Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center Appoints Chief Operating Officer, Amini Kajunju
Amini Kajunju, Chief Operating Officer, EJS Presidential Center for Women and Development
The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) has announced the appointment of Amini Kajunju as its Chief Operating Officer. In her role, Ms. Kajunju will support the Executive Director in the establishment and management of the Center’s financial, reporting, and operational processes and systems, as well as the development of its strategic direction and mission.
Ms. Kajunju joins the EJS Center from the International University of Grand Bassam (IUGB) Foundation, where she was Executive Director. Prior to this, Ms. Kajunju served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Africa Integras, a New York-based firm that invests in the development of education infrastructure at African universities.
She also previously served as President & CEO of the Africa-America Institute (AAI), a New York-based non-profit dedicated to strengthening human capacity in Africa. In this role, she was the first African to serve at the helm of the oldest non-profit organization of its kind in the United States.
Alongside this stellar experience in the non-profit sector, Ms. Kajunju has been honored as “Advocate of the Year” at Applause Africa’s African Diaspora Awards in 2013 and was named to Forbes’ list of 20 Young Power Women in Africa 2013. She has also been featured on CNN’s African Voices.
“The EJS Center is thrilled to be welcoming Ms. Kajunju to the senior leadership team, where she will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role and help the Center achieve its mission to champion women’s ascension to the highest levels of leadership and challenge systemic barriers to girls’ and women’s advancement,” the center said in a statement.
Dr. Ophelia Inez Weeks, Executive Director of the EJS Center, said Amini Kajunju’s appointment “is an exciting new chapter for the EJS Center, as our efforts to champion women leaders across the African continent continue to grow. Amini’s experience in the not-for-profit sector — both in Africa and the United States — is a perfect fit for the next phase of the Center’s work.”
“I am elated to join the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development,” said Ms. Amini Kajunju. “Leadership development has been a core theme of my career, and I am happy to be working at the EJS Center as it continues to amplify the voice of women and girls in all spheres of life by increasing the representation of women leaders in public service.”
The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center) was founded in 2018 to be a catalyst for political and social change across Africa by helping unleash its most abundant latent power — its women. The EJS Center aims to amplify the voice of women and girls in all spheres of life by increasing the representation of women in public service leadership roles in Africa.