Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte is a prominent thought leader and strategist in governance and institutional design, with a focus on achieving effective and efficient policy outcomes. He is an Associate Professor of Public Policy and Governance at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. Prof. Kpessa-Whyte earned his Ph.D. in comparative politics with a specialization in public policy in 2009 from McMaster University, Canada. Earlier, in 2005, he completed a Master of Arts degree in political science, specializing in international relations, after obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2001 from the University of Ghana.

In addition to his academic achievements, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte has pursued various professional development opportunities. He earned a certificate in Social Policies for Development in 2014 from the Ministry of Social Development and the Fight Against Hunger in Brazil, in collaboration with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency in Brasilia. He also received a certificate in Multi-Research Methods from the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) in Kenya in 2012, a certificate in Competence-Based Learning from the Management for Development Foundation, West Africa (MDF) in the same year, and an advanced certificate in Teaching, Learning, and Educational Technologies from Brock University, Ontario, in 2005.

Prof. Kpessa-Whyte brings extensive experience in public sector governance. From 2013 to 2016, he served as a policy advisor in the Office of the President of Ghana and as the Executive Director of the Ghana National Service Scheme. Over the years, he has provided consultancy services to numerous international and local organizations, including the African Progress Group under the leadership of His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; the Centre for International Development Issues Nijmegen, University of Nijmegen; and the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) in Accra, Ghana.

His work has garnered numerous accolades, including the Mobility Fund award from the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) in 2006, the United Nations Association Research Award from the United Nations Association of Canada (Hamilton District) in 2008, and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in 2010. Additionally, he was named the Most Promising Researcher by the Faculty of Social Science, University of Ghana, in 2012, and received the Postcolonialisms Today research grant from Regions Refocus USA in 2018.