Staff Members

Meet our dedicated team who work together to advance the Institute’s objectives.

Halkano Abdi Wario, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Center for the Study of Terrorism, Violent Extremism and Radicalization

Roselyne Omondi

Associate Director, Center for Climate Change, Migration, and Development

Asia M. Yusuf

Strategic Communications Officer

Elizabeth Radina

Strategic Communications Officer

Evans Ombisa

Graphic Designer

Shariff Nasir

Accountant

Ismail O. Owino

Accountant

Janice Sanya

Projects Officer

Edmond J. Pamba

Researcher

Veronika Čáslavová

Visiting Resident Fellow, Ph.D. Candidate

Ruwaida Bana

Programs Officer

Christine Kendi

IGAD Liaison Officer

Kalla Abudo

Administrative and Programs Assistant

Bravin Onditi

Research Intern

Husna Maalim

Communications Intern

Adano Isacko

Research Assistant

Kennedy Gapchojiga

Defence, Security and Foreign Relations Intern

Jeremy Oronje

Research Intern

Laurence N. Jost

Research Intern

Hassan Khannenje, Ph.D.

Position: Director

Academic Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from Nova Southeastern University, United States
  • Master of Arts in Social and Public Policy with a concentration in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies from Duquesne University, United States
  • Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Studies from the University of Nairobi, Kenya
  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Nairobi, Kenya

Areas of Specialization

  • Conflict Analysis, Resolution, and Management
  • Policy Analysis
  • Qualitative and Quantitative Research
  • Foreign Policy and International Relations

Professional Membership

  • The Academy of Political Science (USA)
  • National Scholars Honor Society (USA)

Halkano Abdi Wario, Ph.D.

Position: Associate Director, Center for the Study of Terrorism, Violent Extremism and Radicalization

Academic Qualifications
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Religion (Islamic Studies) from University of Bayreuth, Germany
  • Master of Philosophy in Religion from Moi University, Kenya
  • Bachelor of Education (Arts) from Moi University, Kenya
  • Senior Humanities Research Fellow of Volkswagen Foundation of Germany with ongoing research project on nexus of film and counter-narrative production
Areas of Specialization
  • Trends and Discourses on Countering Violent Extremism in the Horn of Africa
  • Transnational Religious/Islamic Movements in Africa
  • Muslim Personal Law in Africa
  • Religion and Media
  • Identity Politics and Social Change among Communities and Nations in the Horn Africa
Professional Membership
  • International Association for History of Religions
  • African Studies Association (USA)
  • African Association for the Study of Religion
  • African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE)

Roselyne Omondi

Position: Associate Director, Center for Climate Change, Migration, and Development

Academic Qualifications

  • Erasmus Mundus Master of Arts in Journalism, Media and Globalisation from Aarhus University, Danish School of Media and Journalism (DMJX), (Denmark) and Swansea University (United Kingdom)
  • Erasmus Mundus Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action from Rijksuniveriteit, Netherlands.
  • Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Sociology from Kenyatta University, Kenya.
  • Postgraduate Education in: Peace Research from University of Oslo and Peace Research Institute Oslo (Norway), Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism: Theory and Practice from Leiden University (The Netherlands), Advanced Grammar, Advanced Academic Writing, Research Writing, Critical Thinking, and Comprehensive Writing from Swansea University (United Kingdom); Development Policies and Children’s Rights (Finland); First Aid, Security, Safety and Survival in the Field (Germany); Basic and Advanced Security in the Field (Kenya).

Areas of Specialization

  • War, Armed Conflict, and Terrorism
  • Peace Research
  • Migration Research
  • Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methodologies
  • Research Visualization (including Conflict Mapping)
  • Project Management (including Proposal Writing, and M&E)
  • Journalism, Media, and Communication
  • Writing (Research or Academic, Journalistic, and Creative – Generalist, Specialist)
  • Editing and Proofreading
  • Publishing
  • International Development
  • Humanitarian Action
  • Training (Peace and conflict, crisis communication)

Professional Membership

  • Devex International Development (Devex)
  • NOHA Network on Humanitarian Action
  • Media Council of Kenya

Asia M. Yusuf

Position: Strategic Communications Officer

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and International Studies from University of Nairobi, Kenya
Areas of Specialization
  • International Relations
  • Terrorism
  • Social Media Communication
  • Public Relations
  • Media

Elizabeth Radina

Position: Strategic Communications Officer

Academic Qualification:

Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Strathmore University

Areas of Specialization:

International Relations

Partnerships

Peace and Security

Public Relations

Evans Ombisa

Position: Graphic Designer

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts in Technology (Design) from Technical University of Kenya, Kenya
  • Professional Counselling
Areas of Specialization
  • Publishing
  • Graphic Design
  • Advertising and Publishing
  • Branding

Shariff Nasir

Position: Accountant

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Business Management(Islamic Banking and Finance Option) from UMMA University, Kenya (Ongoing)

Areas of Specialization

  • Islamic Banking and Finance
  • Islamic economic Thoughts
  • Financial Accounting
  • Business Management(Administration)
  • Tax Accounting
  • Cost Accounting

