Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg

Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg is passionate about delivering meaningful social and economic transformation – especially for the African continent. She was previously Director of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) which is working towards inclusive, agriculture-driven prosperity for the African continent by strengthening the production and dissemination of more gender-responsive agricultural research and innovation. Prior to that, Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg founded and served as Executive Director of Akili Dada, an award-winning leadership incubator that invests in high-achieving young women from under-resourced families, who are passionate about driving change in their communities.

She was also an assistant professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco where her academic research and teaching interests centered on African politics, gender, international relations, ethnicity, and democratization, and the role of technology in social activism. Born in Kenya, she holds a PhD in Political Science, and sits on various Boards and Councils including Syngenta Foundation, Landesa, the African Climate Foundation, and the Africa Food Prize.