Aklilu G. Michael Shomoro
Aklilu G. Michael Shomoro holds a Bachelorās in Applied Physics, a Masterās in Economics, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education Management. is a development leader, social innovator, community-based researcher, and humanitarian practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in community development, civil society leadership, economic empowerment, education, health, governance, and social transformation. He holds a BSc in Applied Physics and an MA in Economics and is currently pursuing doctoral studies focused on strengthening his contributions to development policy, leadership, and systems change.
As a founding member of Love in Action Ethiopia, he has played a role in shaping the organizationās vision, growth, and national standing. Since its establishment in 2001, he has provided valuable guidance and, since 2007, has served as full-time Executive Director. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from a local initiative into a nationally recognized actor with expanded capacity and influence across Ethiopiaās development sector.
His leadership has supported LIAEās expansion to 497 woredas and towns across 12 regions and 2 city administrations. Through partnerships with government, donors, and civil society actors, he has helped position the organization as a trusted implementing and learning partner.
He has led the design, resourcing, and implementation of 52 major development and humanitarian projects, reaching over 1.7 million people. These initiatives cover education, health, livelihoods, peacebuilding, governance, social accountability, institutional capacity building, and support for vulnerable and marginalized groups.
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Beyond implementation, he is recognized for advancing learning in health programming, economic empowerment, participatory governance, and citizen engagement. He has more than 11 publications on international platforms, including Participedia and Amazon, and contributions to edited volumes such as Democracy in a Pandemic: Participation in Response to Crisis (University of Westminster) and āRooting for Change, produced by peer groups under the Coady program at St. Francis Xavier University in Canada. He has also presented research at USAID-related international conferences. His work also includes studies on the drivers of social marginalization in Ethiopia, including an in-depth analysis of the Gafat Beta Israel communities in SNNPR, providing evidence for policy and programming.
He has developed and institutionalized several approaches, including youth economic empowerment models, entrepreneurial mindset frameworks, SBCC strategies, and social inclusion tools, many of which have been adopted in donor-funded programs.
He has served on seven boards across government, NGO, and faith-based institutions, including advisory board roles with national bodies such as the Job Creation Commission. He currently serves as a board member on the Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund/MOH; and has been elected to the Executive Board of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council (ECSOC), representing over 8,000-member organizations.
He is widely recognized by staff and peers for mentorship and leadership, with a strong focus on staff development, institutional strengthening, accountability, innovation, and measurable impact. Currently, he continues to advance a vision of inclusive development, resilient institutions, and community-driven transformation in Ethiopia and beyond.
"His legacy is one of equitable development and transformative social impact".
