University level service
Sept to December 2020: Ohio University COVID19 Health communication campaign task force member
August 2019 to December 2020: SMART Lab Dialogue series coordinator: Coordinated bi-weekly SMART Lab dialogue series that provided a platform for researchers and scholars to present their latest scholarly work that enhanced people’s understanding of online user behavior in online communities. SMART Lab carries out cutting-edge research that helps better understand contemporary issues using data tools.
May to August 2019: Cultural Expert for STARTALK: Provided technical and cultural expertise and backstopping on the culture of the people in East Africa to STARTALK program implemented by the Centre for International Studies that targeted high school students in Ohio, USA.
September 2010 to June 2011: Radio program hosting – Conversations from Studio B program: WOUB Radio station, USA.
March 4th to 6th 2011: Panel chair: During the ‘Celebrating 50 years of the Diffusion of Innovations theory’ conference in Ohio University
Community level service
Jan 2010 to date: Founder/President, Movement Against Child Trafficking (MACT) in Kenya (formerly known as Pambazuko Mashinani) an NGO based in Kenya (2010 to date). I have been able to fundraise and implement various community-based interventions that range from health communication campaigns on Tuberculosis, the telemedicine project and anti- child trafficking projects
March 2015 to December 2017: Founder & Chairperson, Sacred Heart Savings And Credit Co-operative (SACCO). This is a savings and credit access facility that I founded which ended up recruiting over 4,500 members from slum dwellers with over $17,000,000 accumulative savings portfolio. It was part of economic empowerment of low-income earners that I started. The loans they accessed enabled them to boost their businesses and take their children to school
Jan 2014 to December 2017: Founding Member, Finance Council, Sacred Heart Baba Dogo Catholic Church. This was a church-based committee, and we oversaw resource mobilization, staff hiring and general financial oversight to the church
July 2013 to December 2017: Founder & Chairperson, Sacred Heart Young Professional Association. This association brought together diverse professionals who were once brought up in the slums that included engineers, lawyers, doctors among others to give back to the slum community we were born through monthly personal donations that supported philanthropic activities that members selected from time-to-time e.g renovating the church, purchasing books for the community library, paying school fees to orphans.
Jan 2013 to July 2016: Patron, St. Josephine Bhakita Choir. This was our church’s choir. I mentored and supported them to run their daily operations.
August 1997: Co-Founder, Korogocho Mirror Newspapers. This is a community newspaper that addressed emerging social justice issues that people in Korogocho were experiencing. Please read a copy here: https://aggreywillis.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/mirror-pg-11.pdf
January 1995: Founder, Pambazuko Library Services. This library started off as a study group that Aggrey created as a high school student from Korogocho with others so that they can share learning materials since most of them were not able to afford the high cost of textbooks. It’s now a library with a 460 sitting capacity and thousands of textbooks for diverse students from elementary to college level books.
Government of Kenya level service
2013-2016: Convener, Technical Working Group on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Kenya that amongst other things led the development of the National Plan of Action against Sexual Exploitation of Children in Kenya
2011 to 2012: Member, National Steering Committee on Counter Trafficking in Persons (2011-2012). This committee led to the signing of Counter Trafficking in Persons Law and creation of the advisory committee on counter trafficking in persons.
Conference abstracts reviewer
Reviewed abstracts for papers to be presented during the Regional Psychosocial Support Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya from 29-31 October 2013.
Conference steering committee
Contributed in organizing the International Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Summit that took place on April 16 to 20, 2018 in Bali, The 5-day event also included the 6th Entertainment–‐Education Conference (SBCC2/EE6).
Student level service
Chair, Elections board, African Students Union- Ohio University (Fall, 2021)
Graduate Student Senate Grant reviewer (Fall, 2020)
Health Communication specialist- Athens cancer project in Appalachian Ohio (2011)
President, Ford Foundation International Fellows Association – Ohio University (2010-2011)
Director of Communications, African Student Union – Ohio University (2010-2011)
Executive Member, International Student Union – Ohio University (2010-2011)
Member, Communication and Development Students Association – Ohio University (2009-2011)
Founder, Moi University Human Rights Club (2002-2003)
Project Coordinator, Moi University Anthropology Students Association (2002-2003)
Secretary General, Moi University Siaya Students Association (2001-2002)
Dr. Aggrey Willis Otieno 