Our Team.
Susie Weeks
Executive Director
Susie is the Executive Director of the Mount Kenya Trust which was formed in 2000. She’s helped build up the team, its professional capacity and project portfolio from a tiny civil-society venture since 2001 to the effective entity it is today. Mount Kenya Trust is a valued partner of the major Governmental and private Mount Kenya stakeholders. Susie spearheaded the ambitious Mount Kenya Elephant corridor project construction with Mount Kenya Trust and its partners. Elephants used the entirety of the corridor the day after the corridor fences were joined to the highway underpass that allows elephants to pass beneath it. Susie has practical experience with developing and managing a diverse number of conservation programmes including security management, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, corridor development, forest restoration, and fire-fighting coordination. Susie is a member of the National Bongo Task Force, a Kenya Wildlife Service Honorary Warden and part of the Mount Kenya-Aberdare Fire Management Committee. She is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) and the University of Edinburgh.
Laila Kassam
Head Of Finance & Operations
Laila Kassam is the Head of Finance and Operations at Mount Kenya Trust. Laila is an emerging markets Investment professional with over 8 years of experience working in the impact investing space, creating value for portfolio companies through operations strategy, enterprise development, business planning, performance improvement, and restructuring. Her vast experience with for profit organizations, provides a unique perspective in conservation and running the day to day for the Trust. She oversees the project management for the larger more complex grants for the Trust ensuring that deliverables are implemented in the most efficient, ethical and professional way possible. She also provides leadership, coaching and guidance to project managers during the design, planning and implementation of their respective projects. She holds a master’s in business administration (MBA) from United States International University (USIU). She also holds a certificate in carbon finance from the Renewable Energy Institute UK along with an accounting certificate from Wharton Business School Online
Becky Summers
Strategic Fundraising Lead
Becky is a dedicated integrated fundraising specialist with a passion for high-impact conservation and community development across East Africa. She is committed to driving positive change for people and wildlife through strategic fundraising, global impact communications, and event management. She specializes in executing complex grant projects, organizing large-scale fundraising campaigns, and designing frontline wildlife protection initiatives. She holds a degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of East Anglia (UK) and an MA in Science Communication from City University, London. Becky believes in bridging ground-level conservation efforts with global outreach and is dedicated to combining structured project management with compelling storytelling to ensure Africa’s natural heritage and communities thrive for generations to come.
Deborah Beaton
Programmes Director
Deborah is a strategic operations and programme leader with more than 15 years' experience across community development, conservation and multi-site operations in complex environments. She specialises in turning ambitious strategies into practical, financially disciplined and scalable delivery; strengthening organisational systems, aligning programmes with operational realities and developing local leadership along the way. In her role at Mt Kenya Trust, she contributes to strategic leadership across a wider ecosystem, combining direct programme delivery with work alongside local authorities, government bodies and community organisations to strengthen governance, policy and institutional capability. Deborah holds an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology and an Bachelor of Law from the University of Exeter.
Edwin Kinyanjui
Education Programs Manager
Paxton Maina
Education Program Assistant
Paxton joined Mount Kenya Trust as an intern in 2020 as a project assistant to support the Community Health Project. Over the years, her exceptional organization and proactive skills led her to take full responsibility for the Junior Ranger Program (JRP), which comprises the Education Pillar of Mount Kenya Trust. She holds a Diploma in Environmental Management from Kenya Wildlife Training Institute and several certifications in climate change water pollution and project management.
Joseph Ngarira
Forestry Officer
Joseph joined the Trust is 2014. He provides leadership and technical skills to the tree nursery staff whom he oversees. His on-the-ground experience gives Mount Kenya Trust the knowledge to successfully implement the reforestation cycle from seed to forests.
Maryanne Kuria
Project Development And Reporting Assistant
Maryanne Kuria is part of Mount Kenya Trust’s Communications, Fundraising & Reporting team, where she manages the Trust’s social media platforms, creating content that amplifies its conservation work and impact. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agroforestry and Rural Development and has previously worked with Save the Elephants and Laikipia Wildlife Forum. With diverse interests in photography, content creation, research, data analysis, and human-wildlife coexistence, Maryanne is passionate about telling stories that connect people, communities, and conservation. Her favourite workdays are those spent in the field, meeting people, collecting human-interest stories, capturing moments, and witnessing conservation in action. Just a girl with a curious mind, a camera in hand, and a deep love for nature, wildlife, and the stories that often go untold. She believes in the power of storytelling to inspire appreciation for the natural world and encourage meaningful action towards conservation.
Beatrice Koskei
Operations Coordinator
Beatrice brings 18 years of progressive experience supporting conservation programs and organizational operations in the non-profit sector. With a background in Business Administration, her role spans finance and administration, procurement and logistics, human resource support, and project and resource management. She works closely with teams across the organization to strengthen day-to-day operations, support the development and implementation of policies, and improve internal processes. Beatrice is passionate about building effective systems and structures that enable both the organization and its staff to thrive and achieve their goals. She is committed to fostering a positive and supportive working environment where staff feel valued and are equipped with the tools, guidance, and resources they need to perform at their best. She believes that strong operational systems, effective collaboration, and a supported workforce are essential to organizational growth and the successful delivery of Mount Kenya Trust’s conservation mission.
Ronald Masibo
Patrol & Security Program Manager
Ronald Masibo is a security and conservation professional with three decades of experience in military service, security operations, disaster response, training, and wildlife conservation. At Mount Kenya Trust, he leads the Trust’s patrol and security programme, supporting patrol planning, ranger operations, security risk management, intelligence, incident and emergency response, and coordination with government and law-enforcement agencies. He also supports the integration of technology and innovation into conservation security. Ronald previously served in the Kenya Defence Forces in operational, training, disaster response, and peace support roles, including deployments in Sudan and Somalia. Before joining the Trust, he was the Health, Safety & Security Manager at Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, where he led conservation security and ranger operations. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and Security Studies from Kenyatta University, alongside professional training in security, disaster response, incident management, first aid, and firefighting. Ronald is passionate about developing strong teams and contributing to the long-term protection of Mount Kenya, its wildlife, and surrounding communities.
Humphrey Munene
Forest Restoration Manager
Humphrey Munene currently works for Mount Kenya Trust, as a Forest Restoration and Special Projects Manager. He has seen the organization grow over the last 20 years not only in terms of personnel but also in projects expansion and impact on people, forest, and wildlife. Humphrey has successfully coordinated a reforestation project in which over 1000ha degraded parts of Mount Kenya Forest is planted with indigenous tree seedlings. Humphrey holds a Bachelor’ degree in Wildlife Management and a Post Graduate Diploma in Education
Ketty Gitonga
Health Programs Manager
Ketty manages the end-to-end process of our health project. She is responsible for a myriad of project activities from planning outreaches to managing 17 CHVs, and project implementation at the community and school levels. Prior to joining MKT, Ketty worked at Mount Kenya Forest and the Ngare Ndare Trust. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management from Egerton University and is currently working toward a Diploma in Project Management at the Kenya Institute of Management.
Martin Kinyua
Senior Field Coordinator
Adiel Njagi
Health Program Assistant
Adiel first joined the Trust in 2014 as a driver before working his way up as our Project Assistant. His main responsibilities include data collection and analysis, coordinating community outreaches and working with students on knowledge-building