Monica Kerretts-Makau

Dr. Monica Kerretts-Makau is the Academic Director at Thunderbird's Center for Excellence for Africa based in Nairobi and Professor of Practice. She is also Academic Director Masters of Leadership Management (MLM) p Her passion and work focus on Governance/Leadership, Change Management & Communications and ICT4D Policy. Dr. Kerretts-Makau has deep experience with both multilateral institutions and the business world. She has advised and served as Consultant with the World Bank, UNCTAD, IDLO and GIZ on the digital revolution and Governance and represented Africa on the Digital Dividends multi-stakeholder collaboration with the World Bank in the Advisory Team. She has worked with KPMG in East Africa and Sydney and also with Standard Chartered Bank Group prior to joining the Academia. She is very well traveled and is a speaker at several international events. She currently co-chairs the technical committee for UN-OSAA STEM Working Group and also chairs the technical committee of the African Union- NEPAD Kenya Council, and previously worked at KPMG, Standard Chartered Bank and Strathmore Business School.

She has served on several boards and chaired several board committees for over 10 years, a big champion for women sitting at the “table”. Prof. Kerretts-Makau is also a certified Trainer by IFC under their Governance program. She earned her PhD from the University of New South Wales, Australia and her Masters from Salford University, Greater Manchester UK. She has received several accolades including the top 100 Reputational Africans 2018 and Top 100 influential Africans 2017. She is a certified Board Trainer under the IFC & International Corporate Governance Certificaition A Prosci Change Management Practitioner and has trained several companies over the years. Dr. Kerretts has been Faculty and Advisor to the Dean Strathmroe Business School where she taught in the MBA and Executive Education Programs whilst undertaking several projects.

She can be reached on email at Monica.Kerretts@thunderbird.asu.edu and on twitter @monicakerretts. She is a passionate gardener/environmentalist and blogs on Instagram as @kanakegardens. She sits on a volunteer role in the Kenya Horticultural Society-Gardening Kenya Council where she spends time advocating for environmental consciousness. (www.gardeningkenya.org) and serves as Chair to the Kenya Horticultural Society Machakos and wider eastern Districts.