The Secretariat

Nicholas Ozor, B. Agric. (Nig., First Class Honours); MSc (Nig., Distinction) Ph.D. (Reading, UK & Nigeria), is the Executive Director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) Nairobi, Kenya where he is responsible for direction of affairs and transactions of the organisation; the exercise, discharge and performance of its objectives, functions and duties; and the administration and control of employees. Prior to this appointment, he worked as the Senior Research Officer at the ATPS where he provided leadership in Research, Communication, Training and Outreach for the organization. He was formerly a Senior lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also worked as an Agricultural Extension Agent for many years with the Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Enugu State, Nigeria. Dr Ozor is a Commonwealth Scholar (Split-site Doctoral Programme) and holds the Best PhD Thesis Award in Agriculture in Nigeria, 2006, under the Nigerian Universities Doctoral Theses Award Scheme (NUDTAS) organized by the National Universities Commission. He holds the Wellcome Trust Award for the Best PhD Presenter in 2006 during the Development Studies Association Conference at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. He is also a Teaching Fellow and Mentor, African Climate Change Fellowship Programme (ACCFP), funded by the International global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (START).

Dr Ozor has led and is currently leading many internationally funded research projects bordering on science, technology and innovation (STI) ; natural resource management; innovation systems; climate change; development issues; policy development, analysis and advocacy; technology management and transfer; and private sector engagements. He has good mastery of the computers and its applications to problem solving situations. Dr Ozor is a member of many professional organizations and has published over 75 articles in reputable international journals and as book chapters. He has attended many international conferences/workshops aimed at evolving sustainable best practices for national, regional and international developments. He holds many distinctive prizes and awards for academic excellence and good community leadership. Dr Ozor’s vision is to be at the frontier of learning and in the consequent application of the rich knowledge acquired to make a positive difference to humanity. He is married to Gloria, a literary artiste, and blessed with children.

Dr. Ozor’s Key Skills include:

• Fundraising from multiple donors in areas of STI including agriculture and food systems; environment and climate change; and low carbon energy development; etc.
• Core research, teaching and programme implementation across the STI areas stated above 
• Network building with stakeholders at inpidual and institutional levels aimed at forging effective and efficient partnerships and collaborations to solve complex societal challenges
• Capacity building and training of varied stakeholders in STI including researchers, policymakers, civil society, the private sector and the media among others
• Policy analysis and advocacy across STI issues for empowering policymakers to utilize homegrown research evidence in policymaking processes that enhance development and good governance
• Knowledge valorization across STI issues that aim at bringing technology and innovation to the market place
• Outreach and Communication that aim to increase awareness and understanding of key STI issues among relevant stakeholders for use in development objectives
• Publications: very quick in transforming ideas from research into published outputs to contribute to the knowledge economy
• Leadership and mentorship: providing strategic direction for organizations and teams to achieve their goals as well as grooming the future leaders through informed mentorship and support systems

Ernest Nti Acheampong is a research officer at ATPS. He is responsible for undertaking research, coordinating research capacity building programs, and fundraising activities. He was previously working for the International Water Management Institute, Accra, Ghana, as a research officer.

Ernest holds a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. He also holds a double master degree in International Land and Water Management, and Agricultural Systems Research and Development from the Wageningen University and Research Center and Montpellier SupAgro in the Netherlands and France respectively. 

 Ernest has worked with both national and international Non-Governmental Research Organizations who are engaged in multi-disciplinary research. He has engaged in several research projects including the Community Integrated Conservation Project, Climate Steward Programs, Basin Focal Project and Agricultural Water Management Solutions Project.

 Ernest has also gained additional knowledge and experiences through participation in research training and development programs in tropical ecology and biodiversity conservation organized by the Tropical Biology Association in Madagascar, and the Earthwatch Institute in Kenya, and Capacity Building in Agricultural Water Management Strategies using AquaCrop model, jointly organized by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) and Soil and Water Environmental Research Institute (SWERI), Cairo, Egypt.

