Musimbi Kanyoro (born 30 November 1953) is a Kenyan human rights advocate who served as the CEO and President of the Global Fund for Women from 2011 until 2019. She is a founding member of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, and was elected as the first coordinator of the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians at the continental gathering in 1996, a post she held until 2002. Musimbi Kanyoro also serves with former President of Ireland Mary Robinson on several projects, including the Board of Directors of Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative. Early life and education Kanyoro was born in Migori County, Kenya. Born in a rural area, Kanyoro moved into suburban Nairobi where she attended the Alliance girls school. She attributes being in a girls-only space as having a powerful way of building and shaping confidence in her early life. Growing up in the 1970s, her focus along with the African Continent was the liberation of South Africa. "She was a student when she joined the movement against apartheid which led her to fight for women and girls". She earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Nairobi and a PhD in linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. Kanyoro later earned a doctorate in feminist theology at the San Francisco Theological Seminary, and has received three honorary doctorate degrees. She was also a visiting scholar of Hebrew and the Old Testament at Harvard. Career From 1982 to 1997, Kanyoro served in the Lutheran World Federation as its executive secretary for Women in Church and Society. She was the Executive Secretary for the Desk for Women in Church and Society for the Lutheran World Federation, joining them in 1987. Kanyoro also edited the book In Search of a Round Table: Gender, Theology and Church Leadership, in 1998. She also worked as a translation consultant for the United Bible Societies. From 1998 to 2007 Kanyoro became the first woman from the continent of Africa to serve as the YWCA's World Secretary General. Kanyoro was director of the Population and Reproductive Health Program of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation from 2007 to 2011. From 2018 until 2019, she served on an Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct, Accountability and Culture Change at Oxfam, co-chaired by Zainab Bangura and Katherine Sierra. Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro was president and CEO of Global Fund for Women from 2011 to 2019. Other