Our Team
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Cyprine Odada is an urban planner, mobility specialist, and global advocate for inclusive cities. With over a decade of experience, she has led transformative initiatives that place walking, cycling, and livability at the center of African urban development.
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She holds a Bachelor’s in Urban and Regional Planning from Maseno University, a Master’s in Project Planning and Management from the University of Nairobi, and an Executive Master of Science in Cities from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Her expertise spans sustainable mobility planning, national road safety campaigns, and integrating walking and cycling into urban policy.​ Her work has been profiled by The New York Times, BBC Africa, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, De Volkskrant (Netherlands), and several major outlets, underscoring her influence as a thought leader in sustainable mobility.
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I founded Women Shaping Cities (WSC) after years of working in advocacy and realizing that something fundamental was missing in how our cities were being shaped. The realities of women, children, caregivers, and older adults were consistently misrepresented, underrepresented, or excluded in urban planning and transport. Infrastructure and public spaces were not built with them in mind, and as a result, too many people were being left behind. Unsafe on the streets, unseen in decision-making, and unsupported in daily life. While advocacy created awareness, I saw the limits of what it could achieve without evidence. I realized there was a critical gap between advocacy and research, and between urban planning and transport. Without bridging those gaps, vulnerable communities would continue to be overlooked. WSC was born out of my conviction to fill that space: to generate evidence that empowers, to influence policies, and to champion the voices of those who are too often ignored. For me, this work is both urgent and necessary. Cities must work for everyone, and that begins by centering the most vulnerable.
Meet the Team
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