By CTW Team
In an era defined by digital disruption, shifting public narratives, and rising gendered online harm, transformative media leadership is both urgent and necessary. Robi Koki Ochieng stands at this intersection as a scholar, strategist, and advocate committed to building sustainable, inclusive media and communication ecosystems across Africa. Robi’s international exposure complements her regional impact as she is a 2023 Media Viability Fellow of DW Akademie (2023), a Les Aspin Center alumna of Marquette University (2019), and an alumna of China Foreign Affairs University (2018).
With over 30 years of teaching experience spanning high school, tertiary, and university education, Robi currently serves as Chair of the Media and Communication Department in the School of Communication, Cinematics and Creative Arts. During her tenure, she has facilitated the launch of the Master of Arts in Communication Studies (Online) degree, reviewed and renamed the Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Journalism degree, and the new Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Digital Communication degree. She is currently driving the curriculum development of the Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Studies.
Beyond academia, Robi is the Chair of the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), a national movement advancing gender-responsive journalism, holistic protection of women in media spaces, and visibility for women in leadership. Robi has had the opportunity to manage major grants, including Amplify Change funding for advocacy training on Gender-Based Violence, DAI Global/USAID funding for countering violent extremism communication pilots, and collaborative research with Michigan State University and Kenya’s Anti-Counterfeiting Authority on perceptions of counterfeiting in Kenya.
Through her networks in the Gender and Media civic space, such as ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa, Equality Now, KICTANet, AMWIK, Hivos, and AQ Studios, Robi has been a principal investigator in twelve research consultancies spanning women’s media representation, digital protection of women journalists, online harassment of human rights defenders, and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV). These studies have directly informed advocacy programs and policy interventions across East and West Africa.
Robi has developed and implemented high-impact training curricula for regional organizations such as the Digital Democracy Fellowship for CRECO, the Online Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Reporting Curriculum for AMWIK, and the Gender-Sensitive Reporting Toolkit for African Women in Media (AWiM). As a DW Akademie Media Viability Ambassador, Robi has mentored over 20 small and medium-sized media enterprises in Kenya and Ghana, strengthening audience research, digital marketing, and financial sustainability.
A respected public intellectual, Robi has appeared over 65 times on national and international platforms, including Kenya Television Network, Nation Media Group, and Al Jazeera. She provides expert analysis on media reform, democratic governance, and education policy, while moderating forums on women’s economic empowerment and digital transformation.
