Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Personal Information
Accomplishments
Training
Work Availability
Work Preference
Languages
Timeline
Hi, I’m

Lillian Onyango

Lawyer and Communications Specialist
Lillian Onyango

Summary

Strategic Communications and Sustainability Leader with 14+ years of experience elevating corporate reputation, driving stakeholder engagement, and delivering social impact across East and Southern Africa, the wider African continent, and MENA. Proven track record in leading multi-country campaigns, shaping regional sustainability strategies, and advising senior leaders on communications, policy influence, and crisis management.

I have held senior roles with global organisations including Oxfam America, Global Health Strategies, Catholic Relief Services, Heinrich Böll Stiftung, One Acre Fund, and Ogilvy Public Relations. My portfolio includes high-profile initiatives such as the inaugural Conference on Public Health in Africa and the Third International Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy.

Combining business objectives with sustainability frameworks, I deliver strategies that strengthen reputation, ensure compliance, and create measurable community benefits. Skilled in strategic planning, content development, media relations, speechwriting, and multi-platform digital engagement, I bring both vision and execution to complex, cross-market agendas.

Passionate about using communications to drive environmental and social progress, I excel in dynamic, multi-cultural settings where strategic insight and operational agility create lasting impact.

Overview

15
years of professional experience

Work History

Independent Communications Consultant

Independent Communications Consultant
02.2023 - 06.2025

Job overview

  • Developed Oxfam America's comprehensive strategic communications plan for the Third International Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy, held in July 2024 at Mexico's Foreign Ministry, to amplify global gender equality initiatives and engage key international stakeholders.
  • Designed IDinsight's 2024 Regional Communications Strategy for East and Southern Africa to raise the organization's profile, attract funders and clients, and influence policy through thought leadership and government engagement.
  • Implemented key activities such as media and outreach campaigns, policy briefings, workshops, high-level meetings, collaborations with training institutions, webinars, and targeted social media campaigns to engage governments, development agencies, funders, and media.
  • Lead external engagement strategy development around campaigns and key moments with partners.
  • Develop and implement communication and influence strategies for the designated regions.
  • Produce high-quality content, including print and digital materials, to influence various audiences.
  • Support regional project teams to ensure high-quality communications deliverables for clients.

Global Health Strategies

Communications and Conference Manager, Africa and MENA
10.2021 - 12.2022

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Consultancy
  • Wrote speeches for the dignitaries who attended the opening and closing ceremonies of the inaugural Conference on Public Health in Africa organized by the African Union and Africa CDC.
  • Wrote and revised opinion articles and press releases, for high-profile clients such as AstraZeneca, Amref Health Africa, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Africa CDC, garnering extensive regional and local media coverage.
  • Leveraged graphic design expertise to create visually engaging event e-posters for global events.
  • Joined GHS to initially support the Africa team and after six months, my responsibilities grew to support the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) team due to my weighty contribution to the organization.
  • Consultancy
  • Drafted and pitched media outputs such as press releases and opinion pieces as well as trained junior staff to develop such skills.
  • Provided conference-planning support, specifically produced messages for social media to boost attendance at regional and international conferences.

Chemonics International

Communications Specialist
01.2022 - 05.2022

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Consultancy
  • Drafted the communications strategy for the USAID-funded project Cross-Border Community Resilience Activity.
  • Consultancy
  • Established communications outputs, which supported the implementation of their respective cross-border clusters, including key messages.
  • Identified channels for communicating key messages to target audiences.
  • Developed a media relations plan for engaging and maintaining contact with the journalists.

