Virginia Warue Ngugi holds a Master of Business Administration (EXECUTIVE) in Strategic
Management from Moi University, a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Sociology and Geography) from
Kenyatta University and a Post Graduate Diploma (International Relations and Diplomacy) from
the University of Nairobi. She did her A- Levels at Kangaru School and O-Levels at Mutomo Girls’
Sec. School. Virginia has also attended several conferences, seminars, and workshops both
locally and internationally.
Virginia is a highly motivated and passionate tourism professional with close to thirty years’
experience in public service at both national and county level. She worked at the Ministry of
Tourism and Wildlife before joining Embu County Government as Director Tourism in 2015. She
joined the Ministry straight from university and rose through the ranks from a Tourism Officer
to a Chief Tourism Officer where she served in various capacities; tourism marketing and
promotion, product development, policy and planning as well as in standardization and
regulation of the hospitality facilities. She was also involved in the planning and execution of
successful tourism marketing events across the country and out of the country, farm trips,
conferences and exhibitions. She was a member of the East African Community committee of
experts on EAC branding and marketing strategy and also EAC Committee of Experts on
harmonization of tourism statistics among others. She participated in the development of the
National Tourism Strategy and policy as well as the Tourism Act of 2011.
The experience, exposure and skills gained over the years is what Virginia brings to Embu
County. She is proud to have played a part in putting Embu county in the tourism map and
changed the hitherto notion of Embu as a transit county to an upcoming tourism destination
with a number of tourism attractions, eco-tourism sites and fun activities. Her dream is to grow
Embu tourism and make Embu County a tourism destination which is competitive not only
regionally but also nationwide. She is open to any ideas that are geared to achieving this dream.