Staff Profile
Dr. Samson Machohi Kamunya – Institute Director
Dr. Richard Chalo Muoki -Geneticist
Dr. Richard Chalo studied Botany and Plant Breeding at the University of Nairobi and at Egerton University, Njoro. He did his PhD work at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur and received his Doctorate in Plant Biotechnology in 2013 from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He was recruited by the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya as an Assistant Research Officer in 2000. In 2007, he was appointed as Senior Research Officer, Geneticist and as Principle Research Officer in 2014. The main focus of his research is to apply molecular tools to develop climate compatible tea cultivars with improve yields, quality and suitability for product diversification. Another emphasis of his work is to bioprospect for genes/enzymes as well as understand the gene regulatory networks controlling major physiological and metabolic processes in tea adaptation.
James Kipkemoi Langat -Human Resource Manager
James Kipkemoi Langatjoined Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) in 2010 as a Principal Human Resource Management Officer. He previously worked as a Human Resource Manager at Van Den Berg, Naivasha, Human Resource Manager, Waridi Ltd, Athi River and Personnel Manager; Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC).
James holds an MA Degree in Manpower studies from London Management Centre, Polytechnic of Central London, United Kingdom (Present day University of Westminster) and Bachelor of Arts from University of Nairobi. He has experience of 28 years in the field of Human Resource Management.