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Ory Okolloh

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Okolloh in 2006

Ory Okolloh (or Ory Okolloh Mwangi) is a Kenyan activist, lawyer, and blogger. She is Director of Investments at Omidyar Network.[1][2][3] She was formerly the Policy Manager for Africa with Google.[4] In 2007, Okolloh co-created Ushahidi.[5]

Early life

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She earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and graduated from Harvard Law School in 2005.[5][6]

Career

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In 2006 she co-founded the parliamentary watchdog site Mzalendo (Swahili: "Patriot").[7] The site sought to increase government accountability by systematically recording bills, speeches, MPs, standing orders, etc.[7][8]

When Kenya was engulfed in violence following a disputed presidential election in 2007, Okolloh co-created Ushahidi (Swahili: "Witness"), a website and tool that collected and recorded eyewitness reports of violence using text messages and Google Maps.[5] The technology has since been adapted for expanded purposes (including monitoring elections and tracking pharmaceutical availability) and used in a number of other countries.

Okolloh has a personal blog, Kenyan Pundit, which was featured on Global Voices Online.[9]

She has worked as a legal consultant for NGOs and has worked at Covington and Burling, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and the World Bank.[10][6]

Okolloh was appointed to the Board of Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company, the body that acts as a guardian of the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles in May 2015.[11]

Okolloh has also served as an independent director at Safaricom since February 2023.[12]

Awards

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  • 2012, Forbes list Africa's Most Successful Women[13]
  • 2013, Africa's Most Powerful Women In Technology[14]
  • 2014, Time list The 100 Most Influential People[15]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Group launches initiative for global policy reform to lower Internet access cost". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  2. ^ Mohammed, Omar (2015-06-09). "Why aren't more wealthy Africans backing the continent's start-ups?". Quartz - Africa. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  3. ^ Kozlowska, Hanna (2015-04-06). "#147notjustanumber aims to name all those slain in Kenya attack". Quartz. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  4. ^ "Ms. Ory A, Okolloh". www.stanbicbank.co.ke. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  5. ^ a b c Bahree, Megha (2008-11-13). "Citizen Voices". Forbes.
  6. ^ a b Okolloh, Ory. "About". Kenyan Pundit. Archived from the original on 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  7. ^ a b Bengali, Shashank (2007-06-21). "Native voices blog out of Africa". McClatchy Newspapers. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  8. ^ Heavens, Andrew (2007-03-14). "The web watchdog biting Kenya's MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  9. ^ Boyd, Clark (2005-04-06). "Global voices speak through blogs". BBC News. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  10. ^ Kantai, Wallace (2009-07-19). "Kenyan gives platform for airing post-poll atrocities". Business Daily. Nation Media Group. Archived from the original on 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2009-09-11.
  11. ^ "Ory Okolloh joins Reuters Board of Directors". Innovation Village. Retrieved 2015-05-10.
  12. ^ Kagonye, Fred (2023-02-27). "Safaricom appoints new board directors". Standard Media. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  13. ^ Nsehe, Mfonobong (2012-06-01). "Africa's Most Successful Women: Ory Okolloh". Forbes.
  14. ^ "Africa's Most Powerful Women In Technology - 2013". African Leadership Magazine. 2023-08-14.
  15. ^ Dyson, Esther (2014-04-24). "Ory Okolloh". Time.
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