Ms. Regina Akoth Ombam is the Principal Secretary, State Department for Trade. Ms. Ombam is a distinguished economist and public policy expert with extensive experience in economic modeling, trade policy, transport economics, health financing and strategic planning. Her career spans roles in both national, regional and global institutions. As a former Regional Health Financing Expert at the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in advancing sustainable healthcare funding across member states in the African region. Her leadership as an EAC Health Financing Dialogue Facilitator saw her working alongside Ministers of Health and Finance to establish the region’s Health Financing Hub and advocate for increased domestic investments in health through high level health financing dialogues in the Regional Economic Communities ( EAC, SADC, IGAD, ECOWAS) in Africa. Previously, she served as Deputy Director for HIV Investments at Kenya’s National AIDS Control Council (NACC), where she was instrumental in mobilizing domestic and international resources for the HIV/AIDS program in the country as well as developing evidence based investment cases for health. Ms. Ombam also served as one of the Technical Experts at the Council of Governors Secretariat on matters Health Financing in the context of Devolution. Her advocacy efforts significantly influenced national, regional and global health financing frameworks and strengthened Kenya’s presence on global health platforms particularly when she served as the Vice Chair of the Technical Review Panel of the Global Fund and Advisor to the World Bank President and UNAIDS Executive Director on Sustainable Financing for Health. Ms. Ombam’s expertise extends across extensive macroeconomic and microeconomic analysis, implementation science, negotiations, results-based management and institutional governance. Her strategic insight has made her a key driver in enhancing trade policy, fostering public-private partnerships, and promoting economic integration across the continent, including engagements at the African Union, European Union and with other Bilateral partners. Ms. Ombam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and a Master of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Nairobi and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Columbia University. With a proven track record in economic policy and strategic planning her leadership at the State Department is instrumental in enhancing Kenya's trade environment, attract investment and strengthen economic ties both regionally and globally.