Alumni Directory Display

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Rachael Mutisya, a native of Kenya, holds an MBA in Marketing as well as a BSc in Hotel and Restaurant Management from United States International University- Africa (USIU- Africa). Throughout her professional journey, Rachael has garnered valuable experience across multiple industries including finance, hospitality, education, and e-commerce. Her area of expertise is in communication, social media management, customer experience, and brand promotion, and she has successfully applied her skills in various locations in Kenya. Rachael’s commitment to her community is evident through her strong passion for giving back. During her free time, she actively volunteers for an NGO called Together for Africa (TOFA) in Kenya. In this role, she forges new partnerships, organizes events, and develops empowering content for Kenyan youth in the fields of entrepreneurship, leadership, and ICT development. Outside of her professional pursuits, Rachael finds joy in various hobbies and activities. She is an avid badminton player and takes pleasure in gardening and exploring new destinations. Rachael is excited to join the PiAF program this year at the Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia, Kenya, further exemplifying her dedication to making a positive impact.

A native of Bukavu, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Wilo Muyoma graduated from Whitworth University in 2016 with a major in computer science. Most recently he worked at Microsoft as Azure cloud engineer. He left Microsoft to help start a poultry and logistics company in Eastern Congo alongside his childhood friend. During his PiAf fellowship, Wilo will serve as Junior Consultant/MEAL Fellow with the West Africa Rice Company (WARC) in Accra, Ghana.

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Sarah Namagonya is a driven Malawian professional, she has worked as a Diplomatic Affairs Assistant Intern at the Malawi High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya where she supported accreditation to UNEP and UN-Habitat. As the head of the Upsell department at a solar tech company, she demonstrated significant leadership in commercial settings. Further, her passion for humanitarian work is demonstrated in her over three years of experience as a Research Assistant at the United Nations World Food Programme, where she honed her skills in data management and qualitative research. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and a Master of Arts in International Relations, specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies from the United States International University. Sarah is adept at navigating complex diplomatic environments, facilitating international accreditations, and supporting high-level governance meetings. Committed to community service, she has dedicated six years to volunteering in social services, impacting prisons and hospitals. Sarah’s expertise is further complemented by her strong decision-making, problem-solving, and organizational skills, making her a valuable asset in international relations and humanitarian work. Sarah is characterized by her curiosity and a keen interest in expanding her horizon as she works with exceptional individuals to build a better future for generations to come.

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Jackie Namala is from The Bronx, New York. She graduated from Princeton University, where she studied Public and International Affairs and Spanish. Having grown up in working class households in Uganda and the US, Jackie has always been curious about how individuals can be empowered to secure better livelihoods for themselves. She is primarily interested in the role education plays in both individual mobility and national development and envisions herself working as an international educational consultant. Her dream is to make quality education accessible to all. As an undergraduate student at Princeton, she joyfully took advantage of the liberal arts education; in her independent work, she focused on Africa, studying the relationships between racial discrimination and adolescent mental health in South Africa (vis-à-vis the US), socio-economic status and sub-Saharan women’s political participation and, for her senior thesis, universal primary education and intergenerational education mobility in Uganda. Furthermore, Jackie virtually volunteered as a K-12 tutor and an outreach associate with Hatch Tutors, an educational non-profit, and worked as a Peer Academic Advisor on campus. She feels very honored and excited to work with the students and educators at Rwamagana Leaders’ School. In her leisure time, Jackie loves to cook, sing and learn new languages. She also has newfound interests in travel and physical exercise, particularly running.

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Abigail graduated with distinction from Strathmore University with a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, majoring in Finance and Accounting, Abigail then began her career journey as a graduate trainee at a microfinance holding company. Her journey towards impactful change began here, where her passion for development finance grew, leading to her swift transition to the treasury department where she honed skills in financial analysis, reporting, data analysis, and funder management,
Outside her professional pursuits, Abigail remains deeply rooted in her community, as a volunteer finance associate for a foundation focused on women and youth empowerment, she channels her expertise to provide tools and resources for economic growth and wellness. Additionally, Abigail served as an associate teacher at a local primary school, nurturing academic excellence and instilling a sense of empowerment in her students. For Abigail, giving back to her community is not just a duty but a calling, reflecting the values instilled in her as a Maasai girl. She remains steadfast in her mission to leverage her experience and skills for the growth and development of Africa.

Alumni Update:

Lambert is currently interning with congressman Adam Smith (WA9) as Payne Fellow. In mid-August, he will be moving to Duke University for a master’s in water resources management. 

