Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO, the Global Fund for Women, Kenya

Global Fund for Women grants help to expand the choices available to women and ensure that their voices are heard at local, national and international levels.

Prior to the Global Fund she served with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Silicon Valley, California, USA, in addition to the World YWCA and Lutheran World Federation, both based in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr. Kanyoro is a passionate advocate for women’s and girls’ health and human rights and social change philanthropy.

She serves on the Global Committee of the Council on Foundations, and is a member of the Aspen Institute Leaders Council. She also serves on the boards of Intra Health and CHANGE.

Dr. Kanyoro has more than 20 years of experience with international organizations, served on the international steering committee for the Beijing World Conference on Women and has led delegations to five United Nations World Conferences throughout the ’90s.

Dr. Kanyoro has a PhD in linguistics from the University of Texas in Austin, and a Doctor of Ministry in feminist theology from San Francisco Theological Seminary. She was a visiting scholar of Hebrew and the Old Testament at Harvard University. She has received three honorary doctorates and several recognition awards, including a leadership award from the Kenya Government.

She has written numerous articles, hundreds of speeches and has written and co-edited a number of books.