John Kogada

John Okandi Kogada has joined IFAW as the community engagement (CE) program director and is based in the Nairobi office. In his role, he provides strategic leadership for community actions within projects across IFAW’s global program portfolio, ensuring tangible and impactful community involvement at the local level to advance coexistence, inclusive natural resource governance, women and youth empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, and community resilience. He works closely with all program teams to establish robust sustainability pathways for their work and also champions thought leadership on CE issues.

John is an experienced program manager and community development specialist with over 15 years of experience in strategy, operations, and technical support in the development space. He most recently served with AMREF Health Africa as a project director and senior technical advisor, where he led the integrated Economic Empowerment, Gender, and Protection Program portfolio and provided advisory and technical support to AMREF global and regional offices. Previously, he worked for Academy for Educational Development, the APHIA II Consortium, Plan International, and the Henry Jackson Medical Research International, where he held various leadership positions. He holds a Master’s degree in Sociology and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. Additionally, he is an avid lover of dogs and art.