Fellow Bio:

Ngenzi Lambert graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Environmental Science with a focus in water resource management and a minor in Geographic Information System. He wants to use his research experience and his knowledge about the African continent to help local communities in Africa conserve and manage water resources. Lambert moved from Republic of Congo to Kent, Washington with his family as a refugee from the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. He has been conducting his undergraduate research with Dr. Alex Fremier looking at how land use patterns in Ghana and Burkina Faso affect sediment accumulation by using remote sensing programs. Lambert was a McNair scholar and a Doris Duke Conservation program fellow. These programs have helped prepare Lambert to pursue his passion. He has been able to present his research at over 20 different conferences. Lambert’s presentation was recognized as an outstanding research presentation. In addition, Lambert won the President Award and was nominated as an outstanding senior of his department. His accomplishment has awarded numerous scholarships and paid summer internships around the nation. In his free time, Lambert enjoys playing soccer and the outdoors with friends.

Emily, born and raised in Houston, TX, graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Neuroscience. While at Wellesley, Emily completed a multi-year internship at the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital where she conducted clinical research examining neurocognitive recovery following sustained cannabis abstinence in adolescents and young adults. In her spare time, she mentored students from a Boston housing project through the Mission Hill After School Program, and also participated in multiple global health projects in rural Nicaragua. After finishing school, Emily wanted to experience working in the nonprofit sector and moved to Honolulu to serve as an Americorps VISTA at Hawaii Children’s Action Network. In this role, she designed and oversaw a community outreach program to engage stakeholders, community partners, and donors, and also launched and coordinated a volunteer program. Emily is passionate about creating sustainable solutions to support and empower vulnerable populations. She believes in the power of robust research and preventive strategies to improve health outcomes in under-resourced global regions. For fun, Emily enjoys hiking, surfing, and climbing with friends. She is excited to serve and learn in her post as a Research Fellow with the UNC Malawi Surgical Initiative.

Brian Njoroge graduated from Duke University with a double major in Public Policy and International Comparative Studies and a certificate in Markets and Management. At Duke, Brian was involved with the African Conversations Club where he continuously worked with various departments to promote African scholarship on campus. Additionally, he coordinated fundraising for the school newspaper and sat on the Duke Students Alumni Board. During his junior year, Brian was involved in designing a state-wide computer science curriculum for middle school students in North Carolina. He spent his final year as part of an international workshop exploring care economies in the Global South to develop a universal care index. Previously, he has worked with Equity Bank in Kenya, and with Social Entrepreneur Corp in Guatemala consulting for local non-profits. Brian has also volunteered at a community-based micro-finance in Kampala and designed an agricultural project that was implemented in Central Uganda. In his spare time, he enjoys taking photos and running on trails. His interest in serving the marginalized communities through policy and critical development continues to shape what he does, and he is looking forward to working with Kupona Foundation in the coming year.

Ciara graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She heralds from South Africa. Her upbringing sparked an aptitude towards service, starting with an all-embracing portfolio of volunteer work in schools and hospitals within disadvantaged communities. Studying abroad has brought her important opportunities to learn at the cutting edge of research science. Recently, she performed extensive fieldwork in Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique, encompassing a continental-scale study on plant and animal species interactions. This project extended both her abilities to handle challenges as well as an undying respect and desire for field research. She also passionately cares about the environment, especially as it pertains to sustainability and continuously seeks out programs, worldwide, that look to achieve a positive impact in that field. Ciara’s time at Princeton has not only been about academic learning. Her inclusion in the rowing team has taught her how to push beyond her perceived limits, to continue on ignoring pain and exhaustion. The camaraderie of being part of the crew has forever molded Ciara’s loyalty and commitment to the team. Even with a naturally shy demeanor, Ciara has willingly taken on the task of telephone calling to raise funds from undergraduates, alumni, and parents in support of Princeton’s AG Campaign and now has taken on the role of co-chairing her own class’ AG Campaign. Ciara is, and always will be, a Princeton tiger. She is looking forward to exploring Kenya and pursuing her passions for service and research during her fellowship with Mpala Research Center. 

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Saleef is a graduate of the United States International University Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a focus on Broadcast Journalism. He has worked as a copywriter and production assistant at Radio Africa Group. In this multifaceted role, he has crafted persuasive and captivating content used in on-air advertisements, mentions, promotions, and social media campaigns, catering to diverse national audiences in Kenya. Simultaneously, he has played a pivotal role in nurturing and launching podcasts in the space while enhancing the overall quality of on-air content as a voice artist. Saleef has also served as a radio show host and news reporter at USIU Radio. A post he held for two years where he was actively involved in planning and executing social media communication campaigns for professionals across entertainment, financial, technological and educational sectors.He is a dedicated volunteer at the Promise Giving Organization – a local children’s home in his home area. He is also the founder of the Sisi Wanaume podcast which provides a valuable resource for teenagers and young men to openly discuss topics that are often marginalized by society. Through this platform, he aims to break down barriers and encourage candid conversations on issues pertinent to this demographic. His long-term goal is to leverage the power of communication to influence policies related to the development of youth communities in Kenya. After the Princeton in Africa program, he hopes to obtain his master’s in development communications. He enjoys singing, playing the guitar, swimming and watching quality TV shows and films.