Session Thirteen | Oct 18
SESSION TITLE
All about USF, the Argentinian and Kenyan experience
About the Mentors
Dr. Emma Otieno
Dr. Emma Otieno currently serves as Manager of the Universal Service Fund (USF), at the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) – the government regulatory agency responsible for ICTs and Postal development. Dr. Otieno leads Universal Service strategy development, fund mobilization and stakeholder engagements activities with government agencies, international organizations, and ICT industry players in the areas of digital inclusivity and digital transformation. She previously served the national ICT Regulator in other capacities as a Manager, Corporate Planning and Assistant Manager, Training & Organizational Development. Prior to joining the Regulator, she worked with Kenya Revenue Authority, serving in the Human Capital Department for a period of eight (8) years, since the year 2001. Dr. Otieno has vast experience in the areas of Strategy, digital transformation & digital inclusion, organizational performance, enterprise risk management, quality management systems and human capital management. She has championed various digital inclusivity initiatives including; studies to map out national ICT access gaps in Kenya, Deepening the Access and Usage of ICTs for the marginalized groups and presently, she is driving the development of Kenya’s Next five (5) years USF Strategy that will drive the realization of a digitally transformed Kenya. Academically, she holds Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, specializing in Strategic Management from the University of Nairobi. She also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelors of Arts (BA) degree in Communications from the same University. Professionally, she holds a National Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management, PRINCE2 Project Management Practitioner Certificate, Lead Auditors Quality Management Systems Certification and various certifications in the area of Digital Inclusivity.
Natalia Vinelli
Natalia Vinelli (Argentina, 1972) has a PhD in Social Sciences (UBA), a Master's in Journalism and a specialist in Planning and Management of Journalistic Activity. She has a degree in Communication Sciences from FSOC-UBA, where she teaches classes as an Adjunct Professor in the Expression Workshop 2. She is a researcher based at IEALC. She has published numerous books and articles on alternative, popular and community communication; journalism and self-management; militant documentary; community digital television; connectivity and public policies. She is the founder of Barricada TV Channel 32.1 of the TDA. She is the author of ANCLA, Rodolfo Walsh and the Informative Chain (2015, 6th edition), and Television from below. History, alternative and counter-information journalism (2014). Since 2020 she has been deputy director of Special Projects at Enacom Argentina, in charge of connectivity programs for popular neighborhoods, rural communities and native peoples.
ABOUT THE SESSION
In this session you can expect to leave the room with the below takeaways:
- to get a clear picture of the USF
- best practices and learnings from Kenya and Argentina
- impact of USF on local communities
- relationship of the USF and CNs