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Working Groups

2025 IBI/CBEN CONFERENCE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITTEE 

Our dedicated Organizing Committee is committed to bringing together experts, innovators, and enthusiasts to explore groundbreaking advancements in biochar and environmental sustainability and organize for the upcoming conference  

Bella.jfif

Bella Culotta.
East Africa Programs Manager at Cornell University
Nairobi, Kenya and Ithaca, NY, USA

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Rita Ellen

Operations and Strategy Coordinator,

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Erick Opiyo Abala.

Head of Communications  

CBEN

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Chloe Cormack

Co-Founder, EcoRestore Africa

Cape Town-South Africa

Jean.jfif

Jean Marie Nizigiyimana,  

CEO JENI-ECO 

Gitega, Burundi

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Béatrice Despioch

Director & Lead Consultant, Ungana Ltd

Kenya

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Diana Biyali 

Strive for Inclusion and Development -Ug( SFID-U)-Uganda

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Florence Mwikali

Fresh-Life Initiative, Kenya

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Soliver Ché Fusi

University of California, Berkeley USA

CIFOR-ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya

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Olivier Majambere 

Co-Founder BioAmak, Burundi

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Johra Said Ali 

Co- founder, EarthCares-Biologicals Company ltd

Kenya

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Aishwarya Vinary Kumar 
Co-founder at Deep Carbon Africa, Mauritius 

Past Working Group

2024 CBEN Conference Organizational Working Group

The 9-person organizational team began in September 2023 to plan for the 2024 conference. The working group meets virtually weekly to discuss invitations, conference sessions, and CBEN guiding principles to navigate decision-making for the larger network. 

Bella.jfif

Bella Culotta.
East Africa Programs Manager at Cornell University
Nairobi, Kenya and Ithaca, NY, USA

Ben.jfif

Benjamin Odhiambo,

CEO-  Saniwise Technologies

Kisumu, Kenya

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Erick Opiyo Abala.

Head of Communications  

CBEN

ines.jfif

Ines Serra Baucells

CEO & Founder BIOSORRA

Kenya

Tsuma.jfif

Mercilyn Tsuma 

Research Extension Coordinator-PlantVillage.

Kenya

Jean.jfif

Jean Marie Nizigiyimana,  

CEO JENI-ECO 

Gitega, Burundi

Nolbert.jfif

Nolbert Muhumuza.
Founder & CEO, Giving Hope Foundation. 

Uganda

Johan.jfif

 Johan Six.

Professor of Sustainable Agroecosystems

 ETH Zurich, Switzerland

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Soliver Ché Fusi

Doctoral Candidate- Environmental Engineering

University of California, Berkeley USA

CIFOR-ICRAF, Nairobi, Kenya

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