Mrs. Martha Mkandawire is a highly experienced Accountant with over 27 years in Senior Management, including 5 years of Auditing expertise. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), as well as a postgraduate Diploma in NGO Management from the University of London.

Mrs. Mkandawire has earned esteemed professional certifications, including becoming a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants (FCCA) of the United Kingdom and a Full Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Malawi (CA, Mw). She also holds the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Level 6 Professional Diploma, making her an Associate Member of CIPS, of the United Kingdom.

Beyond her professional roles, she serves as a Trustee/Director for Malawi Blood Transfusion Services and White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood in Malawi where she holds the position of Chairperson of the Corporate Services Committees.

Throughout her career, Mrs. Mkandawire has held prominent roles with various organizations, including nine years as Director of Finance and Administration at the Christian Service Committee of the Churches in Malawi, three years as Director of Finance and Administration at the Malawi Bureau of Standards, and nine years as Director of Finance at the National Construction Industry Council. She also served as Director of Corporate Services at SMEDI and worked for five years at Grant Thornton (formerly known as KPMG).

In August 2022, Mrs. Mkandawire joined NCHE, bringing her wealth of experience and expertise to this new endeavor.

Dr. Japhet Bakuwa is a passionate academic and researcher with extensive experience in strategic leadership, innovation, and action. He holds a PhD in Science and Technology Studies (STS) from Stellenbosch University, South Africa (2015); a Master of Applied Ethics degree from Utrecht University, The Netherlands (2008); and a Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) degree from the University of Malawi (2003). With over 18 years of university-level teaching and supervision, he has a strong background in research, community engagement, and postgraduate thesis examination.

Dr. Bakuwa has held various leadership positions in the university, including Dean of Humanities, Deputy Dean of Humanities, and Head of the Department of Philosophy. He is a member of the UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) and the National Bioethics Committee (NACOB). Additionally, he serves on the Advisory Board of Social Ethics Journal of Applied Philosophy in the Philippines and acts as an external examiner at international universities.

He has published extensively, with a book chapter and several articles in referred journals, both locally and internationally. Dr. Bakuwa has presented his research at numerous conferences and has been involved as an article reviewer for prestigious journals like the SAGE journal Public Understanding of Science. He was also part of the Taskforce responsible for drafting the Framework of Guidelines for Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities in Malawi. Furthermore, he has served as Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Sir Harry Johnston International School in Zomba.

Dr. Bakuwa's current research focuses on applied ethics, history and philosophy of science, public understanding of science, and science and technology studies.

Dr. Bakuwa joined NCHE in August, 2023.