Shamsa Birik is an international development practitioner based in Nairobi. She currently works as a programme officer with the Embassy of Norway. She primarily supports the development cooperation team with programmatic, grant making and policy functions. Prior to joining the Embassy, Shamsa worked for a variety of organizations, including IBTCI Inc, VSF-Germany, grassroots organizations and an internship with CNBC Africa. Shamsa also supports sports and play initiatives for children and young people through her nonprofit "The Outdoor Play". She is a 2021 Emerging Urban Leader Fellow with Salzburg Global Seminar and World Urban Parks. Shamsa holds a bachelor's degree in international relations from the United States International University, Kenya and a master's degree in development studies with a focus on political science from Lund University, Sweden.