Dr. Towela Nyirenda Jere Member of the GFCE Foundation Board

Dr. Towela Nyirenda-Jere is an electrical engineer and development practitioner with more than 20 years’ experience working in the private sector, academia and international development. She brings knowledge and experience in programme development, coordination, and implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects  in infrastructure (energy, ICT, water, transport), digitalisation & cybersecurity. She led the implementation of the AU-GFCE Cyber Capacity building project on behalf of the African Union and supported the development of the African Agenda on Cyber Capacity Building which was adopted by the Ministers of ICT in 2023. She chairs the Africa Cyber Capacity Building Coordination Committee and is supporting the establishment of the GFCE Africa Hub.

She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering (Networking and Telecommunications) from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in Contemporary Diplomacy (Internet Governance), an ACCA Diploma in Financial Management and is a qualified Project Management Professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute (USA). Towela is a member of the Malawi Institution of Engineers, the Internet Society (ISOC), the Project Management Institute and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).  She is a Strategic Advisor to the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA), former Trustee of the 5Rights Foundation and a founding member of the Network of African Women in Cybersecurity (NAWC).