Mr. Kevin Somoni Machine is the co-founder of Swahili Cultural Institute Inc. in New York, USA.

Previously, Mr. Machine was involved in language instruction where he taught German Language and Communication Skills at the Center for Tourism Training and Research at the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya in Nairobi. He also instructed English as Second Language for students with immigration background while he was pursuing his post-graduate studies in Germany. Mr. Machine has previously been retained as a Swahili Linguist by a US federal contractor.

Besides being a linguist, Mr. Machine also has extensive experience in investment management distribution and operations within the financial services industry and has worked with global firms such as Allianz, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, New York Life, Dreman and Deutsche Bank in New York.

Mr. Machine holds a Certificate from Columbia Engineering FinTech, an MBA in International Management from Nürtingen-Geislingen University in Germany and a B.Ed. (Arts) degree in German as a Foreign Language from Kenyatta University. He is a recipient of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarship.

Mr. Machine is fluent in Swahili, German and English and has conversational abilities in Luhya, Kisii and Spanish. He has a passion for golf, chess, arts, languages and different cultures.

Mrs. Jane Njeri Clayton is a co-founder of Swahili Cultural Institute. She is an educator of Swahili language. She has taught Swahili for over seventeen years in different institutions including Columbia University. Her focus is on developing practical day-to-day use of Swahili including, reading, writing, and speaking skills as well as exposure to African culture. She also designs and administers Kiswahili proficiency evaluation tests and orientates new Swahili teachers coming from East Africa to teach in various universities in the USA. She has also worked as an independent Swahili interpreter for Lionbridge Technologies, Inc.
Prior to that, Mrs. Clayton did editorial work at Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research & Analysis (KIPPRA) in Kenya.

Mrs. Clayton holds an MEd in International Education Development from Teachers College-Columbia University, an M.A. in Swahili from Kenyatta University and B.A. in Sociology and Linguistics from Kenyatta University. Her Research interest are in Language Literacy and Technology.

Mrs. Clayton holds an MEd in International Education Development from Teachers College-Columbia University, an M.A. in Swahili from Kenyatta University and B.A. in Sociology and Linguistics from Kenyatta University. Her Research interest are in Language Literacy and Technology.

Samuel Ollunga is co-founder of Swahili Cultural Institute. Sam is an attorney and author. He is a Partner and one of the founding partners at Thomson Ollunga LLP, formerly Thomson Gabriele & Ollunga LLP. Mr. Ollunga has previously worked as the Corporate Counsel at Acker Merrall & Condit, the oldest wine merchants in the US and one of the leading wine auction companies in the world.

Prior to that, he worked as a Capital Markets and Mergers and Acquisitions attorney at two of the world’s most prestigious law firms: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP. He holds an LL.M. from Harvard Law School, and another from the University of Cambridge, with a primary focus on Public and Private International Law. He holds an LL.B. from Moi University in Kenya, and a diploma in law (a requirement for admission to the Kenyan Bar) from the Kenya School of Law. He is admitted as an attorney in the State of New York and in Kenya.

His practice focuses on corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, credit financing, startup law, oil, gas and energy law, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, intellectual property law, public and private international law, and not-for-profit law.

Mr. Otieno B. Ombok is a Principal in the White Plains, New York office of Jackson Lewis P.C., where he co-leads the firm’s Immigration practice. He has practiced immigration law for more than two decades, advising U.S. and foreign employers on business immigration strategy, counseling, and compliance, and has been recognized as a leader in his field by Lawdragon and The Legal 500 USA.

Beyond his legal career, Mr. Ombok is a dedicated community organizer with a deep commitment to the Kenyan and broader African diaspora. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, he ran education, democracy, and governance programs across Africa and taught business law as an adjunct lecturer at the United States International University in Nairobi.

At the Institute, Mr. Ombok brings particular strength in community engagement, outreach, and locally responsive programming across the New York metropolitan area. He advises on initiatives that connect with local African communities — driving membership and building partnerships with schools, community centers, and non-profit organizations — as well as programming that uses language, storytelling, and cultural heritage to support social cohesion and community welfare.

As an Advisory Board Member, Mr. Ombok provides guidance on community engagement, fundraising and partnerships, and governance, helping position the Institute as a dynamic hub for unity and cultural exchange within the Swahili-speaking community.