Meet the MASA Team

Professor Patricia Masego Makepe is an Associate Professor of Economics and inaugural Dean of the School of Business and Professional Development.

Prior to this role she served as Director, Centre for Business Management, Entrepreneurship and General Education (CBME&GE) at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST). She has also served as Head of Department of Economics, University of Botswana (UB).

She is the BIUST Coordinator on the Botswana Government- MIT Partnership and Academic Lead for the BIUST Student Entrepreneurship Fellowship and the MASA Innovation Programme in which she serves as Program Director.

He holds a PhD in Industrial Design (Queensland University of Technology, Australia), an MA in Design (University of Wolverhampton, UK), and a B.Ed in Design and Technology (University of Botswana). Moalosi has over 20 years of teaching experience at the university level. He works with small micro-enterprises, community-based organisations, creative industries, and start-ups to develop their products, brands, and service innovation capabilities, as these are the next engine of the creative economy in Africa and emerging economies. His specialisation and research interest areas include the following: design and culture, design education, sustainable design, social innovation, and additive manufacturing.

He has also published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals, contributed book chapters, published several books, and presented at many international peer-reviewed conferences. He serves on several journal editorial advisory boards and is a reviewer of numerous peer-reviewed journals. He is a fellow of the Pan-Afrikan Design Institute, an advisor to the Don Norman Design Awards, and a member of the jury of the SIT Furniture Design Award.

Patrick is an academic and design professional and a Lecturer in Industrial Design and Technology at the University of Botswana. He holds a Master of Science in Integrated Product Design from Delft University of Technology and a Bachelor of Design from the University of Botswana.

He recently completed his doctoral studies at the University of Leeds, focusing on the human factors of highly automated vehicles. Since joining the University of Botswana in 2011, he has taught a wide array of courses, including Design Fundamentals, Product Styling, and Cognitive Ergonomics, while supervising numerous successful undergraduate projects.

He holds a PhD in Education with a focus on Educational Technology, specifically the application of technology in education. Otlhomile also holds a Master of Education in Instructional Technology from the University of Zambia. He also holds Bachelors Degree specialising in Environmental Science and English, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the University of Botswana. He is a certified online educator through the Worldwide Academy Industry Network (WAIN). His additional professional certifications include a Marketing Certificate from the Institute of Commercial Management (London), a Certificate in Business Writing from the University of Colorado, an Honours Certificate in Writing in the Sciences from Stanford University, and a Copy-Editing Certificate from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Otlhomile is currently engaged in the MASA Innovation Programme, where he serves as an IT Contact Person, contributing to digital transformation and innovation initiatives. He has published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented papers at both local and international conferences. He is a founding member of HAAQA 2 (Harmonisation of African Higher Education, Quality Assurance, and Accreditation), reflecting his commitment to continental higher education development.

He serves as a valued member of the Quality Assurance Committee at the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA), contributing to the strengthening of national educational standards and quality frameworks

Currently serving as the Head of the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) at Stanbic Bank Botswana, she leads strategic interventions that stimulate local manufacturing, unlock SME capacity, drive inclusive value chains, and generate dignified employment. A frequent speaker and advocate, she has shared insights at major industry forums where she amplifies themes of citizen empowerment, financial inclusion, enterprise development, gender equity and impact investing. In recognition of her work in this field and her passion for fostering strategic partnerships, she was voted among the 2022/2023 Top 10 Strategic African Women in Leadership.

She is a certified expert in financial inclusion policy, and her professional vision is deeply Pan-African and people-first: to redefine finance not just as a tool for growth, but as an instrument of equality and legacy. This is evidenced by her purpose-driven work, where she has led one of the biggest CEEP funding programs (1 billion plus) and capacitated over 3,500 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), spearheaded the creation of Botswana's first bank account for women in business and spearheaded Botswana’s first bank-driven grant funding programs.

His career, spanning institutions in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, and Eswatini, is built on a profound commitment to bridging theoretical rigour with actionable, real-world impact. His expertise lies at the dynamic intersection of entrepreneurship, governance, economic policy, and institutional development, where he crafts strategic frameworks for both public and private sector advancement.

As a lifelong learner and innovative educator, Dr. M’Kali’s teaching philosophy is student-centred and future-focused. He mentors in entrepreneurship, small business management, and strategy, dedicated to inculcating entrepreneurial mindsets. He champions a pedagogical shift from passive learning to active engagement, leveraging technology-enhanced platforms like Moodle and Blackboard to create scalable, relevant education that aligns with labour market demands. His approach is collaborative, often co-authoring research with students and colleagues, thereby weaving teaching, mentorship, and scholarly inquiry into a seamless fabric.

His research is empirically grounded and driven by practical challenges. Key areas include designing cost-effective regulatory systems, analysing labour market dynamics under trade agreements like SACU/SADC, and optimising the demographic dividend through youth entrepreneurship. His doctoral research on the efficacy of government incentives for agribusiness SMMEs in Botswana exemplifies his focus on sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems. Furthermore, he substantiates the critical need for integrated university ecosystems that combine educational, scientific, and entrepreneurial functions to unlock the innovative potential of student youth.

