Olufunmilayo Balogun-Alexander is the Director, External Relations and Advocacy with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Africa Regional Office.  She has a Masters of Arts degree in Gender & Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom (1994) through a British government scholarship and BA English from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria (1988).  She was previously with the United Nations Development Fund for Women, United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Nigeria. She has managed programmes and projects worth over $15m in the last 9 years on issues of gender and governance, women’s human rights, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health.  Her management portfolio includes the management of a $6million basket fund, sustaining a partnership of 9 contributing donors, 60 non government organisations and the UN system in working towards same goals on gender, human rights and governance in Kenya. She established a women entrepreneurs’ network in Nigeria to advocate and lobby government and private sector on gender & rights based macroeconomic frameworks, and is one of the founding members of the Gender Budget Network in Nigeria which undertakes and conducts advocacy on gender responsive budgeting at the national and states’ levels.  Her achievements include the development of Gender Policies for ECOWAS and the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Kenya, mainstreaming of gender within the new aid architecture within the framework of the MDGs and the Government of Kenya’s Investment Programme on Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth Creation and Employment (2003 – 2007). She is one of the founding members of the African and Nigerian Feminist Forums respectively, and a member of the West Africa Women’s Policy Forum.

Yvette Wambura Kathurima is a young Kenyan lady currently working for IPPF Africa Regional Office as a Project Assistant in the Gender, Rights & Sexuality Department.  She has a Masters Degree in Development Studies, major in Women, Gender and Development from the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands.  Her professional experience has been in international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) with previous work experience at UNDP Kenya, UNDP- Drylands Development Center and Equality Now - Africa.  Yvette is passionate about promoting social justice and development and seeks to bring about change to the lives of the marginalized.

Angella Nyagacuhi Githere-Langat is a Kenyan and currently works for IPPF Africa Regional Office as the Executive Support Officer to the Regional Director.  She holds a Masters Degree in Sociology of Work from the University of Paris IX.  For over ten years, she has managed executive offices and large complex projects.  Her professional experience has been in the private sector, foundations and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).  As a person, she is sincerely enjoys organizational development and bringing order into work processes; and promoting social justice for young women.  She strives to have a smile even when under extreme pressure and is highly committed to her job.  She is married with two beautiful children.