Ismail O. Owino

Position: Accountant

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting),KCA University (Kenya)
  • Certified Public Accountant of Kenya(CPA,K)

Areas of Expertise

  • Financial Accounting
  • Auditing & Investigations
  • Taxation
  • IFRS

Janice Sanya

Position: Projects Officer

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and International Studies from the University of Nairobi

Areas of Interests

  • Diplomacy and Foreign Relations
  • Policy Analysis and Strategic Thinking
  • Food Security
  • Regionalism and World Politics
  • Politics of Aid and Development

Current Projects

  • Day of Prayer and Action for Children (DPAC)
  • Lenga Ugaidi na Talanta
  • Diminishing the Prevalence of Radicalization into Violent Extremism (D-PRIVE)

Edmond J. Pamba

Position: Researcher

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Arts in Diplomacy and International Studies, Maseno University (Kenya)
  • Master of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy, Mount Kenya University (Kenya) (Ongoing)

Areas of Interests

  • International Security
  • Terrorism
  • Foreign Policy
  • Geopolitics

Raudhat Sayeeda Saddam

Position: Researcher

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Strathmore University

Areas of Interests

  • International Development and Policy
  • Community Development
  • Conflict Resolution

Veronika Čáslavová

Position: Visiting Resident Fellow, Ph.D. Candidate

Academic Qualification

  • Master of Arts in International Relations from Masaryk University (Czech Republic)
  • Master of Arts in Security and Strategic Studies from Masaryk University (Czech Republic)
  • Bachelor of Arts in joint program International Relations – Security and Strategic Studies from Masaryk University (Czech Republic)
  • Global Campus of Human Rights Certification on Gender-based Violence in the Context of Migration
Areas of Specialization
  • International Development
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Democratization processes
  • International Criminal Justice
  • Human Trafficking
  • Migration Research
  • Geopolitics
Professional Membership
  • CEO Security Outlines
  • Czech Centre for Human Rights and Democracy

Ruwaida Bana

Position: Programs Officer

Academic Qualification
• Master of Science (Africa and International Development)
• Bachelor of Arts in Politics and International Relations

Areas of Specialization 
• Gender and Sexuality in Africa
• Conflict and Peace in Africa
• Climate Change in the Horn of Africa
• Gender and Media
• Africa Development and Policy
• International Relations in Africa (East and West Africa)

Professional Membership
• Clinton Foundation
• Red Cross Kenya

Christine Kendi

Position: IGAD Liaison Officer

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Languages and communications and Sociology from University of Nairobi, Kenya
  • Bachelor of Electronic Media from Daystar University (Ongoing)
  • Countering Violent Extremism – ICEPVE
  • Enhancing the capacity of women in Strategic communications
  • How to prevent violent extremism and radicalization among the youth

Areas of Specialization 

  • Formulation and implementation of media and communication strategies
  • Preparing content for electronic, digital and print media
  • Creating media campaigns and generation of innovative techniques
  • Development and management of communications plan

Kalla Abudo

Position: Administrative and Programs Assistant

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor in Business Management (human resource option)

 

Areas of Specialization

  • Human Resource Management

Bravin Onditi

Position: Research Intern

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy from Zetech University, Kenya
  • Certificate on Gender Inclusivity in Peacebuilding from the United States Institute of Peace
  • Certificate on Protection and Assistance for Migrants Vulnerable to Violence Exploitation and Abuse from IOM – UN Migration

 

Areas of Interest

  • Research
  • Conflict Resolution
  • Foreign Policy
  • Peacekeeping Operations

Husna Maalim

Position: Communications Intern

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Sociology, and a minor in Arabic (Ongoing) – University of Nairobi

Areas of  Interests 

  • Political Development
  • Political Systems and Regimes
  • Design
  • Photography

 

Adano Isacko

Position: Research Assistant

Academic Qualification

  • Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya (Ongoing)
  • Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from United States International University- Africa

Areas of Specialization

  • Diplomacy
  • Conflict and Peace-making
  • Banking
  • Criminal Justice

Kennedy Gapchojiga

Position: Defence, Security and Foreign Relations Intern

Academic Qualification

  • Bachelor of Science: BSc (Hons) Politics With International Relations & Economics, Aston University – Birmingham(Ongoing)
  • International Exchange Program: Political Science & International Affairs, Sciences Po Lille – Lille
  • Undergraduate Foundation Programme (UFP): Humanities And Social Sciences, ONCAMPUS London(University of London) – London

 

Areas of Interest 

  • International Security
  • Policy and Defense Issues
  • Political Communications
  • International Relations
  • National Security
  • Diplomacy

Societies

  • Aston University Commercial Awareness Society (AUCAS)

Jeremy Oronje

Position: Research Intern

Academic Qualifications

  • B.A in International Relations from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa

Area of interest

  •  Conflict Analysis
  •  ⁠Conflict Resolution
  • Governance and Statecraft

Laurence N. Jost

Position: Research Intern

Academic Qualifications

  • B.A. Sociology & Political Science / Reserve NCO

Areas of Interest

  • Defence and Security

Professional membership

  • Member of the German academic association for security studies (BSH)