Helen Pauline Ambasa Ombima is a lawyer by profession. She was admitted to the Bar in September, 2001.
She joined USIU-Africa on 18th October 2011 after a stint in Government where she rose through the ranks from Senior Legal Officer to Ag. Corporation Secretary. She has 17 years’ experience having worked in various sectors in Kenya in both the public and private spheres. She is well versed with the Kenyan legal system and regulatory environment as well as the global operating environment.
She is also a member in good standing of the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK). Prior to joining the corporate world, she practiced law at Muhanji Kasango Advocates and Robson Harris & Co. Advocates. In April 2015, she received a Certificate of Commendation from the ICPSK for her outstanding contribution to the activities of the Institute as well as corporate governance. She currently serves as a Board member with the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR). She also serves as a Board member on the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) Sectoral Training Committee.
Her current role at USIU-Africa involves providing efficient and effective legal and select related services to the University with an emphasis on commercial and corporate law, employment and labor related issues, governance and advisory services. She also co-ordinates and undertakes all Board and University Council Secretarial duties. She has been involved in corporate restructuring, university reform and played a key role in the leadership transition at USIU-Africa which culminated in successful transition from an independent governing Board to a two-tier governance structure. She also designs Programs aimed at training various groups of people and was instrumental in launching Legal Awareness Workshops at USIU-Africa, formulated an Institutional Intellectual Property Rights Policy and grew the Legal Office from a one-man shop to a fully-fledged Division. Within the 7 years she has been at USIU-Africa, she has also ensured that all the corporate trademarks have been registered, and it is through her diligent efforts that USIU-Africa became the first (and presently sole) institution of higher education that is accredited as a pupillage center by the Kenya School of Law.
She is a fitness and yoga enthusiast, loves reading, listening to music and travelling.