Board Members
Adv. Dennis Gitari, Board Chair
Dennis Gitari is a practicing Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with over five years of experience, admitted to the bar in 2017. He holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law, a Bachelor of Laws degree, and is currently a Master of Laws (LLM) candidate in Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Nairobi. As the founding and Managing Partner of Muthomi Gitari & Co. Advocates, he leads the litigation department, specializing in constitutional, commercial, and criminal law.
Dennis’s extensive experience includes providing tailored legal solutions and representation for individual clients, corporate entities, and vulnerable members of society, addressing human rights violations, employment disputes, taxation issues, land and succession conflicts, and political tensions.
Ms. Grace Mugo, Board Secretary
Grace Mugo has a diverse background in gender policy implementation, STEM project moderation, academic teaching, and community development. She moderated the launch of the SISTARS Project at the University of Nairobi in 2022 and served as a Senior Gender Officer at Kenya’s Ministry of Public Service from 2019 to 2021, where she implemented gender policies and facilitated gender mainstreaming. She also taught social sciences at Chuka University and contributed to the Smallholder Dairy Commercialization Programme as a Gender, Targeting, Nutrition, and Community Development Expert.
Additionally, Grace has experience as a Probation Officer, Community Development Expert, and Social Impact Assessment Officer, having worked with various government ministries and organizations such as the Ministry of Interior and the Upper Tana Natural Resources Management Project. Her roles involved data analysis, report compilation, and stakeholder consultations to enhance community and gender-focused initiatives. Grace is currently pursuing her PhD in Population Studies, further enhancing her expertise in this field.
Mr. Charles Gathuto, Board Treasurer
Charles Gathuto is a distinguished professional with over 28 years of expertise in audit and accountancy, focusing on accountancy, taxation, secretarial, and consultancy services. His extensive experience spans various sectors of the Kenyan economy, including donor-funded organizations, NGOs, projects, and government audits. Charles is highly skilled in auditing Sacco Societies and Microfinance Institutions, having worked with entities such as NSSF Sacco and Finnlemm Sacco. He has also provided his expertise to organizations like the Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Roads Board, managing audits for numerous staff retirement benefits schemes and pension funds.
Before his current role as Senior Partner at Mazars, Charles honed his skills in the banking sector with positions at Ari Finance and ABC Bank Nairobi, and at the accounting firm BDO Githongo & Co. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Accounting & Finance and professional certifications as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA (K)) and a Certified Public Secretary (CPS (K)). Charles is also an active member on several boards, contributing his deep knowledge and strategic insights to guide organizational growth and governance.
Mr. Jerry McCann, Board Member
After a 15-year career in structural engineering and construction management, Jerry McCann has spent the last 25 years working around the world to engage with and promote innovative peacebuilders and peacebuilding institutions. Jerry recognizes that the most effective and impactful solutions to some of the most complex problems in the developing world come when those solutions are recognized and implemented from within. He believes strongly that peace depends heavily on paying attention to and enabling the tremendous capacities that exist within every conflict and post-conflict dynamic. He further believes both national and international peacebuilders have a critical collaborative role to play in unlocking and supporting these solutions.
Jerry currently serves as Senior Advisor and Peace Engineer at Build Up (www.howtobuildup.org). Build Up works with civic activists and peacebuilders to find and apply innovative practices that help them achieve their peacebuilding missions, keeping pace with the increasing complexities of global interconnectivity, technological advancements, and ideological polarization.
Mr. Paul Kithinji, Board Member
Paul Kithinji is an accomplished business leader with a proven track record of transforming struggling businesses into top service providers. With over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, team leadership, and revenue growth, Paul excels in delivering financial freedom and consistent P&L ownership. His career is marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence, driving organizations to industry prominence through strategic client partnerships and operational efficiencies.
Paul’s expertise includes change management, mergers and acquisitions, business transformation, strategic partnerships, financial analysis, and budgetary planning. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and various professional certifications, including CPA (K) and CPS (K). Paul has held senior positions such as Country Director at GardaWorld International and Regional Manager at KK Security, where he successfully expanded market reach, fostered high-performance cultures, and ensured legal and regulatory compliance.
Ms. Danielle Gervais Sodani, Board Member
Danielle Gervais Sodani has a 20-year career in education research and higher education administration. She currently serves as the Director of the Institute for Innovation and Education at American University. As the director, she cultivates partnerships with educational organizations in Washington, DC, nationally, and internationally to conduct educational and partner-based reciprocal research and implement research-informed professional development initiatives. She is an experienced grant-writer and administrator and secures and manages external funding for projects supporting teacher preparation and professional development including projects from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and state education agencies.
Danielle is a Ph.D. candidate in Teacher Education Professional Development from the Teaching and Learning Policy and Leadership Program at the University of Maryland College of Education. Her research focus is on the learning mechanisms within educational Research-Practice Partnerships. Her BA and master’s degrees from American University focused on international development, training, and education concentrating in educational technology.