Washington Okeyo
Professor Washington Okeyo is a distinguished scholar and academic leader specializing in entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management. He holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship and Strategic Management, an MBA in Finance, and a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Nairobi, complemented by executive training in leadership, governance, and higher education management.
Prof. Okeyo has held diverse academic and administrative roles, most notably serving as Vice-Chancellor and CEO of the Management University of Africa (MUA) from 2019 to 2025. During his tenure, he led MUA to achieve its Charter status, expanded academic programs, strengthened global partnerships, and advanced research and digital transformation initiatives. Earlier roles include Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research and Extension) at MUA and lecturing at the University of Nairobi. His research and teaching span strategic management, organizational leadership, policy implementation, and the use of emerging technologies such as AI in education and governance. He is widely published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented his work at international conferences across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the USA.
Beyond academia, Prof. Okeyo has provided consultancy to organizations such as UNDP, UNICEF, Oxfam, CHF International, USAID, and UNESCO, applying his expertise in strategy, performance management, and institutional capacity building. He also holds leadership positions on boards including the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and serves as the University Council Chairman of the African Talent University (TATU). Prof. Okeyo’s vision is rooted in ethical leadership, quality education, research impact, and innovation for societal transformation
During his Obermann International Fellowship, Prof. Okeyo will delve into how Artificial Intelligence can be integrated in the teaching of entrepreneurship. In particular, his main focus will be exploring how the University of Iowa has embedded artificial intelligence in the development of its entrepreneurship curriculum. He will also explore faculty and student perceptions of AI-supported teaching and identify the challenges and opportunities in AI application in teaching. His goal will also entail comparing best practices at the University of Iowa with Kenyan universities and recommend strategies for strengthening AI-supported entrepreneurship teaching in Kenya.
Anna Carolina M. Perrella de Barros
Anna Carolina Marques Perrella de Barros is an Audiologist with over 22 years of experience in clinical services in São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a PhD and MSc in Human Communication Disorders from the Federal University of São Paulo (Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP/EPM). She is a certified specialist in Clinical Audiology and Otoneurology, serving as a guest professor in postgraduate and continuing education programs in Audiology. Her clinical work focuses on tinnitus, sound intolerance, and other hearing and balance disorders, providing comprehensive audiological assessments, diagnostic testing, rehabilitation, and individualized treatment plans in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. She is a member of the Tinnitus and Sound Intolerance Research Group at UNIFESP, where she participates in research on tinnitus and hyperacusis.
During her Obermann International Fellowship, she will work with Dr. Richard Tyler, who has an internationally renowned trajectory in providing tinnitus care at the University of Iowa. Together, they will analyze a large dataset of tinnitus patients' most relevant informational needs, correlate them to evidence-based resources, and develop a patient information platform available online, providing help for people with tinnitus.
Fernando Ordóñez Tarín
Facultad de Humanidades and Centro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios Migratorios, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
Bio forthcoming.