SENIOR STAFF

John Batten, Ph.D Executive Director

John provides strategic oversight to PEN and ensures quality control and accountability for results.  John is lead consutant/facilitator in the area of good governance for NPOs.  John has extensive expereince working in senior managment roles with major international NGOs.  Apart from being the Executive Director of PEN, John is also specializing in organizational development and managing change processes for both local and international NGOs.  He is a recognized international expert in leadership development, good governance, strategic planning, resource mobilization and all aspects of organizational change and development for NGOs.  John has held senior positions in various organizations, including: Director General, AMREF, CEO Action Aid, Country Director, Action Aid Kenya, Deputy Director, Training Unit, CARE USA and Director, Education and Culture and International Training, IIRR.

Chris Mbiti, Programs Manger, MBA

chris has over 15 years experience working with  major NGOs in EAst AFrica and Namibia.  He has worked in both managing integrated development programs and in financial managment and control as an accountant and an internal auditor reviewing systems and procedures for partner organizations.  He has held various program and financial positions with Action Aid International Kenya, before joining VSO UK to work as a Programme Development Advisor in Namibia.  Prior to joining PEN, Chris was working as an independent consultant/trainer andoffered his services to high profile organizations in Kenya, Somalia and the entire East Africa region.   Since 2004 Chris has been involved in institutional strengthening of Ford Foundation grantees in East Africa and has facilitated more than twenty NPOs to produce their Strategic Plans.

Thomas Kirongo, NGO Project Manager, MBA (Strategic Managment)

In addition to managing PEN's NGO strengthening program in Kenya.  Thomas is also a member of the Technical Committee, Kenya Civil Society Competency and Sustainability Standards Project.   Thomas provides a wide range of capacity building support to NGOs andother NPOs.   Thomas has specific expertise in participatory organizational assessment and OD planning and maintains a close working relationship with the NGO Coordination Board in Kenya to assist new NGOs register and comply with the necessary accountability requirments.   Thomas has also represented PEN on teh NGO Week Planning Committee andother NGO Networks.   Thomas has over 16 years experience in the management and facilitation of development program with both the Kenya Government and the civil society sectors.  Thomas is a specialist and trainer in planning, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluationof poverty focused development programs for CSOs.  Since jjoining PEN he has been the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist for PEN and has worked closely with all PEN partners in Kenya.

Ian Vale, Management Services Coordinator, MSc Change Agent Skills and Strategies

Mr Vale has recently worked with the Kenya Youth Foundation (KYF) providing capacity building and training for self help groups in Kibera.
Mr Vale was a Senior Consultant with “The Management Centre” training a broad range of civil society organisations in the UK and internationally in strategic planning, leadership, managing change and resource mobilisation. He won a UK National Training Award for his work with Plan International on their management certificate programme.
As a senior manager with International Medical Corps, Mr Vale directed health training programmes in which were integral to its mission and humanitarian response. He has also implemented staff training programmes while Operations Director of UK and East Africa (E.A) Regional Director for IMC.

Judith A. Gondi, Finance and Administration Manager, CPA (K) BBA

Judy is a fully qualified Accountant and has extensive experience inworking with NPOs to help them design, implement and strengthen their finance, human resource and administration systems.  She also manages the PEN team of Administration, IT and accounts personnel that have all provided support to Kenyan CSOs.  Judy is also a trainer in financial systems for both finance personnel and non-finance personnel in both Kenya and Tanzania CSOS.