Catholic Relief Services

Advocacy Communications and Influencing Advisor
06.2019 - 09.2021

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Fixed-Term Contract
  • Successful development of a national advocacy communications strategy.
  • Effectively and efficiently planned as well as facilitated the first donor visit to the country.
  • Designed an effective tool for the selection of community champions, and designed child participation materials.
  • Applied graphic design expertise to create and design comprehensive branding, information, communication, and educational materials, including notebooks, posters, t-shirts, jackets, and office signage as well as produced the project's inaugural newsletter.
  • Promoted from Advocacy Manager to Advocacy Communications and Influencing Advisor role within seven months on the USAID-funded Changing the Way We Care Project, in recognition of strong performance.
  • Fixed-Term Contract
  • Handled media relations, drafted content for social media, compiled donor reports, and worked closely with the regional and global advocacy leads.
  • Coordinated stakeholder relations, such as faith leaders and care leavers, and identified influencers and opportunities to raise awareness to agitate for policy review.
  • Managed advocacy activities at the county and national levels and delivered clear technical and financial guidance for implementing community-based activities.

Heinrich Böll Stiftung East & Horn of Africa

Program Coordinator
06.2018 - 06.2019

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Full-Time
  • Successfully supervised the launch of a magazine titled 'Cha Kula', which is produced by the program's brand known as the Route to Food Initiative.
  • Conceptualized and implemented media capacity-building workshops and hosted public forums.
  • Full-Time
  • Leveraged graphic design expertise to spearhead brand and media work for the Route to Food Initiative.
  • Organized and coordinated activities directly linked to brand building, content, and media engagement.
  • Custodian of the project's website: maintained the website front-end, processed public submissions from the website back-end, as well as edited and uploaded content.
  • Designed and distributed quarterly newsletters to update the initiative's supporters.
  • Handled the brand's social media channels, wrote social media content, and managed online engagement.

Independent Communications Consultant

Independent Communications Consultant
09.2017 - 05.2018

Job overview

  • Successfully created a paralegal manual for a legal non-profit organization.
  • Coached private and non-profit organizations to identify their communications needs as well as develop practical communications strategies such as media relations and social media management plans, to steer them towards achieving their overall business goals.
  • Targeted law firms to introduce the concept of legal media relations and trained them on the benefits of this nature of communications.

One Acre Fund

East Africa Media Relations Associate
02.2016 - 07.2017

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Full-Time
  • Successfully drew up and led the implementation of communications strategies for six countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, and Burundi.
  • Mentored, trained and coached a team of Communications Officers in select countries.
  • Full-Time
  • From time to time, I served as the Spokesperson for local and international media interactions.
  • Amply prepared the management and other staff for interviews and media visits.
  • Highly involved in managing crisis communication planning and execution as well as issues preparedness.

Ogilvy Public Relations

Senior Account Manager
08.2014 - 01.2016

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Full-Time
  • Provided strategic counsel to my clients, developed their communication plans, and successfully managed their product launches. This led to my promotion from Account Manager to senior level.
  • Pursued new business opportunities for the agency and participated in pitches that resulted in the onboarding of new clients.
  • Full-Time
  • Maintained several clients' accounts whose businesses ranged from the financial sector, technology and innovation industry, and FMCG business.
  • Executed media relations strategies, which included identifying and developing apt outreach programs, drafting media materials, and pitching stories to the media.
  • Responded to invitations to tenders, prepared pitch documents, and participated in presentations that saw the agency add more clients to its portfolio.

Nation Media Group

Journalist
01.2010 - 08.2014

Job overview

  • Company Overview: Full-Time
  • On several occasions, I wrote exclusive stories that made headlines.
  • Wrote and edited news articles, features, and reports for the Daily Nation and the weekend editions.
  • Full-Time
  • Regularly contributed to The East African and Taifa Leo.
  • Covered hard news and wrote news features, human-interest stories, and business-related assignments.
  • Generated and edited audio and video content for the digital platforms of the publications.

