Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg

Dr. Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg is a distinguished leader in the fields of food systems and social inclusion, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to her current role as Managing Director for Africa at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and as Trustee in the Board of Bioversity UK/USA.

Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg joined the Alliance from the Ford Foundation where she was a Senior Fellow.  She has also served as the Founder & inaugural Executive Director of Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL), as an Executive-In-Residence at Schmidt Futures, and as the inaugural Executive Director of the Rise program, a joint initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust.

Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg's career reflects a profound commitment to inclusive, agriculture-driven prosperity and gender-responsive agricultural research and innovation evidenced in her service as Director of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD).  She also founded Akili Dada, an award-winning leadership incubator that empowers high-achieving young women from under-resourced families to drive change in their communities.

Her influence extends to several prestigious committees and boards. She is a member of the selection committee for the Africa Food Prize and the Malabo Montpellier Panel, a high-level panel that supports African governments and civil society in enhancing agriculture, food, and nutrition security. She also sits on the boards of the Syngenta Foundation, the Autodesk Foundation, the Global Food Banking Network, and the Council of Co-Impact's Gender Fund.

Her academic career includes positions as an assistant professor of Politics at the University of San Francisco and a lecturer in International Relations at Hekima College, a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. Her research and teaching focused on African politics, gender, international relations, ethnicity, democratization, and the role of technology in social activism.

Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg has been widely recognized for her impactful work, including being honored as a White House Champion of Change by the Obama Administration, being named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans, 100 Most Reputable Africans, and a Ford Foundation Champion of Democracy. She has also been recognized as one of Kenya’s Top 40 Women Under Age 40, awarded the United Nations Intercultural Innovation Award, and is an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow.

Born in Kenya, Dr. Kamau-Rutenberg holds a PhD and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and a Doctorate (Honoris Causa) from Whitman College in Washington, USA.