Meet Our Speakers
Leaders, innovators, and experts driving the future of pharmacy in Kenya and beyond. Hover over a profile to view the full biography!
Dr. Michael Onyango
Regulatory Affairs Manager, Axmed
Day 1: Panel Session: Regulatory Affairs in an Evolving Landscape
Dr. Michael Onyango
Michael Onyango is the Regulatory Affairs Manager at Axmed, where he leads regulatory compliance and strategy across multiple markets. A pharmacist by training and a former board member of the Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (KAPI), he has extensive experience in pharmaceutical supply chain systems, with a focus on innovation, streamlining, and building resilience. Michael is passionate about enhancing access to quality healthcare products in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and believes regulation should be a bridge to innovation, safety, and equitable healthcare.
Dr. Daniel Waruingi
Co-founder, Zihi Institute
Day 1: Panel Session: Entrepreneurship - Building a Future-Ready Pharmacy Startup
Dr. Daniel Waruingi
Daniel Waruingi is a social entrepreneur, pharmacist, and a passionate public health professional. He is the Co-founder of Zihi Institute, a non-profit and research organization that develops and disseminates data-driven, innovative, and scalable interventions aimed to address the overlooked drivers of Infectious Diseases and strengthen global health security gaps. He worked as the Capacity Development and Youth Engagement Manager at ReAct (Action on Antibiotic Resistance) Africa, and before that co-founded and led Students Against Superbugs Africa, where he served as the Head of Programs in the organization.
Dr. Daniella Munene
Lead Coach, Usawa Health Consulting
Day 1: Panel Session: Entrepreneurship - Building a Future-Ready Pharmacy Startup
Dr. Daniella Munene
Daniella Munene is an enthusiastic health coach focusing on corporate and personal stress management. By converging health knowledge and management consulting experience, Daniella coaches and mentors professionals to optimize productivity in their workplaces and businesses. Over the course of her 20-year career, Daniella has also worked in quality management, public-private partnerships, and health sector governance. Some of the roles she has held include Chief Executive Officer at the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya, Head of External Affairs at Africa Health Business, and Director of Kenya Healthcare Federation. She is also currently serving as an advisor at Africa Health Business. Daniella holds a Master's degree in International Public Health from the UNICAF Liverpool John Moores University Program, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Nairobi.
Dr. David Olpengs
Research Associate, Amref Health Africa
Day 2: Panel Session: Global Health Opportunities for Pharmacists
Dr. David Olpengs
David Olpengs is a budding health economist, with a growing career trajectory that reflects commitment to strengthening health systems through holistic and evidence informed strategy and policy insights. He is currently a research associate at Amref Health Africa and has experience in strategic policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and program design and implementation in sustainable financing for health, primary healthcare delivery, and integration of digital innovations into health systems across multiple Sub-Saharan African countries. He is a published health systems researcher and is passionate about mentorship and capacity building having led research training and mentorship hubs impacting pharmacy students in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. James Kimotho, PhD
Head of Innovation and Tech Transfer, KEMRI
Day 2: Panel Session: Practical Skills in Scientific Publishing & Research
Dr. James Kimotho, PhD
James Hungo Kimotho, PhD is an accomplished scientist and healthcare innovator with over two decades of experience in research and product development. He currently serves as the Head of the Innovation and Technology Transfer Division at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where he leads initiatives to develop and commercialize healthcare solutions in compliance with international standards. He is also an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Nairobi, mentoring MSc and PhD students. His notable achievements include developing antimalarial and diagnostic test kits, and co-manufacturing the first commercial Taq polymerase in East Africa.
Dr. Audrey Mumbi
PhD Fellow, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme
Day 2: Panel Session: Practical Skills in Scientific Publishing & Research
Dr. Audrey Mumbi
Audrey Mumbi is a PhD fellow at KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme. She is a health economist and health systems researcher with a focus on the private sector. She holds a bachelor's degree in pharmacy (UoN), Post Graduate diploma in Health Research Methods (Pwani University) and a master's degree in health economics (LSHTM). Her doctoral work explores how community pharmacists in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) can support the delivery of public health interventions and how this role can be better integrated into the health systems to improve access to care. Her interests span across health systems strengthening, health financing and implementation science.
Dr. Allan Tulienge
Graduate Assistant, MKU School of Pharmacy
Day 2: Panel Session: Practical Skills in Scientific Publishing & Research
Dr. Allan Tulienge
Dr. Allan Tulienge Wafula is a pharmacist, researcher, and educator with a strong passion for advancing pharmaceutical education and health research. He currently serves as a Graduate Assistant at the Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy. His professional journey spans diverse experiences in clinical, community, and industrial pharmacy, as well as health economics research. He has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and is dedicated to mentoring young pharmacists and researchers.
Dr. Laura Irungu
Regulatory Affairs & Procurement Pharmacist, Nila Pharmaceuticals
Day 2: Panel: The Future of Supply Chain Management
Dr. Laura Irungu
Laura Njeri Irungu is a healthcare and pharmaceutical professional with expertise in regulatory affairs, product development, and market access. She places a strong focus on supply chain integrity and regulatory compliance, recognizing that these are vital to ensuring patients receive safe, reliable, and effective treatments. By aligning compliance with patient-centered outcomes, Laura advocates for systems that prioritize quality, accountability, and transparency across the healthcare value chain.
Dr. William Ogalo
Senior Research Scientist, Google
Day 2: Panel Session: The Role of AI and Digital Health in Pharmacy Practice
Dr. William Ogalo
William Ogallo is a Senior Research Scientist at Google. He focuses on the development and validation of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools for forecasting food insecurity outcomes and analyzing drivers of food insecurity. Prior to joining Google, William was a senior research scientist and manager at IBM Research Africa in Nairobi. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Columbia University in the City of New York and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Nairobi.
Dr. Ivy M. Ratemo
Chief Executive Officer, Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
Day 3: Keynote Speech, PSK CEO: Leading the Charge: Leadership in Pharmacy
Dr. Ivy M. Ratemo
Dr. Ivy Ratemo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK), where she leads national efforts to advance the pharmacy profession, strengthen health systems, and champion the role of pharmacists in delivering quality healthcare. She has extensive experience in pharmaceutical policy, workforce development, and health advocacy. Dr. Ratemo also serves as Project Director of the Optimizing the Pharmacy Channel Program.
Patrick Kamau Nganga
Founder, Malibu Pharmacy; Spearheaded Generics Africa
Topic: Advancing Healthcare Innovation: Trends and Innovations in Kenya’s Pursuit of Quality Health Technologies.
Patrick Kamau Nganga
Patrick Kamau Nganga, a BPharm graduate of 1990 and registered pharmacist, has made significant strides in the pharmaceutical industry. Starting as a drug rep for Rhone Poulenc from 1990 to 1993, he founded Malibu Pharmacy in 1993, which was incorporated a year later. By 2012, he spearheaded Generics Africa, growing it from the ground up with just one employee, marking his influential footprint in the field.