Dr Asma Awadh

Senior development leader with 20 years of experience designing, funding and delivering complex programmes across Kenya, East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean. Combines programme and portfolio leadership, business development, public-sector fundraising, consortium building, institutional governance and technical depth in climate change, conservation, nature-based solutions, education, higher education, TVET, youth employability, public health, livelihoods and social inclusion. Brings a PhD in Environmental Sciences and a record of leading multidisciplinary teams, managing multi-project portfolios, mobilising institutional funding and convening governments, communities, civil society, academia, private sector and international development partners.

Equally comfortable setting strategy, guiding executive decisions, developing investable programmes, assuring delivery quality and representing organisations in national, regional and global forums.

Resource Mobilisation Manager – Conservation Programmes at WWF-Kenya (2025-11 – Present)

Lead public-sector funding, strategic partnerships, programme quality and investment readiness, converting development priorities into coherent, evidence-led and fundable programmes.

• Mobilised more than KES 800 million in less than one year and manage a substantial, stage-gated pipeline of climate, conservation, livelihoods and inclusive-development opportunities.
• Lead multidisciplinary concept and proposal processes, including opportunity analysis, Go/No-Go advice, consortium formation, theories of change, results frameworks, budgets, safeguards and submission quality.
• Shape partnership positioning with government, research, civil-society and international development actors and advise senior leadership on donor fit, institutional readiness and value for money.
• Serve as Conservation Department focal point for Environmental and Social Safeguards and quality assurance, embedding inclusion, accountability, risk and delivery integrity at design stage.

Coastal Kenya Programmes Lead / Manager at WWF-Kenya (2021-07 – 2025-11)

Directed an integrated portfolio across Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu, spanning climate resilience, conservation, circular economy, sustainable livelihoods, governance and community development.

• Grew the portfolio from approximately KES 160 million to a peak of about KES 600 million, with 15 concurrent projects and more than 25 staff across five counties.
• Set strategic direction and led multidisciplinary teams and partners, aligning workplans, budgets, evidence, safeguards, donor commitments and stakeholder relationships.
• Managed programmes in nature-based solutions, blue economy, forest restoration, agribusiness, population–health–environment, species conservation, circular economy and devolved climate governance.
• Built partnerships with county and national governments, community institutions, academia, civil society, business and development partners; represented WWF in national, regional and international forums.
• Oversaw performance, learning, donor reporting, research and adaptive management, strengthening programme quality and future investment cases.

Programme Manager at Aga Khan Foundation Kenya (2017-01 – 2018-12)

Led inclusive multi-sector programming across marginalised coastal and northern communities.

• Designed and managed programmes connecting education, TVET, youth skills and labour-market pathways to employability, enterprise and economic participation.
• Integrated public health, gender equality, youth inclusion, livelihoods and social wellbeing into programme design, results frameworks, delivery and learning.
• Led field teams and consortium partners, including NACONEK and IRK, and worked with government and community structures to strengthen coordination and accountability.
• Oversaw baselines, outcome tracking, adaptive management and donor reporting.

Project Manager – Education for Sustainable Development (Sida-funded) at WWF Coastal Kenya (2012-01 – 2016-12)

Led programme delivery, financial compliance, partnerships, learning and reporting for a five-year education programme.

• Worked with the Commission for University Education and Pwani University to re-orient university curricula and institutional practice towards sustainable development.
• Supported schools, teachers and education stakeholders to develop and implement education-for-sustainable-development action plans.

Project Coordinator at Watamu Marine Association (2010-08 – 2011-12)

Coordinated community-based conservation, livelihoods, partnerships and local implementation in a coastal economy.

Research Assistant – Bamboo Livelihoods Project at Maseno University / IDRC Canada (2008-11 – 2010-04)

Supported applied research on livelihood diversification, bamboo value chains, enterprise viability and poverty reduction among smallholder farming households.

Facilitator – Safaricom IPO, Coast Region at Commercial Bank of Africa (2008-03 – 2008-05)

Project Assistant – Kiunga Turtle Conservation & Environmental Education at WWF (2006-10 – 2007-09)

Intern at National Environment Management Authority (2006-01 – 2006-06)

Farmers' Trainer – Good Woods Project at National Museums of Kenya / WWF (2004-01 – 2004-09)

Part-Time Lecturer – Environmental Sciences at Pwani University (2019-01 – 2019-12)

Council Member at Technical University of Mombasa / Ministry of Education, Kenya (2023-05 – Present)

Provide strategic, fiduciary and public-interest oversight of a national university, covering institutional strategy, executive accountability, performance, finance, risk, audit, compliance and human-resource governance.

• Chaired the Sealing & Statutes, Human Resources, and Audit, Risk & Compliance committees; renewed for a further three-year term.

OCEAN Expert Committee Member at UK DEFRA / NIRAS (2024-04 – Present)

Provide independent review of international marine-development grants, assessing technical merit, poverty-reduction potential, institutional capacity, safeguards and value for money.

Chair, Dugong MoU Technical Advisory Group at Convention on Migratory Species (2026-01 – Present)

Lead an international expert group translating scientific and community evidence into priorities and advice for governments, the Secretariat and partners.

Advisory Committee Member – Strategic Partnerships & Resource Mobilisation at B. Inspired – Stories from Africa (B.ISA) (2026-01 – 2026-12)

Member, Global Ocean Practice Leadership Team at WWF (2024-01 – 2025-12)

PhD in Environmental Sciences – Pwani University, Kenya (2014-01 – 2023-12)

MSc in Environmental Sciences – Urban Environmental Planning & Management – Maseno University, Kenya (2007-01 – 2010-12)

Postgraduate Certificate in Energy, Environment & Natural Resources – United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) (2011-01 – 2011-12)

BSc in Environmental Sciences – Maseno University, Kenya (2006-01 – 2006-12)