Rachel Maluki is the Finance and Administration Assistant at the ATPS. She holds a bachelor of commerce degree (finance option) from the Catholic University Of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and CPA K. She is responsible for entering financial information and maintaining all financial records for projects and for the organisation, timely preparation of budgets and budgetary controls, ensuring that all financial reporting is completed on time and submitted to the donors. She also provides financial inputs for proposal development, project management, Human resource management policies, logistics, travel and other areas of administration. She brings a wealth of experience from Export Promotion Council (EPC) and National Bank Of Kenya where she served as finance and admin intern.

Ms.Sharon Anyango is the Communications and Outreach Assistant at the ATPS. She is responsible for writing stories for the website and newsletters, proof reading ATPS publications, writing and distributing press releases, preparing promotional/advocacy materials, updating and maintaining ATPS social media sites and  assisting the team in media outreach and information dissemination activities.

Sharon holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Technical University of Kenya and a Certificate in Computer Applications from St. Joseph Vocational Training Centre.

She previously worked at Startimes Kenya as a video editor for two TV stations namely Tripple P TV and channel “PPP” where she was responsible for preparing and changing the playlist, ensuring programmes are aired at the right time, editing music and various shows being aired in the two TV stations, and preparing an EPG. She also served as a Communication Officer at the International Leadership University before joining Elective Africa where she served as a Public Relations Officer.

Sharon is a vibrant and highly motivated inpidual with so much drive to achieve nothing but the best for both clients and the organization. Clients’ satisfaction and building ATPS brand her number one motivation factor.

Mr. Nyambane holds Master’s degree in Environmental Science (Agro-forestry and Rural Development) and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences. He is knowledgeable and experienced in community development, agriculture, forestry and climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. He has skills in data collection, compilation and analysis and has also crop modelling experience using Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSAT). He has taught part-time in several universities in Kenya. He worked as a Research Assistant at CIAT in the Soybean Project.  Mr. Nyambane has also done a lot of work on solid waste management, drainage and sanitation as an Assistant Project Officer and as a consultant. He has done consultancy assignments with Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO), Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), ActionAid International, Pamoja Trust, Lake Victoria Environment Management Project II (LVEMP II), Lake Victoria Basin Commission, among others. He is a registered Lead Expert with NEMA.

Ms. Madonna Achieng is the   Administration Assistant at ATPS. Her main duties are cleaning the office, filling, scanning and photocopying documents. She also serves as an office messenger

Madonna holds a Diploma in Early Childhood Development Education and a Diploma in Beauty and Hairdressing.

Mr. Peter Mwangi Chege is the driver/logistician at ATPS. He holds a diploma in Computer Networking Administration and a certificate in AutoMechanics. His main duties include: managing the office and the Executive Director’s transportation, coordinating the receipt and dispatch of letters, facilitates document processing with various Government agencies and settling the office utility bills. He brings a wealth of experience from Kenatico Taxi and Serena Hotels where he served for nine years.

Mr. Raymond Mumo is the Information Technology assistant at the ATPS. He is an on-going student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Information Technology. He is responsible for maintaining and updating the ATPS website, supporting and maintaining online databases, subsidiary websites and ATPS email system, install and manage computer software and configure new hardwares. He also maintains and operates the ICT system updates and ICT system configuration changes. He is among the students at JKUAT who developed the JKUAT mobile application, used to lay down some part of the Internet connection in JKUAT University.

Mrs. Teresa Werrhe Abira is the Programme Assistant and Secretary at the ATPS. She is responsible for keeping track on the status of research grants, donor programmes, and assists with maintenance of all correspondence and files reports on ATPS programs and research projects.

She is responsible for drafting and consolidating donor reports for submission on a timely basis and monitors the implementation of programme/project activities involving extensive liaison with field projects. She also serves as the secretary to the ATPS Executive Director.Mrs. Abira holds a Bachelor of Science in Project Management and a certificate in Business Management. Prior to joining ATPS she worked at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) as a Senior Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Director General