Our Team

Julia Lipowiecka

Mary Rowlatt

Chief Executive Officer

Mary is project management specialist with management experience in finance and nongovernmental organisations. Mary has recently lead projects for clients such as Google, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), and Palladium. Mary’s background prior to this was within the finance sector in the UK. She worked for a global asset manager, leading a global team within the area of relationship management, project evaluations, and business processes development. She holds a master’s degree in migration and development from SOAS, University of London, where her research focused on migration and conflict in East Africa.

Lance Hadley

Chief Technology Officer

Lance is an IT specialist with a decade of experience building user-oriented digital information platforms, data integration tools, and content management systems. Lance has completed IT-related assignments for clients such as Google, Global Affairs Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ, Germany), Oxfam Canada, World Vision Canada, Engineers without Borders, Palladium, the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health, TradeMark East Africa, and the Canadian International Development Platform (formerly the North-South Institute, Canada). Lance is currently pursuing a PhD in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (Carleton University, Ottawa). His research focuses on the geospatial methods of economic risk and volatility.

Julia Lipowiecka

Julia Hakspiel

Chief Strategy Officer

Julia has been working in the area of trade, regional integration and social development in East Africa for over four years and has direct experience designing and implementing trade and development programmes with a focus on gender and poverty. She has worked with leading organisations in this field such as TradeMark East Africa, DFID, Danida, Sida, the International Trade Centre, the World Trade Organization and the World Bank. She holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics.

Lance Hadley

David Orega

Director of Operations

David has over three years of experience managing field operations in East Africa. Most recently working in a senior field management position at Busara Center for Behavioral Economics. He holds a BSc in Information Sciences from Moi University.

Lance Hadley

Sylvia Kitua

Business Operations Manager

Sylvia has had work experience in both private and non- governmental organizations in the past three years. Majority of her experience has focused on social development activities among the marginalized communities through projects such as women empowerment through social and economic education as well as gender based violence among others. She holds a BSc in International Business Administration and an MSc in Strategic Management both from the United States International University.