Dorothy Nyambi

Dr. Dorothy Nyambi is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), a non-profit organization with a mission to create business solutions to poverty around the world. Dorothy is a thought leader in international development, devoted to creating dynamic organizations that respect diversity, equity and inclusion and succeed in times of challenge and change. Dorothy has experience providing knowledge-based, strategic leadership for effective implementation of an organization’s mission and goals. With a 25-plus year career in the sector and applied governance experience, Dorothy’s work is founded on and informed by unique life experience and a commitment to authentic leadership.   

With a Doctor of Medicine Degree from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, Dorothy has undertaken extensive research on capacity building, advancing gender equality in developing countries and innovation economies around the world. Prior to joining MEDA, she was Executive Vice President of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS). Dorothy's professional experience includes strengthening business processes and mobilizing funding in support of grassroots movements, community impact and diversity in Africa, North America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East.  

Passionate about gender equality and inclusion, Dorothy has been a leader and founding member of Gender Summit Africa (Cape Town 2015 and Kigali 2018); member of the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) for the past 15 years; board director, Kigali Collaborative Research Centre (KCRC) - Carnegie Mellon University; and member of the Board Room Africa focused on mentoring and getting young African women into governance roles across the continent through selection, training and mentoring. She consistently demonstrates an ability to step forward and challenge the status quo, re-imagine and strengthen business processes, challenging old paradigms and programs in support of respectful human-centered design thinking.