Executive Committee

CHAIRMAN

Dr. Alan Carles

Brought up on a farm on the Northern slopes of Mt Kenya, a foundation for interest in wildlife was laid from the beginning. An early choice was made to become a veterinarian, for which the course in Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge University was a good preparation. This included a year’s specialisation in Zoology which is one of the most valuable parts of the course. He joined the Veterinary Faculty at Kabete, in the Department of Animal Production, until 2005, the last 12 years being part time. His main interests are the ecology of domestic livestock and wildlife, primarily in Kenya’s semi-arid lands. He became a member of the East Africa Natural History Society sometime during the 1960s.


VICE CHAIR

Dr. Helida Oyieke

Dr. Oyieke has a PhD. in Marine Botany. She works as Assistant Director of the Centre for Biodiversity of the National Museums of Kenya and doubles up as the Director for Research and Scientific Affairs. Dr. Oyieke has a keen interest in research and community wildlife conservation. She is a strong supporter of Nature Kenya Conservation Programmes.


HONORARY TREASURER

Mr. Mike Davidson

Mike Davidson has been a banker for 44 years, firstly with Barclays in several countries including UK, Zambia, Botswana, Gibraltar and latterly Kenya. He was the Managing Director of NIC Bank ( the bank on the MOVE). He has always been interested in wildlife and is a keen birder. He is also a keen golfer and is currently Captain of Karen Golf Club, and a trustee of Ngong Forest Sanctuary Trust


HONORARY SECRETARY

Mrs Fleur Ng’weno

Mrs. Ng’weno is a naturalist, writer and editor. She holds a BSc in Conservation, and has been involved in environmental issues in Kenya since 1963. She has been Honorary Secretary of the EANHS and has led the Wednesday morning bird walk for the Society since 1971. Mrs. Ng’weno was editor of Rainbow Children’s magazine and co-editor of Kenya’s 1994 National Environment Action Plan, has written several children’s books; and wrote a chapter in a book on Ethno-Ornithology by Earthscan in 2010.


HONORARY LIBRARIAN

Dr. Deborah Nightingale

Dr. Nightingale carried out fieldwork on Stumptail Macaques in Mexico before coming to Kenya in 1976 to do a three-year study on baboons at Gilgil. She was awarded a Ph.D. in Anthropology from ULCA in 1982, and an M.Sc in Environmental Management from the External Programme of the University of London in 1996. She is an Environmental Consultant working on various issues including human-wildlife conflict, indigenous knowledge and environment, and eco tourism.


HONORARY EDITOR

Mrs. Lorna Depew

Mrs. Lorna Depew holds an MSc. in Zoology and has taught at degree level for 20 years with an emphasis on ecology and ornithology. She previously held the post of Honorary Secretary of the Society, and has been an Editor of the Journal of East African Natural History Society for over the past nine years and has been on the Editorial Committee for over 13 years. She was previously co-editor and then Editor of the Bulletin. She is currently the Honorary Journal Editor for the Society and the Managing and Production Editor of African Primates, the journal of the Africa Section of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group.


MEMBER

Dr. Evans M. Mwangi

Dr. Mwangi holds a Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Nairobi. He is an expert in Environment and Natural Resources. He has experience with government agencies, academic institutions and UN agencies (GoK, Jomo Kenyatta University, Kenya Wildlife Service, United Nationa Environment Programme, UN Economic Commission for Africa and University of Nairobi). He has done consultancy services for international agencies, NGOs and expert working groups. He is currently a lecturer at the University of Nairobi.


MEMBER

Mrs. Irene Karani Njumbi

Mrs. Njumbi holds an M.Phil in Wildlife Management from Moi University. She has been a Lecturer at Moi University and Daystar University teaching various disciplines of ecology and biology and has worked with the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya as the Programme Officer. She has also worked as a Pastoralist Project Manager in ITDG-EA (Intermediate Technology Development Group/ Practical Action) and at Acacia Consultants as the Rural Development Consultant.She is currently working at Kesarine and Associates as a Senior Consultant.



MEMBER

Mr. Alan Dixon

Mr. Alan Dixson has been in the travel and tourism industry for many years. In 1979 he established a leading travel agency, tour operation and travel for local residents. He has interests in ecotourism and has been a board member of Ecotourism Kenya since its inception; has assisted Ilngwesi and Tassia community lodges in north Laikipia as well as other ventures. He enjoys the outdoors – walking, fishing, birding, wildlife and the environment.


MEMBER

Dr. Benny Bytebier

Dr. Bytebier holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He is a systematic botanist with a strong interest in phylogenetics, biogeography and evolution of plants and has worked on African orchids for the last 15 years. He became a member of Nature Kenya in 1991 and has been on the executive committee since 1995. Since 1998 he also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of East African Natural History, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the society.


MEMBER

Dr. Darcy Ogada

Dr. Ogada first came to Kenya in 2000 to conduct research on bird communities at Mpala Research Centre for her Msc. Since then, she has studied Mackinder’s eagle owls for four years in central Kenya for her PhD in Zoology from Rhodes University, South Africa. Currently she is a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution based at Mpala Research Centre. She is a member of the Bird Committee, a Research Associate at NMK, Editorial Assistant for Scopus and Chairman of the Raptor Working Group of Nature Kenya.


MEMBER

Dr. Siro Masinde

Dr. Masinde holds a DSc. in Systematic Botany from the University of Muenster, Germany. He has authored 20 publications and is a member of the Association for Taxonomic Study of Tropical Africa (AETFAT), International Asclepiad Society and Systematics Association (UK). He has been a member of the EANHS since 1991. He is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the East African Herbarium, National Museums of Kenya.


MEMBER

Ms. Wakini Ndegwa

Ms. Wakini Ndegwa Holds BA (Hons) Geography from Oxford University. She has worked in UNEP in the Energy Department, Commercial Bank of Africa, The African Mecantile Banking Company Limited, Mercantile Finance Ltd and National Industrial Credit Bank Limited. Currently she is the Director of Kahuho Holdings Limited, a private family investment company with interests in the financial and property sectors. She is a life member of the EANHS and has interest in the preservation of natural resources.


MEMBER

Mr. Kuria Waithaka

Mr. Waithaka holds an LLM degree in Corporate and Commercial Law from UCL, University of London. He has also undertaken LLM studies in Air and Space Law at McGill University and in addition holds an LLB degree from the University of Nairobi. He is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya since 1997, a Certified Public Secretary, a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Institute of Directors (Kenya). He is currently the Legal Affairs Manager at the Privatization Commission. Prior to joining the Commission, he held legal and compliance roles at Kaplan & Stratton Advocates, Citibank N.A. Kenya, Kenya Airways Limited and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, where he was the Corporation Secretary and Head of Legal. A keen birder, Mr. Waithaka has a great interest in environmental conservation and community development.


MEMBER

Philip Muruthi

Philip Muruthi has over 15 years’ expertise in conservation, wildlife research and rural development. He is the Senior Director of Conservation Science at African Wildlife Foundation. His research interests are in animal ecology and linkages between wildlife conservation and local people livelihoods. Philip is a member of professional organizations within and outside Kenya. Time allowing, Philip participates in teaching and student supervision