The Green Belt Movement is beginning the year with two new bosses.
GBM has appointed development specialist Nyaguthii Chege as its new executive director and communications specialist Jane Gitau as chairperson
The two were appointed late last year but have effectively began work this month in the conservation organisation founded by Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.
"Chege brings to the position extensive experience and a wealth of knowledge in sustainable development, public sector governance, and human resource development in the non-profit and higher education sectors, and international financial institutions," the organisation said.
Chege first worked with Wangari Maathai at the GBM as the internal liaison officer, during the organisation's early days.
Most recently, she served as careers' director of human rights and international law and lecturer-in-law at Columbia University School of Law in New York.
Previously, she worked at Peking University School of Transnational Law in Shenzhen, China, as a staff attorney at the International Program of the Natural Resources Defense Council, as a consultant at the World Bank in Washington DC, and as a legal associate with Simpson, Thacher and Bartlett, a Wall Street law firm.
“I am delighted to be back at the Movement. It is an honor to be leading this work at a time when the world needs great models to address some of the most challenging issues of our time,” Chege said.
Gitau succeeded Marion Kamau who served as chairperson from June 2017.
She is currently the head of communication at Kenya Seed Company and has more than 20 years of experience in strategic leadership in both corporate and international communications.
"Her professional experiences span across the fields of gender and development, media, and academia touching lives across the globe to raise critical issues for policy and public information," Greenbelt said.
Gitau is the president emeritus and fellow of the Public Relations Society of Kenya, and a fellow and secretary-general of the African Public Relations Association.
Previously, she has served as a board member to other organisations such as Global Alliance for PR & Communication Management (Portugal), and Trans World Radio (TWR).
“The urgency for Kenya, and Africa, to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic is undeniable. The world needs sound models for how communities can simultaneously build physical and economic resilience, protect biodiversity, and address climate change," she said.
"By engaging in solutions such as community-led tree planting and household level food security, the GBM experience and approach remains one of the best models out there,” Gitau said.
(edited by o. owino)