Beyond academia, Dr. M’Kali possesses extensive cross-sector experience, having held advisory roles and industry leadership positions. This enables exceptional cross-functional collaboration, facilitating multi-stakeholder policy development between government, academia, and industry. Currently a Lecturer at the University of Botswana and a Research Associate at the University of South Africa (UNISA), his career reflects a consistent legacy of award-winning leadership. Dr. M’Kali is ultimately a visionary architect of institutional and human capacity, dedicated to fostering economic development and nurturing the next generation of innovative thinkers and enterprise builders in Africa and beyond.

Gladys has guided early-stage founders in validating their business models and adopting go-to-market strategies to minimise failure risk. She has mentored youth entrepreneurs in the retail space on customer relationship marketing strategies to attain lasting brand advocacy. Gladys currently works as a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Professional Development at BIUST, where she teaches economics, business and entrepreneurship to Science and Engineering majors. She has successfully managed to broaden her research into interdisciplinary fields to encompass renewable energy, integration of social sciences in STEM, as well as women's economic empowerment with emphasis on the interface between technology, management, and entrepreneurship.

She serves as the Managing Director of Lilylap Foods (Pty) Ltd, where she spearheads initiatives aimed at strengthening Botswana’s food systems. Her work focuses on food safety training, regulatory compliance audits, facilitation of manufacturing licences, processing of agricultural produce permits, development of process documentation, and producer compliance assessments aligned with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

A graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in Food Science, Tsholofelo has cultivated a distinguished career encompassing meat processing, indigenous product development, packaging, confectionery manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and export standards. Her in-depth expertise in food regulations and her ability to navigate trade-related barriers position her as a strategic contributor to Botswana’s food security agenda and industrial competitiveness.

Her professional journey began with foundational research and development on indigenous foods in collaboration with the University of Botswana and the National Food Technology Research Centre (NFTRC). She subsequently advanced into food safety and quality management within the confectionery manufacturing sector. As a Technology Consultant – Food at the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), she supported SMME development and mentorship initiatives. She later strengthened food safety systems and championed new product development for the Botswana market in her role as a retail food technologist. Additionally, she played an instrumental role in establishing safety systems and enhancing value-chain efficiency during the inception phase of the Letsema Horticultural Market.

With a strong commitment to regulatory compliance, mentorship, and capacity building, Tsholofelo Moatshe continues to champion food system transformation. Her work bridges primary production and processing, elevates supply chain performance, and promotes the industry-wide adoption of global food safety standards.

As the founder and managing director of Ina Lebe (Pty) Ltd, she has built a business around bespoke engraving and personalised gifting, creating products that combine craftsmanship, originality, and a deep appreciation for identity, heritage, and thoughtful design. Her work reflects a rare ability to turn creativity into a sustainable enterprise while delivering products that resonate with both individual and corporate clients.

Beyond business, Tumelo is also recognised for her commitment to leadership, empowerment, and social impact. Her profile reflects a professional journey shaped by entrepreneurship, advocacy, and a drive to create value in ways that extend beyond profit alone. She brings together business acumen, innovation, and purpose, making her a compelling example of a modern African entrepreneur whose work is rooted in excellence, cultural pride, and community influence.

Marwan has over 28+ years of experience in all aspects of the semiconductor industry and has been involved in building and managing innovative Integrated Circuits products that include communications and processor and co-processor design large complex integrated System-on-Chip (SoCs) with high-speed analog, digital, memory and RF circuits. This includes academia, startups, acquisitions, large semiconductor companies, expert witness, intellectual property evaluation, IP strategy and innovation.

Prior to returning to the Boston area, Irene held senior level, international leadership roles serving as Managing Director, Executive Director and Division Head for UniCredit Group’s Polish subsidiary, Bank Pekao Group in Warsaw, Poland with a focus on growing its corporate and investment banking presence and leading transformation projects. As CEO of Pekao Leasing, she led the acquisition and merger of the Group’s separate leasing entities and launched a new strategy for the leasing activity propelling it to a leadership role in the local market. Irene moved to UniCredit’s Polish subsidiary after having worked with the Polish Central Bank and the Polish Treasury to privatize the bank while Country Director for the London-based, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”).

While at the EBRD, Irene managed a portfolio of corporate debt and equity investments of ca Euro 1.0 billion across a broad range of industries and worked with major multinationals and private equity investors in the region. While at the EBRD, Irene served as Non-Executive Director for several major Polish companies and led corporate restructurings. Irene started her corporate banking career in New York with Hachijuni Bank and then moved to Fleet Financial Group where she specialized in risk management and restructuring. Irene completed her MBA at George Washington University and her undergraduate degree at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. While in Europe, Irene participated in EHESP’s Comparative Public Health Masters Program and maintains a strong interest in healthcare. Irene has two children, a son who started his professional career in San Francisco and a daughter who started university this year; Irene lives in Weston, MA with her husband and two Polish dogs.

He received his BA from West Virginia University and a MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. Dillon is a former Gates Cambridge Scholar and Fulbright Scholar in Timor-Leste.

As Director of Operations and Strategy at MIT Sandbox and CEO of inTouch Technology, he works at the intersection of entrepreneurship, systems design, and organisational development. His professional profile reflects someone who is especially skilled at building the processes, structures, and support systems that allow innovative ideas and ambitious teams to thrive.

What stands out most about Ira is his ability to pair big-picture thinking with practical execution. His work centres on translating vision into effective systems, strengthening collaboration, and creating the conditions for long-term growth. With experience spanning leadership, advising, and venture support, he comes across as a thoughtful and highly capable professional who helps mission-driven programmes and businesses operate more effectively while staying focused on innovation and impact.