with over 15 years of experience. She supports organisations to achieve their goals, leverage partnerships, and drive sustainability through strategic communications. Her leadership expertise, work experience, diverse and rich multicultural background are accredited to the different roles held in international non-governmental organisations, regional intergovernmental organisations, private sector/profit-making organisations, and government. Juliet has regional experience having worked with various East and Horn of Africa countries leading and mentoring teams. Juliet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Technology and an MBA in Project Management. Her professional qualifications include the global PR/Communication certification, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR UK) and a Google Digital Marketing certification. s

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-ratemo-okumu-mcipr-mprsk-273b299/