Mrs. Nofisat Arogundade is a distinguished safety professional and visionary leader in occupational safety and health. With over four decades of service, she retired as Director of Occupational Safety and Health in 2016 after 35 years with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Nigeria. She played a pivotal role in shaping national safety policy and holds a degree in Chemistry and an MBA in Operations Management. Mrs. Arogundade is a Fellow of the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (FISPN), Occupational Safety and Health Association (FOSHA) and SaFERR Global Institute (FSGI).
She led the development of Nigeria’s first National Profile on Occupational Safety and Health and crafted the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection Checklist, earning numerous accolades. Passionate about mentorship, she has nurtured future safety professionals, instilling a culture of excellence. Even in retirement, she continues to influence the field as a sought-after consultant and serves as a Judge for AfriSAFE since 2020.
She has many recognitions and awards including: Lifetime Achievement in HSE Award 2024 from Society of Women in Safety, Health and Environment – Africa; AfriSAFE Sentinel Awards from Africa Safety Award for Excellence; Lifetime Achievement Award from American Society of Safety Professionals, Women in Safety Excellence (Nigeria Chapter); World Safety Award 2025 and many more.
Dedicated to community service, Mrs. Arogundade actively contributes to Lions International and Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society (NASFAT). Her legacy of leadership, compassion, and service inspires those around her.
David Foy is a seasoned health and safety professional, currently serving as Head of Health and Safety at the University of Lancashire in Preston, England, UK. He holds prestigious fellowships with the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM), as well as membership with the Institute of Fire Safety Management (IFSM).
David has contributed to various award selection panels in the UK and serves as an award ambassador for RoSPA and is also a board member for Safety Groups UK. He has been a judge for the AfriSAFE Awards since 2020, recognizing excellence in quality, health, safety, environment, and security (QHSE) practices across Africa.
Gloria J. Browne-Marshall is a renowned author, professor, civil rights attorney, and playwright. Her work focuses on constitutional law, Africa studies, and social justice. She has written several books and received numerous awards, including an Emmy and a Silver Gavel Award. Browne-Marshall is a tenured professor at John Jay College (CUNY) and has spoken at prestigious institutions globallyincluding United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, and New York City as well as before audiences in Ghana, England, Rwanda, Wales, Nigeria, France, Canada, Germany, and Italy.
Gloria’s essays on social justice issues have appeared in the Milwaukee Courier, TIME.com, CNN.com, NBC.com Etc. She is a member of various organizations, including the National Press Club, American Bar Association, and Pen America. Browne-Marshall provides commentary for major news outlets( CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Deutsche Welle News, CNN International, France 24, C-span, and print media) nationally and internationallyand continues to advocate for social justice through her work.
Certified by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, USA, Mary has over 19 years of experience in Occupational Health and Safety, and Environmental management. She holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health from prestigious institutions like UCLA and Pennsylvania State University.
Mary is a distinguished member of professional societies, including the American Society of Safety Engineers and Women in Safety Engineering. She has volunteered with STEM mentoring programs and held leadership roles, including Chairman for Women in Safety Excellence (2019) and President Elect for ASSP (2023).
With expertise in standardizing occupational safety engineering management systems globally, Mary has developed procedures, patents, and programs in industries like Defense, Aerospace, and pharmaceuticals. She excels as a project manager, team leader, and public speaker, effectively communicating with diverse audiences, including C-Suite executives and LGBTQ+ communities.
Mary is passionate about mentoring Generation Z and Millennials, guiding them on perception and character assimilation in the evolving workspace. She is proficient in using software and social media platforms to convey information and demonstrate expertise.
Wale Bakare is a Fellow of the Emergency, Crisis, and Risk Management Institute of Nigeria. He is a respected Occupational Health & Safety Consultant, award-winning Trainer, Certified Auditor, and Management Systems Specialist. With over 20 years of experience, Wale has worked in several countries, including the UK, Turkey, UAE, and across Africa.
His expertise has led to numerous health and safety projects in Nigeria’s public and private sectors, including international agency-funded projects in the water sector. Wale served as Team Lead on the E4D SOGA Project in Uganda and contributed to the World Bank-funded ENPLAN/ATKINS team. He is a Certified ISO 45001 Lead Auditor and Implementer, and recently led Galaxy Backbone Limited to achieve certification in integrated management systems.
Wale has also supported the Lagos State Safety Commission and currently serves as Health & Safety Expert on the France Development Bank-funded ITA/OTA Project. He is a prolific essayist, celebrated columnist, and published author. With his versatility and experience, Wale is a sought-after speaker and trainer, comfortable engaging audiences of all sizes.
Nthabiseng Mmusi is an accomplished Safety, Health, Environmental, and Risk Management Practitioner with over a decade of impactful experience, particularly in the mining and high-risk industries. She is the Founder and Consulting Partner of SHE ON STANDBY, a Botswana-based consultancy advancing SHEQ training, compliance, mentorship, and community-based safety initiatives.
Certified in ISO 45001:2018, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 9001:2015, Nthabiseng is known for her deep technical knowledge, strong academic foundation, and her ability to lead, mentor, and inspire both individuals and organizations. She has trained hundreds of emerging SHEQ professionals and is affectionately known as “Mma Matlakala” – The Waste Queen, for her passion for environmental cleanliness and sustainable living.
Her work has earned her numerous recognitions, including the Human Diamond Award, and her role as Chairperson of the national clean-up movement, “We Sparkle Like Diamonds.” She is also a former host of The Safety Factor on Duma FM (2020–2023), where she used radio to promote safety, wellness, and environmental consciousness.
Nthabiseng currently serves as Vice Chairperson of the AfriSAFE Board, Africa’s premier platform for SHEQ excellence. Her memoir, “When They Fired Me, I Let Myself Rise,” is a testament to her journey through adversity, purpose, and leadership.
Deeply committed to philanthropy, mentorship, and environmental stewardship, she continues to shape a continent where safety is love, wellness is culture, and rising is collective.
Quin Orwa-Juma, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of Languages and Literature at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences with over 18 years of university-level teaching experience. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from Kenyatta University, an M.A. from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and a B.A. from the University of Nairobi. She recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Michigan State University, USA.
Dr. Orwa-Juma’s expertise directly aligns with AfriSAFE’s mission through her specialized research in Indigenous language systems and Public Health Communication, Language Policy, and cross-cultural communication strategies. Her work in Building Corpora for Low-Resource African Languages and figurative language analysis across diverse discourse types makes her uniquely qualified to evaluate safety and environmental communication initiatives across African communities.
As a mentor with the Mawazo Institute and an advisory board member at Bellie and Roasters Holdings Limited, Dr. Orwa-Juma brings both academic excellence and practical governance experience to her evaluation responsibilities. Her scholarly impact includes publications in over 20 peer-reviewed journals and authorship of two university-level linguistics books.
Her professional affiliations with CODESRIA, KUQAN, BIEA, DAEA, and LAEA reflect her deep engagement with Pan-African academic communities, positioning her to identify deserving organizations across the region. Dr. Orwa-Juma’s multidisciplinary expertise in linguistics, public health communication, and board-level advisory experience makes her ideally suited to contribute to AfriSAFE’s mission of promoting Health, Safety, Security, and Environment best practices across Africa while inspiring safer workplaces and a healthier planet.
