Carolyne Nombo is an Associate Professor and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. She received her PhD in Social Sciences from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. She holds a Master degree in Agricultural Education and Extension as well as undergraduate degree in Home Economics and Human Nutrition from Sokoine University of Agriculture. She teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses on gender and development, Rural Development, Food security, Public Policies and qualitative methodologies. Carolyne is skilled and experienced rural development and gender specialist with over 20 years’ experience in development issues such as rural livelihood, community development, programme/project monitoring and evaluation and strengthening of civil society institutions. She also has a sound understanding of participatory approaches. Over the years, Prof. Carolyne has gained wide leadership and administrative experience in Higher Education Institutions. She is a transformative leader who has worked in different capacities in Public universities and Non- governmental organizations. She provides gender sensitive leadership education sector and beyond.
She is also involved in research and advisory work in rural development, gender, HIV/AIDS, food security and livelihood, community organizations and local institutions. Most recently her research grants have focused on gender and climate change adaptation, gender and HIV/AIDS adherence. She is the author of the book titled When HIV/AIDS meets poverty: Implications for Social Capital in Tanzania, a publication which provided a timely contribution to the discourse on the significance of social capital for the poor.