Rebekah Shirley
Director of Research, Data and Innovation, World Resources Institute Africa

Rebekah Shirley
Dr. Rebekah Shirley is the Director of Research, Data, and Innovation at the World Resources Institute Africa, where she works to create widespread public access to data and insights, helping to mobilize sustainable development solutions.

For this work, Rebekah was named a GWEC Revolutionary Award Finalist in 2020, an ESI Africa Power and Energy Leader in 2019, and Africa Utility Week’s Outstanding Young Leader in Energy in 2018. Rebekah earned her PhD from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, where she was a Chancellor’s Fellow. Her research explores the integration of socio-cultural, ecological, and resource management perspectives into power system planning tools for Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. Hailing from Jamaica, Rebekah now lives in Nairobi, Kenya with her husband and family. She enjoys exploring Kenya’s outdoors, and is an avid hiker, cyclist, and swimmer. She is also a Visiting Research Fellow at Strathmore University, where she mentors students and young researchers.