Akinyi believes that to make a difference in the community, we cannot prescribe solutions. Instead, we must design solutions that will address the intrinsic decision-making drivers. As a leader in the Design-thinking and Behavior-change practice, she aspires to spark interest and build her colleagues’ expertise to develop responsive and innovative solutions to local challenges.

Akinyi has over 15 years of experience in Strategic Communication, Human-centered Design, and Social and Behavior Change.

Currently, she is leading a large-scale four-year program in Ethiopia that aims to prototype scalable strategies to enhance data use culture in health facilities in Ethiopia. This program will use Behavioral Science and Human-centered Design methodologies to increase the perceived value of data by health service providers, health information technicians, and Health facilities’ leadership teams.

Over the last five years, Akinyi has led the delivery of immersive research and prototyping activities in multiple African countries, including an extensive behavioral research exercise in Malawi, focused on uncovering the cognitive factors that influence the uptake of antenatal care (ANC). She designed a portfolio of innovative, participatory research tools anchored on multiple stimuli methods. Additionally, she has participated in large-scale projects in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania to understand what influences hygiene practices such as latrine usage and face and hand washing. Further, Akinyi previously worked with the World Food Program in Ethiopia to build an evidence base of the drivers of consumption of nutrient-dense foods.

About Social Norm Change, Akinyi has previously worked with UNICEF ESARO to prepare a training module that will build the capacity of  UNICEF and UNFPA Program managers to identify social, design responsive programs, and measure social norm change.

Akinyi has BA, Communication, Daystar University, Kenya, 2010, Certificate, Psychology, Yale, 2022 Certificate, Social Norms, UNICEF & University of Pennsylvania, 2022 and Certificate, Leadership in Strategic Communication, Centre for Communication and Strategic Impact, Nigeria, 2022