Board of Trustees
Dr. Thomas Kiprono Serem
Chairperson
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Dr Thomas Kiprono Serem is a seasoned higher education administrator and governance professional with over three decades of leadership experience. He holds a Doctor of Education in Management and Administration from the University of Bristol, a Master’s degree in Higher Education Management from the Victoria University of Manchester, and a Bachelor of Education (Science) from the University of Nairobi.
Throughout his career, he has led human resource management, institutional governance, strategic planning, risk management, performance management, and administrative functions, while serving as secretary to university governing bodies and management boards. He also played a key role in quality assurance initiatives that led to ISO 9001 certification at Egerton University.
His governance credentials are strengthened by extensive executive training in corporate governance, strategic leadership, risk management, finance, mediation, and trustee development, alongside leadership roles in the Federation of Kenya Employers and the Kenya Institute of Management.
Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak
PS, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation
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Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak is the Principal Secretary, State Department for Science, Research and Innovation. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director for the Division for Africa, at the International Atomic Energy Agency. Under his supervision, he facilitates IAEA technical cooperation, in several thematic areas; Food and Agriculture, Health and Nutrition, Industrial application and Radiation Technology, Water and Environment, Energy planning and nuclear power, nuclear knowledge development and Management, Safety to 48 countries in Africa.
Abdulrazak is former CEO, Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (2008-2014). He has over 30 years working experience as Professor and administrator at university, leader and advisor on matters related to Science Technology and Innovation. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Umma University and Deputy VC at Egerton University, Former Governor of ICGEB, Ex Chair of Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Board member of Kenya Medical Research Institute, member of the Kenya National Economic Social Council.
He is a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences. He has published widely in international journals, scientific conference and symposium proceedings. His Undergraduate studies were at Egerton University, Kenya, his MSc and PhD Agricultural Sciences, from University of Aberdeen, UK and his Post Doctorate from Shimane University, Japan.
Ms. Edna Atisa
Representative to PS, The National Treasury
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Ms. Edna Atisa is an alternate member appointed to the Board of National Research Fund representing the Principal Secretary for the National Treasury. She holds a Master of Arts in Economics, Bachelor of Arts (Economics), Postgraduates Diploma in Education, all from the University of Nairobi. She has attended trainings in Performance Management in the Public Sector, Strategic Leadership Development, Policy formulation in the Public Sector and Investment Analysis and Planning. Ms. Atisa is currently a Deputy Director Investment at the National Treasury. She has previously served as an Economist at the same Ministry and as an Assistant Registrar at the University of Nairobi. She has also served on the boards of Anti FGM Board, Technical University of Kenya, South-Eastern Kenya University and Kenya Water Towers Agency. She is an economist with vast experience in economic policy formulation and implementation and a member of the Economics Society of Kenya
Ms. Faith Wakhungu
Representative, Inspectorate of State Corporations
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Dr. Fidelis Mwaka Muia
Trustee
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Dr. Fidelis Mwaka Muia is a distinguished banking technology, payments systems, and digital transformation leader with over 25 years of experience driving innovation across Kenya’s financial sector. He has played a pivotal role in the design, development, and implementation of critical national payment infrastructure, contributing significantly to the modernization, efficiency, and security of Kenya’s banking ecosystem.
Currently serving as Director, Technical Services at the Kenya Bankers Association, he has led landmark initiatives including the implementation of the Kenya Inter-Participant Transaction System (KITS), migration to EMV chip-and-PIN card standards, development of credit information-sharing frameworks, digitization of tax collection and trade facilitation systems, and modernization of cheque clearing operations.
His career spans leadership roles in banking, software development, insurance technology, and financial systems integration, including at Barclays Bank of Kenya, where he spearheaded major technology transformation initiatives such as ATM deployment, SWIFT implementation, and payment settlement automation.
Beyond operational leadership, Dr. Muia has contributed extensively to national policy and regulatory development, serving on strategic committees and task forces involved in Kenya’s National Payments Strategy, National Payments Systems framework, Digital Government Agenda, National Broadband Strategy, e-Government procurement systems, and regional payment harmonization initiatives across East Africa and COMESA.
Dr. Samuel Tiriongo
Trustee
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Dr. Samuel Kiplangat Tiriongo is a highly accomplished economist, financial sector researcher, and policy expert with extensive experience in banking, monetary policy, financial markets, and economic governance. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Dar es Salaam, earned under the prestigious African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) Collaborative PhD Programme, with research focusing on financial innovation and monetary policy transmission in Kenya.
Currently serving as Director of Research & Policy and Head of the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) Centre for Research on Financial Markets & Policy, he leads industry-wide research, policy analysis, market development initiatives, and strategic stakeholder engagement for Kenya’s banking sector. Prior to joining KBA, he served as an economist and later Senior Economist at the Central Bank of Kenya, where he provided analytical and research support to monetary policy formulation and implementation.
