About Us

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Dr. Rebecca Granato, Director

Rebecca Granato is the Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives at Bard College and Program Director for the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives (Hubs) in Eastern Africa and the MENA region. Dr Granato’s work focuses on developing and delivering contextualized, learner-centred learning experiences in undergraduate courses, teacher professional development and research-oriented training in places affected by crisis and displacement for refugees, internally displaced people and those in the host communities. She has also been an Associate of Bard College’s Institute for Writing & Thinking since 2004, in which capacity she has developed and delivered teacher professional development in places as far-reaching as Myanmar, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan, among others. Following undergraduate and graduate studies at Bard College, Exeter College, Oxford, and CUNY, she received her PhD in Global History from the intercampus program based at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada.  

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Shahariar Sadat, Co-Lead of The GHEA21 Hubs Leadership

Shahariar Sadat joined the BRAC CPJ team in April 2021 as the first Director, responsible mainly for the two areas- Academic and Legal Empowerment. Shahariar is an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and an accredited mediator and master trainer on mediation. Prior to joining CPJ, he was the Head of Program of Human Rights and Legal Aid Services (HRLS) at BRAC. Shahariar is a mediator of the Global Mediation Panel of the United Nations. He has worked as a country mediator of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman of the World Bank Group and a mediator for the Independent Redress mechanism of Green Climate Fund. He is also associated with Bangladesh International Arbitration Center (BIAC) as a panel mediator and master trainer.

Mr. Sadat was a partner and course coordinator of London College of Legal Studies (South), an institution which provides teaching support for qualifying law degree under English law. He had been an adjunct faculty of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and the University of Dhaka. He was the Academic Coordinator and Research Manager of the South Asian Institute of Advanced Legal and Human Rights Studies (SAILS) and has previously played the key role of Academic Coordinator at the CPJ, Brac University. 

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Michael Oyoo, Program Manager

Michael O. Oyoo is an MBA graduate with a strong Business and Leadership sense. He has over ten years of working experience in the development and Humanitarian sector and has served in various roles in East and Central African institutions. He was a Project and Country Director with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS-INGO) leading projects in Kenya prior to joining the Hubs. He is currently the Program Manager for the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives, supporting Global work in Eastern Africa, MENA regions, and Bangladesh. He also holds a BA in philosophy which gives him a reflective drive-in service to persons in the context of crisis.

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Peter Ngeno, Education Coordinator & Registrar

Peter Ngeno holds a master of Business Administration majoring in Strategic Management, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a specialization in Statistics. He has a certificate in quality management systems, including implementing and auditing, among others. He has over 12 years of experience in higher education. 

Before joining The Hubs for connected learning initiatives, Peter has served in various academic and administrative leadership roles at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa as University Registrar, Head of Academic Programmes and Academic Operations, among others.  He has also actively spearheaded and participated in designing and implementing university processes for automation, which led to efficiency and streamlined operations in the university.

He is currently the Education Coordinator & Registrar for the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives, and his vast experience and knowledge in students’ affairs management add value to the Hubs.

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Elizabeth A. Ayuak, Module Coordinator

Elizabeth Coordinates Modules I & II at the Open Society University Network (OSUN) Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives in Eastern Africa, MENA region, and Bangladesh. She is a seasoned professional and researcher in Education, Communications, Peace and Security. A strong advocate for inclusive and relevant education to unlock global opportunities, Elizabeth has dedicated her professional life to shaping diverse educational landscapes; gaining valuable experience in cross-cultural engagement. She has worked as a Research Assistant at The Intergovernmental Authority on Development; as an Expatriate Language Trainer at Hohete Tibeb Share Company in Ethiopia; and as adjunct faculty in the Department of International Studies and Diplomacy at The University of Nairobi. In Addition to her academic roles, Elizabeth has also worked as a consultant at Africa Health Survey Consultancy (AHSC) offering technical, analytical, and advisory policy services in inclusive education, child protection, livelihood, peace, and security. She is a PhD candidate in International Studies at The University of Nairobi.

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Pelagie Umwali, Administrative Specialist

Ms. Pelagie Umwali is a Human Resources expert with close to 15 years of experience in international and domestic setups, driving strategic HR initiatives to help people and organizations grow. She has an impressive background working with international organizations such as the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UNICTR), the British Council, the National Council for Science And Technology (NCST), and One Acre Fund (OAF) in Rwanda.  She is currently the Administrative Specialist for the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives (Hubs), supporting Hubs’ mission in East Africa, South and East Asia, and the MENA Region. 

Ms. Umwali has a Master of  Business Administration in Human Resource Management from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Social Sciences from the National University of Rwanda.

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Christian Baobab

Christian is an experienced communication strategist and manager with over 5 years of experience in writing, social media management, web and graphic design, and a passionate youth and refugee advocate.  Prior to joining the Hubs, Christian worked with UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, as an assistant youth coordinator. He brings extensive experience in filmmaking, global advocacy, and storytelling. 

Christian holds an Associate of Business and Finance, a diploma in journalism and filmmaking, and a Civic Engagement and Social Action certificate from the Center for Civic Engagement, Bard College.