A Kenyan research scientist, Dr. Kawango obtained concurrent PhD and MPH from the University of Washington, Seattle. She then proceeded to coordinate the ground-breaking trial on medical male circumcision for HIV prevention at the Kisumu site, Kenya.  

She has conducted multiple studies on various topics, including pre-exposure prophylaxis, multipurpose technologies, HIV self-testing, optimizing HIV care outcomes among adolescents and young adults living with HIV, improving savings as a strategy to reduce HIV risk behaviours, co-designing HIV interventions with end-users, among others. 

She also mentors young people on HIV research, and has founded multiple organizations to address girls’, women’s and community disempowerment along the Lake Victoria Region of western Kenya.