Dr. Tiriongo has demonstrated significant leadership in governance and public policy through service on national steering committees and boards, including the National Research Fund, where he chaired key governance committees, and government-led initiatives on credit guarantee schemes and financial inclusion. He also serves as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Strathmore University, teaching graduate-level courses in econometrics, finance, and research methods while mentoring postgraduate researchers.
Ms. Wakiuru Njuguna
Trustee
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Ms. Wakiuru Njuguna is an accomplished finance, investment, and fund management executive with over 15 years of experience leading capital mobilization, fund governance, investment deployment, and impact measurement accross Africa. As Managing Partner of HEVA Fund, she has successfully structured and deployed innovative financing solutions that have expanded access to capital for underserved businesses, particularly within Africa’s creative and cultural industries.
She has demonstrated exceptional expertise in blended finance, investor relations, strategic partnerships, and financial governance, having mobilized over USD 40 million and facilitated investments into more than 400 businesses across 24 African countries. Her work has directly supported entrepreneurship, inclusive economic growth, and gender-lens investing initiatives, with a strong focus on women-led and marginalized enterprises.
In addition to her executive leadership, Ms. Njuguna serves on multiple boards, including Power Learn Project and Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation, where she provides strategic oversight, risk management guidance, financial governance expertise, and fundraising support. She is widely recognized for her contributions to impact investing and was honored as the Black Women in Asset Management 2023 Impact Category Winner.
Dr. David Ngigi
Trustee
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Dr. David Ngigi is a distinguished Entomologist with over 22 years of professional experience in both Public and Private Sectors. He is a known Champion for Science, Technology and Innovation in Kenya. He has served as the Head of the Institutional Registration and Accreditation Department at NACOSTI. In that capacity he has successfully spearheaded national initiatives towards attainment of aspirations of STI Act of 2013 that include mainstreaming STI in Government Agencies, strengthening research ethics oversight in the country, and facilitating the establishment of new research institutions.
Earlier, Dr. Ngigi successfully coordinated NACOSTI’s initiatives to operationalize the Government Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund that was set to intensify innovations and promote uptake of STI output in priority areas in line with Vision 2030 aspirations. Through his leadership the STI Fund grew to nurture and support over 1,800 research and Innovation projects, solidifying his commitment to propelling Kenya’s scientific landscape forward.
He was one of the pioneer members of the secretariat that was tasked to operationalize the current National Research Fund (NRF), the successor of the STI Fund. He made a significant contribution in supporting the Board of Trustees to set-up organization structures, build linkages and spearheaded resource mobilization to support research and Innovation in Government priority areas
Ms. Stella Langat
Trustee
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Prof Jane Catherine Ngila
Trustee
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Prof. Jane Catherine Ngila is an internationally recognized analytical and environmental chemist, research leader, and higher education executive with extensive experience spanning academia, research governance, institutional leadership, and scientific diplomacy. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and has held academic appointments at Kenyatta University, the University of Botswana, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the University of Johannesburg.
She has served in senior leadership positions including Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Student Affairs) at Riara University, Deputy Director of the Institute of Oil and Gas, and Head of the Department of Applied Chemistry at the University of Johannesburg. She is currently a Visiting Professor at both the University of Johannesburg and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
A Fellow of both the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Prof. Ngila is widely respected for her pioneering research in water quality, pollution monitoring, nanotechnology-based water treatment, and environmental sustainability. She has supervised dozens of postgraduate and doctoral students, produced an extensive body of scholarly work, secured major international research grants, and received prestigious awards, including the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Regional Award for Scientific Excellence.
Prof Dickson Andala
Chief Executive Officer
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Prof. Dickson Andala is the CEO of the National Research Fund (NRF), leading efforts to mobilize resources for research, capacity development, and innovation to drive sustainable national development. He is also an Associate Professor of Materials/Inorganic Chemistry at Multimedia University of Kenya, specializing in Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology for applications in sensors, catalysis, and environmental remediation.
With research support from the National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Grand Challenges Canada, and The World Academy of Sciences, Prof. Andala has received numerous accolades, including recognition by the African Academy of Sciences, Kenya National Academy of Sciences, and OPCW.
At NRF, he has spearheaded strategic global partnerships with institutions such as the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI Africa), NRF South Africa, IDRC Canada, and UK International Development programs, among others. He currently serves as a board member at NACOSTI and Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA), He has held various senior leadership/management positions including having been a Director to the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA), African Materials Research Society (AMRS) boards, Executive Committee Member to Africa Crystallographic Association (AfCA); Membership to various Professional Associations including African Academies of Science (AAS), Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS).
His contributions to science, policy, and international collaborations continue to shape Kenya’s research landscape.