Education

University of Nairobi

Master of Arts from International Relations
01.2022

University Overview

University of Nairobi

Bachelor of Laws
01.2009

University Overview

University of South Wales (formerly University of Glamorgan)

Foundation Degree from Law
01.2004

University Overview

Skills

  • Strategic Communications Leadership
  • Content Strategy and Development
  • Editorial Direction
  • Cross-Functional Team Management
  • Digital Campaign Execution
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Mentorship
  • Agency and Partner Coordination
  • Project Management
  • Monitoring and Reporting
  • Storytelling

Personal Information

Personal Information
Title: Communications Specialist

Accomplishments

Accomplishments
Major Career Accomplishments Independent Communications Consultant (Feb 2023 – Jun 2025)
  • Developed Oxfam America’s comprehensive strategic communications plan for the Third International Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy, elevating global visibility and securing high-level stakeholder engagement.
  • Designed IDinsight’s 2024 Regional Communications Strategy for East and Southern Africa, boosting organisational profile, attracting funders, and influencing policy.
  • Executed media campaigns, policy briefings, workshops, and targeted social media strategies to engage governments, development agencies, funders, and media.
Communications & Conference Manager, Africa & MENA – Global Health Strategies
  • Wrote keynote speeches delivered by senior policymakers, including Rwanda’s Minister of Health, for the inaugural Conference on Public Health in Africa.
  • Secured extensive media coverage for high-profile clients including AstraZeneca, Amref Health Africa, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Africa CDC through strategic content development.
  • Expanded remit from Africa to also support the MENA region within six months due to outstanding performance.
Communications Specialist – Chemonics International
  • Drafted the communications strategy for the USAID-funded Cross-Border Community Resilience Activity.
  • Created a media relations plan and key message frameworks for targeted audience engagement.
Advocacy Communications & Influencing Advisor – Catholic Relief Services
  • Developed a national advocacy communications strategy for USAID’s Changing the Way We Care Project.
  • Successfully organised the project’s first donor visit and created branded materials including child participation resources.
  • Promoted within seven months in recognition of strong performance.
Program Coordinator – Heinrich Böll Stiftung East & Horn of Africa
  • Oversaw the launch of the Cha Kula magazine under the Route to Food Initiative.
  • Conceptualised and implemented media capacity-building workshops and public forums.
Independent Communications Consultant (2017 – 2018)
  • Created a paralegal manual for a legal non-profit.
  • Introduced legal media relations strategies to law firms and trained them on implementation.
East Africa Media Relations Associate – One Acre Fund
  • Led communications strategies for six countries in East Africa.
  • Served as spokesperson for local and international media, and managed crisis communication planning.
Senior Account Manager – Ogilvy Public Relations
  • Provided strategic counsel and communications plans for clients in finance, tech, and FMCG sectors.
  • Secured new business wins through successful pitches and tender submissions.
Journalist – Nation Media Group
  • Authored exclusive stories that made national headlines.
  • Contributed to The East African and Taifa Leo, covering hard news, human interest, and business features.

Training

Training
Management Trainee, Nation Media Group, 2010-01-01, 2010-11-30
Availability
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Work Preference

Work Type

Full TimePart TimeContract WorkGig Work

Location Preference

On-SiteRemoteHybrid

Important To Me

Career advancementWork-life balanceCompany CultureFlexible work hours

Languages

English
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
French
Elementary (A2)
Swahili
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)

Timeline

Independent Communications Consultant
Independent Communications Consultant
02.2023 - 06.2025
Communications Specialist
Chemonics International
01.2022 - 05.2022
Communications and Conference Manager, Africa and MENA
Global Health Strategies
10.2021 - 12.2022
Advocacy Communications and Influencing Advisor
Catholic Relief Services
06.2019 - 09.2021
Program Coordinator
Heinrich Böll Stiftung East & Horn of Africa
06.2018 - 06.2019
Independent Communications Consultant
Independent Communications Consultant
09.2017 - 05.2018
East Africa Media Relations Associate
One Acre Fund
02.2016 - 07.2017
Senior Account Manager
Ogilvy Public Relations
08.2014 - 01.2016
Journalist
Nation Media Group
01.2010 - 08.2014
University of Nairobi
Master of Arts from International Relations
University of Nairobi
Bachelor of Laws
University of South Wales (formerly University of Glamorgan)
Foundation Degree from Law
Lillian OnyangoLawyer and Communications Specialist