Sam Owilly

Background

About Sam Owilly

Sam is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BOMA, a US nonprofit and a Kenyan NGO with a proven track record of measurable impact and a transformative approach to alleviating poverty in the drylands of Africa. Sam is a result-driven leader, a driven social entrepreneur, and a respected sector expert on poverty alleviation, financial inclusion, livelihoods, job creation, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. He brings decades of diverse experience in scaling social impact organizations, solving some of the toughest problems of our time-deeply entrenched cycle of intergenerational poverty, gender inequality, youth unemployment, and the devastating impact of climate change on the poorest, most marginalized populations in the last mile communities in the drylands of Africa. Sam is one of the few leaders in the sector who combine the depth of passion and the clarity of purpose that only comes from having the lived experience in the problem one is trying to solve and the rigor and intensity of academic and professional training needed to master one’s area of expertise. This unique blend of experience has enabled Sam to lead BOMA through an unprecedented period of growth, expanding BOMA’s presence, program, and impact across six countries and nearly one million people. Before taking on his current role as the BOMA CEO, Sam held leadership and management positions at several international development organizations, including Practical Action, Land O’ Lakes, Inc. Sam's multifaceted academic achievements testify to his intellectual rigor and commitment to continuous learning. He holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nairobi, an MBA from Strathmore University, and two additional Master’s degrees—one in Climate Change and Adaptation and a second in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi. He also completed the Perennial Fellowship program for leaders driving transformational change and social impact.