THE 2022 COHORT OF AYOKA TRAINERS OF SKILLS
PILLS FOR CHANGE PROGRAM
Political Advocacy Session
Head of Partnerships and Education and Brussels Team Manager at The Good Lobby, where she leads The Good Lobby Climate Incubator and regularly delivers a wide range of training and capacity-building projects for partners such as WWF, Porticus Europe, and European Youth Parliament. Prior to joining TGL, she developed a solid foundation in research, drafting, and partnership outreach through her work for the OECD Development Center and NYU School of Law. She holds a Master in Public Policy from Sciences Po Paris and a Master in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts.
Leadership Session
Bitania is a passion-driven young African leader who has been playing key interventional roles to foster the involvement of youth and women in public policy at national, continental and global levels, steering dialogues with Heads of States and policymakers, and crafting several partnerships with Multilateral Institutions with unwavering efforts.
Bitania got appointed as the first Special Adviser on Youth to EU Commissioner for International Partnerships in 2021, where she provides expertise on how to meaningfully engage youth in European Union’s International Partnerships and include youth-centered s in EU’s policy frameworks. She currently works as Youth Advocacy Advisor of Amref Health Africa in Ethiopia, for a $60 million ‘Integrated Youth Activity’ project – called ‘Kefeta’, an Amharic word that means ‘to elevate’ – that creates economic and social opportunities for millions of young people in Ethiopia. Prior to this project, Bitania helped establish and served as the Chair of Amref’s Youth Council to ensure youth leadership in development agendas through multi-sectoral youth-adult partnerships. Moreover, she serves as the International Head of Branches for Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) which strives to enhance and facilitate inclusive youth participation in continental policy formulation and implementation.
Outside of her devotion to youth development work, Bitania is a Researcher at the Centre for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRC) where she conducts policy-oriented research and analysis on peace and security, governance, regional integration and the political economy of development. Bitania has received several international accolades for her commitment to social impact and sustainable development, including her listing as 100 Most Influential Young Africans 2021.
Bitania got appointed as the first Special Adviser on Youth to EU Commissioner for International Partnerships in 2021, where she provides expertise on how to meaningfully engage youth in European Union’s International Partnerships and include youth-centered s in EU’s policy frameworks. She currently works as Youth Advocacy Advisor of Amref Health Africa in Ethiopia, for a $60 million ‘Integrated Youth Activity’ project – called ‘Kefeta’, an Amharic word that means ‘to elevate’ – that creates economic and social opportunities for millions of young people in Ethiopia. Prior to this project, Bitania helped establish and served as the Chair of Amref’s Youth Council to ensure youth leadership in development agendas through multi-sectoral youth-adult partnerships. Moreover, she serves as the International Head of Branches for Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) which strives to enhance and facilitate inclusive youth participation in continental policy formulation and implementation.
Outside of her devotion to youth development work, Bitania is a Researcher at the Centre for Dialogue, Research and Cooperation (CDRC) where she conducts policy-oriented research and analysis on peace and security, governance, regional integration and the political economy of development. Bitania has received several international accolades for her commitment to social impact and sustainable development, including her listing as 100 Most Influential Young Africans 2021.
Project Management Session
Itohan Jennifer Iyalla is a digital product expert within the fintech space. Her working career has been focused on electronic/digital financial services, spanning Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), the Interswitch Group; Stanbic IBTC Bank(a member of the Standard bank group), and remoney (a member of the renaissance credit group). She is currently the Head of Growth for eBanqo ltd (a tech startup company).
Itohan has her 1st degree from FUT minna Niger State, received a national commendation during her NYSC in Benue state and an EMBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
She is a disruptive thinker with Post Graduate Certificates focused on Strategic Marketing from Cornell University and Disruptive Strategy From Harvard Business School. She is a certified payment card professional; a certified scrum master; a certified Scrum product owner.
She is a member of the agile practitioners of Nigeria; a board member of the future of agile in Africa and the middle east; a trainer/instructor for Agile Advisors Africa; TAAA university; co-chairs the Agile Nigeria meetup (a group of agile enthusiasts with over 5000 members) and the Business Agility meetup Nigeria.
In recent times, Itohan was the consultant project lead for the digital transformation project for a commercial bank in Nigeria, using the agile methodology.
Itohan has her 1st degree from FUT minna Niger State, received a national commendation during her NYSC in Benue state and an EMBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
She is a disruptive thinker with Post Graduate Certificates focused on Strategic Marketing from Cornell University and Disruptive Strategy From Harvard Business School. She is a certified payment card professional; a certified scrum master; a certified Scrum product owner.
She is a member of the agile practitioners of Nigeria; a board member of the future of agile in Africa and the middle east; a trainer/instructor for Agile Advisors Africa; TAAA university; co-chairs the Agile Nigeria meetup (a group of agile enthusiasts with over 5000 members) and the Business Agility meetup Nigeria.
In recent times, Itohan was the consultant project lead for the digital transformation project for a commercial bank in Nigeria, using the agile methodology.
Communication Strategies Session
Shalini Arias Hurtado is a young woman committed to youth development through social entrepreneurship and communication. Shalini holds a degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s degree in direction and management in communication, marketing and advertising from IED Madrid. At a professional level, she has been a member of the Board of Directors and General Coordinator of Think-Tank Talent for the Future, was Project Manager at Fundación porCausa and is currently the Director of Communication and Marketing at Ashoka Spain.
Impact Measurement Session
With a background in business administration and marketing, Ana has always believed in the role of business as a promoter of economic and social development. Her previous experiences in the microfinance sector and in the social entrepreneurship ecosystem led her to discover impact investing. He is currently part of the Impact Measurement and Management (IMM) team at the Open Value Foundation. From this area of the Foundation, they accompany other entities, such as Global Social Impact Investments, in their MGI processes.
She considers herself a curious and reflective person, with a great desire to find purpose in everything she undertakes. Impact measurement and management is an area that allows her to bring these interests into play, accompanying social organizations on their path towards transparency, efficiency and sustainability. She is currently completing her education by studying for a Master’s Degree in Humanities at the Francisco de Vitoria University.
She considers herself a curious and reflective person, with a great desire to find purpose in everything she undertakes. Impact measurement and management is an area that allows her to bring these interests into play, accompanying social organizations on their path towards transparency, efficiency and sustainability. She is currently completing her education by studying for a Master’s Degree in Humanities at the Francisco de Vitoria University.