Balqesa Abdi is a peace ambassador, with an extensive expertise in youth and women empowerment. She is currently working with international non-governmental organization. Balqesa began her career at a young age of 17, when she passionately volunteered to mentor young girls in schools in Northern Kenya.

She has 14 years of experience working with the public sector, local, national, and international organizations. Her areas of expertise include youth and women empowerment, preventing and countering violent extremism, strategic planning and information management, program management, implementation and oversight.

In her career path, Balqesa took the initiative to bring people of different faiths together in order to create a platform for interfaith dialogue to discuss how challenges and perceptions can be addressed in order to promote peaceful coexistence among Kenyans of different faiths. She has also led numerous campaigns in Kenya against FGM and gender-based violence.

Balqesa holds Master of Arts in International Studies form the University of Nairobi, Bachelor of Science in Information Science from Moi University and Post Graduate Diploma in Project Planning and Management from Kenya Institute of Management (KIM)

Duncan Otieno is an experienced economist with cross-sectoral experience in Public Finance Management; Policy Research & Advocacy; and Participatory Governance.

He has worked as a researcher and trainer in participatory development processes and has extensive experience in program design and management, program evaluation and policy reviews in areas of education, health, agriculture, public participation among others.

Duncan has consulted for both the public and private sector and is the Co-founder of Centre for Fiscal Affairs (CFA), an independent, non-profit think tank that seeks to promote and advocate for fiscal justice. He also serves as a Senior Policy Advisor at Sentao Kenya, an independent research and advocacy organization that seeks to promote greater fiscal transparency, accountability and participatory governance.

In addition, Duncan is a Board Member at the People Powered, a New York -based global hub for participatory democracy - the direct participation of community members in making the policy decisions that affect their lives; and Open Governance Institute. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) degree from Egerton University, Kenya and is a Postgraduate Public Policy finalist at Kenyatta University, Kenya

Njeri Ndiangui is a certified mediator and a mediation trainer, a peace practitioner and a passionate social rights activist with over 15 years’ experience.  A graduate with a Masters Degree in Peace Studies and International Relations, she has been actively working in the field of peace building, conflict transformation and leadership development. 

She is passionate about creating safe spaces for healing and inner peace through mediation, dialogues, trust-building, reflections, personal story-telling, forgiveness and reconciliation. 

Njeri has been an International Coordinator for Creators of Peace (CoP) International. She is a founding director and facilitator of Healing Conversations Program (HC). In addition, she is currently one of the six members of the Africa Coordination Group (ACG), the body that is responsible and coordinates the work of Initiatives of Change (IofC) in Africa. Further, Njeri is a co-founding member for Bridges of Peace Initiatives. 

Njeri possess practical skills working on inter-personal, inter-ethnic and inter-faith disputes and conflict. Her passion and calling for peace-building is inspired by a very personal encounter, having been a victim of ethnic clashes.

Lucy Nyamwaka holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a diploma in Leadership and Management. She is currently the General Manager at The Central Depository & Settlement Corporation Limited (CDSC) Registrars Limited.

She previously worked for Barclays Bank of Kenya and most recently Custody & Registrar Services Limited as the Head of Operations.

She has considerable experience in Share Registry having worked for over 15 years’ managing the Share Registry operations in Kenya and Rwanda and also has been a key resource in various Rights Issue, Initial Public Offers in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

Zach Muturi is a practising accountant with over 7 years experience. He is the founder of an accounting consultancy called Green Fill Accounting Consultancy. 

At Impact East Africa, a charitable organisation working towards improving health to prevent future disability in Kenya, Zach is the Program Assistant Coordinator and the Accountant. He is also an International Council member at Initiatives of Change International as well as an executive committee member of the board of Initiatives of Change Kenya.

When Zach is not working with numbers, he enjoys writing short inspirational pieces based on personal life experiences. He also loves being with people and once in a while, you will catch him on a business trip locally with his circle of friends as they craft that next investment strategy.

Annie Wamuchori is one of the three founders of Bridges of Peace Initiatives. She is a community worker, a community mobilizer and a passionate peace creator and ambassador.  

She is driven by deep and selfless desire to see every human and every community have inner and outer peace. Annie is not afraid to speak out and act whenever she sees oppression and injustices.

In the past she has worked as a facilitator at the Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance (CEDGG).

Currently, Annie is the Chairperson of the Justice Peace and Reconciliation Committee in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. She is also the Chairperson of the Kenya Red Cross, Nakuru Branch. In addition, Annie is the assistant coordinator at Creators of Peace Kenya.

Regina Mwabila is a Clinical Psychologist and the founder and Director of Spring of Wholeness. She is passionate about empowering individuals to become better through re-aligning their thoughts positively. She holds an MA in Clinical Psychology from the United States International University

Regina has extensive knowledge and experience in counseling and mental health care. She has keen interest in families and cares about how early childhood experiences influence adult life. This has resulted in forming parents and caregivers group approach sessions at Spring of Wholeness. 

Regina has been able to tailor make self-care programs for institutions working with people living with disabilities and NGOs dealing with Child protection. She has also lectured in Kenya Institute of Psychological Counselling (KIPC) and Presbyterian University Nakuru Campus.  

She has also been hosting “Me and Them Show”, a psychological based program with the Voice of Broadcast Network (VBN), a Christian Station in Nakuru.

Nixon Jumba is the Assistant Senior Pastor of City Church Nairobi. As a Pastor, His passion is to help people grow by stimulating enthusiasm through the discovery of the fullness of God’s love. Jumba describes himself as warm, engaging, and enthusiastic. Others have described him as caring and likeable.

Outside his church duties, Jumba is an experienced Mentor and Trainer with a demonstrated history of working with Youth in Community and Religious organisations. 

He places a high priority on Mentorship and leadership development which is done through “Stay The Course”– a coaching and mentorship initiative.

Jumba, a trained professional mediator, is passionate about mediation and conflict transformation. Jumba and his wife Jennifer have two kids. He enjoys art, sports, and music.

Shoshana Faire from Australia, is passionate about peace and what it takes to create peace.

She began her journey on this path as one of the Co-founders of the Conflict Resolution Network, which was established in Australia in 1986 to develop and spread skills for handling conflict.

She is co-author of the best-selling book Everyone Can Win – Resolving Conflict Constructively, published in six languages. 

Shoshana has delivered over 1,250 workshops in corporate, government and community contexts on a range of skills that contribute to better relationships, teams and meetings.

She is a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney’s Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, where she runs workshops on practical skills for conflict conversations and collaborative approaches to advocacy.