Dr. Evelyn Gitau

Dr Evelyn Gitau is the Chief Scientific Officer at the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation), where she provides strategic leadership for the organisation’s science portfolio. With over 20 years of experience in biomedical research, she brings extensive expertise in programme management, grants management, fundraising, strategy, policy, and monitoring, learning and evaluation. Her interdisciplinary background spans impact evaluation, implementation research, cellular immunology, molecular biology, and infectious diseases. At SFA Foundation, she leads a skilled programme team that designs, manages, and mobilises funding for science and innovation initiatives across Africa in collaboration with global and regional partners. Under her leadership, the Foundation ensures programmes deliver impactful evidence that informs Africa’s development agenda while positioning SFA Foundation as a global thought leader. She also champions high-level advocacy and strategic partnerships to strengthen the organisation’s influence. Previously, Dr Gitau was Director of Programmes at the African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC). She has received several accolades, including recognition as a Next Einstein Forum Fellow by the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. She also serves on advisory boards of organisations advancing science and evidence generation in Africa. Dr Gitau holds a PhD in Life Sciences from the Open University/Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. Deeply committed to mentorship, she actively supports the next generation of African researchers, believing they must play a central role in shaping policy and decision-making for the continent’s future.