Michael Odhiambo joined RVI as the Head of Programmes in January 2024. He brings to the role many years of experience in programme development, policy research and analysis, training and mentoring, institutional capacity building and monitoring and evaluation. Trained in law, Michael was an Advocate at the High Court of Kenya for over a decade before becoming a researcher, policy specialist and advocate on land rights and governance, natural resource management and rural development. Michael was a founder and National Coordinator of the Kenya Land Alliance, a founder and Executive Director of the Resource Conflict Institute (RECONCILE), and the CEO of the Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative (DLCI). For two decades Michael has worked extensively in East Africa, the Horn of Africa, South Sudan and Sudan as a highly respected and sought after researcher and advisor on land, sustainable natural resource management and climate change. In his career Michael has worked with UN agencies, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the AU, IGAD and numerous national and international NGOs.