Dr. Joyce Maru is the Regional Director for Africa at the International Potato Center (CIP), based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is also the interim deputy director for the CGIAR program on Food Frontiers and Security. Since joining CIP in 2016, she has held several leadership positions, including Director of the Global Sweetpotato Program and Senior Program Coordinator of the same program since 2018. She has contributed significantly to the growth and successful implementation of CIP’s portfolio in Africa and globally.

Joyce has initiated and managed strategic policy-level partnerships for CIP at regional and global levels. Additionally, she has taken on leading roles in the CGIAR research portfolio including work package lead under the CGIAR research initiative on National Policies and Strategy and center focal point for the regional integrated program for East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi).