Biography
John Okeya is a Ugandan strategic communication and public affairs specialist with over five years of progressive work in journalism, communication, advocacy, and knowledge management across academia, development, and media. He serves as Assistant Communications Officer at Makerere University School of Public Health, where he leads, among other things, communication strategy, media engagement, and evidence translation for major high-impact research and policy initiatives at the School.
Previously, he worked with GIZ Uganda’s Programme for Responsible Land Policy, developing and implementing advocacy and communication strategies that enhanced public awareness and stakeholder dialogue on land governance reforms in the country. His journalistic work has appeared in the Daily Monitor and The Cooperator Magazine, where he was nominated for the Uganda National Journalism Awards (2021) by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME) for distinguished reporting. At Wizarts Foundation, he was recognised as Employee of the Year (2021) for excellence in project communication and stakeholder engagement. John’s work reflects a deep intellectual rigour, curiosity, and professional commitment to leveraging communication as a catalyst for evidence-based governance and inclusive development, particularly in the developing world. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism and Communication from Makerere University and is concurrently pursuing a Master of Strategic and Corporate Communication at the same institution, alongside a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation at Uganda Management Institute. His professional interests lie at the intersection of communication, public policy, and development, crafting narratives that inform decision-making, inspire social transformation, and strengthen institutional impact.