About Our Team - Population Services Kenya

Veronica W. Musembi
Board,Hon. Secretary

Dr Josephine Kibaru – Mbae, OGW
Board Member

Festus Ilako

Chairman

Dr. Festus Ilako worked for the Ministry of Health in Kenya as a Medical Officer after graduating from the University of Nairobi. He later worked as a flight Medical Officer/Flight Surgeon for Kenyan Air Force (KAF) for 12 years, (1985 -1997) before joining Amref Health where he worked in programmes, health systems and capacity building for 20 years, raising through the ranks from Programme Manager, Head of Programmes – Kenya, Country Director – Uganda and Tanzania, to Chief of Programmes. Dr. Festus left Amref in July 2017 to pursue other passions.

Festus Ilako Geoffrey Githinji

Geoffrey Githinji

Vice Chairman

He is a focused, confident and seasoned professional with 40 years of experience. He has C-Level capability across multiple disciplines and an international multi-cultural outlook with work experience in several countries. He has experience in both the public and private sector with a background in engineering before transitioning to financial services. He has particular interest in people and is a certified executive coach.

Festus Ilako Bernadette Mutuku

Bernadette Mutuku

Treasurer

Bernadette is a regional-level finance leader with experience spanning over 30 years in global
multinational companies, having previously worked in various roles at East Africa Breweries Ltd for 25
years and worked as the Chief Finance Officer at CMC Motors Group (a member of the Al Futtaim
Group) for 2 ½ years. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Centum Real Estate Company. She
started her career at Price Water House (PWC) as an external auditor. During her 25 years at East African

Breweries Limited Bernadette worked in various finance roles spanning from Internal Audit, Commercial
Finance, Financial Controllership with the Africa Shared Services Centre and mainstream Finance.
Bernadette is a holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Kenyatta University and is a
fully qualified Certified Public Accountant of Kenya.

Geoffrey Githinji Veronica W. Musembi

Veronica W. Musembi

Board,Hon. Secretary

Ms. Musembi has over 20 years’ experience in managing donor-funded health programs in the areas of HIV/AIDS, Maternal & Child Health, Reproductive Health, Social Marketing, and Social Franchising. She worked with Population Services International (current PS/Kenya) for 15 years in various capacities with increasing technical and management responsibilities until December 2011 when she resigned to pursue a career in consulting. At the time of her departure from PS Kenya, Ms. Musembi was the Deputy Country Director.

At PS Kenya, Ms. Musembi responsibilities included technical leadership in design and implementation of national-level Social and Behavior Change Communications (SBCC) in the specified health areas in support of respective departments in the Ministry of Health. She led the pioneering team that established one of Kenya’s first successful social franchises in health – the Tunza Family Health Network.

In her role as Deputy County Director, Ms. Musembi participated in quarterly technical working group meetings organized and chaired by respective MoH departments and bringing together multi-sectoral stakeholders.

Ms. Musembi is now an independent consultant and her experience ranges from establishing private provider networks, total market approach, public-private partnerships in health, private sector assessments, market landscape assessments among others.

Ms. Musembi has an MBA from the University of Nairobi and a BA from the University of Baroda, India

Bernadette Mutuku Anne Ngethe

Anne Ngethe

Board Member

Anne brings a wealth of professional experience and expertise at senior level in, Entrepreneurship, Executive Coaching, Business Development, Performance Solutions, and Leadership Training.

Over a period of 22 years as co-founder and Managing Director of Training Solutions Ltd (TSL) a subsidiary of KPMG Kenya, she delivered on engagements in leadership and management; performance management; and team building, for organizations in the private and public sector at corporate and NGO level across multiple industries.

Under her leadership and entrepreneurial drive, the TSL brand cut a niche for itself as the preferred service provider for major organizations in East Africa. Of equal importance to her was the opportunity to lead a team of young professionals to greatness; both personally and professionally.

Anne pioneered live and in-person leadership guru events in East Africa,

Anne has a good understanding of the development needs of both the corporate and NGO sectors in the East African region, as well as the spills and thrills of being an entrepreneur having experienced this first hand over two decades.

This practical background in various environments has provided a unique perspective, which has been utilized in training, consultancy and coaching assignments as well as in directing a successful subsidiary of KPMG which went on to become a fully-fledged independent entity

Veronica W. Musembi Francis Wafula

Francis Wafula

Board Member

Frank is an Associate Professor of Health Systems at Strathmore University (https://strathmore.edu/) and team leader at the Open Phences (Open Phences LinkedIn). His work revolves around strengthening public private engagement, collaboration and partnerships through research and evidence generation, ecosystem building to enable co-creation of pragmatic solutions (including investment cases that create a ‘pull force’ to attract fit-for-purpose innovations from private sector), and creating joint learning forums to allow sharing of lessons and evaluation findings etc (examples, Open Phences YT1, Open Phences YT2, Frank on research and innovation).
Frank previously served as a health specialist with the World Bank Group, working as technical lead in policy, regulation and private sector development in health under the Health in Africa Initiative.

Anne Ngethe Lina Githuka

Lina Githuka

Board Member

Lina is a seasoned business leader with over 25 years of earned knowledge, skills and experience in portfolio management, brand marketing, trade marketing, strategy development, business development and people development

Francis Wafula Farai Chieza

Farai Chieza

Member

Over 18 years of multi-country platform and regional oversight, program implementation a n d management. Social marketing, social enterprise , large scale public and private sector health service design and implementation, health systems strengthening, and social behavior change programming in development, humanitarian, and high risk conflict and post- conflict environments. Demonstrated strong resource mobilization skills and experience, with over $250 million in direct funding raised for PSI. Strong “bottom-up” programming experience with proven track record in program and operations innovation across Anglophone markets working with diverse entities and operating models. Highly adaptable individual with drive, a passion for continuous innovation, excellence and change. Proven ability to build relationships at community, government, organizational, donor and the highest diplomatic levels. Significant negotiation skills to tackle highly complex and unambiguous relationships, situations and environments that often require professional judgment. Multi-country and international experience thorough field acquired knowledge of donor policies and procedure.

Lina Githuka Anthony Gitau

Anthony Gitau

Board Member

Anthony Gitau, an Egerton University Biochemistry graduate, is currently the Director of Global Community Impact for Sub Sahara Africa at Johnson and Johnson Foundation. He leads the execution of the Global Community Impact strategy, focused on championing frontline health workers. Formerly, as Director at CIFF, he advocated for adolescent reproductive health, nutrition, perinatal care, and deworming. Earlier, at PSI Kenya, he strategically directed Maternal and Child Health, aligning with Ministry of Health for donor objectives. With 16 years in East Africa’s pharmaceutical sector, including 4 in Access to Medicines, he managed access and information for critical conditions at Sanofi.

Farai Chieza Jessie Githanga

Jessie Githanga

Board Member

Jessie Githanga is an Associate Professor of hematology (blood diseases) and blood transfusion in the Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi and has a robust interest in research. She previously served as a Chair of Department for seven years and is an honorary consultant at Kenyatta National Hospital. Serving as a member of several Technical Working Groups of the Ministry of Health in Kenya, she has been able to impact on various national health issues. As a board member of various local NGOs dealing with matters ranging from women’s health and empowerment, and cancer, Jessie passionately believes in the involvement of the public in matters concerning their health, and gender equity.

Anthony Gitau Dr Josephine Kibaru – Mbae, OGW

Dr Josephine Kibaru – Mbae, OGW

Board Member

Dr. Mbae is a reproductive health expert with experience spanning over 40 years, both locally and regionally. She is a medical practitioner by profession who has risen through the ranks from the position of Medical Officer of Health to the Senior Deputy Director of Medical Services in charge of Family Health. She has had a stint as the Director General of the East, Central, and Southern Health Communities in Arusha and has been the Chief Executive Officer of the National Council for Population and Development (NCPD), a state agency under Treasury. Dr. Josephine has also served as the Director of Health Services under Nairobi Metropolitan Services. She is a holder of a Master of Medicine degree in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Nairobi.

Jessie Githanga Mary Reba Ouko

Mary Reba Ouko

Corporate Secretary

Mary Reba Chabeda Ouko is joining the PS Kenya Board as the Company Secretary with effect from 9 March 2017. Reba Ouko is currently a Partner of Umsizi advocates which provides among others, legal advisory services in Corporate and Commercial matters and company secretarial services. She has over 12 years’ experience as the advocate of the High Court and is also a qualified Certified Public Secretary (CPS, K), a qualified Certified Public Accountant (CPA, K) and a Certified Governance Auditor (ICPSK). She is a holder of Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Law degree (LLM) from the University of Cape Town. She has been a Legal Counsel at Barclays Bank, Mobil Oil, Total Kenya, Jubilee Insurance, Bamburi Cement and has served as a Company Secretary and Head of Legal at PDM Holdings, a subsidiary of the Aga Khan Development Network.

Dr Josephine Kibaru – Mbae, OGW Mary Reba Ouko