Ayo Ojebode, PhD
(Multimethod Research, Communication Skills, Research Uptake, Collective Reflection Expert)
Director & Principal Consultant
A seasoned academic leader and strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience in research, pedagogy, and higher education leadership across Africa. Formerly a full professor at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and Director, Research Systems Strengthening and Knowledge Mobilization at the Mastercard Foundation, Ayo has mentored dozens of scholars, led multimillion-dollar grantmaking initiatives, and championed interdisciplinary collaborations that drive societal impact. At TRAC, he brings a unique blend of intellectual rigor, empathetic leadership, and a passion for mobilizing knowledge into transformative action.
Ibrahim Oanda, PhD
(Political Economy; Higher Education; Research Uptake)
Consultant
Ibrahim Oanda is an impact-driven higher education and international development professional with over 20 years of experience and a proven track record in program design, capacity strengthening, and knowledge dissemination across the social sectors (Education, Gender, health, public policy and governance, agri-food systems). He is skilled in stakeholder engagement, program design and management, leadership and mentoring and capacity building. Ibrahim is passionate about issues of sustainable and inclusive transformations, especially for young people and communities at the margins, and knowledge for transformation from below. He is an expert in political economy analysis across several sectors.
Connie V. Nshemereirwe, PhD
(Science Policy; Leadership; Research Uptake; Policy Dialogues)
Consultant
Connie V. Nshemereirwe is an Independent Science and Policy Facilitator who supports researchers across Africa to bridge the gap between their science and society by running workshops on science communication, policy-engaged research, and science leadership. She has also previously been the Director of the Africa Science Leadership Programme (ASLP) and hosts the podcast "A is not for Apple". Before that she had a 15-year career as an academic at the Uganda Martyrs University.
Gifty Appiah-Adjei, PhD
(Comparative Studies; Communication Research; Qualitative Methods)
Consultant
Gifty is a communication scholar with over 15 years in higher education, specializing in media studies, digital rights, and authoritarianism. She combines academic rigor with policy relevance, producing evidence-based insights on journalism education, disinformation, surveillance, gender, and media representation. As Head of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of Education, Winneba, and Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg, she has published widely and collaborated with institutions, civil society, and development partners.